Ronin
Title: Ronin
Fandom: Space Cases
Table/Prompt: Table 3/1. Samurai
Rating: PG
Word Count: 306
Summary: In which Rosie is enlightened a little as to what life was like for Andromidans.
“Not that I don’t like Andromidans or anything,” Bova whispered to Radu, “but those guys really creep me out.”
‘Those guys’ were a small group of Andromidans they were giving a lift to since their own ship had malfunctioned. They kept to themselves, not speaking to the crew of the Christa unless they absolutely necessary -- not even Radu.
Which was just fine with Radu. They gave him the creeps, too, though for different reasons than the rest of the crew. Maybe it was the spidery tattoos on each of their faces, or the hard look in their eyes. These were Andromidans who had lived through the war.
“Your tattoos are really pretty,” Rosie told one of the Andromidan females enthusiastically. “Where’d you get it? Does it mean anything?”
The female stared blankly at Rosie, and Radu winced as he hurried to his crewmate’s rescue. He knew what the marks meant. “I’m sorry, she doesn’t mean anything by it,” he said urgently.
The female cocked her head slightly, tracing the marks on her left cheek with her fingers. “Ignorance has only one remedy.” She regarded Rosie curiously, then traced each symbol one by one as she explained their meaning. “314. Female. Hatched Pollux Hatchery. War-line. Property Warlord L’xun. Body guard.”
Rosie went as pale as she could as she regarded the tattoos with new understanding. “Oh, I-oh. I’m so sorry.”
“Why?” one of the males asked in halting Basic. “No offense meant, yes? No shame on us. No…” He fingered his own tattoos, giving Rosie an almost-smile, “secret. And now, is knowledge, yes?”
“Yeah,” Rosie agreed faintly, looking like she was about to be ill.
Fandom: Space Cases
Table/Prompt: Table 3/1. Samurai
Rating: PG
Word Count: 306
Summary: In which Rosie is enlightened a little as to what life was like for Andromidans.
“Not that I don’t like Andromidans or anything,” Bova whispered to Radu, “but those guys really creep me out.”
‘Those guys’ were a small group of Andromidans they were giving a lift to since their own ship had malfunctioned. They kept to themselves, not speaking to the crew of the Christa unless they absolutely necessary -- not even Radu.
Which was just fine with Radu. They gave him the creeps, too, though for different reasons than the rest of the crew. Maybe it was the spidery tattoos on each of their faces, or the hard look in their eyes. These were Andromidans who had lived through the war.
“Your tattoos are really pretty,” Rosie told one of the Andromidan females enthusiastically. “Where’d you get it? Does it mean anything?”
The female stared blankly at Rosie, and Radu winced as he hurried to his crewmate’s rescue. He knew what the marks meant. “I’m sorry, she doesn’t mean anything by it,” he said urgently.
The female cocked her head slightly, tracing the marks on her left cheek with her fingers. “Ignorance has only one remedy.” She regarded Rosie curiously, then traced each symbol one by one as she explained their meaning. “314. Female. Hatched Pollux Hatchery. War-line. Property Warlord L’xun. Body guard.”
Rosie went as pale as she could as she regarded the tattoos with new understanding. “Oh, I-oh. I’m so sorry.”
“Why?” one of the males asked in halting Basic. “No offense meant, yes? No shame on us. No…” He fingered his own tattoos, giving Rosie an almost-smile, “secret. And now, is knowledge, yes?”
“Yeah,” Rosie agreed faintly, looking like she was about to be ill.