<div align="center"><strong>-=Dani, standing on one of the cargo platforms, being joined by Lex, observing the goings on in the cargo bay below=-</strong></div><br/>A small smiled tugged at the corners of Dani's mouth as she watched Lex flirt with the well built offsider of Mr. Chow.  It seemed he couldn't help himself, despite the fact that he had just returned from what had to be a gruelling couple of weeks of Companioning on Persephone.<em>It would be nice to feel that comfortable around people,</em>Dani mused as Lex made his way up the stairs to join her at her observation post.  It was the perfect spot from which to oversee things - they had a panoramic view of the cargo bay, but wouldn't be underfoot of the cleaning crew as they did their thing.<br/><br/><strong>"What do you think? They look up to the task to you?"</strong><br/><br/>Giving Lex's question serious consideration, Dani finally nodded.  "Actually, yes," she responded. "Mr. Chow seems to enjoy his work."  The small Chinese man was still dancing around to what she assumed was music coming through his headphones.  "And his associate seems like he would be up for this, and so much more."  It was unusual for Dani to tease the crew, but she was still buoyed by her recent, albeit small, victory over her demons.  And she felt comfortable enough with Lex now that she was sure he would take her comment in the lighthearted way it was intended.  "What do<strong>you</strong>think?"<br/><br/>Lex's melodious voice as he answered her question was a pleasant counterpoint to the angst that appeared to be occurring below them.  The new guy, which is how Dani would think of him for some time to come, seemed to be giving Sasha some lip.  It looked like he was bound to learn the hard way that Sasha didn't take zao gao from anyone, 'specially tetchy new crewmen. Dani had no doubts that Sasha, with Si at her back, would pull him into line.  And if he refused?  Well...they had ways of dealing with ornery buhn dahn's on The Gamble.  He'd get sorted, one way or the other.<br/><br/>Eventually, Sasha and party made their way down the loading ramp, leaving Dani and Lex alone, save for the Happy Suck crew, who were dutifully going about their business.  One of the things that Dani found she liked about Lex was that there never seemed to be any pressure to make conversation.  Silence with him was as comfortable as talking, and so when Dani asked him a question, it was because she was interested in his answer, not because she felt like she had to fill a void.  "So..." she smiled at him, a smile that touched her eyes for a change. "How many fell in love with you and offered to take you away from all of this?"  She gestured expansively at the interior of the ship they both called home.<br/><br/>The thunderous arrival of some sort of truck outside the cargo bay door interupted Lex's story.  Dani frowned at the interuption. She had been enjoying his retelling of one particularly amorous client, and had even managed a small chuckle or two.  That, combined with the noisy Happy Suck machine, was starting to grate on Dani's nerves.  Her earlier confidence was beginning to wane, and by the time the handsome delivery man had entered the ship, she was fighting an urge to flee.  Gripping Lex's arm for support, Dani unconsciously slid behind him, putting the Companion between her and the young man below.  Something about him had her heart racing. Perhaps it was his sudden, unexpected arrival, or his age, or the colour of his hair.  She didn't know.  But he made her more than uneasy.  He made her afraid.<br/><br/>"Lex," she whispered, her voice wavering.  "There's someone else here."<br/><br/><br/><br/><hr/><br/><em>zao gao - crap<br/>buhn dahn - idiot, moron </em>