(no subject)

[only_one_rule]

Aria took a step back and looked around her - things were coming along nicely. Given that there didn't seem to be any movement towards either taking the station or departing on the shuttles she figured she might as well set herself up in the best room they had, which is why the past few days had involved gutting and emptying the burnt and abandoned suite on the fifth floor. It was hard going with her powers limited as they were, and she was taking a break to rehydrate and assess her progress when she heard a noise behind her. Months of living in the dangerous climes of the upper parts of the station had conditioned her to caution and she whirled, her biotics flaring briefly until she took in who it was.

"Ah, Boyd," she said, dropping her hands back to her sides and nodding briefly at him. "What a nice surprise."

Comments

[theoutlaw]

It was no secret that Aria was both an enterprising individual and a territorial one, so it made perfect sense that she'd carve out a place for herself the moment she was presented with an opportunity to do so. And it put Boyd on edge. The balance they'd struck upstairs had been precarious enough, but down here, with the immediacy of the threat removed, all sorts of things could happen.

"I'm sure you'll raise this phoenix from the ashes in no time, but I'm not here to admire the real estate," he said, getting to the point. "I need a boost; red and green, specifically."

[only_one_rule]

"Do you." It wasn't a question; Boyd wasn't the first person to have approached Aria with this particular request. "Well, I need help shifting this couch, so why don't you bend over and we'll get you your jabs in due time." The curve of her lips could barely be called a smile, even for an alien.

[theoutlaw]

Boyd's grin certainly looked like one, what with all the teeth on display, but it was too sharp and there was little humor in it.

Really? They were playing this game?

"Well, if you want my help, you're free to ask, but that would require a modicum of politeness," he suggested. "And it would have nothing to do with the shots, because you wouldn't be holding a vital resource in order to extort personal favors, would you?"

[only_one_rule]

"It's only extortion if I haven't earned it," Aria pointed out easily; obviously she thought she had. "If you don't think the time and effort I've devoted to obtaining and protecting this 'vital resource' is worth recognising then that's your prerogative."

She wasn't surprised Boyd was objecting to this - he was a sharp man and one who didn't like to be beholden to others, which was smart given that that was the way power imbalances started. Sadly for him he didn't have much leverage in this situation. She wondered if he realised this.

"So. The choice is yours."

[theoutlaw]

"And you don't think the time, effort and blood my crew and I have put into keepin' us all alive are worth recognizing?"

It wasn't a question, and there was a definite edge to Boyd's voice. This was extortion -- petty extortion -- whichever way she put it, and having gone four days without a shot, he was in no mood to argue semantics.

He was also well-aware that his options, at the moment, were limited. He wasn't about to go cold turkey or take his chances on a trip upstairs, since both had a high probability of ending badly, and even if he was a match for her physically, this would not be an ideal time to pick a fight.

If Aria wanted to make a move, that was her business. It meant Boyd would have to swallow his pride and make a temporary concession. But that's all it was -- temporary.

"Well fine, Aria. I'll move your couch," he said, his drawl smooth and not in the least bit friendly. "Where do you want it?"

[only_one_rule]

"Out," Aria said with a jerk of her head, keeping her smirk internal for now. Gloating would just cause him to dig in his heels and she didn't want to retread old ground, especially not after getting her way so easily.

As he bent to heft one end of the couch she did as well, and it was apparent in the ease with which she lifted her side that she probably didn't need his help to move it at all. Without any further instruction she began to walk backwards, angling the piece of furniture carefully to fit through the door. There were numerous empty rooms in which to abandon it, and she debated whether to pick a door nearby or force Boyd to carry it halfway around the station for his attitude.

In the end she decided to be merciful, only waiting a few minutes before signalling that they should stop and offload the charred sofa in a roomful of other abandoned castoffs.

"So," she said as they strolled back towards the suite, "I'm sure by now you've managed to insinuated yourself into the good graces of half the station. What do you think of our new neighbours?"

[theoutlaw]

The ABIs still active in Boyd's bloodstream meant that the Sisyphus-inspired couch journey didn't extract much of a physical toll, but that didn't mean it didn't take effort of a different kind.

"I think that with a few exceptions, they're overly trusting and poorly organized," he said, content with shedding no new light on the matter. "But I wouldn't count on them stayin' that way, so it's a good thing we run such a tight operation."

The sarcasm was light enough, but he wasn't going for subtle.

"Now are you gonna hand me the drugs, Aria, or are we going to re-enact kindergarten as you dangle them just out of my reach?"

[only_one_rule]

"Patience, Boyd," came the bland response. "You sound stressed - you know, you really ought to have come to me sooner." Upon entering the suite Aria retrieved a small box from under the bed and carried it to a nearby table, opening it with what seemed like an overly-momentous slowness.

"A red and a green you said?" she asked then, looking up and fixing him with a look.

[theoutlaw]

Boyd didn't grace that with a response. Aria's intent was clear, as was the message she was sending, which rendered the rest of the conversation somewhat meaningless.

His eyes never left her as she retrieved the box. He nodded at the question, a faint smirk settling on his face.

"You enjoyin' yourself?"

[only_one_rule]

I haven't even begun to enjoy myself, Aria wanted to say, but she knew her usually penchant for grand statements would only give him more ammunition in whatever (possibly justified) paranoia he was nursing.

"I always enjoy it when a business arrangement goes to plan," was all she said as she lifted the coloured syringes out of the box and placed them on the table before her. "Don't you?"

[theoutlaw]

"I actually prefer it when things get a little unpredictable," Boyd said. "But that's just me."

He picked up the syringes and pocketed them. Somehow, he doubted he and Aria had the same view of the transaction that had taken place.

"Nice doing business with you, Aria," he said, turning to leave. "Good luck with the redecorating."

[only_one_rule]

"I hope you'll be able to see it when it's finished," Aria told him, smirking at his back. "Odds are when I'm done you won't even recognise it."