Red and the Horned Beauty (Cross Ikon)

[Rik'Tani]

"Is combing your hair considered crazy?" Rikki joked, lightly raking her fingernails through a couple of Cross's locks.
[member="Cross Ikon"]

 

[Cross Ikon]

"Totally crazy. I actually mess it up on purpose.... Used to think it'd get me girls when I was a teenager."

I swept my hand through Rikki's hair and winked.

"Unless I'm mistaken, my teenage misconception was just proved correct..."

[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

Rikki smirked. "Maybe. I had the same thinking when I got my lips tattooed." She bit her bottom lip to emphasize the bright red color.
[member="Cross Ikon"]

 

[Cross Ikon]

"Doy you know, you were absolutely correct. Especially since my hair matches, ha ha."



[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

The shuttle was drawing close to the Duchess at this point. Rikki drummed her fingers on Cross's shoulders in anticipation. "I don't think I've been this excited since the day I left to find my own ship," She said happily.
[member="Cross Ikon"]

 

[Cross Ikon]

"Let's take the scenic route, then."

I piloted the junker through the middle of the double-sized Battle Dragon. Rikki could see all the glory of the blue hull and the cannons everywhere.

"Beautiful, ain't she? Nearly as beautiful as you, I think."

[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

Rikki almost cried at the sight of the ship. "She's so gorgeous. Enough firepower to destroy a star...." Her eyes sparkled like a child receiving gifts on their birthday.
[member="Cross Ikon"]

 

[Cross Ikon]

"Well, not a star... But something very big, yes. You look so cute with that expression on your face. Like a kid getting an airspeeder...."

I didn't add that it made me want to get her stuff to see that expression again. Then she'd actually make me buy her stuff.

[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

"What can I say? I like big ships." She shrugged. It was in her blood, after all. Just like a good fight involved a lot of blood and someone dying and/or admitting defeat.
[member="Cross Ikon"]

 

[Cross Ikon]

"Me too... I can't really pilot a fighter... Handling is just too different from what I was trained in. Plus, bigger ships have more dramatic flair and blah blah."

I realized that Rikki was sitting on my lap, and the little junker wasn't moving.

"Although I enjoy you sitting on me, Rikki, I kinda need to pilot the ship so you can see the inside...."

[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

Rikki smirked, slowly slinking off of his legs. "Apologies, Admiral." She said, childishly sticking her tongue out at him before sitting in the co-pilot chair.
[member="Cross Ikon"]

 

[Cross Ikon]

"Oh, don't be like that.... Vice Admiral. You can come back and help me pilot the ship into the dock... It is tractor-beam docking, anyway..."

[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

Rikki shrugged. "I'm a bit rusty, to be honest. I haven't flown a ship in a few years. Besides, I like watching you pilot. You're a man that can take control...." She replied. She propped her feet up and folded her arms behind her head.
[member="Cross Ikon"]

 

[Cross Ikon]

"That was an invitation, Rikki, not an offer to pilot. We still have about five minutes before the ship docks."

I winked at her.

[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

Sighing, as if she hadn't wanted to help, she sat properly in her chair and looked at the controls. Her fingers began a familiar routine of pressing buttons and flipping switches, preparing the shuttle for docking. She barely thought about what she was doing. Her body remembered a bit better than her mind did.
[member="Cross Ikon"]

 

[Cross Ikon]

"Oh, so it's muscle memory, huh? I get it. Been that long since you piloted, then?"

She must've been real glad to be on a big ship again, then. I couldn't imaging being without a ship for more than a week or two.

[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

Rikki nodded. "A good six years, if I'm remembering right. It was torture at first. But eventually, I got used to it." She flipped a few more switches. "Should be good to go, I think..."
[member="Cross Ikon"]

 

[Cross Ikon]

I grinned at her....

"We were good to go. That control board, there, has no power, Rikki. I told you to come help me land. I didn't mean stay over there."

[member="Rik'Tani"]

 

[Rik'Tani]

Rikki blinked a couple times. This was utterly embarrassing. She hadn't even known that the board wasn't working? Any person would've noticed that! She face-palmed herself. "Now you tell me. It really has been too long..." She sighed, and moved over to Cross.
[member="Cross Ikon"]

 

[Cross Ikon]

"It's okay... It's not like we were paying much attention."

I grabbed her around the waist again.

"So, what do you think? And don't take the over-aged booze into account... That's for contemplating later."

[member="Rik'Tani"]