driftfleet | Secrets I have held in my heart

Who: Ladon Ceto and Toby "Lucky" Daye
Broadcast: No. You guys don't want this broadcast. It's gonna be sappy.
Action: The Caprine, and possibly later the VRD.
When: Just after the shuffle. Like, immediately.

[ The crew of the Tourist may have noticed a change in their pilot, approximately a few hours before the weekly shuffle. In fact, it's an almost immediate result of a conversation on the network. Suddenly everywhere Ladon goes, there is smoke. Most of it smells like tobacco. And that's another thing-- he's going. From room to room to room, up and down the halls, pacing and worrying his hands as he puffs away on another cigarette. He's put his suit and tie back on and fusses with it almost as incessantly as he smokes, straightening his tie and checking his shirt cuffs. He's waiting for something, and God is he anxious about whatever it is.

When the shuffle occurs, he checks the new member of the crew and without even so much as a hello to him or a goodbye to the rest, he heads for the shuttle bay. Once he finds out where she is, he heads there. And he smokes and fidgets and fusses the entire damn way.

He hasn't been on the Caprine before. That doesn't matter, though, because he's only there for one reason. Once the shuttle's docked, he's off to locate her, raising his voice over any other chatter. ]

Toby?!

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[ Selfish, selfish. She wouldn't blame him, though. In his shoes... she might do the same thing.

But she's not quite up to date yet, and his smile (so rare, for it to be so wide) is contagious and makes her almost stop breathing with its brightness. ]

Yeah, yeah you did. C'mon, boss, let's see this legendary establishment.

[ He relinquishes one of her hands, because it would be silly for the two of them to shuffle sideways down the hall towards the shuttle bay. Much as he'd normally offer his arm to a woman, that feels so formal and impersonal. This is Toby. He feels much more comfortable just holding her hand.

And he's doing his best not to think too hard about that fact. ]

Brought the shuttle over from the Tourist. Hope you don't mind puttin' up with my drivin'. [ It's not as unwieldy as a full ship, and so he's pretty decent at steering it. That there aren't any sidewalks or pedestrians for him to run over in space probably helps. ]

[ Lucky is trying not to focus too much on how they're still holding hands. It's hard, because his hand is warm, and this fills her up with so much... something.

She doesn't want to put a word to it.

Not yet. ]

Well, it seems a little risky, but I should probably set a good example and trust the pilot, right?

Well, if your pilot goes leavin' or transferrin' ships, prob'ly have to borrow me anyhow. [ Or if she transfers to the Tourist which... he would be very happy to see, but would never push her to. Even though he's noticed some differences in Toby, he's well aware that there are parts of her that will never change. She'll always be independent and stubborn, and things like ship transfers are decisions she'll have to make for herself.

He's fairly certain they're full with their newest crew member anyway. ]

So you're gettin' ahead of the game, I guess. [ He leads them to the parked shuttle and, ever the gentleman, goes about opening the passenger door for her. ]

[ Maybe if a spot opens up. Maybe. Or maybe if the Caprine gets an opening, he can join her.

But it's true, she'll always be independent and stubborn, because those things were part of her before any memories could shape her.

Also, sir, you are a huge dork. ]

And I can vouch for you. Sure, riding with him may be terrifying, but I'm not dead yet.

Attagirl. Hell, you've flown with me before.

[ Granted she was on his back in his dragon form, which is quite different from being behind the wheel of a space ship. But if he's flying the ship with Toby on it, he's going to do his damnedest to keep that ship safe.

Once she's in the shuttle, he heads around and slips into the driver seat. Even if the controls are alien to him, the size and set-up is more familiar and car-like. It's a bit like driving a flying truck, and that's a bit less of a stress on his brain than the reality of steering a huge ship.

The inside of the shuttle smells like him, and there are blankets and pillows in the back. ]

Been usin' this as a place t'sleep. Rather not explain wakin' up with a tail to my crew.

[ Thankfully he can be more candid now that they're in private. He starts backing the shuttle out of the bay without much thought. ]

I have?

[ Lucky starts a bit at that revelation - flying is one memory she does not have, and she's a little disappointed, given what she assumes he means.

Just imagine, her, a dragon rider. Okay, maybe more a dragon passenger, technically, but...

She lets out a huff of laughter and murmurs ] Rider'd be that proud.

[ Once they're moving, she takes the opportunity to really look at him, while he's busy with steering and so forth. He looks good. Handsome as ever, and almost but not quite exactly the same as in her memory.

She imagines, briefly, taking off his hat and running her fingers through his hair, then shakes that off. Root and branch, she's like a love-sick kid. ]

That a common problem? Waking up with a tail?

Ain't happened yet, but I never know. Thing's got a mind of its own. Shouldn't be a problem next month, we're gettin' our own rooms. 'Til then, though, gonna be sleepin' in this thing. Ain't so bad... Gotta practice, seein' as I already went and promised someone drivin' lessons.

[ Now he's talking just to talk. And put off the inevitable. They're alone now, and it's going to take a bit to get to the VRD. He's going to need to fill her in on the less... pleasant aspects of being on the fleet. ]

So. You talked to anyone else yet, or'm I givin' you the full goods on this place?

[ Their own rooms, huh?

....nope, not going there. ]

Uh, I spoke to a few people, got some basic information. Kidnapped, no known way home, reality television, and a strangely large number of people I recognize but who don't recognize me, for one reason or another.

[ okay, only three, but that's "strangely large" when she wasn't expecting ANY.

...Also, did she forget to mention she already knows about the reality TV thing?

She does.

She held hands with you anyway.

/WONK ]

[ He looks relieved at that. And is sadly too distracted by the weight that just rolled off his shoulders to really reflect on the fact that she didn't protest holding hands with him while an unknown audience of strangers watched. ] Good, wasn't sure how I was gonna go explainin' the show part. Barely understand it myself. Not somethin' we got back in Nieve. And considerin' you were in a place where folks lost their memories, guess them not rememberin' you would be normal, yeah?

What about, er, the augments? Anyone tell you 'bout those yet?

[ His own augment is giving him the ability to go through the motions of getting the shuttle out of reverse and into gear again to head out of the hangar where the ships are docked, cruising over a few passengers below and ruffling their hair and clothing with the anti-gravity hover engines. ]

Secrets I have held in my heart

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