Horseplay p1 - Ippy Dippy My Space-Shippy

Ippy Dippy My Space-Shippy

<snip>“You've all seen what Britney's capable of. You've seen the shit THIS CLONE has built from the scraps we've got on this ship! WHAT ELSE IS SHE CAPABLE OF?!....”
“As long as she's aboard this ship, we are all in danger...you've got to see that?!” </snip>

Jay's speech was moving, convincing, heartfelt. Alex felt his loyalties sway and clash like one of those executive office toys. Chrysler knew what he was talking about and believed strongly in what he was saying, Alex also looked to him for leadership but... He glanced at Cass, the poor girl was covered in bruises and looked so delicate today. He felt a rush of anger and swallowed his sudden urge to shove Jay over the table.
He couldn't forget Cass's (apparent) vulnerability and pain. She might have been playing him, and perhaps she was playing all of them now, but he felt some of it must've been genuine.
It must have taken a lot for her to break down, in the little room deep in the Dwarf's belly. 'Course, he didn't trust her, but that wasn't unusual, Solvay didn't trust anyone.
As for the "shit" Jay was shouting about, Alex didn't think that was an appropriate term. Love of robotics and good engineering ran through his veins. He appreciated them the way other men enjoyed fine art, so he understood the dark elegance and allure of Cass's creations... though he wasn't too keen on the maiming aspect.
Something else which kept tugging at the trouser leg of his mind, was the fact that that at times Cass had seemed like the only sane person aboard, well perhaps "sane" was pushing it, but she was often the voice of reason. If it weren't for Cass, a few of their scrapes would have been splats. If she left now, how would they cope? They needed her brains.

A clone of Brittany was bad news, yeah, Jay was right of course but... Cass was Cass, not Brittany. Wasn't she? It made his own brain hurt.
Far as he knew, they had no evidence that Cass herself had actually done anything. Couldn't she have hurt them at any time if she'd wanted? He didn't like the thought of condemning without proof.
He groaned aloud, not that anyone noticed, they were too busy either shouting at each other, or watching the show.
As for the way Jay had yelled "CLONE"... She couldn't help the way she'd been... what? Born. No-one asked to be... created. His mouth was dry.
In Solvay's opinion, they needed to cut her some slack and learn more about her, before deciding anything.
Way he saw it, if she was dangerous, sending her away could actually be more disasterous than keeping her under their noses. He was about to say so when White Wolf had said his piece.

<snip>... I vote no. I think we should let Cass stay onboard... what do the rest of you say? </snip>

"I agree." Alex said, carefully.
Jay goggled at them "You're idiots!" His face was ashen, he didn't look like his normal self.
Alex appealed to Seymour "Can't we think this over a while? We might make a mistake deciding this so fast." He flicked another worried glance at Jay who, in his opinion, was verging on the haggard. He spoke the next sentence a little more softly "I'm not sure we're all in our right minds at the moment."
Seymour thought a long while.
"She's been... useful... Seymour." Alex reminded. He knew it sounded cold but he didn't care, if it meant the right result.
Niples eventually sighed his verdict. "All right. Let's postpone the decision until things have calmed down a bit."
"WHAT!? We don't know WHAT she might have done by then!" Jay spat, outraged. Not believing how stupid the others were being. It was obvious they needed Cass off the Dwarf as soon as possible. Why the hell couldn't they see that? "We won't be safe all the time she's roaming the Dwarf!"
Cass narrowed her eyes in either hatred or exhaustion, Alex couldn't tell which.
Her voice was horribly calm. "Lock me up then."
"What?"
"I said" she smoothly removed a fag from behind her ear and lit it "lock me, the smeg, up."

<Continued, next-->>