Kora stood before the requisitions room, admonishing the supplies and sipping from a cup of coffee.
"We've never had this much gear on a mission before," said Felix.
"Don't get used to it," said Kora.
"I was going to tell you the same thing."
"Can't believe we're back," said Kora.
"You've said that. You repeat yourself often."
"Because I'm smart," said Kora.
Felix took the cup of coffee from Kora's hand and took a sip, handed it back.
Kora scowled. "I'm rethinking our friendship."
Felix hugged her from the side. "Fine," he said. "I'll repeat myself, since that's apparently what the vibe is right now. I'm beyond happy you're out of prison. And that everything is back to normal. I'd like to keep it that way."
"How did you survive without me?" Kora said, facetious.
But also serious.
Kora and Felix had been best friends since childhood. If Alex knew their story, she would call it fate. Felix was the son of pirates. His mother became a pirate when she was only fifteen years old, and she married the captain of her ship when she was sixteen. They had a beautiful marriage until Felix's father passed away from illness—as many did under the Authority's rule. The populace was sickly, without money to afford good healthcare. And without good healthcare available except only to the rich.
Felix was ten years old when his father passed.
Kora understood the heartache.
Felix's parents had basically heart-adopted Kora into the family, had her over often. Kora hurt nearly as much as Felix at the passing of his father.
They'd been through much together.
They'd grown up together.
Felix was the only person in the world Kora truly cared for.
As a brother.
She'd never crushed on him.
Although he had crushed on her, when they were teenagers.
But that didn't count as it was to be expected. All teenage boys had crushes on the girls in their direct vicinity.
Felix took Kora by the shoulders and held her, looking into her eyes. "I barely survived."
Kora only smiled.
"It was boring," he said. "I worked the docks. That's how I got this muscle."
He lifted an arm to show off his muscle. Kora lowered it.
"You're gangly as frick, bro," said Kora.
Felix shrugged. He looked exactly how you'd expect a pirate to look. Long blonde hair, handsome enough, wiry, gangly, clothes hanging off of himself. A perpetually light one-day beard. Liked to laugh.
He was born to be a pirate, his mom always said.
His mom was retired, sixty-seven, healthy. A tough lady. Her retirement fund was diminishing—had been stacked, but inflation had got the better of it.
As such, Felix gave half of all the money he made to her.
"Meet any young ladies?" Kora asked.
It was right then that Alex walked in the room, and Kora noticed Felix tighten.
"I don't think Scarlet likes me," said Alex.
"Join the club," said Kora.
Alex held a steaming cup of coffee.
"Hey, you know what goes good—great with coffee?" said Felix, voice shaky.
Kora looked away. It was hard to watch.
"Cigarettes," said Alex.
"Good conversation," said Felix.
"Show me a great conversationalist, and I'll show you a sunset."
"Me," said Felix. "I'm good. And I don't understand what you just said."
"If you're so interesting," said Alex, standing very close to Felix, looking up at him as he was much taller. "Prove it."
This was where Felix choked.
Kora interrupted, helping him out.
She pointed out the equipment on the shelves:
Crossbows equipped with darts and sleeping darts for non-lethal kills, a fire launcher, reverse-polarized swords and knives. Equalizers to spare. Guns, rifles, a few sniper rifles. Flying tech. Polarized body armor, to deflect bullets, which was basically a thin armor, like chainmail but even thinner, that can be worn underneath the wearer's clothes, which used magnet power to deflect metal, such as bullets.
Kora picked up an old-fashioned item she appreciated: magnetic rope guns—guns that shot out a length of rope that had a magnetic attachable end, meant to attach to a section of metal on the main mast of the ship. They were old, crude. Pirates and smugglers used them often back in the day, before equalizers. Kora had never had a credit line big enough to get gear like this. Not even close.
"This is my favorite," she said. "Like the old pirates."
Alex raised her mug to that.
Kora and Alex clinked mugs.
"What do you think of Scarlet?" Alex asked.
"She's quiet," said Felix.
Kora didn't answer. Kept her feelings to herself. She didn't trust Scarlet, certainly not with The Ginger Star.
"Ricky and Jeff seem fine," said Alex.
Ricky and Jeff were the crewmates the Resistance had provided for this mission. They were tall and cordial enough—quiet. That was really all Kora knew about them. Kora didn't like having a divided crew. She felt like Felix and Alex belonged to her and the others belonged to Scarlet.
Though they were on Kora's ship, Scarlet was in charge of the mission. Kora hadn't tested the boundaries of her authority yet and hoped she wouldn't have to. Kora didn't have anything to prove, but she knew that if they came into danger, she would be making the decisions. Not Scarlet. She didn't trust Scarlet with The Ginger Star. Kora wanted to complete this mission successfully. Get paid. And part ways with the Resistance for good. She had her ship; she had her freedom; she had Felix. And she would aim for the ultimate freedom she knew she'd find one day, outside of the realm of the Authority.
"Kora?" asked Alex.
Kora only smiled. "TJ is awesome. Makes the best coffee."
"She's avoiding the question," said Alex.
Felix offered Alex a smile. "Wanna talk about it?"
Alex laughed, walked away, out the room.
"Smooth," said Kora.