Never Say Goodbye

<SNIP>
After a short while longer of arguing the teams had gone their own way. Cass throwing up her arms in frustration and storming off shortly after Holly had started to chip in again. Jade chased after her, mumbling something about not wanting to go anywhere near a laser defence turret any time soon. It didn’t take long for her to catch up to Cass in the Officers lounge. There was the electric sound of pumps whirring and bubbles breaking the surface of water. Jade grinned.
<SNIP>

As Jaxx made his way to his room he pondered what to tell Evelina when he arrived. Many scenarios ran through his head and all of them ended badly. He imagined her mad and crying or getting mad and hitting him or getting pissed and trying to kill him, but the worst case was her ignoring him. The silent treatment was by far the meanest thing she could do to him. Just thinking about it gave him the shivers. As his mind was preparing for all the possible bad outcomes he didn't realize he had already arrived at the room. As he looked past the open door he saw her sitting on the bed and looking upset.

He said, “Evebabe…?”

She kept her back to him as he said, “I’m totally sorry Evebabe. I….”

She replied, “I know. I’ll help you pack.”

He was dumbfounded by her response but knew better than to push the subject.

They silently packed his small bag of personal items he would take with him. He packed a few extra speedos and Hawaiian shirts.

She then looked at him as she said, “Let’s change that shirt ok.”

He could see she was sad so he nodded and gave her his worn shirt and put on a new one. She then put the shirt on their bed and looked at the headboard of their bed.

She picked up a copy of their wedding photo and put it in his bag as she said, “So you will remember to come back to me.”

He felt a hard lump in his throat as he nodded and replied, “I will come back Evebabe. I promise.”

She fought back the tears as she said, “I’ll hold you to that Jaxx.”

He hugged her from behind as he said, “I….I’m worried Evebabe.”

She replied, “I’m sure you will do fine on your training.”

He said, “Not that Evebabe. I’m like scared you will forget me. Like in a year I doubt the others will even member my name and stuff, but if you forget me, my heart would be totally thrashed.”

She turned to see he was also fighting back his tears as his lips were quivering. She was relieved to see him like that as she caressed his cheek and replied, “Then let’s leave a keepsake of each other behind.”

He was confused as he saw her pick up her survival knife off the dresser and walk up to him.

He asked, “Umm….Evebabe like wut ya gonna do wit that?”

She then reached with both hands behind her head and cut off one of her dreadlocks and handed it to him as she replied, “Take this with you so you can remember me always.”

He then smiled as he took the long lock of black silky dreaded hair with him and replied, “Ok Evebabe, but it won’t like do well under the water and stuff.”

She then remembered they had a small stasis chamber for Jaxx’s purple MACO serum and retrieved it from the corner of the room and put the wedding pictures and the lock of hair in it as she said, “Now they will last forever.”

He then nodded as he replied, “Like wut should I give you Evebabe."

She smiled as she replied, “I’ll hold onto your shirt for now, but what I really want is for you to come back to me.”

He hugged her as he whispered, “I promise I’ll be back for ya Evebabe.”

After a long goodbye hug, she kissed her husband for possibly the last time and watched him leave their room. As the door shut Evelina dropped to her knees and began crying. She didn’t have the strength to see him leave the ship as she cried helplessly on the floor.

He carried his bag as he headed to the hanger to meet with Franky. His heart felt heavier as he got closer and closer to the hanger. The burden of guilt made it hard to breathe as he was also fighting back his tears. He finally got close to his wife and now he had to leave her for a long time. He was worried things would be different for the both of them on the day he comes back. As he arrived in the hanger he saw Franky loading the last of the crates into the Starbug as he was whistling a tune.

Franky smiled as he greeted Jaxx and replied, “Oh I see you’re ready even. I trust you gave your wife a proper goodbye?”

He nodded in silence as his eyes were full of sadness and despair.

Franky replied, “Oh you kids today are so mellow dramatic even. Trust me when I say distance makes the heart grow fonder my dear apprentice. “

Jaxx nodded as he entered the Starbug with Franky and looked around. He saw some of the MACO lab equipment was in the ship and working as he saw baby Calamars swimming in one of the large MACO water tubes.

Franky said, “It will be a long trip home even. So we will be working on your diplomacy lessons as well as working out the bugs in the cloning process. It’s a good thing your fellow crewmates are so smart even. I was able to copy their skills and work experience in such a short time even. It has shaved off a few centuries of work for me even.”

He was in awe by how fast Franky was able to make this much progress while they were gone. He asked, “Like wut about food master?”

Franky smiled as he replied, “Well I did find a rather large supply of frozen lizard people in the freezer in your lab even.”

He replied, “But Master I like don’t dine on meat no more.”

Franky smiled as he replied, “I know my dear boy but your GELF stomach should be strong enough to handle nutribars right?”

He was not pleased by the thought of a diet of nasty nutribars but took solace in knowing they only gave human’s diarrhea. For GELFs they would only taste bad. He sighed as he replied, “This is totally going to be a long and heinous trip.”

Franky giggled as he replied, “Relax my dear boy we can also preserve food if you sleep in your stasis hydro MACO chambers and since your mind will be active we can train your mind even while we save food so it is a win win even.”

He put his bag down and took out the mini stasis chamber and opened it to reveal several vials of purple MACO serum, his wedding photo and the long lock of hair from his beloved wife Evelina. He sniffed the hair as he smiled and remembered the lovely sweet scent of his wife then he kissed her photo as he replied, “I’ll totally come back for ya Evebabe I promise.”

Franky smiled as he looked at Jaxx putting on a brave face in the back, before he turned on the engines and prepped for flight.

Franky asked, “Hey Jaxx did you tell the others goodbye even?” Jaxx replied, “Naaw they dealing with tha rodents and da huzzards. Sides they are prolly happy ta see me go anyway.”

Franky replied, “Too bad even. I figured you would have some kind of sendoff even.”

As Franky looked out the window he saw Evelina running towards them and waving at them.

Franky said, “Oh my even looks like your wife came after all.”

He put his stuff down and ran to the co-pilot chair to see her waving at him goodbye.” He waved like an idiot back at her not wanting to take his eyes off her.

Franky giggled as he was amused by the two silly lovebirds as he disengaged the locking clamps and lifted off slowly out the hanger. Jaxx and Evelina continued to wave at each other even when they were out of site. As Franky set the controls to head to their destination he turned on the MP3 player to play some songs he downloaded ahead of time. Jaxx looked at Franky who was dancing to the beat of the beat in the cab.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeXjBWN8LO8

The feminine looking Franky looked very humorous as he sashayed, pranced and danced around while he lip-synced.

Jaxx tried to ignore Franky, but it was just funny to watch Franky singing and dancing in a feminine manner as he began to laugh. Franky then gestured for Jaxx to dance with him as he took Jaxx by the hand and pulled him to the open cab to dance along. Jaxx did his best to dance but he was a bit clumsy. Franky giggled as he said, “Much better. Now our adventure begins my apprentice.”

Evelina watched as the ship disappeared into the vast space beyond before she sat down and cried again. She sat there for what felt like hours. She was conflicted by her emotions as she was glad Jaxx was going to improve himself but she would miss him while she was gone. She wanted to cry but she held back the tears as she looked at her wedding band. She remembered Jaxx’s promise to come back after his training and that he always kept his promises. Evelina took solace in that this was only temporary. Evelina sighed as she muttered, “This is going to be harder than I thought. I just wish we had more time.” After sitting alone in the hanger for what felt like hours she stood up and went for a walk. As she walked aimlessly through the corridors she was oblivious to where she was going. She just kept walking as she was thinking about Jaxx being gone. While she was walking aimlessly around she accidentally ran into Jamie who was working on fixing a damaged skutter.

She watched him for a while out of curiosity before she asked, "Need a hand?"

TAG (Jaxx will off training for good while. Jamie, Eve is ready to be your student now.)