(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/7/7d/6a00e55003818f883401543213d274970c-320wi.jpg)<br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Sue, the Cook</span></span><br/><strong>Location:</strong>In the infirmary<br/><strong>With:</strong>Mya, Sophie, then everyone<br/><strong>Mentioned:</strong><br/><br/>I seen the bullets coming at me, all slow-motion-like, and I done what I could to avoid them, but there ain't no dodging a bullet with your name on it.  In my case, there was three bullets, one for each letter of my name, and I felt them all hit me, pek-pek-pek.  They all put on a hurting going in, and at least one of them little bastards hurt coming out, too.<br/><br/>That's what I thought it was all over.  Borned on Shadow, died on Shadow.<br/><br/>Even had the whole entirety of my life flash before my eyes.  I saw Alyce, my first love.  We was so happy.  Then we went our separate ways.  Then she needed my help.<br/><br/>It was me doing the helping.  Turned out, at the present moment,  I was the one needing help.  Felt like two angels picked me up, then sent me levitating.  Never did believe in no afterlife, but here I was, being carried somewhere.<br/><br/>I saw one of them angels.  Felt her hands on me.  Just like Alyce, but wasn't.  Then I was laying there in limbo, and the angels seemed to be wrestling buck naked with each other.<br/><br/>Then I woke up, and what did I see?  Sophie, naked as the day she were born.  She was on top of the captain's slave, the doctor.  Looks like they was just finishing up.  I didn't know if I should turn away or wish I saw more.  I didn't want to interrupt, but I was powerful thirsty and hurting.<br/><br/><strong>"Sophie... Sophie, darlin', get me some water."</strong><br/><br/>Didn't take long for me to figure out what happened.  I got shot up, got pulled into the ship, and got fixed up by Mya.<br/><br/><strong>"Mya... Doctor... Doc... thanks... for pluggin' up... mah leaks."</strong><br/><br/>I figured I owed everyone a debt of gratitude.  Might as well start with some truthfulness and finish with payment.<br/><br/>When I could sit up, I gathered up the crew.<br/><br/><strong>"First, let me just say thank ya'll for savin' me and fer keepin' Sophie safe.  Thanks, Captain, fer not leavin' me behind.  Thanks, Doc, fer patchin' me up.  Thanks, Keri and Lance, fer gettin' us and the ship away.  Thanks, Cookie, fer not shootin' me by accident or on purpose.  Thanks, Cassie, fer pickin' me up.  And thanks, Sophie, fer helping the Doc.<br/><br/>"Now, as I'm sure ya'll have gathered, Sophie ain't mah niece.  <br/><br/>"Let me tell ya a story.  Sophie's mama's name is Alyce, and she was a gorram good soldier.  Alyce left the military and had Sophie.  She left Sophie with her sister to raise her while Alyce joined mah mercenary company.  That's when Alyce and I met and... fell for each other.<br/><br/>"Alyce and me worked together for a while, then she had to leave.  Turns out, she sent Sophie to a Companion school for trainin' so Sophie could use her appearance and social skills to make a living that didn't involve bein' in no firefights, but it weren't just no normal Companion school.  They was doin' things to the students, makin' them more flirtatious and seductive and horny all the time.  Alyce called me up one day and asked me to help her get Sophie out.<br/><br/>"The operation succeeded, but not without cost.  Alyce, my first love, got hit bad.  She made me promise to keep Sophie safe, while she fought off those bastards who messed with Sophie's mind with her last dying breaths.<br/><br/>"I left Sophie with her aunt for a while, but her aunt wrote that she thought maybe people was comin' lookin' fer Sophie, so she sent Sophie mah way.<br/><br/>"In addition to Sophie, her momma left me some credits and currency.  I didn't count it yet, but it felt like a decent amount of metal coinage and paper bills in her suitcases.  Alyce left me accounts in the central planets, too.  If we make our way there, ya'll can get a cut, just as long as ya'll help me keep Sophie safe from whoever may be after us till they don't care no more."</strong><br/>