Chapter 20 - Welcome Home Spitfire.

"What about this one?" Bee asked, for the two hundred and forty seventh time.

She was modelling a black, pleated leather, practically non existent, micro skirt. And a black, open weave, mesh top. "I can see right through that!" I said, while trying not to be "prudish". She gave me The Look. The one that translates to, "In case you haven't noticed dummy, it's HOT in those access tunnels and engines!" For the two hundred and thirty fourth time.

"Ya, ya, I know, but your not going to be livin' in the access tunnels and engines!" I had pointed out. Again. Shopping for clothes, with a sixteen year old girl, is almost as much fun, as dodging lasers from half a dozen pirates. While blindfolded.

The next outfit resembled a pair of sleeveless overalls. Overall shorts that is. And by shorts, I mean the bottom of her butt cheeks were peeking out, even when she was standing up straight! And she hadn't bothered to put on a top. "I can see your butt cheeks." I informed her.

"Cute, aren't they?" she asked, with her mischievous grin.

I took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "What about umm... underwear, don't you need any, you know, stuff?"

"I already picked out some panties." She had chosen just three pairs of little string things, like the ones my pa used to call "butt floss", 'cept these were smaller.

"But don't you need more than three?" I asked, perplexed.

"Nah, I don't wear panties that often."

Sigh... "Well what about them other things, for your top?"

"Bra's?" She looked down at her inadequately covered breasts. "I hate wearing those things. Besides, I don't need them. I'm not sagging or anything!"

Bump, bump, bump, went my head against the wall.

To give her credit, she didn't go for the usual frilly, pink, girly, froo froo stuff. Most of it, as she would point out, had some form of "practicality". The leather skirt for instance, had a number of outside pockets, for "carrying tools", as did the overalls. Her big purchase however, was her new mechanic's tool set. It was in a large black case, shaped sorta like an old steamer trunk standing up on one end. It stood as tall as she did. "Oh Morgan!" She ran her hands over it, with what was almost reverence. "Isn't it beautiful!?" She unlatched it and pushed it open. She had to touch each tool, and tell me what each one was used for. "Can I get it Morgan? Can I please?"

I looked at the price tag and gulped. "It's four credits Bee, that will take most of your chip. Why don't I bu..."

"No Morgan, I want to buy this for myself, please? It's important, and I'm going to need tools to keep Aria flying, and I..."

"Okay, okay, it's your money Bee, you can spend it on whatever you want to."

She squealed and leaped onto me, wrapping her arms around my neck, and gave me a fierce hug. I hugged back, and then set her on the ground. "You go pay for it, and have them take it to Aria. I need to go buy a few things myself. I will meet you back here in ten minutes." She spent her last credit on her "wardrobe", at least what there was of it, and a few other odds and ends that she described as "secret" or "personal". Girls, sheesh! Well, that's okay, I bought a few "secrets" my own self.

We arrived back at Aria, just as the first of the packages were being delivered. Bee took over and directed the assorted drones and bots, like a queen commanding her army. Her tool box was secured in a corner of the hold beneath the stairs. It was a small area, perhaps 12 feet by 16 feet, that had been designed as a workshop. This was her throne room. "No, over a little more. TO THE RIGHT! Stupid drone.., Now turn it... The OTHER way!" And so it went, until all her purchases had been stored to her satisfaction. I left her to stow her clothes, and assorted mysterious stuff, in her area of the crew quarters, and went to the bridge. Aria and I ordered forty tons of computer parts, and once those had been delivered and loaded, I requested a launch window. Bee had already changed into one of her new outfits, may the gods have mercy on me, and filled her new tool belt with her new tools. A few choice pieces from her fathers collection, were now hanging as prized decorations in her quarters. I did notice she kept the hammer.

I wanted to head toward Lave eventually, and see Pa and hopefully Terra, so we decided to set course for Isinor. It being a poor agri. planet, we thought we could get a good price for our computer parts there. We launched and hit witchspace without any drama. It would take four and a half days to arrive, and we would have to make four fuel stops on the way. That evening, we ate dinner in the common room, and I made a mental note to have Aria increase our ship ration orders. Spitfire could sure pack it away! After dinner, I told Bee to hang tight while I went to my quarters to get something. I came back with a large box and set it on the table in front of her.

"What's this? she asked.

"Aria and I wanted to give you a gift. You know, to sort of welcome you to your new home".

"Captain, I knew nothing of thi..." began Aria.

"Aria, would you have agreed, if I'd had time to tell you?" I interrupted.

"Yes Captain."

"Okay then! Now hush."

Bee carefully opened each flap and reached inside to pull out the first smaller box. It was a model, a D.T.T. Atlas. She set it very slowly on the table top, and reached in for the next. It was Aria, a D.T.T. Snake Charmer. The box in her hand started to shake. I looked at her face, and was surprised to find tears streaming down her cheeks. She sobbed. I came around the table, and took the box from her hand, and set it next to the first. I knelt next to her chair. She had both hands to her face now, and her little shoulders were shaking uncontrollably. I put my hand on her back. "Hey now, what's wrong? You said you lost your models, and..."

Once again, I found myself adorned with sixteen year old girl. Her arms around my neck so tight, it made breathing a bit difficult. She cried into the side of my neck in deep gut wrenching sobs. I settled on the floor, with her curled in my lap, as I stroked her head and back. This was getting to be a regular event! I coo'ed, stroked, and rocked, and finally the sobs turned once again, into hics and sniffles. "What's wrong Spitfire? I though you would like them. I can send them back..." She punched me in the chest. Hard.

Between hics and sniffs, she said. "They're the most wonderful presents ever. You remembered... my daddy gave me... I just... I have been running, and hiding, and just trying to survive for so long now. And this was just the most perfect, wonderful gift, and you're wonderful, and Aria's wonderful, and... Everything is just suddenly so perfect and wonderful... I, I guess I am just a bit overwhelmed by it all."

Aww heck, I was starting to tear up a bit myself, by the time she ran out of gas. I also made another mental note... have Aria buy me more t-shirts at the next stop. Bee finally calmed down, wiped her eyes and nose on my shirt, and finished pulling out her presents, while I went and changed. The third model was a D.T.T. Cyclops, and the last was the D.T.T. War Lance. When I came back, Bee walked up and wrapped her arms around my waist and gave me a hug. "Thank you Morgan, thank you so much, and you too Aria!"

"Shouldn't that be Captain, now that we are on board ship?" I smirked.

She punched me in the gut. When I doubled over, she grabbed both my ears, and held my head in front of hers. She looked me dead in the eye for a few seconds, then she gave me a long, hard kiss on the cheek. She let go of my ears, gathered up her presents, and swished out of the room, taking them to her quarters. Once I had recovered, I made my way to the bridge. We had a refuelling stop coming up. I sat on the couch and grinned.

It was nice having crew.