Azumi escorted Hortan down to the docks as fast as possible. How she was going to wiggle her way out of this one, she had no idea. Still, Shar and Witt she could handle. As long as she could avoid running into...
"Leber, hi. And hi Look"
Lebermac and Look were sitting in the corridor, Leber with his head in his hands, the dirty flight suit showing the signs of four days of heavy abuse. Three empty bottles of Tehkillla were scattered around his feet, and the stench of vomit was heavy in the air. Look was leaning back, his head against the wall and his eyes almost closed. He waved a tired claw in greeting. Azumi stepped gingerly over the bottles and motioned for Hortan to follow. He didn't. Instead he stopped in front of Leber and looked as sternly at him as he could. With a sinking feeling about the same as jumping off a cliff only protected by a piece of used dental floss, Azumi saw Hortan's mouth open as if to start speaking.
"Pilot Lebermac. I must protest in the greatest amount about these recent attacks that you do. They are indiscriminate and very dangerous. I did not get the chance to pay for passage, and so you exposed my passenger to high risk. Now, what do you have to say about the matter?"
Hortan folded his arms, very satisfied with himself for speaking up, and looked at Azumi for support. That spared him getting hit in the face at least. Leber answered with the contents of his stomach, vomiting all over the TGFT flight suit, spattering small droplets on Hortan's face.
"Aw, shit." Azumi looked at the vomit splash. " We need to get you into something else. Lets go back, I'll get you something."
Too stunned to do anything, Hortan allowed himself to be dragged back the way the had come, away from the drunken duo. They went back to Azumi's room, leaving footprints in interesting shades of stomach content. They dropped the boots outside and entered the cubicle.
"Take the flight suit off and wash that off. I'll go look for something." She left again, and he did as he was told. The bathroom, or rather the shower room, not much else in there, was very much like his own. Except for the one or two very female only items that made him blush immensely. He stayed in the shower until he heard the door click.
A towel was pushed in for him, pink with frills, and after drying he came out smelling of roses. No, really of roses. Azumi pushed a flight suit at him.
"Was all I could get at such short notice. I'll bag your own clothes."
He nodded and got in the flight suit. A too large light grey flight suit with a large CLM logo on the chest, and the name Sharingan on the tag.
"I can't wear this Azumi, really, I can't"
"Fine, then you will have to walk naked. It is the best I could do. Now move it."
She opened the door and took another corridor to the docks, dragging Hortan behind her. Fortunately they got to the dock with no further incidents, and Azumi could get Hortan into the Atlas. She was having a sinking feeling in her stomach that something was wrong with her. Only one person on base to ask about these kinds of problems, Mystic, and she was not here. Second best thing, get medieval on someone. She walked to the fighter launch bay and got into her pink Rev C.
Hortan looked at the command screen, he was not going to make it for his morning appointment with Mor. How had be allowed this to drag on so long? He asked for launch permission, got it and punched the thrusters to full immediately after coming out of he bay. Nobody followed him, and he made for the speediest route to Dau K-10. Entering the launch bay at breakneck speed, he jumped out of the Atlas and started running for the TGFT mining office. Ms. Miharu, soon to be Mrs he remembered, was outside as any other day, and looked up at him as he arrived puffing hard. She smiled very broadly at him and covered her mouth with one hand.
"I am sorry I am late Ms Miharu, but I fell asleep and woke too late."
"Wait Hort, Mor is going to want to see and hear this."
Hortan's heart sank; he was going to be hammered for being late. The door opened and Mor in his standard green uniform looked out.
"Yes Miha, oh hi Hort.."
"I am sorry I am late Mor, but as I explained to Ms Miharu, I fell asleep and woke too late."
Mor took one knuckle in his mouth and bit on it.
"I see, and where did you sleep? Anywhere in Latos by any chance?"
"How did you know?"
"Well, the CLM flight suit was a dead giveaway" he managed to force out without laughing.
"Oh, Ms Azumi gave that to me after I showered."
Miharu blushed and looked down into her screen, while holding her mouth with one hand.
"Did she now? And was that where you slept as well? With Azumi?"
"Yes. I awoke this morning in her bed. And I must have forgotten to bring my watch, so that is why I am late. Also I seem to have lost my cred sticks and my memory crystal."
Mor started hulking with laughter, and half-turned while pointing to Miharu.
"She, ha, Miha-ha will give you the schedules, ha ha."
He walked back into his cubicle and closed the door before the laughter came rolling for real.
Hortan received the schedules and excused himself. He needed to get into his own clothes as soon as possible. And then he really needed to come out in the tranquillity of his roids.
