driftfleet | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Who: The Heron crew + visitors
Broadcast: nope
Action: The Heron
When: August

[As the ship drifts on, what are you up to this month, Herons?]

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Spare me the bravado.

[Goading a weapon is never a good move. He extends his hand again, the black numbers written on his forearm bare in the light. All the metal screws he keeps in his pockets come spilling out to spiral around his fingers.

He advances.]

I'm going to make this very clear for you.

[He backed against the crate before he could stop himself, eyes wide. He glanced at the numbers on Erik's arm though they weren't familiar to him.

He knew all too well that there was nothing he could do to stop Erik but he wasn't going to convince him to stop or beg for his life now. He said nothing though, not entirely trusting his voice to remain calm.]

[Erik stops within a foot of Hux - but the screws don't. He waves his hand and they float up to spiral around Hux's face, rather too close for comfort. Erik lets them hang for a moment, before he speaks with ice in his voice.]

I've spent half of my life hunting down and killing people like you. You don't want to share a ship with me. [More to the point, Erik doesn't want to either.] So, leave.

[Hux watched the screws carefully. He thought his heart would beat out of his chest but he tried to remember to breathe. Ren had cornered him like this the first time he had come to Finalizer and he had hated himself for being afraid and useless then.

And he hated feeling afraid now. He hadn't let Ren win and get the best of him then so he refused to live in fear now despite the fact he knew Erik could kill him easily.]

No, I'm not going anywhere. You'll have to kill me or accept that.

[It's an answer that sparks immediate anger in Erik. The man was shirking an opportunity to escape, one Erik rarely gives. His expression twists darkly and his fist clenches. The screws hovering around Hux snap to the left and condense into a solid clump. Erik jerks his fist and the ball of screws cracks into Hux's temple.]

[All he sat from the corner of his eyes was the glint of the metal screws but he turned to see it too late. He didn't possess quick reflexes which would allow him to dodge a blow like that.

It hit him hard and that was all he remembered before the world went black and he crumpled to the floor, unconscious.]

[Hux collapses in front of him, and Erik's still angry. He snatches the ball of screws back out of the air and stands over the man's prone form. His other hand moves to slide the hunting knife out of his belt. His breathing still comes short and fast, and he knows it would be easy, in this moment, to take him out. Hux had practically given him permission, not that it was required. Not for something like this.

He stands that way for a long moment, eyes on Hux and knife at the ready. The rage continues to simmer in him, but rage he can deal with. He's had long practice at it by now. Instead, he thinks it through objectively. It wouldn't be ideal to kill someone in the ship he's living in, not when he's uncertain of how permanent it is. Hux, though he's displayed no self preservation so far, would have to see sense after this and leave. If Erik can get out of this without further incident, it benefits everyone. And he has an appointment to keep this morning.

Erik shoves the knife back into its sheath, and the screws back into his jacket, all but one. The one remaining screw he casts over Hux's crumpled body, and it slides itself into the man's pocket. It would serve as a reminder, when he finds it. With one last disgusted look, Erik steps over Hux and into one of the shuttles.]

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