Careening Out of Control ((Knil & Ivan))

[Knil Recauf]

Knil remembered when this had all started. He remembered meeting Ivan and everything that had happened because of it. Knil sighed heavily, falling back onto the bed of his hotel room.

Yes, he remembered it all vividly:

Knil sighed sleepily and rolled over in bed. He pulled the blankets up over his shoulders and fell back to sleep. He was jerked awake, however, when his ship convulsed. He tried to hurriedly climb out of bed but ended up getting his feet caught in the blankets and falling to the ground. He let out a painful whine before standing up and running to the control room.

Actually, the control room was just through the door, so he didn’t have that far to go. He was in a small, one-to-two person ship that his parents and he had saved up for. He sat down at the controls and started pressing buttons. “Naevii! What’d you do?!” he yelled, addressing his com. A blue-haired boy, roughly the same age-looking as Knil, appeared on a nearby screen. Naevii frowned at Knil as the ship shook again.

“I didn’t do anything! You’re the one that didn’t put the stupid engine back together correctly!” Knil growled.

“Well, where are we? I’m gonna hafta land to fix whatever’s wrong.”

“Somewhere around the 22nd quadrant, I think…”

“…… You think?!!!!” Knil sighed in frustration. “Just help me land the stupid thing.” The ship shook again, this time more violently, as Knil steered the ship towards a nearby planet.

“Ehh…... Knil….” Said pilot sighed in aggravation.

“Not now Naevii!”

“But… Knil…”

“What??!!!!”

“….We’re outta fuel….” Knil sighed, withering. This great. Just great! I don’t even know where we are to call for help, he thought in defeat. He felt like sobbing. What did I ever do to deserve this?

[Ivan]

It was moments like this that Raiden seriously doubted his sanity for ever taking Ragnborg up on his offer to live. Really, space pirating was just so tiring, he just wanted to hide himself away on some random planet – preferably Avaerla, if only so that he didn’t have to abandon his precious ship – and life the rest of his miserable existence on his own.

With a sigh, the pirate turned back to the screen, trying his best to not let the irritation he had for the computer get to him. “Remind me again why I don’t just send you into the scrap pile?”

On the screen, a teal haired yellow-eyed face cringed slightly, pushing the square tinted glasses up his nose while fighting the urge to freak. “Because if you do that then they’ll realize your housing not a computer based being but one of the ancient cursed ‘once real life’ beings put into a computer box and arrest you for, not only piracy, but withholding an illegal artifact?”

Luminescent silver eyes closed in irritation, and it was moments before Raiden responded with a sigh. “You were saying?”

“Right, well, the watcher forces placed in this galaxy are keeping an eye on your ship after the last spectacle where you stole the Tear of Kogyoku, though they don’t really know it was you, Zerca’s detachment seems to have put a smarter one on the colony.”

The messy haired half computer sighed in exasperation at the smug undertone the other took when mentioning the latest conquest. The Kello child had pulled it off perfectly, not a hair out of place; dumbfounding the museum security, the planet’s satellite security, as well as the lap dogs that every major planet sent for security. The Tear was a crystalline gem that really looked like a tear, a perfect silvery blue countenance. Even if he had been looking to selling it somewhere, Raiden had taken too much of a liking to it to sell.

Shaking his head, the computer continued, though not before sharp silver eyes caught the motion. Raiden let it slide, knowing that he was, indeed, smug about that last catch. “Since the watchers are looking out for you, I’ve been taking the liberty to key in on the distress calls, that way if Zusei does answer one, suspicion will ebb off.”

The teal haired entity watched with glee as Raiden absorbed the information. They went through this every time Zusei attracted attention. It was always fun to watch the arrogant pirate be taken down a few notches, seeing as his motley crew bent to his wishes while kissing the tip of his perfectly polished sharp looking boots.

Raiden leant back in his own chair, a small frown on his face. He’d known there were to be complications getting out of this galaxy – it was, after all, the one that housed the main planets, but he’d wished to be on the waters again. Closing his eyes, he sighed deeply. “Very well. Where is the signal that you’ve picked up?”

The computer’s face was replaced by a sequence of numbers that explained the location and problem of the upcoming ship. With a sigh, Raiden realized it was fuel, something he hated giving up his stock of. It was just so pesky to carry around, but so useful in most cases. Well, he amended silently, at least Zusei is still full from the last stop. With that thought, he keyed in the coordinates and navigated the ship to the poor stuck soul’s position.

As Zusei shot closer, and the image on the screen cleared, Raiden was astonished at the ship the other was piloting. The ship was actually one of the better models out there, not new, but it had Raiden reeling at the fact that the status said that it had been patched recently. Those things were made for their good conditions, no matter how faulty the system was if not set up correctly.

With a sigh, the pirate realized that this might just take a little while longer than he had expected. It was fine, just rather annoying. So, setting up a comm. establishment, he finished entering the proper codes with a sigh as Zusei neared and spoke. “This is Captain Araumi of Zusei; your status report is saying you need fuel?”

Raiden could hear Kye snickering in the background; let him snicker, he always hated doing these things. Glaring at the computer, yellow eyes widened in dismay and looked about ready to freak out, so, setting down the speaker, raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t you go tell the other’s that there’ s a civi job?”

Kye nodded quickly and disappeared off the split screen, obviously going to warn them of what was transpiring. Why couldn’t piracy be a single-minded job? From it only being one or two people, to just having one thing to do at a time, pirateering. When he looked back up at the screen, he was a bit startled to notice that the link finished establishing, showing the picture of a frustrated looking boy. That settled it, he decided, though with no real malice at the other person, from now on his pirate days were going to be restricted to water, Kye be damned.

[Knil Recauf]

“This is Captain Araumi of Zusei; your status report is saying you need fuel?” Knil jumped at the sudden voice. He looked up at Naevii with huge eyes.

"Do people usually get help so quickly?" The comm shrugged.

"Updating video link... thing..." Knil sighed and smacked himself on the forehead.

"Naevii, you're helpless." He frowned at the screen to see it had changed to who, Knil assumed was Captain Araumi. "Uh... Yeah. My stupid worthless comm didn't bother notifying me earlier so now I'm kind of a sitting duck.... or whatever." He took the Captain's appearance, his cheeks tinging pink. Long, dark hair, silver eyes, Knil couldn't deny how attractive the other was, but pushed the feeling away. The man, with Knil's luck, was probably a pirate. "Soo... If you could spare just enough so I can get to... whatever planet that is over there... or something... I think I'll be okay then," he explained before muttering, "If I can get this stupid thing to start that this."

[Ivan]

A delicate snort escaped at the muttered words, Kye’s system gleefully picking up every sound on the other ship and amplifying it, much to Raiden’s distaste. “I’ll connect the link and have a runner give you more fuel, though if you don’t mind, may I take a look at your engine just in case?” Risky question, though Raiden didn’t plan on sabotaging it at all. Rather, since the report said it had been tinkered with recently, he’d make sure that everything was in place.

Despite himself, Raiden found that he was amused by the situation. Well, he almost always was when this happened, but it was amusing nonetheless. One of the few pirates that the systems were cautious about, helping with distress signals. He was glad his beloved Kairyu didn’t have to put up with the universal space code, just the regular pirate hunters.

[Knil Recauf]

Knil gave the Captain a calculating look. "Check my engine? What for?" Okay, so maybe he had screwed it up when he was putting it back together, and maybe there was the possibility that he wouldn't be able to start the stupid thing back up again because of it, but that didn't mean he was going to except help so easily. He wasn't that naive. He sighed softly, or maybe he was. "Fine. Do whatever you want."

[Ivan]

Raiden was taken aback when the other made the seemingly rapid decision to question his motives, though the pirate couldn’t blame him. No matter how sexy, sophisticated, or ‘I am Normal, don’t look’ he resembled, there was always a trickle of doubt in the smarter ones.

Watching as the other flushed slightly – really, Raiden doubted that the other knew he was doing it, - the crimson haired male shook his head and responded anyway, despite the just as quick approval. “Stats, they say that you recently looked at the ship’s engine, so as a precautionary, it would be good to check it. It would not due to find out that because you were tinkering whilst on empty the fuse box disconnected.”

The sad thing about Raiden’s previous statement, was the fact that he had actually run across such a situation before, where they had forgotten the failsafe.

Looking at the secondary monitor he had for Kye, he was unsurprised to find the teal haired male there, nodding at him when Raiden glanced. He raised an eyebrow, and the other simply mouthed ‘Fran’, which was a relief, because Francis was one of the more sane people here. Not that anyone was insane around here, but the Aogiri twins were two cross dressers he continually wished he’d never met.

“I’ll jump across in 0010, so ready the space dock.” Raiden had a brief wish that that hadn’t come out as the order it had sounded as before shaking it off, leaving the main room.

[Knil Recauf]

Knil turned his back on the screen to do as he was told, childishly mocking the other's superior attitude before turning back around and tinkering with one of his plethora of keypads. "Naevii, is everything okay?" Said comm appeared on another smaller screen and nodded with an off handed shrug. Knil stopped what he was doing and stared at the blue-haired fool. "Well? Is it or isn't it? There can't be an in-between, you nit-wit," he growled. Naevii huffed.

"You know, you're lucky I'm not a physical being or I'd have you cleaning my boots with your tooth brush right about now!" the comm stated emphatically. Knil couldn't help but flat-out laugh.

"You? What a joke! You're more effeminent than am!.... which isn't really saying much... but still! The fact is, you're not a 'physical being' so, either way, it isn't worth discussing. Now, do your job." He glared at Naevii one last time before turning back to main screen. He blanked when he saw that he was still conected with the other ship, the Zusei. He didn't really know why they wouldn't still be in visual contact, however, and pushed his embarressed blush aside.

[Ivan]

As Raiden wandered the halls towards the transport dock, he couldn’t help the frown that marred his face. Something was going to go wrong, he knew it in his gut; unfortunately he knew that the most he could do would be hope upon everything that it wouldn’t be too bad.

Sighing softly, he keyed in the code to the dock, idly noting that Francis had already prepared for the trip, the transporter waiting to be entered. The problem with helping people in space; it was so much easier – air ship, space ship, or sea ship – when there was oxygen to help out; his land born ancestors must be mocking their constant need for space.

The redhead shook his head of those thoughts and got into the ship. Minutes later the small transporter was along side the other ships docking, waiting for the go ahead. Raiden half listened as Francis talked into the speaker, his calm and smooth voice attempting to sooth Raiden’s many frayed nerves.

[Knil Recauf]

Knil sighed as moved from the pilot's seat to the back of the ship to the docking. His parents had warned him about getting help from strangers. In fact, they had specifically told him to only recieve help from some sort of patrol people... But, honestly, why would someone want to wait for them to eventually get around to helping him, when help was practically already here.

When he arrived at the back of the ship, he glanced through the porthole-like window and saw his "help" was almost there. He quickly prepared to open the docking door when they did arrive, the Captain didn't seem like a very patient man, and Knil didn't feel like being on the bad side of someone much stronger he was.

He opened the door for and watched as two men boarded his ship... wait, two?? He realized then that this probably wasn't such a good idea. He swallowed nurvously and cleared his throat, glancing almost straight up at the two men.

[Ivan]

The moment that the stats showed that the air was stable to breathe in, Raiden jumped out of the transporter. How he hated those things. Repressing a shudder, the silver-eyed male turned to the short, waiting form on the dock. He walked up to the figure, ignoring Francis’ echoing steps behind his own.

“I am Raiden; you look rather surprised, so I shall introduce you to Francis, my second. Seeing as he knows just as much as I do when it comes to the ship, he will be filling your tank with enough to get out of this quadrant at minimum.” The dark haired male paused, looking at the shorter beings rather shocked expression from the generous offer and the caution that he was clearly trying to not show on his face. With a small smirk, he continued. “I will double check your engine meanwhile, though I’ll need you present to tell me what you had done.”

Casually brushing a strand of hair from his eye – though it looked like poise, it was just irritating, the stray hairs both blocking vision and irritate the eyeball; - he noted the other’s narrowing of the eyes. Really, with the other’s reaction one would think that they were pirates, not perfect citizens. The fact that they truly were pirates notwithstanding.

He heard Francis sigh behind him and speak up, seeing the results of his friends melodic voice on the redhead in front of them. “If it makes you feel better, you can have your computer watch over me to make sure that I don’t do anything untoward. Really, if we wanted the patrol’s attention, we wouldn’t go about it by sabotaging some random lad’s ship.”

[Knil Recauf]

Knil blushed and rubbed his arm, looking away and mumbling something along the lines of, "that wasn't what I was really worried about" before coughing into his fist. He looked up at the two men before biting his lip. "Well... uhm... My name's Knil... so, if you need anything, just have Naevii get me, the fuel... thingie, is over there," he said, pointing off in a random direction before looking back up at the Captain, who looked just a bit more pirate-y in person. He raised an eyebrow as he looked at the other man's choice of clothing, though he said nothing of it before walking off, waving for the red-head to follow him. "Come on, the engine's this way... well, it's just right over here, this stupid ship is so small compared..." he mumbled, mostly to himself, thinking briefly of the ship the man following controlled.

[Ivan]

Raiden and Francis glanced at each other, identical grins mirroring the other’s faces, and then set off in the directions shown, Francis to the ‘fuel thingie’ and Raiden following the ships owner.

As he walked, Raiden took in the interior of the ship, immediately noting the possessions – weighing their cost in his mind – and the overall design of the ship as he smothered an amused grin at the others self mortification over several small facts that Raiden knew that, had the boy – Knil – never mentioned, he either wouldn’t have bothered to pick up on, ignored, or exploited.

Any amused thoughts that Raiden had were banished when they came into the engine room, his more serious nature taking over as he walked around lightfooted inspecting each and every knut holding the thing together.

It was big; the ship probably could have gone in for a replacement that would have been the size of a waste bin, and it still would have run. But Raiden knew that the designer always made the engines big, not for power, but just for the convenience of putting together and fixing.

It was after a few minutes that Raiden saw the area that was most likely the area repaired, and he shot a raised brow in the other redhead’s direction before inspecting it. Overall it was a good job, the bolts were put on a little loose but that wouldn’t have bothered the ship for a good couple of months, and he knew that it took experience to know the exact amount of tightness the things should be. So, taking the proper tools out of a pocket, he tightened them and moved on.

[Knil Recauf]

Knil blinked, watching the pirate-y Captain closely. "What was that look for? Don't raise your eyebrows at me, you cheeky monkey!" he mumbled. Realizing what he'd said, he blushed and smacked himself on the forehead. "Wow... I need to stop spending so much time with Jamie." He glanced over at the Captain and gave him a weak grin. "Jamie is a human that works for my parents. His mate is real close to them, so they gave the kid a job. I hang with him when I'm at home... he says weird stuff like that all the time... I'm not even entirely sure what a monkey is..."

[Ivan]

‘A monkey?’ Raiden mouthed the word to himself, thinking back to something that would equate to a ‘monkey.’ Well, wait; something to do with the Earthen Human species or something like that. All Raiden could bring to mind was Kye excitedly playing mental video games from the planet and going ‘ooohhh’ over the oranges and brown things.

Shaking the distracting thoughts away, he finished his rounds of the room and came to a stop before the short male leaning against the door jam. “I’m done here, and Francis is no doubt wearing a hole into your dock room floor.” Raiden motioned for the other to lead the way, as he himself navigating through the halls would just be odd, and he didn’t want to humiliate himself if he’d forgotten the way. Note: reason to stick to building thievery and well-known ship designs; easy to predict.

[Knil Recauf]

Knil lead the way back to the dock room. Once they arrived he turned the man and smiled widely at him. "Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means to me!... Do you want something? Like... payment... I can't just have you do this nice thing for me for free!" A gave a worried look before looking nervousily up at the two men. "I'm afraid I don't have much money... Is there something else.....?"