A Really Bad Week

[governorkang]

There was something different about the tavern. Typically, the mood in it was cheerful, almost homey; for the past few days, however, it had been... solemn.

It could have been blamed on a number of things. Because of the recent strike against GLaDOS, people were remembering those that had been repodded, and Hisk, the previous helper, was among that group. Kawalsky, Cassie, and two of the people in the pods had been killed. And lastly, though it was public knowledge by that point that Hiccup and Rose had been hurt, it wasn't yet known exactly what had happened or how bad it was.

Kang knew, though.

All of that combined equaled a somewhat mopey draconian behind the bar.

Comments

[governmentninja]

"We still have a Yeerk problem," Leon pointed out. Though lord did he wish those things would up and die. It would at least be one problem crossed off a very long list.

"But odds are we can fold the parasite screening in as part of a routine physical exam. Half the medical staff hasn't worked with non-humans before, or even superhumans before. They'll need to study everyone's physiology anyway."

[governorkang]

Kang smiled wryly, "Point. Though, I hear the yeerk was trying to help us out with the bombs."

"Makes sense. I know I don't want to worry about getting injured and having someone fix me up wrong because they had no idea what they were dealing with. And, I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate being blown up along with me if they kill me by accident."

[governmentninja]

"Yeah, but the whole matter is still a mess." On so many levels.

Leon took a drink, but paused for a moment and raised an eyebrow at Kang.

"...'Blown up?'"

[governorkang]

"This is going to be fun to handle," Kang muttered dryly.

He shrugged, "That's what happens when my kind die."

[governmentninja]

"Hn." He learned something new about this crew every day.

[on_errantry]

Rhiow entered the bar at a trot, dodging through the crew that had begun to congregate there. Her mind was working.

She had never been an adept player of hauishh, the game of position-strategy that was the People's pasttime and lifestyle. She knew the basics of power, how to gain it, and how to keep it, but during the few bouts she had tried to play, the veterans had called her 'overly aggressive out the gate and then tenuous and nervous when trying to hold.'

It was with this in mind that she entered with a small treat to bolster her mood. A fish dangled from her jaws as she wove through the bar, and when she came to it, her spirits lifted even further. Here were the two people she needed to speak with the most! How convenient of them.

She leapt up lightly between them and settled on the bar like she did frequently. She dropped her catch and settled down. "Hunt's luck to you, Hh'anh, Captain. Do you mind if I join you?"

[governmentninja]

Leon looked at Rhiow, then back at Kang. He shrugged a bit after a moment.

"Sure, why not?"

[governorkang]

"Hello, Rhiow," Kang nodded at her in greeting, unfazed by the dead fish.

[on_errantry]

"It's appreciated," she said, tucking her paws underneath her chest and beginning to daintily tuck into the fish. Well, daintily as far as the People go, at any rate. Species who didn't normally eat their food raw might find it a tad disturbing.

"I've just been to visit Ssam and his erstwhile passenger in the brig," Rhiow said. There was no point waiting to bring up what she needed to talk about, after all.

[governmentninja]

Leon had seen weirder things than a talking magical cat eating raw fish. The fact that he could say that even before he ever stepped on the ship only highlighted how crazy his life was.

Still, the subject of the yeerk caused him to suppress a sigh. He had a feeling it wasn't brought up to make idle conversation.

"How are they?"

[governorkang]

Kang quirked an eyebrow ridge, voice almost teasing, "You want a plate for that, so you don't get blood and fish scales all over my bar?" He was all ears, though, for this conversation; as a member of the council, he knew he was going to have to help make the decision of what to do with the yeerk.

[on_errantry]

Rhiow's whiskers went straight forward at Kang's comment. "That's what hot soapy water is for, Hhang.

"Ssam gets on well enough - well as he can, with the way his brother is hounding at him. Shm'shh, on the other hand, is convinced he deserves whatever the crew does to him, and his ideas on what they might do are distressing. Ssam, meanwhile, has started talking about wearing earplugs."

She gnawed on the fish for a moment and then sat back, licking her whiskers.

[governmentninja]

That last part got an eyebrow raise. "Earplugs?" It was basically a little late in the game for those.

[governorkang]

Kang shrugged slightly, listening.

[on_errantry]

"Earplugs," Rhiow repeated, pausing to wash a stray bit of scales away. "To make sure that nobody can force Shm'shh to leave." She flicked her tail a little, but it was the only part of her body that betrayed any kind of nervousness, and it wasn't likely that either of them would interpret it as such.

"I for one feel sorry for him - he expects the crew to kill him, and he's swamped with guilt over Hh'assie, poor kit."

[governmentninja]

There was almost an eyeroll, but instead there was just a flat look. It never ceased to amaze him how overly dramatic some of this crew could be.

"Interesting," was all he was going to say on the subject, for the moment.

[governorkang]

"It's unfortunate what happened to her, but from what I hear, the yeerk tried to minimize the damage," Kang snorted. "If they can't understand that..."

[on_errantry]

Rhiow was pleased - this was going even better than she expected. "Tempers run high when something like this happens," she said. "People grieve, and grief can do strange things to one's judgement. Take the kit in the brig, the one who hit Shiva with the final blow - he's not a killer and it tears him apart that he's become one."

She had reduced the fish to a pile of scales, bones and fins by now and licked her whiskers, sitting back from the disgusting mess and beginning to groom fastidiously. "Shm'shh is also concerned that there will be a question of reliability of testimony during the hearing, and I agree. With a parasite of this nature, it's difficult to know who is speaking when. Any of the telepathic crew members could serve as a translator, myself included, but I thought I might advise you of the need of one."

[governmentninja]

"That whole hearing is going to be a mess." But the Council was primarily in charge of handling that.

"Are you guys going to be able to handle that?" He asked Kang.

[governorkang]

Kang quirked an eyebrow ridge, "I'm sure we will."

[on_errantry]

Rhiow flicked an ear rapidly, glancing back and forth between them. This is why she had never been very good at haiushh. She wasn't very good at keeping track of these subtle changes in relation until they actually happened. For instance, she hadn't noticed that the both of them had stopped listening to her, and started watching each other.

She continued grooming her face. "But enough about our prisoners, how's your kitling, Hh'ann?" She put her whiskers straight forward, knowing it would fluster him, but she knew Hiccup ran in pride with him.

[governorkang]

On Kang's part, it wasn't that he'd stopped listening to Rhiow; he was still paying attention to what she was saying.

...and her next comment made him tense up, scales clicking in discomfort. "Please don't refer to him like that, Rhiow. He has his father on the ship with him."

[on_errantry]

She yawned widely in the middle of her groom - a jesture that flat-out dismissed his comment - and flicked her tail. "I know you didn't sire him," Rhiow said. "But kittens who live to be toms are raised in-pride. You don't have to be rrai'fih to take him in." She used the Ailurin word that meant a pride-of-blood, where members were related to each other.

[governorkang]

"I know. Still, I'd rather you didn't," Kang frowned, understanding what she meant. Clearly, though, there was a deeper issue.

[on_errantry]

"Did the boy's father say something to you?" Rhiow asked. It was a strange concept, fathers taking so much interest in their young. Toms were driven away from kittens for fear they would kill any challenges to their territory. It was an old thing among the People, one that Rhiow still regarded as their species' dirty little secret.