FSE

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So here we are, the next part in the re-boot. hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 8

It was after the first curfew, so the little ones were kept with their parents and the older kids were allowed to be in the lounge alone with just them and the new peace and quiet. Ricky admittedly took a pause outside the room before facing all of them again, but got over it when Pence looked back, most likely to show he could do it more than actually feeling ready.

Any worry was soon dispelled as unnecessary to begin with. The places entire atmosphere changed with control handed off to the teens. The lights were dimmed just a bit so the walls didn't seem as bright, the holo-screen was viewing a Varius made romance, this only known to Ricky due to the overly passionate kiss covering the screen upon his arrival, and a couple on the couch leaning onto one another. In the back the little tables were replaced by poker tables, a bull was dealing to five other guys, chips stacked high. Some still just sat at couches chatting, eating some snacks from bowls that could now survive more than a minute on the tables without little hands reaching for them in untold quantities.

Ricky hadn't noticed, but there was a little bar area off to the right of the holo-screen where others continued to chat. All in all the area was very chill now; hell, it was so chill one wolf girl with glasses was off in a chair reading at the side, completely undisturbed by the occasional loud noise or outburst from the poker game across the room, powerful ears and all.

"And Calper is off losing at poker," Pence said, clapping Ricky on the shoulder, "I better stop him before he pulls 'strip poker' again." He sighed, looking down at the rust haired human. "Are you gunna cling or float about?" He asked bluntly, trying his best to seem nonchalant. Kochi was on the couch within earshot, but the extra effort to maintain an 'acceptable appearance' was already pissing him off. He had a moment he often had where he wondered if it would just be easier to flaunt whatever it was he was hiding from Kochi. The Damn vixen was in other people's business all too often. It was not, though, a idea he gave a second thought too considering the implications.

"Umm..." Ricky started, giving himself that extra moment to think, not that he needed it. Even though he hated it, he had to admit that without the lion he would most likely stand there looking stupid. Additionally he now had the slight fear that everyone in the room thought he was dumb. "I'll just stick with you; Calper wants to talk to me anyway right?" He added, unknowingly trying to sound equally casual, the fear of being alone in the room looming over him. "Might be like that for a while," he admitted, looking down. "Sorry..."

"No problem dude."

The pair walked over to the only poker game, Ricky constantly looking over his shoulder to catch people following them with their eyes; Pence knowing he was getting looks, so decided not to give them a second glance. Pence plopped both paws down on Calper's shoulders to give the pig the creeps, yelling loudly by his head. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

The pig, and quite a few of the others at the table, jumped back a bit, concentration ripped from the cardsin their hands and on the table by the loud voice. Ricky looked around, wide eyed, literally all eyes in the room on the loud noise, the reading wolf, finally parting from her book. The human crossed his arms over his chest and tried not to look in their eyes, a bit pissed Pence had to be one to make a scene.

"What the hell was that for? Damn man you scared the crap out of me!" Calper complained, giving the grinning lion a punch to the arm then looking over at Ricky, and back to Pence with a look Ricky couldn't quite place, almost baffled but that wasn't quite it. It must have been the surprise.

"You said that you wanted to see him," Pence explained. "Talk maybe, with the credits you DIDN'T lose in a game," he emphasized.

"Still no way to go about saying hello," Calper grumbled, turning to Ricky. "Care to join us? I don't think Pence is welcome anymore," he teased, holding out a hooved hand to shake.

Ricky took the hand, noting how Calper's fingers were bulky with large solid 'nails' that covered his entire last segment of finger. "I'm not exactly one to play poker, and I don't have money."

"Ahhh, Come on!" most of the table said, or at least other phrases along that line.

"Just don't lose all my credits," Calper said, jumping down from the seat. "I need to talk to this jack-ass anyway." He thrust his thumb behind him at Pence, and Ricky could have sworn he saw the pig sniff his hoof, but wasn't one hundred percent sure.

"I don't want to play with your money," Ricky started, hands up, half of him just not wanting to be left at the table. Then he felt a paw on his own shoulder.

"Come on, he'd lose it anyway, Ricky was it?" The human turned to see Miki, the rottie wearing a grin that KNEW the human hadn't seen him at the table. His red shirt replaced with an un-buttoned red plaid button down, and his shorts still tan, but changed.

Ricky wasn't sure if he was relieved or more worried, he didn't see any held grudge in Miki's eyes, and HOPED it wasn't there to be missed. You never knew though...maybe that nose to nose apology thing was the real deal after all

"Take a load off. It's not even your money, so no bad turn out either," An orange tabby cat insisted.

"The pigs rich anyways," the bull winked, shuffling the cards absentmindedly; they had to restart the hand cause of the commotion. "Where he gets the credits each week is beyond me."

"Okay, okay, we get that I suck at poker!" Calper announced. "Seriously Ricky, you can't do worse." He said walking off.

Pence started to follow, "You really can't, don't freak him out to bad guys."

"Yeah yeah," A Doberman with some piercings said with a little grin. "We gunna deal or what? You gunna play or not?" He changed his question, his voice a bit frantic and his eyes shifting from one stack of chips to the next.

The faces all looked at him aside from the Dobie, only the bull didn't seem excited about him sticking around, but Ricky knew his blank expression was just his normal one. What else was he supposed to do? Walk away and look like a total tool? "Ok then," he said taking a seat, the table going up in a little uproar that seemed like an explosion in the quiet space. Hands patted him on the back, introductions went around, and the game began.

****

Pence and Calper just went to the bar area to seem casual, Calper always insisted on image over efficiency, so for the sake of the pair not 'running off together' they stayed public. They got some drinks, the alcohol levels in the ones at the bar extremely low for a Varius, it was considered an 'above 14 years of age' drink.

"So what's up?" Pence asked, peeling the top off his drink like one would a can of soup, the can fat and short for Varius paws. "Is there something besides Kochi creeping?"

Calper snorted, "You never fail to amaze me," he started, sipping his drink. "You, like so many others fail to see the complications and the intricacies of the social system; even one as small as this ship has a million and a half factors to deal with." He explained, "Kochi creeping on you from the hall WITHOUT being there in person means that she had either an accomplice or got to the security room. One means we need to find the accomplice and get them out of the picture or on out radar, one means we need to stop that from happening all together."

Pence was about to interrupt but the pig went on. "Then there is her objective, she didn't just bring it up to Shannon within earshot for fun, hell, she may have purposely brought it up for the sake of seeing if I'm helping you!"

"Okay, I might under think things, but you WAAY over think them dude," Pence insisted, "I hope you do anyway, because that's some crazy shit."

"Wish I was. The big picture can be a bitch. Anyway, yeah, so you need to be extra careful. Thanks for bringing Ricky, I do want to talk to him too, but I'm kinda hoping he'll win me some money at the moment," he said with a grin, taking another drink.

Pence rolled his eyes. Calper was always this dramatic, it was like watching the Sopranos or the Godfather "He-he, a blind rat could win more money than you," Pence teased, getting him-self a little glare in reply. "But yeah, thanks for the heads up. Umm, think I should leave Ricky to socialize? He kinda needs it."

"Definitely, but I'd watch Klain if I were you, that Dobie has all but admitted to a human fetish, and I'd hope you noticed the musk when you showed up with Ricky."

"Definitely canine," Pence agreed, looking over his shoulder, "But shouldn't you be warning me that there are like, three dogs at the table?" The lion teased.

"Fine smart ass, watch your back for Miki and Namy too," The pig said simply, "The one who up until last week was totally emo, and the one who is happily in a relationship."

"Relax!" Pence announced, putting the pig in a headlock, spilling his drink just a bit, "I'm messing with you. I know you know at least a million of those a million and a half big picture bullshit details, and I know maybe a thousand."

"Don't sell yourself short kitty cat, you know them, you just don't apply them to a situation." The pig laughed a bit, setting his drink down and trying to free his neck. He always had that teacher like way of speaking.

"What doesn't Pence do? Lovebirds?" a voice rang beside them. They both turned to see Kochi and her friend Shannon sit down, the otter already opening her drink with a wink in their direction.

Pence scowled, releasing Calper from the hold and sitting up straight, 'play it cool play it cool play it cool' Running through his head. "What do you want?" He asked simply, going back to his drink, and grabbing another from under the counter.

"Geez with the aggression," she taunted. "It was just a joke, why so seriously defensive little Leo?" She sipped her drink, her eyes dangerous and confident glaring into his eyes, a certain sadistic playfulness in it all.

"Why so interested?" Calper asked, not even looking at her. "With the way you keep chatting us up, one would think you've been crushing on one of us."

The otter almost spit out a bit of her drink, and giggled a bit, getting a look from the now less cool Vixen. "You caught me; I'm crushing hard on the gay pig and the big awkward goof. Get over yourselves, neither of you are exactly a commodity." She regained her composure in the attack, the venom returning, this time thankfully not aimed at Pence. "What guy would love you, you big fat smelly pig? Who? Hell, I hear tell you can hardly get a girl of your own kind so that's out," she flashed at Pence, the path of destruction being re-directed at an alarming pace. "And you don't have the social smarts to be my anything, at least you're freaking straight, sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm not exactly interested in idiot jocks that don't even play sports. That just makes you a bumbling idiot with no real skills, all you have for you is your looks, and maybe that human kink that can attract the freaks."

Pence felt his face redden and his fists clench, he didn't care what she really said about him, ANY shit bounced off him, but that was a low blow to Calper, who didn't even bother giving her a second look. THAT was the one taboo to Calper, and everyone knew it.

"I'm destroyed on the inside again Kochi, thanks for ruining my night," Calper said with a only half sarcastic tone, the other half was saddened, catching Pence's attention, who put a paw on his back.

"Calper..." The lion started, but was interrupted.

"Told you they were love birds, the unwanted clinging to themselves," Kochi said to Shannon, popping the top on her own drink casually.

Pence wasn't sure who snapped first, him or Calper, but as soon as Pence let out his small roar, Calper kicked the seat out from under the shocked Vixen, who promptly spilled her drink all over herself on the way down. Shannon was at her side, helping her up in a moment. "Sure, now you pick on the girl, real freaking mature you meatheads!" She roared in ua surprisingly calm aggression, standing to leave. "I'll keep your tempers in mind when I recommend you to a blind man with no sense of smell, and you to a beautiful idiot; Abuses women when teased." she hissed to avoid causing too big a scene.

"Oh i've heard from plenty of beautiful idiots that you can take more abuse than that." Calper assured her.

"Look." She started, getting up and wiping herself off. "me and you have kept at this pissing match for a while now mama's boy. This angsty fight for head bitch on board." she clarified, "But this isn't even about that." she looked back at Pence, "I just want the gossip on why you, of all people. Quiet little anti-social Pence, are the first to make a move of any sort on some intergalactic refuge."

It should have been a regular conversation, but to Pence it felt more like a negotiation of terms. "And, to honest, I'm bored. What if I want my turn with the human? Some interaction of some sort I know you wont let happen huh? I'm just as entitled and curious as you. Probably more qualified to be a guide." she set the wet napkins on the counter. "I also want you to know I will play dirty."

"What else is new?" Pence interrupted. "I'm not holding an embargo on him. Or whatever else you think it is, but you are right that we dont want him around you."

Kochi crossed her arms "Excuse me?"

Calper took over "You are toxic and we dont want you near the foreign transfer student. He is Uncomfortable of Varius and knows nothing of our culture and I personally will see to it that you get not a second alone with him."

It was all so calm. The pair sorting out the details in their little game of social warfare. Both powerful personalities locking horns as it were.

"Fine." the vixen said simply. Signing the terms of engagement. "We'll see how that pans out for you big boy."

~1~1~1`

Ricky glanced from his hand to the table and up to the doberman. His pokerface almost perfect in that it was over expressive of everything. His ears drooped and raised slightly and entirely all the time, unlike Miki's. His eyes shifted all around instead of focusing or looking at the chips like the tabby cat, Griffin, and his fingers tapped eratically instead of gently rubbing the cards like Felix, the bull.

Still, Ricky raised the pot. Klain met his raise and grinned.

"Please tell me you are winning me money." Calper asked over his shoulder. Ricky's gaze didn't falter from the table.

"I will tell you in...one second." he said slowly. Felix tossed down the last card and the two remaining players looked back at their hands almost simultaneously.

"Well?" the pig asked again.

With the same monotone, voice Ricky had when thinking he said "No wonder you always lose. You are so expressive." Miki and Griffin laughed. Nami defended the pig but only half heartedly making the table laugh more.

"Could you guys can it?" Klain spat "My god how can a man think with all this noise? Please give me silence to bet my credits!"

"Oh please," Felix stated "This is the biggest pot of the game, no way you are backing out now."

The doberman repeated his large friend in a mock voice and pushed some more chips in the pile "two hundred." he said simply.

Ricky gave him a once over, pushing chips in as well "two thirty."

"Fuck you. Two thirty." Klain grumbled.

"Ok, cards over." Felix said simply. The pair flipping them and everyone's eyes looking over the two new pairs in the puzzle.

"Flush, queen high." Klain breathed out.

"Full house." Ricky countered.

The table cheered a little "hay!"

"What happened? Did you win?" Calper asked, flustered. Neither Ricky or Klain making a move for the pot.

Pence did a face paw, "How do they even let you near the table?"

"Oh piss off I have money to bet so I'm allowed." the table all agreed that he could continue to play whenever he wanted. The pig then promised to split the total pile between himself and Ricky once Ricky got a travelers credits card. Some agreed it was fair, others subtly hinted at wanting their money back.

"wait wait wait," Miki then uttered some phrase in...whatever language it was he spoke. They were apparently a variety of dialects at the Heart and a lot of languages so Ricky couldn't even hazard a guess at what he was speaking, let alone what was said. "What was up with you and Kochi, Hax?" the dog pointed over to the bar "That chair didn't kick itself."

Ricky was confused, but just chopped whatever was said down to a Heart saying, and absently went to his communicator. Hax was Calpers last name it seemed.

"Well, honestly I lost my cool." the pig admitted, taking the only empty chair and leaving Pence to lean in, elbows on the table. "I'm kinda scared she's gunna mess with Ricky here."

The human looked up at mention of his name and the guys all shook their heads and muttered about the fox. "So, obviously, we prank her and keep Ricky away right? Simple. It;s only a few days till we reach home." Griffin shrugged "Childs play. We just gotta come up with something to deter her and anticipate her counter pranks."

"Guys we are almost Manta, (Ricky recognized that word as a term for adults. Like teenager on earth would say they were 'legal') Can we come up with words other than pranks?" Klain groaned.

"Getting her sister to put stuff on her clothes is getting old," Namy pointed out, disregarding the doberman.

"And so is the air horn and silly string," Miki continued, turning to Ricky. "She got on our nerves quite a bit at the earth base," he explained. "Got her claws on poor Quinn, the little guy didn't stand a chance."

"Quinn's a horse!" Klain burst, "Little guy my ass."

"He's only 13, now shut up," Felix stated, knocking the Dobie upside the head.

"Ahhh! What the hell, he started it!"

"And I ended it. Now let's plot revenge."

Ricky smiled a bit, his eyes not leaving Pence though, curious about his position here on the ship. He seemed...hated, loved, feared, respected and targeted while ignored... The human wasn't sure what to think, all he knew was that the guy was friendly, kind, a leader, even though he was a prankster, and good with kids.

"Well, from what Calper managed to tell us, he still wants to talk to you Ricky, you up for going to his room and trying to cheer him up?" Namy asked, putting his hands up in surrender, "Not an evil plot, sorry, but you know, kinda important."

"Geez Namy, your lack of evil dastardly plans is disturbing," Griffin teased, "Where is evil, 'put dye in her shampoo' Namy?"

The table erupted in laughter, and soon after the agreement that it was a good enough plan to repeat, Griffin getting the credit much to Namy's distaste, "It was my plan!" he insisted.

"Then you should have re-stated it, we're going through with it," Miki grinned, "Okay, we need to find dye, anything neon coloured or very, very light," he turned to Klain. "No bleach."

"And the fun is over," Klain pouted, Ricky not able to tell if he was faking the disappointment, but his eyes flicking up to Ricky with the same stare that at the moment, Ricky was avoiding. He thought it was a poker face but it just seemed to be his all the time face. "I'll uh-I'll just take Ricky to his place. I won't be able to resist the bleach." He explained, tongue lolling out of his mouth.

Pence's eyes widened, "No!" he boomed, a bit louder than planned, blushing a bit. "Uhh, Griffin you do it, we need Klain's dad's key don't we?" He tried to cover up, his social graces pissing himself off. He DID need to try harder, but the thought of Klain with Ricky was a bit much, Pence was not sure if the Dobie would act on his apparent fetish.

"Why me?" Griffin complained, "I want to be part of this!"

"I could just take him to my place you know." Calper raised a hoof " still wanna have a heart to heart." he said with a grin, punching the humans arm. Ricky wasn't sure how common it was for two people to just sit down and talk at the Heart, but none of the others seemed to think it was odd.

"Then it's settled, we get this done." Miki stated, standing up from the table. "And tomorrow we see the fruits of our labour, that girl can't go a day without a shower, should be cake."