Just My Luck }{ [Bjorn Crew]

[Lance Howe]

Lance was a little surprised by Trace's response but very pleased to have an experienced rodent catcher on board. "No, I don't having anything like that but might be able to fashion something together that would do the job." It wouldn't be too difficult to rig some bait in a box or something like that so long as he had Trace's help in choosing and laying the bait. This wasn't for permanent captivity, just a test after all.

Things only got better, if a little stranger, with Jordan's input. The doctor restrained himself from commenting on the odd behavior and decided just to offer a simple thank you. "One should be enough, assuming all goes well, and then you can have your little friend back. Thanks."

[Drusilla Pardieu]

Dru raised a questioning brow at Jordan's...pets. She shook her head slightly, too nice for her own good. "Well if you want to try it on a person doc. Let me know when we hit planet, sure I can find you a candidate. Couldn't say that they'd be willing of course." The mercenary shrugged and made her way back to the entrance, pausing just a moment before turning the corner.

She glanced back at Jordan, "Come find me later." It wasn't really a question, at least in the normal sense. If the mechanic wanted to talk to her she'd come find her, if not things would get back to normal. Dru would accept that, it wasn't as though she had any solid decision in her mind anyway. Talking just seemed like the best way to handle the situation, even though she disliked it. Drusilla wasn't much of a talker really, didn't care for the idle chit-chat some folks did.

Once back to her room Dru just sat back in the bed, boots still on and everything. It was her room, she could do as she pleased.

[Jordan Maxwell]

Jordan had always been a bit strange. She knew that. She refused to allow her parents to kill their animal for food. They had to wait until she was gone. And even after the attack on her home town she still had a hard time with killing. Though she wants to kill Reavers, she had been reminded that it was going to be harder than pulling a trigger.

She decided she was going to find Dru, talk to the Captain, check up on Munchie, and Jeff. That was alot of people talking. When did she get so popular that she checked up on people?

A confused look crossed her face for a moment until she shook it off and beamed a smile at Trace and the Doctor. "I know it ain't normal, for me to b keeping 'em jus' not sure what else ta' do." Jordan shrugged then and shifted her weight from foot to foot. "I reckon I should as the Cap'n for a cat. Cut down on the mice and it would be a mite cuddler." She was about to say more, but stopped. Jordan had always been strange. There was no need to her to try and defend that.

[Trace Kennet]

"Oh I am sure the captain will just LOVE that idea," snorted Trace, "Who wouldn't love to have a fur ball running around making messes and getting in the way?" Trace didn't mean to be rude, or snippy, but he couldn't help it. He had come down here to talk to Jordan, and now everyone else was getting in the way. What with the captain, Dru, and now the doctor wanting to chat, he knew she wouldn't have the time. Trace felt trapped, he didn't want to talk to the captain, because if Lars knew what was going on inside his head, he might not let him fly anymore. As far as Dru was concerned, well she was Dru. Trace didn't know either of the other two, and he didn't see things going well between them if the first conversation they had was about how insane the guy flying the ship was.
Trace needed to talk to Jordan, he was convinced she would know what was happening to him, but now his chance was slipping away. He decided to give it one last shot. "Jordan," He said, trying to tell her with his eyes what he really needed, "I noticed some inconsistencies with the engine sensor readings, could you maybe help me figure them out?" Trace waited for her response, trying to keep his cool, hoping that she would understand what he meant.

[Jordan Maxwell]

Not being the best at reading people, Jordan perked up and smiled at Trace. "Those pesky sensors again? I thought I had a talk with then." She tried not to take what Trace said about a pet seriously. She loved critters and hadn't had then since she left home. However, nodded to Lance not wanting to touch him with her dirty hands. "I'll come check on Munchie in a bit sounds like I have some sensors to look at." She gave the doctor a look that told him not to kill her furry friend then turned back to Trace. "Lead the way."

[Trace Kennet]

Trace was slightly startled that Jordan didn't seem to have any idea that he hadn't actually wanted to talk about sensors, but he decided that rather than admit to lying in front of Lance, he would go with it. It was an excuse to get her away from the rest of the crew. He merely nodded, and walked out of the engine room, assuming she would follow. As soon as he left, he realized he had no idea what to say. all the things he had been thinking now seemed to be fighting against his will to speak. He struggled with his thoughts as he walked toward the cockpit, and then finally he spoke, hoping she would be close enough to hear. "Jordan, I need help." He said, trying his hardest to keep his voice even. "There is nothing wrong with the sensors, i just needed to talk, and well. you are the only one I can talk to." He stopped, still with his back to her, knowing that he couldn't bear to have her see how weak he was. "I don't know what to do," he stammered, "I think I am going crazy."

[Jordan Maxwell]

Jordan stopped, she gave him a look, however he was unable to see her. Her hand reached out and she grabbed onto his arm spinning him slowly to face her. Looking up into his eyes she hugged him, pulling his head down to rest against his shoulder. 'Why does everyone on this blasted ship have to be so tall?' Though her thoughts were not on task, she understood and knew how he felt. She had felt that too, and it lead to her seeking out Dru. Since she guessed he would not feel the same about the Cap'n or Jeff, she would speak with him. Though she was not sure what she could do for him. The Doctor would be the better bet.

"Trace, you are not going crazy. I promise, we can get through this alright?"

[Lance Howe]

The rest of the crew was breaking up to go their separate ways from the engine room. Lance didn't care. He had what he came for and could now return to work. He gave a few departing glances to the crew before leaving with his new specimen. Hopefully he wouldn't have any need for human specimens like Dru had suggested. The thought of abducting people for medical experimentation also wasn't something the doctor exactly wanted.

[Trace Kennet]

Trace was relieved that Jordan was there, he didn't care that her hug was hurting his knees, all he knew was that she was going to listen, but he was finding it hard to talk. Finally he said quietly. "Jordan, I see her face, all the time. I killed her Jordan, I know i did. I shouldn't have meddled with her, She would still be alive if it weren't for me. I... I.." He couldn't go on, his voice broke and he felt the tears run down his cheeks, even as his vision blurred. He didn't care that they were in the middle of the common area, the cockpit seemed much to far away, and he seemed to have lost the will to move his legs. He slumped down, and found himself leaning against one of the couches. He looked up at Jordan. "I haven't slept in days, not really. I close my eyes, and all i see is her face, and I can't take it Jordan." He was almost pleading, "If Dru, or Lars, or even you had been in the infirmary with her, she would have survived I know it. But It was me, and now she is dead..." his voice simply trailed off, and he put his head in his hands. "I should go to prison, I am no better than a murderer."

[Jordan Maxwell]

"Trace, I know as much about medical stuff as you know about..." She paused. "Transorbital flight modulators within the engine and how to calbriate them to function within the normal confindes of the gravitational pull on high gravity planets... The Cap'n is a nice guy but he would have been helpin me with the engine, and Dru would have killed her. Trace, you didn't kill that woman, I did. I shot her, I pulled that trigger that injured her. You at least tried to help her, I left her, knowing she might die, to fix the stupid engine."

She tried her best to smile as she let go of the hug. "Trace, it's not your fault, it's mine. Put the blame on me. None of us had the training to do what we were doin', the only people that might have an idea were on an enemy vessel, and they left us here, alone. We did the best we could with what we had." Her eyes seemed to glaze over slightly as she spoke. Almost as if she had said this 100 times before. Though she was speaking to herself more than to Trace.

"Her death was because I aimed at her, I pulled that trigger to try and save us both, I am responcible for her death. However, we were defending ourselves which makes us not murders, we were defenders, protecting the ship. We, we are innocent in all of this. We didn't deserve what happened neither did she, however, we, we can get through this Trace, we have to." She looked up at him. "We," 'are all that's left' she thought, not because it was true, but she felt completely alone. Her family gone, and she killed a family in the making, she was no better than the Reavers, but she felt that Trace had no right to bring this guilt onto himself. He didnt' do anything wrong.

"Trace, it's my fault. Mine and mine alone. You did the right thing, I didn't."

[Trace Kennet]

"Jordan, I..." Trace couldn't find the words he wanted to say, so he simply said, "Thank you." Trace sat silent for a while, thinking. It was incredible, thought Trace as he wiped his eyes with his handkerchief, that something as simple as talking could be so helpful. But some of what Jordan had said he didn't agree with. "Jordan, you didn't do the wrong thing," He said carefully, "We didn't what was going on, and the engine needed your attention." He stopped, unsure of how to continue. He was amazed at how quickly the ground of this conversation had shifted, he didn't know if he was in any place to talk to her, but he didn't care. Something had changed, he didn't know exactly what, but he knew it was there.
Trace stood up, and looked at Jordan, trying to find the words he needed. "You have no idea how much it means to me, you being willing to listen, especially after how bad my first impression must have been." Trace stammered, he was finding it difficult to speak coherently.
"Jordan, I.." Trace stopped, and then decided to go with the urge that had suddenly occurred to him. without warning, he moved to Jordan and kissed her.

[Jordan Maxwell]

Jordan broke the kiss first and put the back of her right hand over her lips as she looked up at him in shock. She wasn't sure what to say or do, she just stood there for a moment trying to collect her thoughts. She thought of Dru, of her experiences in this type of situation. What experience? She had been a slave for so long she didn't know how to react to anything that had to do with relationships. She was nice and sweet to everyone because that was who she was. It made her survive when she worked on the taraforming groups, everyone helped take care of her. It worked on other ships, they all saw her as a little sister. This was all things she was going to speak to Dru about today, but now, now things were almost to much for her to handle. How to respond to something like this?

"Trace..." She said almost in a whisper, lowing her hand slowly as she looked up at him. She was confused, and it showed in her eyes, and on her face. "Th.. That was unexpected...." She smiled at him, though still confused and in shock.

[Trace Kennet]

Trace was shocked by his own action. He stepped back and looked at his hands, then looked back at Jordan. "I, I am so sorry, I don't know what came over me." He stammered, speaking very fast. He stopped and took a deep breath before speaking again. "I just screwed up big time, didn't I? I have never really done that before," he said laughing nervously, "I mean, i have met girls and all, but never like you and not that i ever really liked, and now I do something stupid, and screw up any chance i imagined i had." He groaned and turned away from her, cursing at himself under his breath. " And now I am blabbering like an idiot, I'm sorry Jordan, I can't excuse my actions, it was uncalled for and inappropriate." He stopped, and kicked at the floor, "I shouldn't have done that to you, but well... I couldn't help it." He turned and looked at her sheepishly, "Please dont stab me."

[Jordan Maxwell]

"Trace.. I would never stab you..." She took a few steps forward him, reaching for him, but she stopped and pulled her arms back in and just looked at him. "Trace, I'm not good at relationships, I am not good at a lot of things. I...." She just didn't know what to say, she didn't know where she stood with Dru, she wanted to be with Dru, but she didn't want to say anything to anyone until they spoke. What if Dru didn't feel the same way? It would complicate matters if she started telling everyone on the blasted ship they kissed.

"I.... I just can't Trace. I'm........ Listen, after I was sold into the terraforming, a lot happened there, and I still haven't forgiven the people that did it to me. The men that did it to me. I..... I'm sorry Trace." Tears formed in her eyes and she turned away from him. "I should go..." She began to leave.

[Trace Kennet]

"Jordan, Wait!" Said Trace, surprised by his own confidence. He had noticed her movement, and he decided that this was not the time for unfinished conversations. he reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her back. "Jordan, I don't know anything about relationships. I honestly haven't ever spent time with a girl who was interested in anything but the money my family had." He struggled to keep his voice even, and not lose his resolve to say what he needed to say, he noticed the tears in her eyes, and offered her his handkerchief. "I wish i could say I know how you are feeling, or that I had been through the same things, but I can't, and i haven't. But what I can say is that not everybody is the same, and," he paused, hoping that she wouldn't take this wrong, "Well, I wish you wouldn't lump me in with the trash that run the terraforming crews, because, well, I am not like that." Trace was not sure what he was saying, but he knew that he needed to continue, if only because he wanted to speak his piece. "I can't force you to do anything, but I can ask, and even if it is just as a friend," Trace took a deep breath, "Give someone a chance to help you, to be there for you, please?" He fell silent, still holding on to Jordan, hoping that he hadn't just made the worlds biggest blunder, but he was growing more and more unsure of himself, as the moments of silence ticked by.