A frown crossed her lips and she brushed her hands over the dress nervously. "Why not? For experimentation?" * * * "Well," he said slowly, running his hand through his hair, "this ship would fail without you."
He pulled out a large syringe from a drawer, staring at her with a grin. "Absolutely." *** She laughed slightly. "Thank you, I think."
Her eyes widened and she instantly tapped two matching tattoos on her biceps that began to glow under her touch. Basel flew backward in the air instantly, invisible forces trapping him against the wall. * * * "It's probably a compliment," he mused.
Basel grunted slightly as he hit the wall before looking around at his arms, trying to move them. "Ah. Huh. How does that work?" He looked back up at her. "I was just kidding. I was mostly going to document your powers and what It's like as a royal." *** She rolled her eyes playfully. "I'm going to go get blankets and pillows. If you could sweep some of the dust that would be great."
Her eyes were wide and she was glaring at him. "Why do you even have a syringe that big?" she asked, sounding exasperated as she released him from the wall. * * * "Aye aye."
He laughed, brushing himself off and putting away the syringe. "I actually use it to extract sap from trees on extraterrestrial planets." *** She shook her head with a smile, heading upstairs.
She was still glaring uncertainly, folding her arms. "What is the nature of your service on this ship, sir?" she asked haughtily, considering him. * * * He began sweeping, singing under his breath.
"I'm a scientist," he told her with a factual voice. "Clearly." *** She returned a few minutes later, the blankets in her arms.
"A scientist who just waves syringes around with reckless abandon?" she replied, raising one eyebrow. * * * He looked up as she returned. "Should we just let her capsule be the bed?"
He grinned. "Apparently. Anyways, do you know how your magic works?" *** "I'm not sure she would like that..."
She looked down at herself in surprise. “My magic? I mean, partially... My tattoos are actually symbols that were etched into my skin within my first year of life. They have grown with me.” *** “Why not?”
He tapped his pen. "Does the magic come from them? Or from you?" *** "She seemed hesitant to get back in. We could try that, though."
She shrugged slightly, looking down at her wrists thoughtfully. "They come from our blood," she said thoughtfully. "My bloodline in combination with the tattoos gives me this ability." * * * "You'd know better than me," Trevor said with a shrug.
He tilted his head slightly. "Your blood? May I take a sample?" *** She shook her head, starting to set up the bed. "Not really. I just wish we could give her a normal room. That would make it easier."
"What?" she asked, withdrawing from him suddenly and eyeing the drawer where the large syringe waited. "No. Of course not." * * * "The Captain seems adamant that she doesn't get an opportunity to be comfortable," Trevor agreed.
He frowned slightly, maybe looking disappointed. "Oh. Alright, then. I wouldn't have used the big one. Just a small one." *** She nodded, looking up at him curiously. "It's unfortunate."
"I'm not in the place to have anyone draw my blood, much less some mad scientist on a ship I've just met!" she exclaimed, sounding exasperated. It was evident that the stress of the last half hour was catching up to her. She straightened up her already impeccable posture, crossing her arms again. "I want to go home. Now, if you please. You must know how to alter this ship's navigational systems. I miss my family. I want to go home." * * * "Yes, well, gentleness isn't the captain's strong suit," he said with a shrug. "What else can I do?"
He hesitated, taking a seat at his desk. "I am not in control of this ship. That would be the captain.. As for your family.. it's been 50 years, Anya." *** She sighed, looking around. "I think we're okay for now. If she needs anything else then she can ask me."
She paused as his words registered with her and she dropped her hands slowly, her eyes fixed on him. "But... fifty years isn't that long," she said tremulously. "Are you..." She shook her head, as if refusing to accept this. "My parents? My sisters?" * * * "That's fair," he said, running a hand through his hair. "We should probably all get some sleep anyway."
