The Talk {Dru}

[Jordan Maxwell]

[January 11, 2523]

Jordan bounced around the engine room making sure the last few things were in place. She had been up all night, again, and was working on her second caffeine high. She smoothed out her skirt and looked over everything for a third time. The engine had never run this smoothly in a long time. She just didn't know what else she should do. The co-pilot panel was fixed, she had fixed Jeff's suit, taken apart and repaired the coffee maker. Jordan truly felt at a loss. Perhaps now, it was finally time for her to take a break.

Moving over to her hammock she started a small music player and was about get hop up into it when she thought she heard something. Her heart skipped a beat and she slowly opened the engine room door.

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Jordan's Hammock: www.myhammock.com/prodimages/singleNicamakapurple2.jpg
Jordan's outfit: www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=43544927

[Drusilla Pardieu]

It had been a few days since the whole pirate incident. The goods had been returned to St. Albans as promised, and they had been paid. Very little in Dru's opinion, especially considering the injuries. They had gotten a medic to join the ship though, that would be good for the long-term. Jordan had been busy trying to get the Bjorn back up and running.

The last few days had been odd, Dru felt a bit distant, more than usual. She spent most of her time in her room, letting herself heal. It was going well, she'd have a couple scars but nothing serious. The bruise on her face still showed blue and purple along her temple and around her left eye. It was less than it had been at least.

The concern that had been eating at her about the mechanic finally rose above comfortable levels, the mercenary went to check on her. Walking through the ship, her stride only minorly faltered because of her thigh.

Dru tapped on the engine room door and leaned against it's frame. When Jordan opened it her face remained straight, "So we're about ready to get back in the air huh?"

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Dru's Outfit

[Jordan Maxwell]

Jordan nodded a few times then looked back to the engine. "She's ship shape. With the new parts Jeff and I obtained from the Revenge, she is purrin better then when I first met her."

She moved back to let Dru into the room and walked over to the engine petting's its case. "I fixed the compression coil with a new one, reinforced it, changed out a few other odds and ends. She won't be givin us a problem for a while." Jordan looked over to Dru again and tried to smile. "How's your leg?"

[Drusilla Pardieu]

Dru was glad that Jordan had the distraction of fixing the ship, but eventually she would have to come to terms with killing the woman. "Good to hear, the faster we get off of this freezing planet the better I say." Replying as she walked into the room.

Nodding a bit as the mechanic explained some of the things she did, most of it was lost. Her specialty was guns and killing, not the workings of a ship.

With the mention of her leg Dru looked down for a second before looking back at Jordan. "Seems to be healing just fine, doc does good work." She smiled a little at her attempt to smile, always with the brave face that one.

Dru leaned against the wall a short distance inside the engine room, "How are you holding up? Still want to tell me how evil I am for having been in the military?" A grin crossed her lips, the real question had been how she was doing. The second bit was just an opening for her to avoid it if she wanted to not talk about things yet.

[Jordan Maxwell]

"I'm alright, better then that woman." She tried to smile again, then came the comment about her being in the military. "Your not evil because you were in the military, you are evil for being on the wrong side." She held her smile, she was only joking with Dru. Dru learned how to use those weapons well, and in learning that saved the crew. To her, that was no small task.

Jordan has only killed one person, and in that knowledge assumed that every kill for Dru must face the same kind of pain. "I closed my eyes when I shot at her. I didn't expect to hit her you know."

[Drusilla Pardieu]

Dru's grin changed into a smile, "I'm evil for being on the wrong side...does that mean I'm not evil for being paid to kill folks? I mean what I do has got nothing to do with the Alliance now." She was amused by Jordan's opinion of anyone associated to the Alliance.

The mercenary lowered her head a little hearing Jordan talk about the woman. "It's a good thing you did, because she sure as hell intended to kill the two of you Jordan." Dru knew how hard the first kill was, granted her first wasn't a pregnant woman either.

Dru sighed and put her hands in her pockets, "I'm sorry you had to do that, I should have ignored Lars and took care of her myself. I accept the blame that you were forced to kill her, I'd take it back if I could."

[Jordan Maxwell]

"It's no ones fault Dru.." Jordan walked over to her and put her hand on Dru's arm before breaking down and hugging her. "My Pa use to say that, we all are meant to die, either death, or someone else is carryin the thing that's gonna kill you. The trick is, keep runnin. He heard that when was in the war. Brought it home to us.."

Jordan slowly let go of the hug and looked up into Dru's eyes. "And for the record, what you do is honest, the Alliance has yet to do anything that I consider as honest as killing folk for money."

[Drusilla Pardieu]

Jordan's words didn't make her feel much better, she still felt at fault. Before Dru could respond though she was being hugged again and with her hands in her pockets she was stuck. The hugging again, at least Jordan was talking because she had no idea what to say.

When the mechanic loosened the hug, Dru pulled her hands from her pockets and took hold of Jordan's forearms softly. It was an odd connection the two of them had established.

Dru grinned at her words, laughed a little. "Oh I'm sure they do their fair share of killing for money too. Too bad it's legal when they do it, I don't get that luxury."

[Jordan Maxwell]

Jordan looked up at Dru and her smile turned into a smirk. "What you do is a free enterprise, a fight against the conformity. And you make a choice, you follow your own goals, your own values. You are free to make that choice and for many people they can hide behind saying that had orders. Having orders should never make them feel guiltless for what they did."

She paused taking a moment to think, then added. "Besides, your to pretty to be evil."

[Drusilla Pardieu]

Dru was very amused by Jordan's feelings on the matter, most definitely had her own mind about things. She no longer felt any guilt about the people she killed, it was a job, nothing more. The first few had been a little rough to bear but she soon got over it.

Shaking her head slightly she responded during Jordan's pause, "I don't feel any guilt over what I do Jordan. It's my job and I actually do it happily."

Her eyes widened slightly with what the mechanic said next, a very slight blush crossed her cheeks. "Someone evil can be pretty as well." Dru grinned slightly, she was an example of that. She knew what she did, it wasn't all good and virtuous, the mercenary accepted that. Came with the job.

[Jordan Maxwell]

"I don't except that, someone might be good looking and evil, like the Cap'n," she said his name in a joking tone, "however, someone as puuuurrrty as you.. See it even sounds right, like making a kitten purr." She made a motion with her hand, it started near her sternum and ran up her throat under her chin and she opened her hand like an escaping noise. "Puuurrrty as you, not evil. Maybe pretty enough to kill someone, but not evil."

Jordan looked up at her with a playful look, she enjoyed seeing Dru blush, it only seemed to encourage her to continue. " 'Sides, if you was evil, I wouldn't be here, you would never taught me to shoot, and I'd be dead, and the ship would be gone."

Jordan raised a brow at her and waited for a response, their once serious talk was taking a happy turn for Jordan, she felt like she was getting her spunk back.

[Drusilla Pardieu]

Dru raised a brow with her smile as she listened to Jordan. Was the girl drunk? No, she was being playful, teasing. It was a bit of a relief, the mechanic was showing signs of feeling better. Even if it was only for the moment.

"Evil comes in all ways Jordan. Just because I didn't come on board and murder you all to take the ship doesn't mean I'm not. You said yourself I have my own values, and I do.' Dru's smile remained, 'Besides, you wouldn't be dead. I would need a mechanic to keep my ship running wouldn't I?" Her tone made it obvious she was joking.

[Jordan Maxwell]

"Mmmmm but my job is complete, you could kill me now, take the ship, and hire a new crew as the Sexy Pirate Cap'n!" Jordan fell into giggles for several moments before she could continue. "'Sides, you have good values Dru, or else why would you be here checkin' up on me. If I didn't know better I would think you enjoyed my company." Jordan winked at her and gave her a huge smile.

"And! I got this for you." Jordan reached behind her hammock and produced a box then handed it to her, inside there was a small gun. "It's not what you would normally use I know, but it has 6 shots, just in case you end up getting disarmed again. It might just be easier to hide. Sooo.. Yeah..." Jordan looked away from her, this seemed like a better idea when she was at the store. "This sounded so much less strange in my head." Jordan retreated from Dru and started fiddling with a random something on the engine.

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Jordan's Gift

[Drusilla Pardieu]

Dru found herself laughing at Jordan's words, continuing along with the girl's giggling. Once the laughter calmed after a few moments she grinned listening to what else she said. "That may very well be true,' Dru said regarding enjoying Jordan's company, 'I also remember how it felt when I pulled the trigger for the first time intending for that bullet to hit someone. Not everyone can cope with that alone." It was obvious now that she was concerned for the mechanic's well being.

Jordan then handed her a box, a gift it seemed, there was a confused look on Dru's face as she opened it slowly. Revealing a small gun, she picked it up and held it as Jordan told her about it. This was awkward for Dru, she didn't really have friends, usually didn't bother with them. Which meant she didn't get gifts.

She looked up when Jordan walked away, after a moment Dru followed though. "Thank you Jordan. Really. You didn't have to go buying me anything though, but thank you."

[Jordan Maxwell]

"I didn't know when your birthday way, and seeing how we missed last Christmas, and.. I don't know why i got you something, I just felt it was the right thing to do. I do that a lot. Pa says its a flaw." Jordan shrugged and looked up at Dru Sheepishly.

"You're the first person I've made friends with since I left home. I guess it's my way of saying thank you." She smiled at Dru again. "There are some rounds for it in the box too, I don't know much i'm afraid."