Mistakes Were Made [Part II]

"You could have left me there you know. Your drive was active."

He said with a smirk her way as she opened up his cock pit. She removed the silly helmet she had on, allowed her long, dark hair to fall across her shoulder. She whipped her head to get it out of the way. Half ignoring his baiting comment.

"And what," She said as she brought out a med kit. "Leave you to hang out for the pirates to have their way with your mech. You know how many hundreds of hours I've spent to keep that piece of junk up and operational. No offense O.R.A."

"None taken Corporal. I am relieved you were able to defend this unit as well as it's pilot. I am sure Syto is appreciative as well." Replied the robotic human voice.

"Sure, side with her. She could have lost her life O.R.A."

He winked at her again, just waiting for it.

"Fine Syto... Thank you. For saving my life." Melina sarcastically replied. As she leaned into him. Lifting his fatigues from the cut. "Are you happy now?"

"Now I am," He lifted his head to her ear. "You owe me big for this Missus Chase."

Despite herself, she blushed for a moment. Then defensively she put on the cloth of antiseptic she'd been holding onto his wound. Making sure to pour a lot onto the cloth.

"AGHH! What the hell was that for?" He said as he looked down at his waist. It was cleaner now but the cut was grotesque. Meat, flesh and fat just hanging out there inside.

"Here, let me seal it for you." She brought out a Thizer. It was like an electric foam bandage. First a pulse was sent out to numb the nerves and then a biodegradable healing foam filled and sealed the wound.

"You're mech's self sustain is shot. We got to get you out of here before you run out of air to breadth."

"Well I'm going to need some help." He said pleadingly as he tried to rise. "You know I've never been in one of these Ury's before."

"You're in for a treat then," She said with a secretive smile. Which made him all the more curious. She leaned down and arm in arm they hobbled their way into the Ury. A short name for ERU [EMERGENCY RESPONSE UNIT]. Like O.R.A. meant Operational Robotic Assistant.

"LANA open up the mess hall and prepare a meal for our Captain here."

"Affirmative Corporal Chase. What would like to have for lunch Captain Takade?"

"A cup of coffee and a club sandwich would be fantastic, LANA."

"I'll take a chipotle bowl if you'd please and some water."

"Coming right up, ETA is 1 minute for meal prep. Please have a seat."

Chase helped him to his seat then took hers opposite. She couldn't help smiling. He really was something. She heard stories of him. But what was more amazing was that she got her to do things she'd never do. She considered herself pretty subjugated. Tame, calm, controlled and organized. And the one time she failed to follow protocol was today.

Why did she use up all her dirty balm on his mech. Although had she not, who knows what would have happened.

Meanwhile on the other side of the table, Syto was watching her smile at him wondering what was so funny. Had she not realized how close they'd come to losing their lives simply because he decided to take on a fleet of raiders on his own.

"Do I have like a booger or something in my nose?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that...." She admitted. "Syto, why do you still keep fighting?"

"I don't know really. My father was always against a cybernetic consciousness or a neural network. He told me once we found a way to make ourselves immortal, it would spell the doom of this world and the next. I also looked up to my Dad, so I guess I took on his ideals."

"Really, who was your father?"

"Miko Takade was my Dad. He was a transman and very proud of that fact. He told me that. You should be proud of who you are no matter what that meant or what others said. He was a rebel, so I also became one. Had no real other role model to be honest, so you get stuck with what you got."

*Ding*

"Oh that's our meals, I'll go get them." Melina got up and went into the meal splicer. She retrieved the two tray's filled and brought them over.

"How about you Melina, what made you decide to be an ERU?"

"It's easy. Free education. Simple as that. And I wanted to make my Mom proud. She was an intelligence officer for the coalition in their hay days. So I did it for her."

"Well follow up question then, what would you have done differently?"

"Well I would have stayed surface longer and scanned for pirates before jettisoning into the atmosphere for one thing..." She replied. Then thoughtfully she looked away.

"I don't know become baker I guess. Called my bakery Chase Confectionery or something like that. Would have like a running ginger bread man as it's logo."

"Really, you bake? Like what?"

"Cookies, cake, pies, and bread. All sorts of stuff. And I'm good at learning new recipes."

"Wow I would've never guessed it, no offense. But you don't look the baking type."

"That's just the sludge and blood and smoke in my hair. I know mechanic girl really revs guy's engines."

"Nah, nah. Well yah. But it's not all that. It's just I thought you'd be nurse or doctor."

"I'm already both of those things, dumbass."

"Right, right. I forgot." Syto smiled at her innocently. And she could feel a ping of regret hit her for insulting him. Seeing him face to face made it a lot more different.

After their meal, she gave him a small tour. The engine rooms, the fuel tank storage, the shield battery, and the cockpit. He fiddled around here to understand the controls then she led him over to the personal quarters.

This unit had two.

"Alright so that one on the left is yours. This one is mine. Do you need help to get into bed?"

He smiled.

"Is that a question or an offer?"

She let the silence hang for a moment as she gave him a scolding look.

"What do you think."

Syto chuckled.

"Well I love offers, but if your looking for an answer. I can make it on my own I think."

Leaning heavily on the wall, the shutter of the door opened and closed as he tossed himself on the large bed. On the otherside of the wall. Chase looked up at the ceiling, wondering why she had such a hard time letting people in.

"Fuck this hurts," Complained Syto as he squirmed, frustrated and amused at the same time. He hadn't felt like this in awhile. Too concentrated on climbing rank and file. Too many battles, too many one night stands. Never wanting commitment for fear that he'd die one of these days.

Suddenly the door to his quarters swished open. All he could see was the silhoutte of Melina. He couldn't believe it and he had to look around to make sure he hadn't fallen asleep and was now lucid dreaming.

"Chase?"

She didn't know what had come over her. But after blasting through a pirate ship surviving a near death experience and having someone she was so near to. She walked over slowly and knelt onto the bed, crawling her way to him.

Syto shook his head in disbelief. A permanent smile plastered on his face. He'd never seen Melina like this before. She leaned over and checked his wound. Washing away his dream.

"Just wanted to make sure it was clean and not hurting you..." She said all of a sudden. When he noticed a mischievous look was in her eyes.

"Oh really, well it really hurts here." He said pointing to an area above the wound. She leaned in and kissed him on the stomach. He then pointed to his head were there was a bruise. She kissed his forehead soothingly.

Then finally to his lips. She leaned in and he could feel the heat radiating off her, like a charged fuel cell. She put her leg between his own and parted her lips and they kissed passionately. Their hands interlacing as they found comfort in each others own vulnerabilities.

* * *

They didn't know if more mistakes were being made, but they were making up for them as best they could.