Just a little fiesty (Rhi)

[Etrofder]

Kurri sighed, her back pressed against the cold metal in the corridor. Five minutes until it was her turn to dance again, she was having a quick smoke.

She looked down at the cigarette in her hand, then took a long draw. It was funny. She always used to yell at Seth for smoking the damn things. Always told him they'd be what killed him. And here she was.

It'd been on her mind a lot lately, and she'd been stuck here too long without distractions. Without anything happening. It was depressing.

"Kurri, you're on." One of the other girls poked her head out. Kurri nodded and snuffed the cigarette out, tossing it in a bin by the door.

Dispite her sour mood, she was pleased with her outfit that night as she stepped bare foot onto the raised floor. Her hair was loose, dyed a fiery red and orange. As she began to dance, her hands moved over the silky white shawl that covered her chest, dangling with metal beadwork. Her fingers danced along her smooth exposed stomach, teasing the men that looked up at her. Her hips swayed sensually to the beat of the band, jingling lightly with beads that matched her top.

She adored the attention. Even in her foul mood, this cheered her up. Some of the girls seemed dead inside, hating what they had to do for money. But not Kurri. Kurri loved what she did. She winked at one man. Blew a kiss to another. She wanted them to compete for her attention. The more they wanted her, the more money they'd toss on the floor.

[Rhi-Rhi]

...Holy gods.

She was adorable.

Ari was lounging in the front row, sipping a beer and enjoying the show as he wound down for the day, when the next girl stepped onto the stage. And goddamn, but she knew how to grab a guy's attention--or, at least, Ari's attention. She was so tiny! And alright, so he had a thing for petite and cute and pierced. Totally not biased on that last one, nope. But it wasn't just that, either; there was something about the way she moved that was different, more spirited, and it wasn't just because of the beat.

Pulling some bills out of his pocket, he whistled and held them up to catch her attention and then tossed them onto the stage. She'd certainly earned it!

[Etrofder]

The shawl streamed through the air, jingling as Kurri spun it, letting the metal catch the gleam of the lights. The sound of the men when she bared her breasts... That was why this was the best job she could find while staying in one place.

She turned to a whistle, and smiled warmly at the man for a moment. Seth. He was adorable sometimes, coming to her at work, paying her for what she gave him free anyway.

Wait... It wasn't Seth. The man looked so much like him, but it was completely crazy to even think it could have been Seth.

She shoved the crazy aside for later, swaying her way to where the man sat. She got down on her knees and tossed the shawl over his head,letting it drape across his shoulders. Her eyes locked with his, and she found herself grinning mischieviously at him, less then a foot away. Her hand slid over her body again, and then moved to delicately trace its way up her customer's chest.

[Rhi-Rhi]

Well, damn, he'd gotten her attention, alright. As she swayed over, Ari leaned back in his seat so he could take in the full view, head slightly tilted and eyes roaming over her body, pausing over her breasts and ending at her face. He got a great view of both when she knelt before him and with her that close, he could really take in all the details--like the piercing through her nipple. Ah, a woman after his own heart...

The shawl fell around his shoulders and he reached up to touch it, bringing it up and and taking in its scent. He didn't reach out to touch her, though, even as she trailed a hand up his chest. Naw. There were bouncers here, and he didn't want to get kicked out and miss the show, not unless she initiated here--and despite the fantasy of it all, he wasn't stupid enough to lose himself in it, to think she was doing this for any other reason than because he'd tossed a good tip her way.

Didn't mean he enjoyed it any less, though. He enjoyed the sex he paid for as much as the sex he didn't pay for, he just didn't attach romantic ideals to either.

Meeting her eyes, he grinned up at her. "Hey there, sweetheart." His eyes dropped down to her breasts and then back up to her face. "Dig the piercin'." Wink.

[Etrofder]

"I thought you would." She purred, taking in his own with a slight admiration. This man did what he wanted. Answered to no one but himself. Just like her, she supposed. Damn, if she hadn't known better, she'd think he was Seth's brother. Red up his hair and widen that face, and they'd be the spitting image.

Maybe that was why she found herself showing him a little extra favoritism. She acknowledged another man who put some more bills on the edge of the table, eager to get the same treatment, actually looking to compete for her attention. She'd get to him later, she decided, leaning back with all the flexibility her line of work had forced into her. With a flick of her wrist, the second shawl around her waist came loose, and with a blown kiss, flew through the air to land in the second man's hands. That would keep him happy for the moment.

She bit her lip seductively as she looked down her prone body at the pierced man, wearing absolutely nothing but a very tiny pair of lacy red panties. Sitting up again with something of a whip crack motion in her body, she scooped up one of the credits he'd laid out for her. It was an old technique, but always pleased. She delicately ran the bill along his cheek, folding it and sliping in between his lips. Then, her body still swaying to the beat, she slid down to straddle his lap. He was tall, forcing her to improvise a bit. Her breath came in practiced pants against his neck, staying perhaps a little longer than she should have. Finally, she leaned up, lips literally millimeters from his, sweet breath against him, as she took the money back with her lips.

With that, she reached back behind her, flipping back onto the floor. As she began swaying her way to the second man at last, she looked back at him with a wicked grin. See if he could resist tossing her a bit extra for that. Her shawl went forgotten.

[Rhi-Rhi]

Ari watched, torn between awe at her sheer athleticism and being turned on by her flexibility. And, y'know. Tits and ass. It was the dilemma he always found himself in when he came to these sorts of places, where it wasn't just about stripping, jiggling a bit, and gratuitous crotch shots but about performing. The left side of his brain registered sex-appeal, but his dominant right saw the aesthetics of it all.

The left side was starting to pull ahead, though, especially when she bent back and the second shawl came off.

It took the lead completely when she ran the bill along his cheek and straddled his lap. After that, there wasn't much he could think of beyond how her breath felt against him and the heat of her body and how close her breasts were and how it had been a while since he'd been with a woman, trapped for long stretches on a ship with all men (some of who would put out) and one chick (who wouldn't). Not that it really mattered; he enjoyed men as much as women. But each felt different, looked different, moved different, sounded different, and he found himself craving it.

By the time she took the bill with her teeth, his eyes on hers the whole time, he was a little breathless.

And then she was gone.

Well, shit. So much for not getting into the fantasy.

Fishing out more bills, he laid them on the table. She had definitely earned them!

[Etrofder]

The rest of her set passed quickly. She hadn't realized it, but she'd spent almost half of her allotted time on just that one man. It didn't bother her, really. He was the only one who made it easy. She loved her job, that was without question. But all too often she found herself just catering to the stressed out working class, who were just trying to escape their everyday dreary lives. Why they didn't just say fuck it, and do something they wanted to, was beyond her.

But that pierced man... He didn't look like he'd fretted over a thing in his life. He was there tonight because he wanted to see some naked flesh. Didn't need another reason. And that made it simple to give him exactly what he wanted. And she found herself curious about what his story was.

The speaker came on. "Why don't we hear a little something for Kurri? That's it for her tonight." Her boss called in his best sale voice. "Coming up next, Lexie!"

Kurri picked up her lower shawl and gathered the money on the floor, tucking it in the waist of her undergarment. She couldn't help but lock eyes with the pierced man once more, for just a moment. Then she descended from the stage, hips still swaying to the music, as she disappeared into the ready room to get herself dressed to head home.

[Rhi-Rhi]

He was halfway through the next set when he realized he still had the girl's--Kiri? Kurri?--shawl.

Maybe she'd forgotten it. Or maybe it was a keepsake, if a fancier one than the usual misplaced pair of bra or panties or boxers. He never felt inclined to return those, figuring "finders, keepers" and all, but he saw an opportunity in this shawl; it was an icebreaker and an excuse to see if he could catch up with her.

Ari waited out the remainder of the set, tipped the girl, finished his beer, and slipped out of the club, shawl still around his shoulders. There he loitered outside the club, lighting up a cigarette as he waited. Could be he'd missed her and she'd already gone home, and either way, he had his doubts that she'd be interested in hanging around now that she was off the clock. More than likely, he wouldn't even get to do or say much except hand it off to her; there would probably be big, burly escorts present for the exact reason that this was a high risk job and they didn't want people like him harassing them outside the place.

But hey, never hurt to see if that little extra something she'd given him over the other guys was just because she wanted to, because he knew he couldn't have been the biggest spender there that night.

[Etrofder]

She winced, rubbing her shoulder. It hadn't been noticable before, but her muscles ached like hell. She'd had a pretty long night, and that was two nights in a row. Right about now, she'd do just about anything for a long hot shower.

"I'll see you girls later." She called, slinging her bag over her arm. She'd put her street clothes back on. A nice pair of black jeans and a dark green t-shirt. Nothing fancy, but still nice. Had to keep up appearances around the club, afterall.

He was the first thing she noticed when she stepped out, and for the first time, she realized she'd completely forgotten the shawl around his shoulders. It was obvious he was waiting for her with that. Normally she'd be a bit nervous, one of the clients waiting for her would set off little alarms. But she wanted to see where this was going.

[Rhi-Rhi]

Ah, there she was. She noticed him about the same time he noticed her and even in her casual wear it was hard to mistake her. Her height (or lack of it) and the fiery hair gave her away. And she was alone, on top of it all.

Ari flicked his cigarette away and ground it out with his boot, then smiled over at her. He didn't move toward her, though; she was probably already getting creepster vibes.

"Hey," he said with a little salute, then slipped the shawl off his shoulders and dangled it out to her. "I think ya forgot somethin', darlin'. Not that I ain't flattered, don't get me wrong. I like to think I've got a sorta distractin' effect on people, what with my dashin' good looks and all."

[Etrofder]

He was being cautious with her. That was ok. If it was any of the other girls, the bouncers would already be standing at attention. But she didn't like the overbearing nature. And the last time someone had messed with her, she'd cut him open, then fixed him her up herself.

"Thanks." Kurri accepted the shawl, draping it over her own shoulders. It would have taken a week's tips to replace. "Fits me much better, I think. You... Uh... reminded me of someone I used to know."

She leaned against the wall, cold metal refreshing after the work. She picked a cigarette from her bag, lighting it up. "I guess I made an impact, if you didn't want to stick around to see the other girls." She chuckled, looking up at him.

[Rhi-Rhi]

Ari laughed and lifted an eyebrow, giving her a knowing look. "I could say the same for you," he said. "Guess this guy must've made an impact on ya, eh?" Because she'd gotten awfully friendly out there. Crush? Old flame? Not that it mattered or anything. Wasn't his business.

"Anyhow, figured there was no sense stayin'. I had your shawl, blew my cash, and it ain't fair to the other girls if I can't tip proper."

He paused and gave her a wry grin. "Cuttin' the bullshit, that's a very noble way of sayin' I had a good excuse to try and catch ya."

[Etrofder]

She blew a small cloud of smoke and laughed. "Yeah... Yeah, you could say that." It had been less than a year. She still had the indent on her hand where the ring he'd given her had once sat. It wasn't really an engagement ring, more a promise than anything. He'd wanted to get her a proper gem. She had made the terrible mistake of trying to force herself better after he was gone. Sure, she got functional again pretty quickly, but she still had her moments here and there when the crazy bubbled up a bit.

"And if we're cutting the bullshit, I'm talking to you, aren't I? What's your story?" She asked, not put off that she had to look up at him to make eye contact. She had thought she'd just wanted to head home, shower, and head to bed. But that was boring. She'd wanted some excitement, and the vibes this guy gave off practically oozed excitement.

[Rhi-Rhi]

"My story?"

Ari paused at that, briefly taken aback, but recovered quickly. Well. That was a new one. She was sexy as hell and he'd love to tap that, but he'd never been in the habit of spewing his life story. He could, however, give her some of the stuff around it.

"Well, for starters..." He leaned in a little closer to her and gave an exaggeratedly shifty glance back and forth, as though checking for eavesdroppers. Finally, he met her eyes and lowered his voice, lips quirked in a mischievous grin. "I'm a pirate."

And she could take that however she wanted. He'd learned over the years that if he delivered a line with theatrics and a sense of humor, he never had to lie--but people would often assume he was joking. It was a good way to gauge reactions. Sure, Cancer was a hive of pirates and scum, but not everyone was and not everyone liked them, either. Hell, he'd earned himself a rep and he owned it--for the most part.

Depended on whether or not he was attempting to charm the pants off a classy, smoking hot lady.

[Etrofder]

She paused at that. Literally anywhere else she'd been in the whole system, if someone had told her that, her first reaction would be he were bluffing. But here on Cancer...

Her eyes wandered over him again. He certainly looked the part. All the piercings, tattoos, and the wild hair screamed someone who didn't care to answer to anyone but himself. Not to mention the confidence he seemed to have, chatting up a stripper he'd just met, while she was off duty. And he didn't even seem very drunk.

Or he could just be lying to her to get her excited. Which she would admit was working somewhat. She'd dealt with pirates before. Even crewed on a vessel once. She had not actually done anything piratical though. Her job had mostly consisted of fixing up meals, and fixing up people. The rest of the crew had known better to fuck with her, because if you needed a cut stitched up, you didn't want the woman with the needle holding a grudge.

Two could play that game. "Pirate huh? Must be nice having all that freedom. I was on a ship once. Didn't steal anything. Just cooked and cut for them. But I guess I could say I was a pirate." She grinned wickedly up at him. "That's where I got this." She motioned to her pierced breast. "Right of passage. Free piercing, as far as I cared."

If he was lying, they'd either have a fun time playing along, or it'd scare him off. But if he was telling the truth... Maybe, just maybe, she'd just found a way off this station for a while.

[Rhi-Rhi]

That surprised him, but maybe it shouldn't have. The Cancer was full of mutts and people with interesting (and often illegal) backgrounds, and there was no shortage of people who had retired from their old lifestyle to take up something more mundane for a change of pace--something Ari couldn't fathom.

Well, shit. This chick just kept getting better.

His grin brightened and he perked up with interest. "Yeah? Heh, that's what this was," he said, tapping the moth tattoo on the underside of his left wrist, blending in with the rest of his sleeve. It was cruder than the others and inked in black--a homemade tattoo done by a crew member rather than a professional.

"Rite of passage, like ya said. So, what made ya stop? Need the change of pace? Let down your hair and throw off some clothes?"

[Etrofder]

He could be a good actor, she supposed. But with an answer like that, and the way he lit up, she had a pretty good feeling he was telling the truth at this point.

"Didn't get much of a choice." She waved the smoke away as it billowed. "Had a bit of an incident with a few of the boys. Figured I'd be a bit better getting my ass off that ship."

She was lying. She'd met a boy. Took her cut and stayed on Cancer to see what happened. Otherwise she'd probably still be on that ship. Fuck, she missed the travel. Missed doing whatever she wanted.

"So, you got a ship, right?" She didn't really care if he was a two-bit smuggler or a full blown pirate admiral with a fleet. She wanted in again.

[Rhi-Rhi]

"Of course, darlin'. You're speakin' with the captain. Wanna see her?" he asked, head cocked curiously. "I mean, if ya ain't opposed to wanderin' off with a strange man and all. But somethin' tells me ya can handle it."

Ari jerked his head in the docking bay's direction. "It's just that way, ain't far. Ya can tell me all about your job while we head there, eh? What kinda gig they operated, what kinda action ya saw, what kinda skills ya got...and whether you'd go back if ya had the chance."

[Etrofder]

Ok, she hadn't actually expected him to BE a captain. That surprised her, but on a second thought, she wasn't sure why. He had the confidence and charisma that came with leadership. Might just have been the luckiest dance of her career tonight.

"All right. You've got me hooked." She gave him a grin, putting her cigarette out and tossing it. "And I'd go back in a heart beat. Think I want to be stuck here? Love my job," With this she gave him a knowing look, "but too many rules."

She fell in step beside him. "We usually hit traders, transports and the like. When the captain got to feeling big, he'd hit one of the backwater stations. Didn't like putting his ship in too much risk, but didn't really care much about the crew. But pay was good, so nobody complained too much. They tried to keep me out of the fighting. Nothing noble really, I was just the only one who knew what they were doing when it came to pulling bullets or stitching someone up. I held my own pretty well though. They had me cooking meals for them too. A well stocked pantry is nice, but I made do with what they gave me."

[Rhi-Rhi]

Ari listened to her as they walked and her story decided him right then and there. While he tailored his speech to his audience around these parts (and especially around men and women he was hoping to fuck; some people liked the danger, sure, but for every person that did, there was at least one person who had some sob story about how pirates ruined their life), it was quickly apparent that around her, he could drop all pretense and speak candidly. Even if she was lying (and the details of her story were too specific and too humble to be lies; she didn't sound like she was making things up to impress him) she at least seemed to find the idea of the lifestyle exciting.

He could work with that.

"Well, love, that all sounds pretty similar to what we do," he said. "Ain't a big operation. I like stayin' small. But we go after the traders, mostly Libran and Aedolian. Aedolian vessels are risky, but lemme tell ya, that's where the money's at. Upper-caste tourists, shipments from Thanatos..." He grinned. "Even if they ain't got nothin' valuable on them, the ship itself is worth somethin'. Anyhow, we see our share of action."

They had reached the docking bay and Ari lead the way out there. "We do have cookin' and cleanin' pretty well covered--but we could still always use an experienced set of hands. Got any other skills?"