DS-Musings: Calling an Old Friend
Mal hit the encryption key as he typed in Leawyn's wave-frequency. He didn't have long to wait before the tired, yet still young-looking face of the 22nd's former Commanding Officer appeared.
"Ni hao," came the liquid-honey reply, before she looked up at the screen and saw who it was. "Houzi de pi gu...Mal!"
"Language, young one," the Captain chuckled. "It's good to see you, too."
The young woman blushed. "Sorry, Sarge."
"It's Captain now, actually. How's your world?"
"Still turnin'. You?"
"Still flyin'."
She grinned. "So, to what do I owe this sudden and unexpected wave?"
Mal grinned. "Always cuttin' t'the chase. Some things never change."
"It's what kept me alive during the war. No preamble, no line for the enemy to tag."
"Smart girl. Need you to come work for me."
The girl raised a brow. "Need? You that desperate to give away your money? ...What happened, Mal? Spill it," she added, as she saw the Captain's smile falter, then fall.
"Suppose I'd better start at th'beginning..."
"You start there, we'll be trading war stories all gorram night. No preamble, Mal. Remember?"
Mal scrubbed a hand over his face. "Right. No preamble. Lemme start somewhere towards middle-end, then..."
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Hours Later
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"I'll be there, soon, Cap'," Leawyn said, smiling sadly.
Mal returned the smile. "Knew I could count on'ya, mei mei. Zoe, too."
"Don't leave wi'out me, okay? I'll have to do unpleasant things to you, if you make me chase you down."
"Don't you worry, Nor'Star. Wouldn't dream a leavin' ya behind."
The young woman placed a hand on the screen. "Zhufu ni, ge ge."
Mal placed his own hand over the screen. "You too."
He severed the connection. Just a little while longer and he's have a workin' crew again. Wasn't the same as the old one, but it would have to do.
He would make sure of it.
[Hello...Monkey's butt!...Blessing on you, brother]
"Ni hao," came the liquid-honey reply, before she looked up at the screen and saw who it was. "Houzi de pi gu...Mal!"
"Language, young one," the Captain chuckled. "It's good to see you, too."
The young woman blushed. "Sorry, Sarge."
"It's Captain now, actually. How's your world?"
"Still turnin'. You?"
"Still flyin'."
She grinned. "So, to what do I owe this sudden and unexpected wave?"
Mal grinned. "Always cuttin' t'the chase. Some things never change."
"It's what kept me alive during the war. No preamble, no line for the enemy to tag."
"Smart girl. Need you to come work for me."
The girl raised a brow. "Need? You that desperate to give away your money? ...What happened, Mal? Spill it," she added, as she saw the Captain's smile falter, then fall.
"Suppose I'd better start at th'beginning..."
"You start there, we'll be trading war stories all gorram night. No preamble, Mal. Remember?"
Mal scrubbed a hand over his face. "Right. No preamble. Lemme start somewhere towards middle-end, then..."
--------
Hours Later
--------
"I'll be there, soon, Cap'," Leawyn said, smiling sadly.
Mal returned the smile. "Knew I could count on'ya, mei mei. Zoe, too."
"Don't leave wi'out me, okay? I'll have to do unpleasant things to you, if you make me chase you down."
"Don't you worry, Nor'Star. Wouldn't dream a leavin' ya behind."
The young woman placed a hand on the screen. "Zhufu ni, ge ge."
Mal placed his own hand over the screen. "You too."
He severed the connection. Just a little while longer and he's have a workin' crew again. Wasn't the same as the old one, but it would have to do.
He would make sure of it.
[Hello...Monkey's butt!...Blessing on you, brother]