The ride from the planet to the station was as uncomfortable as the ride down was, however the landing was less disruptive, likely due to the normalized gravity on the station and the fact that the ship didn’t actually land, rather simply moored its self into a docking terminal. From there, Usagi chartered a direct flight from the station to TXW through Interbus, rather than deal with layovers and waiting the nine or so hours to get her back to Federation space.
On the ride back, she checked on her newly acquired pet several times, mainly to make sure it was still alive. It was barely making any noise, and hardly left the curled up, sleeping position it was in.
She could understand why the slavers didn’t want it. It was obviously content on just being an animal, rather than some vile killing machine that it should have been trained to do. It perplexed Usagi to think that she could have as much in common with a dumb beast as she did.
It didn’t have a name though. They didn’t name them at the farm. Why bother. They were simply there to breed them and sell them to plantation and factory owners. She pondered this for a while, for a moment considering letting Logan name him as some kind of ironic justification. At the same time, however, as she did not like being blamed or associated with what she considered the crimes of the State, she didn’t feel it would be fair to allow the slaver to be subject to the same fate.
She sighed. “Zero name ideas for you,” she told it. It opened it’s eyes and looked to her, seemingly forming an unspoken bond with the redhead already. It turned it’s head a bit and yipped once, causing Usagi to laugh.
“Sorry kiddo,” she smiled, pointing toward her ear. “This thing doesn’t translate mutt.”
The beast barked again, seemingly in understanding. Usagi couldn’t help but laugh. “How could they say you have zero potential?” she asked it. “Perhaps zero for what THEY wanted to use you for.” She looked out the window at the cosmic scenery whipping by. She slowly put a couple of fingers into the transport and began to scratch the animal underneath it’s chin; something the hound seemed to enjoy immensely.
“Tyjin,” Usagi smiled, saying the Napanii word for ‘zero’ out loud. “Ironic name is the best name, right?”
The creature barked in approval.
Usagi leaned back as she continued to scratch Tyjin’s chin. An expression of contentment drifted across her face. For her, life keeps improving, and with it, she hoped, so would Tyjin’s.
After returning to TXW, Usagi kept Tyjin in his container for a while as she tried to make a place for him in her apartment. She realized this was obviously something she should have done before she left, but Usagi was not one for forethought.
As well, obtaining a slaver that was not trained also meant that he was not housebroken either. She began to realize that this could be a problem in the short term, but there were plenty of parks and other terraformed areas on the station she could take him as he got older.
Fortunately there were plenty of pets on board the station, albeit she was willing to bet none like hers. However this meant there were shops that sold items for just this purpose, and so she was able to purchase a number of ‘absorbent pads’ that she lined her kitchen with, as well as a retractable gate to keep him in there, till things normalized for him.
Usagi didn’t mourn the loss of her kitchen either. She didn’t cook. She’d either order for for delivery or go out.
Once she had everything set up, she opened the container and allowed Tyjin to get a feel for the apartment. He walked around a bit, inspecting the couch, her chairs, her bed, her desk. He started yipping in excitement when he saw the strap from one of Usagi’s bras hanging off the edge of the bed. He grabbed it, pulled it off and started whipping it around.
Usagi wasn’t sure whether or not to be amused by the animal’s antics or to be frustrated by her own slothishness.
She did acknowledge, though, that she had a date with Logan in an hour, and needed to start getting ready. After a short battle, she managed to get the bra away from Tyjin and place it in her hamper. She then picked up the creature, who had reverted to full puppy mode and began chewing on her hair as she carried it towards the kitchen.
“What in the hell?” Usagi laughed. She set down Tyjin, after prying it’s tiny, yet strong jaws off of her hair and grinned.
“This is your home now,” she explained. She pointed as she spoke, not really caring that it couldn’t understand her. “There is a bed for you, there is some food and water, and there is where you can go when nature calls.”
Usagi rolled her eyes at her sugar coating the term. “Fucking fuck,” she complained. “When you need to piss, use the pads.”
Tyjin yipped and immediately hopped over the gate and back into the living room. Usagi chuckled, despite the animal’s disobedience.
“Okay then,” she smiled. Tyjin decided he wasn’t going to be captured as easily this time and led Usagi on a short chase though the apartment before she cornered him. She caught him, set him on the bed, and rubbed the top of his head and under his chin simultaneously.
“So much like me,” she acknowledged as Tyjin licked her wrist. She quickly picked him up again and took him to the kitchen, this time adjusting the gate to where he would not be able to leap it.
Usagi quickly got ready for her date and headed towards the door, making one quick stop by the kitchen. She smiled when she saw that Tyjin had found the bed she purchased for him, and was lying in it.
“Okay, heading out now, Tyjin. I’ll be back in a few hours.” Tyjin looked up at her in what she assumed was approval. “I don’t think I will tell Logan about you tonight,” she continued after thinking about it for a moment. “I don’t know how he’ll react. But I know if he sees you, he will love you.”
Tyjin yipped a couple of times, walking over to the fence. Usagi reached over and petted him for a moment, waved goodbye, then headed out the door.
The hangover was kicking Usagi’s ass. She was barely able to handle the beep her security panel made as she entered in the code to gain access to her apartment. She was having a hard time thinking what was worse; this hangover or being naked and having seven police officers pointing their weapons at you.
“The hangover…” she mumbled, acknowledging that the latter only lasted for a few minutes while the former was still raging.
Despite her (and Logan’s) au naturel run in with the local authorities, after a few hours of jail, they were both released. She assumed Logan made it home okay; she’d lost track of him after her lawyers had brought them back to the residential district where they lived.
She’d also lost track on who owed who more favors. Tara her or her Tara. Then again, if she had to pay for it, did it really count as a favor?
Usagi finally got the door open and stepped inside.
“Fuck!” she exclaimed. She’d been gone several hours longer than what she’d planned, but she didn’t think she’d been gone long enough for a single slaver to make her apartment smell so terrible.
She slowly stumbled towards the kitchen and looked at the little animal, who was wide awake and yipping happily at Usagi’s return.
“Please, stop.” Usagi groaned as she lowered the gate and went to clean up Tyjin’s leavings. She was pleased that he had used the pads for everything, but she was displeased at the false advertising on the packaging.
“Absorbs odors my ass,” she scowled as she dumped the pads into the trash disposal and laid out new ones. She turned around and petted Tyjin, which caused him to stop barking. Usagi had to acknowledge that she had missed him as well, so it was difficult to be angry with him for making her headache worse.
“I’ll be back in a minute,” she promised. As quickly as she could she hurried to a store and bought several deodorizers and scented candles. Upon her return she set a few of the deodorizers up and lit the candles. In the process she opened the kitchen gate and silently motioned for Tyjin to follow her.
He did, staying a couple of steps behind Usagi as she ditched her shoes, pants and shirt, making a cluttered path to her bedroom. She flopped down onto her bed, her head screaming at her in the process. She slowly turned towards Tyjin who sat on the floor next to the bed, patiently awaiting permission.
“Amazing,” Usagi whispered. She tapped her fingers on the mattress next to her twice. Tyjin, in one stride, leapt to the bed and landed next to her. Usagi looked into his dark eyes and smiled before closing her own and drifting off to sleep. Tyjin looked at Usagi for a moment before placing himself between her arm and her body; himself drifting off to sleep shortly afterwords.
Logan moved himself down the corridor at a brisk, but not hurried pace as he approached Usagi’s apartment. Pausing just before it, he checked his reflection in an advertisement display, using his hand to make one last adjustment to his hair.
As he resumed the walk down the last few meters of the hallway, he wondered to himself why after nearly a month he still felt he needed to preen around Usagi. He realized that it went both ways as well, Usagi always making her self up when she came over, or they were together, and he was willing to take credit for Usagi’s use of the strawberry scented shampoo.
He stopped and looked at the matte finish silver door. Hope building up inside of him that today would be the day that he would breach it’s as of now, impenetrable barrier. He leaned over and pushed the page button with his thumb, hoping for the best.
It took a moment but eventually the door slid open slightly. Logan grinned as Usagi peaked out at him, a smile decorated what could be seen of her face.
“Oh hey,” she greeted him. She started to slide the door closed again as she added, “One second.”
Logan laughed slightly as the door completely closed. He leaned up against the door jam and patiently waited for her return.
It was only a few moments of waiting before Usagi slid the door all the way open. While Logan had gone through the trouble of making himself pretty for Usagi, it appeared that she had decided to go casual, wearing a simple tank top and white pants. Her hair was a bit unkempt and she didn’t appear to be wearing any make-up.
Not that it mattered.
She motioned for Logan to come inside. Logan complies and walks in, quickly inspecting his surroundings. He notes the strong smell of the scented candles and other deodorizers, a tangy combination that almost stings the senses. Looking around the living room area he can see that the place is ‘messy’, but not necessarily dirty. No filthy dishes, food boxes or anything like that. Just clothes on the chairs and couch.
The positive idea of Usagi stripping anywhere she likes brings a smile to Logan’s mind.
The final thing he notices is the gate blocking off the kitchen area. He arches an eyebrow at the oddity as Usagi begins to speak as she pulls Logan away from the door.
“Thanks for coming over. Sorry, things are kind of… trashy… today.” She began to grin slyly at Logan. “I didn’t have much time to clean up, being in jail half the night.”
Logan laughed at the mention. “Prison was worth it.” His eyes moved towards the gate, then back to Usagi, a slow grin crossing his face. “Worried that your food’s going to escape?”
Usagi shook her head. “No, there is no food in there too escape.” She grabbed Logan’s hand and led him over to the couch. She growled angrily at herself before grabbing an armful of underwear and other assorted clothing that was impeding them and tossed it onto a chair.
“I’m not a tidy person,” she admitted.
Logan again smirked. “At least you have stuff not to be tidy with.”
Usagi nodded, turned and pushed Logan gently on to the now cleaned off couch. She moved his legs so that he would be sitting across the couch before placing herself between them, her back to him, and pulling his arms over her. She leaned back, her head sliding neatly beneath his chin, and slightly tightened the grasp on his hands as she resumed speaking.
“Did I ever tell you about the gift some Amarrian general gave Norri when I was a kid?”
Logan shook his head as he wrapped his long arms around her. “No, you’ve never mentioned it.”
Usagi’s head turned towards the kitchen as she explained. “A couple of Slaver hounds. I almost think it was a gag gift.” She paused slightly before continuing. “He didn’t want them because they were so docile.”
Usagi turned back forward, her gaze shifting towards her sock clad feet. “Anyway, Norri grew frustrated with them, and Mom didn’t like them, so I started taking care of them. Came to find out that despite the horrible reputation they have, if you treat them right they can be pretty nice pets.”
Logan laughed softly and grinned. “Leave it to you to domesticate slaver hounds.” Usagi disregarded Logan’s tongue-in-cheek remark and turned back towards him, slight frustration crossing her face.
“I think the hounds are already pretty domesticated. They are just angry from having to be at the beck and call of the Amarrians.”
Logan grinned widely. “Yeah, that’s why,” he nodded, sarcastically. “I have thought of owning one before, but never acted on it.”
Usagi looked up at Logan, grinning slightly. She moved his hands around her body, smirking at the teasing she was giving him. “What’s mine is yours,” she whispered, attempting to sound innocent. Logan began to move his head towards her neck when she quickly turned towards the kitchen, and with a loud, commanding voice, yelled.
“TYJIN!”
Logan jumped slightly at the sudden change of decibels coming from Usagi. his hands instinctively pulling away from her body. He followed Usagi’s gaze towards the kitchen. Something from the kitchen barked, and within a second Logan saw a small slaver hound round the corner, easily leap the metal gate, and run to the couch. In the creature’s excitement, it misjudged the height of the couch and failed to leap onto it. However it was nothing if not a resolute beast, and tried again, this time easily making it onto the sofa.
It looks around for a moment before walking on top of Usagi’s stomach and sitting down. It’s head moved back and forth from Usagi to Logan, then back to Usagi, seeming waiting instructions on whether the man holding it’s master was friend or foe.
Usagi smiled as she scratched the animal under it’s chin. “Logan, meet Tyjin.”
Logan smiled at Tyjin. Tyjin, still totally trying to determine Logan’s intentions cocked his head slightly, looking him over. “Well… He’s kinda small and cute,” Logan acknowledged.
Usagi nodded as she rubbed Tyjin’s head, causing him to lie down flat on her stomach. He still watched Logan as Usagi rubbed petted him a bit more. “Much like someone else you know?” She suggested.
“Nah,” Logan laughed, shaking both Usagi and Tyjin slightly. “You’re much more attractive.” Usagi grinned smugly as Logan cautiously extended his hand to Tyjin, placing it in front of his muzzle.
Tyjin looked down at the hand, stretched his neck out a bit and sniffed Logan for a second. The hound decided to accept Logan as a friend, and playfully began licking his hand. Usagi grinned at the sight.
“Taste test,” she commented, amusing herself with her own off color joke. Logan laughed as Tyjin moved his snout to Logan’s wrist and began to sniff some more.
“For my sake, I hope I taste terrible!” Logan remarked, shifting his eyes towards Usagi. “To him…” he concluded, lingering on the last word. Usagi grabbed Logan’s other hand and slowly licked each of his fingers; her tongue taunting the tips before stating the results.
“Yum,” she informed him. Logan laughed as he gently petted the top of Tyjin’s head. For Tyjin, he was content enough with Logan and Usagi around to safely set his head down and doze off. Usagi watched the hound’s quick, but rhythmic breathing as Logan proceeded to wipe her slobber off of his other hand.
His other hand moved to Usagi’s side, slowly tracing lazy circles on her skin. “So no wonder you wouldn’t ever let me in here,” he stated. “You wanted to keep him a secret.”
Usagi let the accusation pass for a moment as she adjusted herself slightly, not ever taking her eyes off of Tyjin. “I think the farm I visited to get this guy was one of the most vile places I have ever been to.” She paused for a second, thinking back to the slaver-mill. “You have no idea how much I had to restrain myself from not killing every person there.”
“Where did you have to go?” Logan asked.
“Ajna.” Usagi replied. She quickly pushed the mental images away and smiled at Logan. “And no, I just got him on Monday. I wouldn’t let you in here before because…” Usagi sighed, looking towards the pile of clothes on the chair next to them. “I didn’t need you seeing I was such a slob till I had you hooked.”
“You had me hooked long before you realized it,” Logan grunted. He then took a deep breath. “I hate going into Amarr space, but at the same time I kind of enjoy it. It gives me a perverse glee to cause that much hate by simply being.”
Usagi nodded. “The know of me.” She paused for a second before correcting herself. “The know of Norri, and through him, me. If they knew me now, I would be… less welcome.”
She resumed rubbing the head of the sleeping hound. “Norri is somewhat of a hero to some Amarrian military brass. One of the few Navy expeditions into foreign space was to help the Amarrians quash a slave uprising on one of their worlds.” Usagi nearly spat at the idea of the man she called ‘father’ for most of her childhood slaughtering renegade slaves; likely from orbit.
“I am not happy having my name attached to that,” she concluded.
Logan nodded. “To them I am just another would be slave. Fortunately they don’t know how true that actually is, else I would have a harder time buying things there.”
Usagi reached behind her and ran the back of her hand along Logan’s cheek. “Fortunately you are far more, in reality, than a would be slave.”
Logan smiled and turned slightly, kissing Usagi’s hand. “Thank you, and I know what you mean about not wanting to be associated with that, but some times it’s hard to separate the two.”
Usagi nodded. “I’d be a liar if I said I hadn’t exploited it for my own purposes.” She moved her gaze towards Tyjin, a smile creeping across her face. “As well I saved at least one creature from a terrible life.”
‘And a terrible death,’ she thought to herself.
Logan smiled and kissed the top of her head. With a soft voice he uttered, “Two.”
Usagi purred slightly before sitting up, while picking Tyjin up off her stomach. The hound awoke, confused and disgruntled as he was quite comfortable where he was. He made his disagreement with the current unrequested transportation known with a high pitched bark. Usagi chuckled as she carried him back to the kitchen, setting him down gently in his bed. She then extended the fencing to a height that would adequately constrain the tiny beast.
“I was going to say,” Logan commented, “it didn’t look like the fence was doing a great job keeping him back there.”
Usagi marched towards Logan with a devious look on her face. “He’s well behaved,” she simply snarked. Usagi quickly moved around the couch and climbed on top of Logan. Logan slid his hands up her legs and around her waist.
“Unlike his owner… or me?” He asked.
Usagi simply nodded, agreeing that neither of them behaved as responsible adults should. Usagi didn’t say another word as she slammed her tongue into Logan’s mouth. Tyjin, for his part, placed his front legs on the fence and reached his neck out as far as he could to see if he could get a better vantage point to observe the activities going on across the room.
Logan’s hands went to work on Usagi’s body as he returned the kiss. “Ohhh,” he grinned. “Bad Caldari.”
Usagi began to laugh as she started to undress. All the while an anxious, curious and partially distraught yipping began to echo from the kitchen area. Usagi snapped her bra off and threw it at the noise.
The yipping was replaced by a soft growl and the slight sound of fabric ripping.
“I’m going to need to buy more of those…” Usagi moaned as the pair continued their foreplay.
