January 3rd, 2186. Commercial starliner Cartwright, en route to Arcturus station. The journey since leaving Caleston has consisted mostly of a series of mass effect relay jumps with periods of waiting in-between. Between the holiday season and the recent lifting of travel restrictions after the defeat of the Collectors, the transport lanes are busy, and local Attican authorities overwhelmed. Still, the ship should be arriving at Arcturus soon.
#Cartwright – April 23, 2025
The biggest obstacle of their journey so far. If Yan Sun can get the two of them and their electronic stowaway past security there, then even Earth shouldn't be a problem, but if not... well, there's few places worse to be caught trying to smuggle in an illegal AI and a wanted explosives expert than the capital of the Systems Alliance. Yan Sun may be confident in her work, but she's still found herself getting antsy as their arrival grows
closer. After trimming Jessica's hair into something less haphazard, some time was spent just relaxing in the bunk, but a while ago Yan Sun got up again, moving to sit on the other bunk, the one with the bags, as she double-checked the digital documentation she's forged.
Jessica remains in their bunk, sat up against the wall idly poking at her omni-tool. She seemed happy enough with her new haircut. The makeshift crew cut, ironically, has left her looking far more suited for the military than she did during her initial charade. Eventually she seems to get bored with whatever it is she's been looking over and tosses her omni-tool onto the bed beside her, the interface still projecting the pictures of
Hong Kong from some photographer's extranet site that she was apparently perusing. With a yawn she reaches up, stretching her arms and giving a roll of her shoulders to work out some of the aches that have gradually set in over the previous weeks where cramped quarters and uncomfortable sleeping conditions seem to be the norm. "What you are doing?" she eventually breaks the silence from the other side of the small room.
Yan Sun keeps on scrolling down the screen on her omni-tool. "Just... double-checking everything. Making sure we won't have any trouble getting past security," she answers without looking up.
Jessica arches a brow, watching Yan Sun work for a few moments before her gaze turns to the porthole. "And? Is good?" she asks. It sounds more like idle chit-chat to fill the silence and amuse her boredom than general concern.
Yan Sun nods absently, scrolling a bit more. "Yeah, should be." After a moment she looks up, studying Jessica. "You remember all the stuff we talked about? About you coming out to the Terminus to work with Redrock? If everything goes like planned, there shouldn't really be any questions. But just in case."
Jessica lets out a breath as her attention lulls back to the cabin and settles on Yan Sun. She studies her for a moment before realizing she's serious, offering a small roll of her eyes. "Mmm." she hums in affirmation. "I leave Earth for work. The work is over, and now I am back." she recites, offering a small shrug as if to let Yan Sun know it's not that complicated of a story for her to recall. "And we meet at the spaceport on Aite."
she continues to recite, as if it's their agreed upon story, "I buy you from some batarians. For fifty credits. And now you are going to be my house servant." She turns up her nose in thought for a moment, "But I am thinking that maybe we should lower the price. Nobody is going to believe that you cost fifty credits." she says matter-of-factly. "You are too scrawny."
Yan Sun shoots Jessica an unamused look and crumples up an empty candy bar wrapper into a ball that she tosses at her, sticking out her tongue with a grimace. "We met on the job, you totally fell for me after I blew you away with my super tech skills, and we decided to travel back to Earth together!" she corrects with a grin.
Jessica is well prepared for the ranged attack by the time Yan Sun finishes crumpling up the wrapper and manages to bat it aside. She gives Yan Sun a smug look as a silent, 'You tried' and brings her hands, fingers interlaced, atop her head. Yan Sun's retelling of events elicits another eyeroll, though a lingering smile undercuts her annoyance. "This is what you think happened, kitty cat?" she asks through an amused grin.
Yan Sun makes a show of pondering the question, and then nods with a shrug. "Mmm, yeah, pretty much."
Jessica remains where she is, amusement lingering. "Mmm." she hums. "Your 'super tech skills' that you use to lock me in an elevator with you because you wanted to fuck me as soon as you see me for the first time, yes? Those tech skills?" she muses. "Or maybe we tell them I am unable to resist how cute you look when you are almost drowning." she continues, lazily lulling her head back and forth in a less-than-flattering pantomiming of
Yan Sun's fall into the water, reaching one arm above her and adding a meek, "Help!" for effect before slipping into laughter.
Yan Sun lets out a scoff, letting her omni-tool fade away as she reaches for the pillow on her bunk. Her apprehension about the upcoming test of her skulls seems, at least temporarily, forgotten as she lunges at Jessica with the fluffy weapon. "Shut up, jerk!" she laughs, aiming to cover her face. "I locked you in the elevator to save your butt, because you're a terrible liar!"
Jessica is still too caught up in looking as pathetic as possible, head bobbling back and forth and arms flailing, to immediately notice the incoming attack until it's too late, "Hellllp!" she repeats overtop Yan Sun's initial exclamation before a pillow is suddenly over her face. It's not enough to keep her from behind annoying, however, muffled laughter spilling out from beneath the pillow as she attempts to twist out from under it,
leading to her tipping onto her side on the bed. "Bullshit!" she calls out through her laughter, pushing the pillow aside to keep it out of her face.
Yan Sun fully shifts bunks, and straddles Jessica for leverage in her fight to keep the pillow in place, but soon allows it to be pushed down a little to the chest of the woman she's so viciously attacking. She leans over the pillow, crossed arms resting atop it and her chin atop them as she looks down at Jessica with a smug smile. "Yeah, right! I saw through you on day one! You couldn't even tell me your rank!"
Jessica seems to settle her resistance when Yan Sun comes to a rest atop her. Even mounted she manages to look the victor, smug expression still plastered across her face. Yan Sun's claim draws a snort out of her. "Bad ass bitches do not need ranks." she assures nonchalantly as if it's right there in Alliance doctrine. She brings both hands behind her head as a show of being unbothered by Yan Sun's weak assault, brown eye confidently
Yan Sun snorts loudly. "Riiight..." she agrees sarcastically, ducking her head down to plant a kiss against Jessica's lips. Her expression softens as she pulls back and looks down at her, turning thoughtful.
Jessica purses her lips lazily, not bothering to lift her head to meet Yan Sun's kiss but the grin left behind is felt even before it's seen. She remains as she is, hands behind her head as she studies the woman overtop her in turn. After a few moments she seems to realize she's staring and buries it beneath a quiet, "What you are looking at?" Though it lacks a bit of the sharp edge it usually carries.
Yan Sun sits up atop Jessica, lightening the pressure on the pillow. "Just... thinking. Can I ask you something?"
Yan Sun hesitates, looking a little flustered, but then she draws in a breath. "Okay, so. My tattoo..." She leans back a little and tugs down the top of her jeans to show the little cat version of her that Jessica inked, as if she might somehow need reminding of it.
Jessica shifts in place and brings down her arms, leaning to her left to get her right elbow under her to help prop her up, then doing the same for the opposite side. Now propped up ever so slightly, her gaze briefly scans over the small cartoon cat before returning to Yan Sun's face, eyebrow lifting as she offers an, "Mm?" of acknowledgement.
Yan Sun looks down at the small tattoo for a moment before letting go of the top of her jeans and looking back to Jessica. "I... was wondering if maybe you could.... draw it for me?" she asks with a hopeful smile.
Jessica blinks, curiosity briefly turning to confusion, then amusement, before she gives a small shrug. "I could." she agrees before voicing the obvious question behind it: "...Why?"
Yan Sun 's smile widens, but the question makes her offer a shrug of her own. "It's cute, and... I want a new profile pic," she explains, scooting off of Jessica and turning her left hand palm up, cybernetics lighting up as a thin stylus starts to materialize suspended above her hand.
Jessica snorts, though there's a rare show of embarrassment that slips into her expression over Yan Sun seemingly liking her simple piece of art so much. Just a flash before it's hidden beneath a familiar dismissive roll of her eyes and a reluctant, "Fine." She sits up, retaking her seat against the wall as the stylus begins to take shape and the glow of Yan Sun's cybernetics reflect off of the interior of their small cabin. "You are
such a show off, kitty cat." she muses as she scoops the stylus out of the air. "You know this, yes?"
Yan Sun 's smug smile indicates that she both knows, and is entirely unapologetic about it, a gleam in her eyes - one natural brown and one glowing blue - as Jessica snatches the stylus the moment the fabrication process finishes. She shrugs innocently and moves closer, sitting next to her and reaching out to attach her portable holo-emitter to the wall of the cabin. A projected screen flickers to life in the air in front of them, and she
Jessica watches Yan Sun, her dismissive expression unable to hide the fondness that tugs at the edge of her mouth. "Such a show off..." she mutters, shifting against the wall to get comfortable. She examines the screen, lips briefly pursing as she seems to try to decide where to start. As the stylus starts to come down, she sharply jerks it back, head swinging Yan Sun's way once more. "But this is not free, kitty cat!" she starts. "If
I am making an art for you, then I am expecting something in return!" She doesn't immediately reveal what that payment might be, however, making it sound more like a warning as she pokes at the back of her teeth with her tongue, grin ever present.
Yan Sun snakes an arm around Jessica's lower back, leaning her head on her shoulder and watching the screen, but the clarification makes her snicker and lift her head. "I bet we can come up with some way for me to repay you..." she muses, leaning in to nuzzle the crook of Jessica's neck and press her lips against the janky Alliance tattoo.
Jessica finds herself leaning against the kiss. "I get that for free, kitty cat. Is not payment." she teases. The grin that can be heard in her voice implies she probably has something more specific in mind. "When we get to Hong Kong?" she dangles, "You have to get another tattoo with me." she says. "I will pick one for you, and you will pick one for me, mmm?" she hums. "And then you have to get it. Whatever I want. Wherever I
Yan Sun freezes, eyebrows furrowing. She lifts her head and shoots Jessica a suspicious look. "Okay, but... no dicks," she demands.
Jessica's smile only grows as Yan Sun agrees before she sucks in her lips and offers a nod. "Mmm. No dicks." she agrees. "I am thinking maybe-..." she furrows her brow, looking across the room as if in deep throught. "Maybe 'slut'." she decides on, craning her neck a little to better look Yan Sun's way, that annoying grin she wears so often not giving away whether or not she's joking. She reaches out with the stylus, bringing her hand
between Yan Sun's legs. "Right here. S-.." she begins spelling, using the stylus to draw it on the crotch of Yan Sun's jeans, well below the beltline, as she does. "L - U - T. Mm?" she hums, as if considering it to herself before dismissing it with a shrug of her shoulders and lifting the stylus, attention returning to the screen in front of her. "We will see, I have many ideas."