The body artists got to work, quick and efficient and before long Milenya and Taseer painted up and Kala had her whiskey sour in hand. It took a bit to pass the word along to the other crew that the drink tab was open. Taseer skipped the drink for the moment, hitting up the human crewman she had been talking to earlier. He pulled the tiny package out of his pocket she gave him and she and he both took a pill inside.<br/><br/>They ended up in the crowd, dancing and moving as a part of one giant living thing moving and grinding to the beat that rolled over them. The ship was gone, nothing now, not even a memory. There was only light and moving sound and heat. The Krogan at the front rose their arms, swinging with the rhythm. Taseer whistled and cheered as a song that she was familiar started up, remixed and reworked into something that made the heart race. The group of crewmen dispersed into the crowd, a few pairing off, lost to the dance.<br/><br/>In the midst of it, the thunder and rising beat Milenya's eyes strayed upward and she saw a face recently familiar. He was leaning on the railing on the balcony above watching the Korgan. His head slowly nodding, too slow to be with the rhythm. An innocuous coincidence, perhaps. After all, it was an event and he nearby. The Human's eyes trailed slowly down into the crowd, onto Milenya where the stayed, that same observation, that open eyed stare and dead facial expression. He didn't look away, didn't play it off or itch his nose, he just stared.<br/><br/>Milenya found herself alone, lost in the undulating crowd, somewhere in the noise and movement she had been separated. Taseer was two dozen paces away in the dense moving crowd, her skin beaded with sweat from the high she was riding. Kala was only a scant dozen, but far enough that no measure of yelling would draw her attention. A Human, one of the crew was trying to engage her, dance with her.<br/><br/>And as Milenya looked at Kala another pair of eyes drew her in. Another set watching her within the crowd. A Human with pale skin, a sunken scar running down his right cheek, the sides of his head shaved. He was moving toward her through the crowd with a predatory stare. The Human on the balcony above watched Milenya, the dead stare never changing, never moving.<br/><br/>To Milenya's other flank, another face was closing, another Human dark skinned with a shaven head. They were closing on her like prey in a forest of dancing neon trees. They were between her and Taseer, between her and Kala, cutting her off as they advanced. A quick look showed no pursuer at her back, toward the front entrance. If she moved quickly she could probably break free from the crowd and make an escape before they were able to pursue.<br/><br/><span style="color: darkgreen">"Hey, you work on the ship right? Like the engines and stuff?"</span>The Human crewman hitting on Kala asked, still dancing.<br/><br/><br/>***<br/><br/><br/><span style="color: darkorchid">"Huh."</span>Hulyia looked between Ashana and Darion.<span style="color: darkorchid">"Is it always like that? I mean... it seems strange to be so distant if you're out there being shot at all the time. Wouldn't you want someone you trusted and knew very well?"</span>She leaned her head on her hand, drinking from her glass and watching him as he answered, curious.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>