Being Alive, Episode 2 : Avonlea

Summary:  Nicholas and Belle arrive on Avonlea. Nick plans on selling the elkium he got from Belle’s father but it doesn’t go as planned at all.

Pairing: Rumplestiltskin/Belle  (It should be Rumshplestiltskin, considering I’ve merged Rumple and Nicholas Rush)

Word Count: 21,387 / Complete in three parts

Rating: M

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Nicholas Von Stiltskin’s eyes opened slowly. His first thoughts were full of pain. He was weak. He couldn’t even lift his hand when he tried.

He needed to get up. He needed to work. He needed to go and kick some ass, and get his elkium and dignity back. He didn’t let thiefs get away, neither Von Stiltskin, neither Rush did.

He just had to get his cane back, and go fetch his laser guns from his Baby. Maybe he could even send Belle. She liked to feel useful. So she’d bring his guns, and he’d go back to the spaceport and kill them all…. Myeah. He’d do that… later… when…

Nicholas Von Stiltskin fainted again.

———————————————————————————

"You have a nice home, Aston !" Belle exclaimed as she entered his place. She was standing in the entry hall and it was cream coloured, with deep red vertical lines in the walls.

It was actually not that true, when she entered the living room. He had two bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom. It was decorated by a man. It was decorated by a hunter. She saw decapitated animals heads mounted on a wood panel and hung to the walls.

She froze a little as she saw those and she turned toward Aston.
"Yeah, I am a hunter. I haven’t hunted since I’m on Avonlea, but on my planet, I used to hunt with my dad." He grinned sheepishly. "Childhood memories…" He pointed at the furthest head on the left, some kind of green boar. "My first hunt. It was the alpha male. The biggest of the pack. I shot him from afar." He suddenly had an arrogant smile. It was so different from his normal expression - polite and gentle - that Belle was surprised. "My father was so proud" Aston went on. "He carried me on his shoulders all around the village. The child girls fell at my feet and it was decided I would be a master hunter."
"But you ended up here" Belle interjected.

"Yes." Aston looked at her, hurt. "Yes, I did." He gestured at her to come with him. "I’ll show you the guest room."

Belle followed him and he led her into a small room with a bed, shelves and a chair.
"There. It’s not much used… But I hope it’s fine."
"It is, thank you for your generosity, Aston."

She grabbed his tunic and pulled him down. He humoured her by bending, cocking his eyebrow. Belle kissed Aston’s cheek gently.
"Well, it’s cool."

He smiled shyly and walked backward. “Settle down… k ?”

He left the room. Belle put her bag down on the bed, opened it and carried her clothes from it to the shelves.
She heard a small music and Aston talked. That must be his phone. She had read about those on her tablet. She stroked it in her bag, letting it inside. Jeff had kept his word and had came back with thousands of digital books and had transfered them onto her tablet.

Aston knocked on her door and peeked inside.
"Hey Belle. That was Jeff. He’s giving us the night off. Fancy a night out ?"

Well, Belle would rather read in bed, but Aston was nice and he was her host, so she guessed she could make a sacrifice. She nodded quickly.
"Great !" Aston grinned. "I’ll introduce you to my friends, and we’ll go dancing"

He left her room, closing the door behind him.

Nicholas entered Belle’s thoughts, and she regretted saying yes. Nicholas was her taxi, and, despite his assholish behaviour, her protector. Aston had called him her guardian. He was right. He was the man who was supposed to protect her, in stead of and asked to by her father. She should call Jeff and ask if he was better. He was in the medigel’s healing hands, and would ultimately heal but she felt bound to ask for news.

She decided she would Aston to take her out to buy a phone.

———————————————————————————

The nights on Avonlea were like the days : full of noise, crowdy. The focus of all this agitation was fun and not work anymore, though.

Pubs, nightclubs, entertainement centers and restaurants were packed. Avonlea was part of what was called the planets that never sleep.

Belle had asked Aston to take her to a phone shop and she had bought two, one for herself and one for Nicholas. They had a multiplanet suscription, so that when Belle and Nick were on other planets, they could still phone Herson and Aston.

The phones were identical, sleek and thin things, commanded by touch on the screen. They could access the webnet and even communicate via digital mails and instant messages. Belle had bought them with her money but she’ll have to talk about Nick for the suscription. Her savings wouldn’t last with the phone fees being taken out each months.

Aston had helpt her choose and he looked mighty proud of her. He even commented that now she had joined the normal people categories. She had tried not to feel vexed but Aston’s youthful enthousiasm was contagious, and she drank his explainations about how everything worked. He had recorded his own number and Jeff’s and Nick’s number in Belle’s phone, and only recorded the bar’s and Belle’s number in Nicholas’.

Then he took her out, treating her to a sandwhich stuffed with wild ferf meat, and a mead glass.
Aston’s friends had joined them late at night when they were about to enter a nightclub.
Belle was objectively glad to meet new people. Aston wasn’t a bad guy, he was well-mannered, a gentleman to boot, polite but… he wasn’t very interesting. His interests were quite limited and he didn’t seem inclined to learn others.
He liked watching and doing sports. He adored watching speedships races on TV, he liked going out and hanging out with his friends. He also liked working at the bar, and making drinks.

Unfortunately, Aston’s friends were like him, with very little variations. There was Gus, a mechanic who seemed obsessed by women bodies as he promptly told Aston he had bought eight new erotic calendars for his garage. Then Cair, a non human, who worked in Gus’ garage, and whose only chatting topic was how to make his ship’s engine more powerful… And so on…

Belle felt like she was in another world. Aston’s friends, the five of them, seemed to be single-minded males, happy in their macho world. However, Aston never forgot she was with them, and kept a secure arm around her shoulders. He didn’t pay any attention to the girls winking at him. His friends, though, happily went on the dancefloor and hit off with some girls.

The music was very bouncy, made to make people dance. Aston’s feet were moving to the rythmn of the music for a moment, as they stayed sat on thick cushions, watching the club.

Then, he got up and held up his hand to Belle. She hesitated then put her hand in his big one. He helpt her up and led her to the dancefloor to dance.

———————————————————————————

Nicholas opened his eyes. There was less pain than before and his mind was also clearer. He glanced at his arm. The medigel was cracked, a sign his cracked bone was almost healed. He felt the icy hard gel on his belly. Ah yeah, he had been stabbed. His left hand stroked it and he hissed a little, closing his eyes with a frown.

He forced himself to sit up and looked around. He was barechested, on a bed. He recognized the layout of one of Herson’s bedrooms.
Looking through the small window, he could see the two suns of Avonlea rising.

He got up, slowly, grinding his teeth. He made his way out, staggering a little. Vessarks was out in the corridor carrying sheets.
"Oh… Please, Sir-"
"Doctor !" He barked, correcting her.
"Sir Doctor, you need to rest. Mister Herson said you needed to stay in bed."
"Fuck that."

He leant against the wall, to help him walk and he got down into the main room.
Jeff was behind the counter, handing out drinks to early risers. He opened wide angry eyes when he saw Nicholas on his feet.
"What are you doing up, Stiltskin ?"
"Give me something to drink, Herson"

Jeff huffed and deposited a mug of farherb infusion in front of the grumpy doctor.
"Oh for fuck sake, give me something stronger !"

Jeff leant over his counter, got into Von Stiltskin’s face and snarled. “No alcohol when on medigel !”
A growl answered him and Nick drank the infusion unheartily.
"You shouldn’t even be up" Jeff spoke after a moment.
"I have work to do."

Herson rolled his yellow eyes up. “Higher beings ! It can wait !”
"No. I have five days." He thought a moment. "Four days."
"To do what ?"
"Revenge."

Jeff sighed. He had lost sight of the fact humans could be vendicative and revengeful. He tried appeasing him.
"Look, Nicholas. I know you got mugged but violence is not the answer."
"I got stabbed. I nearly died."
"You nearly died because of your own stupidity. I know you must have taken down one of them, at least. I cleaned the blood from your cane. They stole your bag, and they left you for dead and you survived. You killed at least one. I’m not even talking of going to see the forcemen, even though they’d help you… Why not calling it even ?"

Nick looked at Jeff as if the pale red humanoid was dumb.
"No one steals from me" He answered simply.

Jeff hissed in annoyance.
"Bloody humans. You just can’t stay alive. You always have to find reasons to kill each other. What have they stolen that’s so precious you have to risk your life more than once for ?"

Nicholas shook his head, not wanting to answer. The least people knowing about his elkium stash, the better.
He looked around, and realised it was too calm. No chirpy voice asking endless questions.
"Where’s Belle ?"

Jeff looked around as if noticing Belle wasn’t there, then he shrugged.
"With Aston, I guess."
"Your barman ?"
"Yes, she gave you her own bedroom and she went to his place, as he has a guest room."
"You let her go with a man she barely knows to sleep at his place." Nick almost hissed. The ‘are you stupid’ look was back on his face mixed with supreme contempt.
"Don’t look at me like that !" Jeff answered. "Aston is a good human, honest and straight. He won’t let anything happen to her."
"He is a human man. With a girl. Alone. At night. See my point ?"
"Nothing happened."
"I asked YOU to protect her, Jeff ! Not to give her out for the night !" Nicholas was angry and it was drawing attention.
"Calm down ! I’m sure they’re fine."
"If they are too fine, I will kill you. I am responsible for her life, for fuck sake ! I trusted you !"
Herson shrugged. “Look, it is done. I’m sure Aston has taken excellent care of her.”

Nicholas flipped Jeff with two fingers and looked ready to retort when the topic of their arguement came in.
"Hello !"
"Hey Boss"

Aston nodded at Nicholas politely and Nick looked at Aston with the patented Scottish Doom glare. The boy looked surprised and interrogated Herson silently. His boss shrugged, rolling his eyes and gestured at his barman to go prepare. Aston turned, grinned at Belle with a wave and departed toward the backrooms.

Belle jumped on the stool next to Nick and grinned at him.
"Hello !"

He looked at her like she had two heads and one of them was about to attack him.
"Hello…"
"I’m glad to see you on your feet, Nicholas !"

In his world, no one - no one - had the right to be that cheerful in the morning.
Jeff removed his jacket and tossed it at Nicholas over the counter.
"Put that one, you undecent human."

Nicholas put it on and Jeff thanked the higher beings the human had covered himself. If forcemen had entered the bar, he could have had a fine for indecent exposure.
Belle accepted the cup of herbal tea Jeff held out to her with a thanking grin. She sipped it, examining Nicholas. He wasn’t looking good. He still had shadows under his eyes, and from what she had seen, the medigel was still attached, so he wasn’t healed.
"You should go back to bed and rest." She remarked.
Nick slammed the mug on the counter. “Just leave me the fuck alone, you all, for fuck sake ! You’re not my fucking mother !”
Belle’s eyebrows flew up and her mouth opened in surprise and hurt. Jeff glared at Nick.
"Don’t you dare yell at her, you beast !"

Nicholas glared at everybody and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m out. I need to go.”

He was going to kill one of them. Or both. Or the whole bar.
"You’re not going out with my jacket."

Herson had just won the spot of the first one to be killed. Von Stiltskin got up, and walked slowly back to his bedroom.

Once he was out of earshot, Belle asked Jeff, fingering the rim of her cup.
"How is he ?"
He shrugged. “Still the same ass. A wound is not enough to stop him. He’s not sensible.”
"I see…"
She got up and followed Nicholas to her former bedroom. She knocked on the door and entered, after waiting for an eventual answer she didn’t get. She wouldn’t have entered but she got scared he had fainted again.

Nicholas was sat on the bed, in his white long sleeved Tshirt, about to put on the green ones. The waistcoat was wrapped on the back of the chair.
"Of course, do come in, make yourself at home, Dearie." His voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"This was my room before I politely gave it to you, as you were wounded !" She retorded.

Nicholas froze and looked at her, his eyes gaping at her, getting bigger and bigger.
They stared at each other for a few minutes before Nick looked down and finished putting his Tshirt up.
"You shouldn’t have."
"I beg your pardon ?"
"You shouldn’t have ! You should not have given me your bedroom !"
"You were wounded." Belle said pointedly, crossing her arms.
Nicholas’ eyes narrowed to slits. “Was it good, last night with your boy ?”
Belle didn’t answer at once, trying to assess Nick’s question, trying to see where the trap was. Yes, she shopped and danced and she discovered it was funny but… Good didn’t seem an appropriate word for last night.
"What are you wearing ?" He cut through her thoughts.
Belle looked down at her clothes.
"I shopped with Aston last night." She smiled happily. She was wearing a checkered reddish grey and brown skirt with a thin carved leather brown belt, with a cream colored blouse covered in black lace.

Nicholas sneered and his glare burnt with fury. “I see he took good care of you.”
"Yes he did."

A growl escaped Nicholas, who didn’t understand why he was so angry. Belle glared at him, confused with the reason why he was being so aggressive with her. She had given him her bedroom, she had bought him a phone, even if she hadn’t given it to him yet.

Nicholas breathed deeply. He told himself this was her life and if she wanted to fuck every pretty boys heading her way, it was not his problem. His problem was keeping her healthy and flying her wherever she wanted to go.

He finished dressing, his back on Belle.
"I had something for you, idiot !" She said, her voice full of tears, and she threw something on the bed next to him ; then she turned on her heels an slammed the door as she left.

Nicholas saw a little back box with a golden and red bow on the bed. He frowned. He turned around toward the door to check if she was still here, which she wasn’t. He swallowed, looking at the gift like it was a snake about to bite him.

Nick took the gift, then glanced at the door again, expecting Belle, Jeff and Aston to burst in and either take the gift back or laugh at him.

He waited a little, then opened the bow slowly. He shook the box, to hear if there was a ticking sound or any sound calling for danger, which there wasn’t.

Nicholas opened the gift, surprised at seeing the sleek little phone Belle had bought him. He swallowed, nervous, wondering what she was expecting from him to offer such a gift ? Acceptance for her little trifle with Herson’s golden boy ? Maybe she was nice ? No. No one in this universe could afford being nice for nothing. Maybe she wanted to stay on Avonlea but keep contact with him in case she needed another flight elsewhere ? His frown deepened, renewing his anger. Who did she think he was ?

Suddenly, a fair blue dust feel from his right sleeve, announcing that the healing of his arm was complete. He flexed, bent his arm, testing it. He grinned sternly, tasting in his mouth the blood of his enemy.

He pocketed the phone mechanically, and strode out of the room into the bar hall. His side was still hurting but the medigel had boosted his bone marrow to reconstruct the blood he had lost, and the flesh to rebuild him. Walking, he touched the medigel in his flank. He could feel the cracks under his fingerpads, through his Tshirts.

He saw Belle leaning against the bar counter. He figured being at least polite wouldn’t hurt, since he still had to stand her being around him. Then he’d go and kill some thugs. He walked to her.
"Thank you." He tried bring pleasant but he just sounded forced, as if thanking her was pulling glass out of his mouth.
"For ?"
"For the phone. It’s… I… I do… not…" He realised he was going to put his foot in his mouth and just shut up.

Belle’s eyebrows had flown up to her hairline and she was gaping at him. Nick thought that may not be a good thing, he looked down and his eyes met her legs. She had shapely legs covered in dark stockings and her feet were hidden in low boots. He hadn’t noticed it before. He had looked at her in annoyance before but objectively speaking, she really had beautiful legs.

He looked away, up and to the left and crossed Aston’s murdering eyes. Nicholas gazed at Belle and told her.
"I need to go."
"I’m going with you", she announced matter of factly.
"You’re not coming with me, it’s too dangerous"
"Nicholas. I’m not asking you. I’m telling you. I’m coming with you."
"No."
"Nicholas. You will not tell me what to do. You are hurt, you are hot-headed. My father has always told our warriors never to seek revenge in hot blood, because hot blood means cold brain. Once there what are you going to do ?"
Nick answered immediately. “Sneak in, look for the elkium and sabotage the ship.”
Belle shook her head. “I’m coming with you.”
"Belle." He said sternly.
"No one decides my fate but me, DoctorNicholasVonStiltskin."
"Cut the crap and listen to the ones who know better."
Belle huffed loud and looked ready to throw something at him. Aston cut in.
"Belle, love. Please, don’t go." He took her hand over the counter. "He’s right. It could be dangerous. And we didn’t exactly sleep last night."

Nick’s nostrils flared. His appreciation of him was going lower and lower. His hand was even hitching to cane him. Brutally. Numerously. Viciously.
"Aston…" Belle protested.

Aston squeezed her hand and turned on the puppy look. She blushed, then looked at Nick, then at Aston, assessing them. Then she nodded. “Fine. I will not go.”

Both Aston and Nicholas sighed in relief. Nicholas nodded and got up.
"I need to go" He repeated. "I’ll try being quick."

He looked down, touched his cane in its holster and the medigel. It was even more cracked than before. It wouldn’t even take long to fall. He was almost back to full health. They were going to bleed.
As he looked up, his eyes racked Belle’s legs against and he closed them briefly not to openly check her out. He turned around and strode out. He couldn’t stay there.

———————————————————————————

Nick wanted to be as fast as possible : In, metal retrieval, bomb plant, out.

From what he had seen of the ship, the engines were quite simple but powerful and effective. Easy to sabotage.
The hardest part would be sneak in and out. He couldn’t be Rush, unfortunately. His contacts had warned him about the laws hardening, and he hadn’t told Belle yet he was a wanted man. Okay, not as himself which allowed him to walk free around here, but as his counterpart, Rush, a smuggler.

He called for a taxi to take him to Spaceport 132. Nicholas pinched the bridge of his nose and tried relaxing. He was a pack of nerves. He was quite tired, still. He was developping a headache, a bad one. He exhaled hard and fast once through his nose, willing himself to be strong and tough.

———————————————————————————

Belle started fidgeting as soon as Nicholas had left the bar.
That idiot was going to face a whole ship crew by himself. He was a small thin guy, barely out of bed. And he was going alone against the crew of the men who had wounded him. Why couldn’t he be sensitive ?

Aston was eyeing her with care, seeing her annoyance.
"You gonna work with me, today ?" He asked, wiping a glass.

The bar wasn’t very crowded today, and Jeff was doing his full act of insane bar patron, hat tilted low on the head, but he could handle the customers on his own. Thus Aston was doing small tasks, enabling him to stay around Belle. The boy was also suspecting his boss was kinda sweet on the idea of him and Belle, which was perfect for the barman.

"Belle ?" he said again, wanting to draw her attention on him. He grinned at her gently, putting on the charms. Belle’s blue eyes focused on him. Her gaze was nervous and shifty. "Are you alright, Babes ?"

Aston sounded concerned. Belle looked at him, wondering why he was calling her ‘Babes’.
"I’m fine" she replied in an irritated voice.

Aston backed off, not wanting to bring her ire on him. He had been in enough fights to know all Belle wanted now was an outlet for her anger at Nicholas. He didn’t want to argue with her, after all, she was going to come home with him tonight. He started to think about a quiet evening in, food, alcohol, a movie, maybe more… He looked up to where she was sat and where she was not sitting anymore.
"Damn !"

Belle had given up the slip. She wasn’t about to obey them. Those pre-civilisation men needed to understand she had her own mind, and it might be dangerous, but she could handle her own in battle. She was boiling with anger when she had to listen to Nicholas being condescendant and Aston dared turn on the suave charm to make her decide to stay, as if because she was a female, she’d swoon because he was pretty.

She needed a change of clothes before tracking Nicholas. She had no idea where to go, but if she didn’t try to go help him, she wouldn’t be able to look at herself in a mirror. Belle decided to walk the brave path at that moment, and to always do, and maybe she’d be brave.

She had done as every other Jeff’s employees and kept a change of clothes at the bar. She took them from the common locker room and grabbed Vessarks’ cloak on a whim before going into Nick’s room to change.

She undressed from her pretty clothes and put on her practical ones : dark brown pants, a beige tunic, and black boots. As she sat on the bed and bent over to lace the boots, she saw a small notebook on the floor, by the chair.

She picked it up and she recognised the notebook Nicholas always carried around. He kept it tucked in the inside pocket of his waistcoat all the time, so it must have fallen down when Aston had undressed him the day before, or when he had dressed back up earlier. The little pen to write down in it was tucked between pages and cover.

She opened it, and saw it covered with unknown symbols written in washed up ink. She went through it, going to the last pages to see the last entries. The last page was freshly written, the ink intense.

Spaceport 132/T6632741
Roggers.
Capt Barrie Pan -> fake?
Crew -> humns & n/humns. /!\

Nicholas’ horrible writing was hard to read but she managed.

She mentally congratulated him for writing everything down. She didn’t even need to track him, she knew where to go. She pocketed the notebook and wrapped herself in Vessarks’ cloak. She put the hood on to hide her face. She looked around to see if someone from the staff had seen her and saw noone.

Belle discreetely left the back parts of the bar and went through the hall. Her hood made some customers notice her but as the day grew, more people went in and the staff was quite busy.

Aston was by the door, watching the street. Belle waited until Aston walked back inside, looking dejected. She waited behind a wall of people until he was back at the counter, shaking his head at Jeff, and she went out.

The streets were already packed up. She went by, unnoticed, her hood hiding her face. She called a taxi, slid her credits card into the proper slot and an automated voice started.
"Greetings. Where do you want to go ?"
"Spaceport 132" Belle answered.

This was exciting : adventure time. She sat backward in the seat and looked by the window, watching the scenery go by. In no time, she realised she was arrived and she took her card back before leaving the taxiship.

Spaceport 132 was almost like the spaceport they had landed in at their arrival, except, of course the number written in huge font on the building. She consulted Nicholas’ notebook to remember the parking spot of their enemy’s ship : T6632741.

She figured he was already there, as he had left before her. She also figured that he would go snooping around the ship’s area, so that’s where she would go. She pocketed the notebook and thanks to the placards, she found her way to the ship location. The spaceport was crowdy, full of people acting like ants, following each other, passing by each other… Some were focused on a task, like the spaceport workers, with their bright blue jacket, or like the scantily clad women, who sometimes left with ship crew members, or the governmental mechanics who got hired by damaged ships… Some were just hanging out, or meeting each other, crew members laughing together, or friends, family, lovers reuniting after a long absence. It was dizzy making.

Soon, thankfully, she found the Roggers and examined it.
A bright red hull with yellow edges, a yellow stern, high cockpit windows, lots of scanner and radio antennas, the medium-sized ship was colorful and made for speed. It was a thin ship, with an agressive pointy nose, and enlarged into a square. Then five propellants emerged from the stern. From what Belle could tell of it, it was fast and warlike.

The hatch was open, people came in and out and two bulky threatening-looking non-human persons stood on each side of the ramp.
Members of the crew were circling around the ship with tablets in their hands checking different parts of the hull.

Belle thought about just going in as if it was her right to go inside. Nicholas was probably inside already and she had to join because he was an ass, and he might have special elite warrior skills she didn’t know about but she knew she could fight and Nicholas was about to need all the help he could gather. And it was her.

Suddenly a hand clapped her mouth and she felt herself being pulled backward and slammed against the wall, then it was darkness.

A grumpy voice said “What the fuck are you doing here ?”
"Nicholas ?"
"Of course it’s me ! If it wasn’t me, you’d be dead already ! What are you doing here ? I told you to stay with Jeff, for fuck sake !"

He sounded angry. She couldn’t see him at all in the dark room but she could feel his body heat. She was not pressed against him but the room they were in was very small, her back and right arm were pressed against a wall.
"You were going against a whole crew. You need help."
"No I don’t need help, idiotic girl ! I’m not going against the crew ! I’m going against the ship ! Now you’re going to go back to the bar and wait for me ! Got it ?"
"No."
"I beg your pardon ?"
"You heard me, Nicholas."
"No I don’t think so. I thought I heard you say no."
"I did say no." She growled. "You do not get to decide for me, DoctorNicholasVonStiltskin !"
"Yes I do ! You don’t know anything about space ! About those guys !"
"The ship looks familiar." She retorted.
"And you-" He stopped talking and she could feel him tense. If there was light, she knew she would see him assessing her, but there was no light. The darkness was getting oppressing, their breath the only sounds. Finally Nicholas spoke in a soft surprised voice. "You noticed..?"
"Yes. I think that’s the one who attacked us on the planet with the big water."

Nick stayed silent a minute but the silence was more comfortable.
"It doesn’t change anything, Belle. You still need to go."
She shook her head then remembered he couldn’t say her, so she voiced it again.
"I will not leave, Nicholas."
"I’m trying to protect you, Belle. I’m fucking trying to protect you and you’re making it hard ! Why are you making it hard ?"
"Maybe I just do not need your protection !"
"Of course you do. You know nothing about the rules… the space… Don’t you get it ? Without my protection, you’ll be.. annihilated."
"Nicholas… You did try to look for a way inside…" Belle tried a new strategy.
"Aye."
"What ?"
"Aye."
"What is that sound?"
"It means yes." Impatience tainted his voice.
"Oh.. Then say yes."

He growled in answer. Belle started again. “So you tried looking for a way in, but you couldn’t find one… I guess. Or you would be inside. Am I right ?”
"Aye." That time, he sounded vengeful and angry.
"Maybe I could help you sneak inside…?"
"How ?"
"Well, obviously Nicholas, I’m a woman"
"I did notice that fact" He had even managed to color that sentence with sarcasm. Belle prided herself on not bashing his head at once.
"I.. noticed.. women in the hall."
"There is a lot of people in the entry halls." He replied.
"Women that could probably enter the ships without rising no suspicions."
"For fuck sake, Belle ! Stop circling around it !"
"Prostitutes !"
"No fucking way ! No fucking fucking way !"
"Why ?"
"It’s too fucking dangerous !" He was forcing himself not to shout and so his voice was quite husky and breathy.
"You sound like a broken record, Nicholas !"
"Belle. I just want you safe !"
"And also you do not trust me." She answered, matter of factly.
"Of course I don’t trust you !"
Belle sighed. “Do you have a choice here ? You’ve seen the ship like I have. You can’t sneak in, there’s too many people. I’m your best shot, Nicholas.”

He stayed silent a long time, even longer than the first two times. Then he opened the door, letting the light in. Belle looked around and realised she was in a small cupboard. She saw he was wearing a bright blue jacket, one he must have stolen from a man working at the spaceport.
"That was a nice idea… What went wrong with it ?" She asked.
"They make automatic blood DNA test to every spaceport employee about to go inside a ship. It’s quite controlled now. Smugglers."

He didn’t say they were after him, amongst others.
"I see" Belle said. "We can do it."
Nicholas looked into her eyes, wanting to see if she was sure of herself. Belle was determined, calm.
"I just want to be useful."

Nicholas nodded and removed her cloak. He looked at her outfit.
"You changed." He remarked in a disappointed voice.
"I thought we were going to fight."
"No. I’m not an idiot. I can’t fight them all." He rolled his eyes, and tore off her sleeves.
"Hey !"
"I’m just getting you into the part."

He figured that, with how fast she acquired a boyfriend, she wouldn’t have a problem acting seductive. Which reminded him…
"Where’s Aston ?"
"At the bar, why ?"
"I wanted to know."
"You think he could be useful ?" She asked.
"No. I wouldn’t want him distracting you."

She frowned at him and he shrugged, before continuing as if she hadn’t reacted. “The crew members of the Roggers are dressed in some sort of uniforms, green pants and brown long Tshirt. Once you’re inside…” He bit his tongue, the tip appearing between his lips. “You knock out the man. I won’t… be there. Don’t let him…”
"Don’t worry, Nicholas. I understand."

She impulsively touched his elbow to reassure him. Belle was in nature a tactile person, touching came as natural for her as breathing, and it collided straight into Nick’s hatred to be touched. He tensed and raised his other arm in defense, but did nothing else.

Belle tilted her head and squeezed his arm before dropping her arm to her side, Nick mirrored her. “I will be fine” she said, her voice reassuring. “I can fight. My father taught me.”
"I see."

There was doubt in his voice. It was understandable, after all, a girl taught by her father couldn’t know a lot.
"Nicholas, I was taught by the warriors of my tribe, who were ordered by my father."
"I see…"
"I will be fine, stop doubting me."
"I’m not doubting you" He said. "You say you can do it, I’m forced to trust you. But…" He pointed toward the ship briefly. "These men are unlike any you’ve seen. No sense of morale, no sense of pity, they’re violent, don’t listen to reason… They’re animals."
"I’ll do it." Belle smiled, confidently. "How do I do it ?"
"Once inside, you find a way to sneak me in. No more."
"Where ?"
"I can make my way around the ship, I can fake examine a cannon hatch. You open one of them, and I’ll sneak inside." He fingered his blue official jacket to make her understand noone would question his going around the ship as he’d look official. "Then you go the hell out of here and I’ll do the rest. Fine with you ?"
"How do I find the cannon hatches ?" Belle asked.
"That, Dearie, is the conundrum we’re all depending on you solving." He winked at her with a smart smirk.
"Fine. I’ll find on my own."

She turned her heels on him and walked toward the ship.
"Belle !" Nicholas called out.
She turned around and looked at him expectantly, frowning. “What ?”
"Act seductive ! You’re a whore ! Remember ?"

Belle rolled her eyes at him and went on her way again, shaking her head. She forced herself to look around for crew members of the Roggers. She started swinging her hips to make herself enticing. And enticing, she was. Tiny little brunette, with sparkly blue eyes, and arms uncovered, she didn’t look like a prostitute working in a spaceport but as she walked seductively - and kinda awkwardly - more and more male eyes started to follow her.

Nicholas’ eyes followed her too. He stood frozen, gaze glued to her hips as she disappeared from his field of vision amongst the crowd. He shook himself, remembering she was a bothering pest. But a pretty one. And as soon as this thought crossed his mind, he mentally kicked it down, burying it deep and far into the recesses of his brain.

Belle joined the spaceport bar and saw some men with green trousers and brown tunic. There was 3 of them, all humans, hanging together, drink in hand. They were sat at a table and chatting quietly. She had her credits card in her back pocket, so she sat at a nearby table, facing her and she ordered a random drink.

A dark brown drink was put in front of her, and she paid the waiter with her credits card. The drink was very sugary, sticky in her mouth and quite thick. In one word, disgusting.

Belle started to stare at the three men, being really obvious. After a few minutes, one of them, the one facing her the most gazed at her. He grinned shyly at her. He was a man in his early twenties, ginger hair and blue eyes. Belle waved at him and he looked down, blushing. The other two looked around and spotted her. They turned to the boy and the eldest play-punched him in the shoulder. His blush deepened even more, and he tried shushing his friends. Belle waved at him again, and he waved shyly back again. That time, the eldest pushed him away from their table and toward Belle’s.

The boy scratched the back of his neck, red as an apple, and hesitantly walked to where Belle was sitting.
"Hello…" He was painfully shy. He was looking at his feet. From up close, he may be even younger than what he had appeared.
"Hello." She grinned wide at him and the boy grinned even more, looking at her from under his lashes.
The boy was suddenly pushed aside by a tall man.
"Good afternoon, Lady. I am Curtis. I am this boy’s commanding officer, and I am sure you need not trouble yourself with the likes of him. Ladies like you go for men like me, not boys."

Curtis was a tall man, with very short blonde hair. He was standing straight, hands behind the back, feet spread at shoulder width. He was wearing the colors of the Roggers crew, but in a more elaborate way she had never seen before. She was sorry for the boy but she needed to get onboard, and that… higher in the hierarchy man was her ticket.

Belle got up from her seat and laid her hands on Curtis’ chest. She batted her eyeslashes at him seductively.
Curtis glanced at the boy, still on the floor.
"See ? You need to become a real man and then you can have the ladies."

The boy nodded rushingly, obviously used to being pushed around. The other two, the ones drinking with him were looking pityfully at him. No one in the bar gave a damn.

Curtis pulled Belle tight to his side, smirking sexily at her. “Let’s go, I’ll show you a good time, baby.”
Belle felt highly disgusted but nodded, burying her feelings deep inside. That was acting. Ac-ting. A.C.T.I.N.G.

She fought herself not to kick that sorry excuse of a human being in the nuts.
Curtis and Belle, him still holding her tight against himself, left the bar and walked to the Roggers.

They passed Von Stiltskin, who looked their way. He was still leant against the same piece of wall Belle had left him, arms crossed on his chest. She didn’t react to him in any way, but she could feel his gaze on her as they pass by. He appeared calm, determined and somehow she sensed he had her back. Curtis didn’t even noticed him.

The closest to the Roggers they went, the more salutes they got.
Finally, they reached the ramp. The men guarding the entry saluted, clicking their heels.
"Sergeant Master Curtis." They both said in the same time.
Curtis nodded at them, and led Belle inside to his cabin. It was quite deep inside the ship, and far from the commanding areas.
"I’m surprised" Belle said. "You’re obviously high in the hierarchy. Why are your quarters that far from the Bridge ?"

Curtis looked at her like she was a freak.
"What does it matter ? We’re here to fuck. Oh you don’t have any sickness ? And you didn’t mention a price, so I can assume it’s free ?"
Belle nodded. “For free, yes.”
"You’re healthy ?"
She nodded again, not trusting her voice.
"Good. Put yourself at ease. We’ll be several hours here." He started to undress, showing his bulky chest. "Let’s have some fun, baby…"
He smirked lustfully and removed his belt. “You into bondage ? Jeez I’d like to tie you and fuck you hard.”

Belle’s eyes were wide. Her naivety at such things was plain to see if Curtis had cared to look. But he didn’t care. He just bent to remove his boots and Belle located a small portable computer to smash upon his head when a voice resonated through the ship.
"Captain on board. Captain on board."
"Shit !"
Curtis put his clothes back on, cursing the whole time. Belle was confused, she didn’t understand what was happening. He looked at her. “You need to leave. I’ll seek you out when I’m back here. What’s your name ?”
"Hmmm… Bel" she started to give her real name out by habits and she forced herself to end her name in a different way. "Arus."
"Belarus ?" He repeated.
"Yes" Belle replied.
"Weird name for such a sexy girl."
She shrugged in answer. “Who cares ?”
"Yeah, damn right. Who does ?"

Curtis was now dressed. “I’ll see you out. You need to leave before the Captain knows you’re on board. He says women on board are bad luck.”

Belle thought fleetingly that may be why Nicholas was so against her being on board of his own ship. The voice spoke again through the Roggers.
"Sergeant Master Curtis, your presence is required in the Captain’s quarters at once."
"Shit shit shit shit !!!!"

Curtis was panicked. Truly. Belle was surprised a man like him could be so open about his fear. Curtis was a bully, he had preyed on the weakest, but someone stronger openly made him panic. Either he compensated or that captain was someone really terrible.
Belle hoped for the former.
"I bet you don’t remember the way out ?" Curtis snarled aggressively, talking to Belle as if she was dumb.
"No I don’t. Sorry, Curtis" She looked contrite, batting her eyelashes at him again, overdoing her dumb sexy act.
"Shit."

He twisted his mouth down. “Wait here. I’ll see what the captain wants and I’ll come back to escort you out. Do. Not. Move. From. Here. Okay ?”
"Yes, Curtis."

She patted his chest appreciatively. Curtis groaned. “You are not playing fair, sweet thing.”

He looked ready to kiss her but the voice echoed again.
"Sergent Master Curtis. At once in the Captain’s office. It means now."

Curtis growled. “Shit, Flout, I’m going to hurt you, you bug !”
Belle frowned. Curtis looked at her and pecked her lips quick. “I need to go, babe. I’ll be back.”
Curtis looked at Belle one last time and left the cabin.

———————————————————————————

Nicholas Von Stiltskin had gone closer to the Roggers when Belle had come. He was starting to grow concerned. He hoped the large man who accompanied her inside hadn’t hurt her. He just hoped she was fine. He was faking inspecting the underside of the Spaceship.

He saw a man arriving, wearing a long black coat with silver embroidement and a high collar, a black leather trousers with a white belt on which hung a ceremonial saber, and a large hat. He had a bright clean white shirt. Nicholas could not see the Captain’s face but even from afar, he could see he gave out an impression of elegance and power.

Nick looked at him and realised the man was probably the owner of the ship, Captain Barrie Pan, the Peter Pan fan. From what he could see, the guy was obviously a fan of piratery too. Nicholas was ready to bet his Baby this Captain’s favorite character was Captain Hook. He looked like a cosplay out of a convention on Amalia.

Captain Pan talked with some men outside and they all started to shout out as Pan walked back inside.

With growing horror, Nicholas realised all the men were following the Captain inside until only the two men by the ramp remained, one talking into a communication device, the other observing quietly the surroundings. He ended up spotting Von Stiltskin and he pointed him to his colleague. Nick swore under his breath, feeling shit was about to hit the fan.

The guard who had spotted him walked up to him.
"Agent, you should get away. We’re about to leave. We’re just waiting for the last crew members to arrive and we’ll be on our way."
"But… I thought you had the docking spot for a few more days ?" Nick tried knowing more.
"Captain said we’re leaving, so we are. The spaceport was paid, and offers no refund in case of early departure, right ?"
Nick nodded and the guard continued. “So you should get away, Agent. Engines will be spitting fire soon. You wouldn’t want to get burnt.”

With a nod and a smirk, the guard left and joined the ramp and his colleague once more. They exchanged a few words and kept on waiting for their comrades.

Nicholas frowned. Belle was still on board, no hatch was getting miraculously opened for him to crawl into and the ramp was guarded. She needed to get out of there. She couldn’t be stuck inside. He needed to do something but right now, he had no idea what.

He could hear the clicky sounds of the hatch seals locking, he could hear ever noises a spaceship makes before warming up its engines. Turning back toward the ramp, he saw it closing. The members were all onboard, plus one. An uninvited one. Nick didn’t want to be torched, so he got the hell out of there. The dock doors closed behind him as he left room and through the glass of the small round windows in the door, he saw the Roggers turning on his engines and fly away.

The doors reopened as soon as the engines flames were out. He stared at the empty space and at the square made by the Roggers propellants’ fire, getting smaller and smaller as the ship left into the distance.

End of episode 2