Decidedly Peculiar

OOC - *cracks knuckles*. Right, let's see if I can remember how to do this....

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IC:
There was, at least as Jade perceived it, an awkward silence. Not just the normal kind either, but the sort that follows on from hitting on your best friend and trying to kiss her. Which, Jade mused, was decidedly peculiar given she didn't remember that ever happening. It had crossed her mind, several times in fact, but she was never sure how Cass would react. 

Their boots tapped down the metal corridor, echoing faintly in the empty halls. Jade had her med-pack slung over her back and a machine pistol gripped in her other. Her military background paid off for something at least. 

"So." Jade started, but faltered. Asking Cass how she was was pointless, the woman was tighter closed around her emotions than a clam around a pearl. "Do you need solutions or listening?" Jade finished. 

"What?" The choice had obviously shocked Cass. 

"If I ask what's up, or ask how you are, you'll only say 'nothing' or 'Ok'. So I figured I'd try something new" she smiled, sparing a glance at Cass before returning to her vigilant gaze down the corridor. 

"I uh...." Both women stopped dead as they heard someone approaching from around the corner. Cass checked the psi-scanner and shook her head. 

"What?.. No, it's a human don't shoot or no it's a bad guy?" Jade hissed quietly. Cass rolled her eyes and was about to hiss back a smart-ass comeback when one of the things, face already peeled back, jumped out and lunged for Cass. It's tentacles quivered and writhed, attempting to latch on to her. 

"No, not human." Cass growled, her arms quivering as she obviously struggled to keep the thing away from her face. 

"Right. Yep. I can see that." Jade said, already having taken the safety off and cocking the pistol. She pressed it to the thing's head and pulled the trigger. A furious bark of gunfire echoed around them, and the thing slumped down dead to the floor. 

"Thanks." Cass said, wiping a sleeve across her face and flicking the ichor to the floor.
 
"Anytime." Jade beamed, then her face turned serious, kneeling down to look at what remained of the creature. "You know," She said, lifting a tentacle carefully with a pen from her pocket. "I think these things sample the DNA of their victims this way. They must be able to transfer it somehow in a similar way too." She let the tentacle drop back to the floor. the thinnish muscle flopping with a wet slap. 

"What makes you say that?" Cass queried, wondering if the AR disconnect feeling had made her miss something. She was normally sharper than this.

"Can't say for sure, but it looks like a bastardised version of an experimental biomechanical sampling system I read about in a medical journal once." Jade shrugged. 

"Really?" Cass looked skeptical.

"That or everyone in the refectory has sucker marks on the back of their necks." Jade grinned, poking the back of Cass' neck and making her flinch. Cass rubbed the sore patch. The two carried on, but it wasn't long before they reached a problem.  

"Shit, there's seven of them around the corner. Coming this way." Cass grumbled, looking at the psi-scanner. It was too many and both women knew it. "We're smegged. We need to get to the AI core damnit." They'd buddied up and gone this way, because realistically, no one else was as well placed as Cass to deal with that problem. Cass face contorted in concentration, trying to think of a way out of their current situation.

"I... I have one idea, but you might not like it..." Jade said, blushing a furious crimson. Cass hadn't seen, she was busy checking the scanner. 

"Whatever it is, do it quickly..." Cass whispered, gesturing at the corner. "Here they come." Jade sent a silent prayer to whatever Gods might still be paying any attention, and not just laughing at an all eternity pissup and orgy. 

"Ok, here goes." She said to herself, taking the hair band out of her hair so it would fall over her face. She grabbed Cass with one arm by the waist and swept a leg behind her knees in a martial arts move that took Cass totally by surprise. The dark haired woman dropped to her knees with a surprised yelp which was quickly silenced as Jade pressed her mouth to Cass's. The yelp turned into a surprised, muffled squeak.

The seven things came around the corner and took in the sight of the two. Evidently it worked, because they paused briefly, before carrying on to whatever task they had been assigned. After a long moment, they were out of sight. Cass tapped Jade on the back. Jade, who had her eyes closed, opened them and quickly let go, blushing an even more deep shade of red. 

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