Between a rock and a hard place

As Malik looked around he said, "You weren't kidding. No fresh ingredients period. The best I can do is soup with all this canned junk." He looked over everything and went to work. Within thirty minutes he had a warm pot of soup cooking. "If you're hungry I got plenty here. Care to join or no?" Asked Malik looking at Tawnie.

"Sure, and Malik I'm actually one of the better people here. Don't tell the commander I'm saying this, but it's about time someone exposed the holes in our systems. You might want to consider impressing her." She said when she sat down after getting a glass of water flavored with a concentrated fruit mix so it became juice, at least a decent version of orange juice. She'd never really considered her job to be a problem, the problem was the fact that she saw more problems than anyone else and the commander could only requisition for them to be fixed and they were usually declined based on the travel time to the planet. "If you ask her she might let you help out on systems, you've proven you can handle it. Think about what you can do to help, we have a fleet from Dyna Biotech that is a week out who are after this claim too. Ever hear about the fights corporations can get into, it gets ugly."

Malik turned around and reached into his pockets pulling out at least a dozen or more mini flash drives. He said, "Give this to her the next time you see her. There's at least ten years of hacked and stolen information on these drives. There might be information you guys can put to use. He pushed them toward her and went back to his soup. Pouring her bowl first he set it in front of her and got a bowl for himself. "Down the hatch." He said with a smirk just sipping it down not even bothering with a spoon

Surprised by this she took the bowl and tasted it, it was better than before. Though they had a cut rate cook and nothing could deny that, so she ate for now and looked at the drive. "You know this could tip the scales, she'll be here in a few hours once she;s done with the paperwork. I don't envy her job, too much crap to deal with." She said as she picked it up and put it in a pouch, then carried on eating not caring if he was not using a spoon. "Better than anything I've had before, you know the commander use to work for another corporation before she came here. The best ones often work on contract, but somehow they signed her to a lifetime deal."

Malik smiled and said, "I can see she's a busy person. As for me before I put myself to use I'm going to need to learn how to stop getting carried away. Because of my recklessness I left myself wide open. I guess it's been a while since I've had a good challenge. I've always got in and got out undetected. Thus why I have ten years worth of information." He finished off his soup and said, "That was good. But still a little bland."

"You want to hold territory she's the one you send, but yeah it's not worth worrying about. She'd never knowingly break the laws, but she's not afraid to exploit them." She said then finished up, bland was the best they could get just as the mess hall door opened up. Commander Starling walked in without her armor on and looked to the two of them, sitting down after getting some plain water. "Talking about me, did she tell you that I'm some kind of monster. I've been observing the long range reports, we may only have a few days before they arrive." She stated matter of factly then finished it quickly, not sure what to make of this scene as it was clear that he was not acting so rashly. "Can we talk now?"

"Yeah but I want my computer back already." Said Malik. Luke came walking in and set down a printed report in front of Starling and gave Malik his laptop back. He then left without a word. "Anyways she has said no such thing about you. In order to win you need to be sly and cutthroat. Same way goes for me. I bite back quite hard when I'm a big red target. And hey that jerk! He disabled all my hacking programs! Damn him!" Said Malik looking pissed.


He sighed and closed his laptop saying, "Tawnie give her the flash drive I handed over to you. I haven't looked on any of my drives in ages so I'm not entirely positive there's stuff you can make use off. But there's a eighty percent chance there's some good dirt you can use against the competition."

"Temporary, and good to see your cooperating. I do what has to be done, I've lost some good ships and people but they didn't question my judgment." She then looked over the report after taking the flash drive and handing it to Luke, so that he could analyze it and find out what was useful right now on it. This was going to be interesting, perhaps they could find a lot more than that. "if you can do your job and make it count when they arrive, you might benefit from it. It won't erase the past, but it will give you opportunities that allow for more freedoms."

Tawnie stayed quiet and let the commander talk, as she looked over to Luke and flipped him a questioning glance. What was going on here, was this going to mean he'd be active without any registration if i came to that.

As Luke sat off to the side typing. He had analyzed the contents of the data and said, "Commander looks like we got some more then some basic information. Blueprints, weak points of certain ships, even some of the things certain workers have done. It's all here how is what I want to know. How the hell did you get such info kid?" Luke looked at Malik.

Malik said, "You think I'd have a two million bounty on my head for nothing? I'm not your every day hacker. I figured you people know by now I'm no human. My IQ is way too high for any normal person. There ain't a system I can't hack into out in this vast universe. It don't matter what you people do to strengthen your mainframe there may be another like me out there too you know."

"Send me the report later, in fact I'll leave you to handling this data. Keep it to ourselves, don't send them anything if you think it could give us an advantage." She said as if she had something on her mind, though she'd been known to play numerous sides she was never truly loyal to any one of them even when employed by them. If one were to look at the reasons the commanders contracts ended one might notice there were numerous issues of possible theft and funds going missing.

Tawnie was quiet throughout this, and she was never one to say much but data like this would mean they would be even bigger targets or they would be targeted by their own people for even having it.

Luke nodded and said, "Understood." He closed his laptop and looked at Malik. "If question and answering is done I'm out of here to go take a nap." Said Malik standing up. "It isn't finished until the commander says so." Said Luke. "Yeah well my response to that is fuck you and I'm done. I need my sleep otherwise I get to be a real jack ass." Said Malik walking back into his confined area. "He's a real interesting one isn't he commander? Don't just sit there Tawnie you're supposed to be watching him. Go after him." Said Luke standing up.

Malik meanwhile had collapsed onto his bed staring at the ceiling now. He smirked having a feeling things were about to get interesting.

Tawnie smirked and then when her back was turned flipped him the bird while hiding it from view in front of her with her other arm. "You have your job I have mine, focus on your job computer jock." She said jokingly as she headed off to do hers, though she was not serious and was having some fun.

The Commander headed off quietly, heading to another section of the ship as she had business there. This attack left her to wonder why they spent all that money on upgrades, and yet they were inferior work in the end.

Luke rolled his eyes and said, "I've had better come backs then that Tawnie. Try again when you think of something better." He went back to his typing and just ignored everything else. A loud scream was heard down the hall which sounded like Malik. Luke stood up and said, "Now what." Closing his laptop he walked out into the hall tucking it under his arm and saw Malik standing there looking infuriated with claw marks up his face. "

What the hell happened to your face? Are you that desperate to get off this ship?" Asked Luke. "Shut up you computer dick head! Why don't you ask that down at the end of the hall!? I hate cats!" Said Malik pointing. Luke looked down the hall and saw none other then a two tailed cat sitting there bathing itself. "The last planet we were on was less then two weeks ago. It must have snuck on then." Said Luke going over. He jumped out of the way as the cat let out a hiss and lashed at him and took off running.

Tawnie caught up to the cat and picked it up with no issues, obviously Malik this one did not like as well as Luke, she'd always been one for them and she spoke to them. "Personally I'm going to keep it, you might as well get used to this thing. Do either of you even like cats?" She then looked at it and wondered what where it got in from no scans had picked it up on loading supplies, unless it got in when they were recalibrating.

"You two need to calm down, animals pick up on emotions and obviously Malik your too agitated or it does not like you." She said with a smile and then went about her job keeping the two tailed cat in check, she would take it back to her quarters when this job was done.

"Agitated!? I'm too agitated! THAT THING cme up and ripped my face up just as I was falling asleep! I think I deserve to be agitated!" Snapped Malik pissed. He then went back into his sleeping quarters and lay back down grumbling annoyed as he beat his pillow to get it right before going back to sleep.

She knew he must have done something to annoy it, it could have very well been on the bed and he ended up laying down on it. Though she also knew he was still kinda abrasive and that was one of his biggest downfalls right there. He just needed to calm down, though maybe it just didn't like him. "He's been like this since we dragged him on board, he's just angry he lost." She said as she kept a regular route near the door and around the area.

"If you ask me I think he's just pissy in general. A little to the left... I've been stuck on this ship for days and need the royal treatment." Spoke the cat with a purr as she was scratching his ears.

She stopped and looked at it while she blinked, two tails and it can talk. Without dropping it she continues looking like she'd just seen a ghost, so perhaps it was the sentient species on it's planet. "Either I'm dreaming or this is real, why were you able to fool the scanners. Your presence never showed up..." She moved a little to the left and then waited, not sure what to do except that they had picked up a sentient animal who came of it's own accord.

"You mean the scanners I disposed of. I just chewed a few wires and then got in easily after. I guess that's also why your had your little hacker situation with that moody guy. Funny how these things seems to work right?" Said the cat with another purr.

"I see, well can you tell me what junction you did this at. That way things can get repaired, and future attackers will not have such an easy time." She replied with realizing this was not a dream as that attack happened, she also realized she was not hallucinating as she had no reason for that as well.

"I've already discovered the problem Tawnie. I thought something was strange when I studied the video data a bit more I saw that little fur ball run around. It's not every day we get to see a Nekotama run around. If I'm correct that is your species right?" Said Luke walking up eying the cat. "Yes and we ain't exactly fond of the male species of anything. So remember to keep your filthy mitts off me otherwise you'll be bitten." Spoke the cat. "What planet do you reside from though and why our ship?" Asked Luke. "Beats me I found myself in here when I woke up out of the crate I was sleeping in." Said the cat.

"So it was by accident then, and your kind of here now. That clears the issue up, now I guess your with me. The commander might have issues, let's avoid her for now." Tawnie replied and then wondered what to do about this mess, she would have to keep their new friend from the guys as they would get hurt. Malik was obviously not fond of the nekomata either, she'd known them to be legends and stories but they existed as was obvious by this case.

"Luke, I think I'll leave the technical stuff to you. If we do not fix those wires we're exposed, besides your better at that finding that stuff." She said in an effort to get the problem resolved and their security back up and running, as that was a huge concern especially with a threat coming in soon.

"Already being worked on Tawnie. You worry too much. Also one more thing seeing as you fur balls are supposed to be myths. Is it true you can take on a more human like form? I'm just asking out of curiosity." Said Luke. The cat suddenly jumped out of of Tawnie's arms and flipped in the air.

Moments later Luke found himself eye to eye with a taller male figure. With cat ears and a tail of course. The only off setting about him were his eyes which were two different colors. "Does that answer your question. Though I prefer my smaller form. It allows me to squeeze in places i normally can't go. By the way the name is Xanthus remember it well." Said the male cat with a smirk. "Who the hell is that?" Asked Malik appearing hearing all the talking disturbing him from his sleep.

Xanthus transformed back and leaped back into Tawnie's arms starting to purr. Malik just stood there speechless and suddenly started stuttering before saying, "I uh think I need some more sleep. Because now I'm seeing shit." He just went back into his room and the door closed. Xanthus purred and snickered saying, "Poor sap thinks it all a nightmare. Well he's in for a rude awakening later."

"So it shall be, and wow legends are true. Well he's in for a surprise anyways, finding out our systems had been compromised before his attack." She snickered after that display and then leaned against the wall after Malik went back to sleep, one thing about her was that beneath that nice exterior she had what it took to do her job. She was not just somebody who was nice, she had an edge she preferred to use when necessary.

Once Xanthus was back in her arms her mind turned to something more important, the upcoming conflict for this world. Luke would probably have new systems in place by then, after all the commander would probably do it without authorization. "Luke might want to go ahead with upgrading the system security, chances are those clowns at HQ are gonna drag their heels and risk us getting another intrusion eventually. Just an idea, the commander might not mind." She smiled knowing that it would make her job easier, but she planned on taking her chief's job once she was ready and could handle it. After all the old man had his days, but even he admitted he wanted to retire.

Hours later Malik had woke up with hunger once again. Going into the kitchen he went to prep himself another meal. He had only turned around for a few seconds to get a bowl. When suddenly he found himself face to face with Xanthus. A loud yell followed by a crash and a hiss was heard from within the kitchen and Malik was chasing down Xanthus with a butcher knife as he yelled, "COME HERE! I'M GOING TO MAKE A PAIR OF GLOVES OUT OF YOU DAMN IT!!" He suddenly slammed into the automatic door when it closed on him. His nose smacking right into it. Falling on his ass he yelped and let out a furious yell jumping up.