"He wants me t'keep quiet 'bout it, not tell 'is mei mei - whaddya reckon?" she glanced between Brent and Sui thoughtfully, eyes dancing with wicked glee. It wasn't often you got a real honest to goodness excuse to tease the big merc.

"Hrm," came the pilot's thoughtful sound as he took a swig of his drink. "I dunno, Pol. Kinda your choice, y'are the cap'n after all," he winked at her, shrugging dismissively as he slouched back into the chair.

Sui snapped out of his reverie. "No, no." He shook his head vehemently. "Much, much pain." he shook his head again. "Please, no?"

"Aw, c'mon, it ain't like she's gonna torture y'or nothin'," Pol laughed. "This is Aidy we're talkin' 'bout, not yer mother."

"Are we talkin' bout the same girl? Aidyn, y'know, short, cute, hangin' on Chris like a monkey in a tree?" He nodded to Brent, acknowledging the pilot.

"She ain't a lil' girl, y'gotta stop talkin' 'bout her like she is," Pol pointed out with a grin. "She'll make y'suffer if she's th'last t'know 'bout yer sweetie."

"Y'know, Cobb, the longer y'hide it from 'er, the worse it's gonna be when she finds out about it," said Brent with a quick, sagely nod like the wise man he was.

"Yeah, I knows it." Sui nodded in agreement. "But she's not here, now. And I'll be doin' th' tellin'." He gave a firm nod, jerking his thumb to the middle of his chest. "And she aint m'sweety. She's just sweet on me."

"Oh, an' o'course, you ain't sweet on 'er, not one lil bit, huh?" Pol snorted into her beer. "I ain't buyin' it."

"Well, y'know.." He sipped his beer, eyes shifting to the door and back. "We ain't talked about none of that stuff."

Brent snickered, stretching his legs out under the table. "It's not like y'go up t'one another'n say, 'Hey, I'm sweet on ya,'", he smirked. "Just 'cause y'ain't talked about it doesn' mean it's not true."

"Sounds familiar," Pol muttered into her drink, stubbing out her clove. Then she sat back, studying both of them curiously. "Well, I don't see no bullet wounds - guess the pair of ya's got on well 'nough while I was gone."

So glad of the change of subjects, Sui jumped right onto that. "N'm no bullet holes, least not into our hides anyway." He grinned at Brent.

The pilot choked out a laugh halfway through his next sip of his drink, lowering the bottle to squeeze his mouth shut lest he let the liquid spill out.

Pol looked suspiciously between the pair of them. "Jus' what'm I missin' in this 'ere conversation?" she asked warily. "You two bin beatin' up on folk?"

"What trouble ya thinkin' she'll be causin' Cap?" He frowned darkly and nodded to Brent. He kept his mouth a firm line. "It's me askin' Cap. I don't think she'd presume t'ask. And she's a nice girl, Noble. Needs her own place t'bunk." The fact that the most they'd ever done was swapped spit was nobody's business.

"I ain't talkin' 'bout 'er causing trouble," she sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Look, only met 'er that one time, but seems th'girl's got a secret. Secrets don't keep well in th'black. And if y'can come t'me and say that she's wantin' to come aboard of 'er own accord, that's when y'll get m'real answer." Pol sighed softly; there were times she hated being a captain.

"So th'answer's no?" Sui raised a brow and sat back. "Everybody's got secrets, Cap. Why y'holdin' hers against her?" Yeah, he knew what her secret was, but he was damned if he'd tell anybody.

"I dint say that. Gorram it, Cobb, look at what y're askin' me t'do," Pol snapped suddenly. "I dunno th'girl, you barely know 'er, she's got a darkness in 'er past she ain't sharin' ... think about what y're askin' me t'do 'ere. I ain't got the luxury o'lettin' what I want get in th'way ... I gotta keep my crew well and safe. Don't know 'nough 'bout 'er t'do that. Yet." She rose to her feet, squeezing past Brent and headed for the ladies' room, rubbing at her suddenly aching head.

He sat back and watched her go, with a shake of his head. "Sh'won't hurt anybody or anything." He sighed and glanced to Brent. "She wouldn't!"

Brent scooted back, allowing for more room as Pol squeezed past. He sighed while scooting down to lean his side against the wall of the booth. "It ain't a matter of whether or not she would or wouldn', Cobb. It's a matter of who else might in tryin' t'get t'her. Got some enemeis, things're dangerous enough as it is. Takin' her aboard without knowin' this secret she's hidin' ain't a smart move for the cap'n t'make. Could get us all int'trouble."

Sui leaned his elbow onto the tabletop and cradled his chin with his palm. "I know 'er secret, Noble. And I wouldn't ask if I thought she'd do anybody harm."

"The cap'n doesn't though," Brent shrugged, sipping his drink. "And it ain't be ya gotta convince."

"Y've got pull with the Cap, c'mon, Brent." The merc glanced around and then back at the other man, leaning in to release a confidence. "I ain't had no trim since I met 'er. Thought I could, y'know.."

In the bathroom, Pol had filled a sink and was now bent over it with her face submerged in the water. It wasn't the conversation giving her the headache, it was something else that she wasn't about to share with her crew, especially in a public place. Lifting her head out of the water, she dried her face and leaned her back against the wall, trying to get a little more calm around her before facing Cobb's insistence.

"I ain't gonna try'n convince Pol just 'cause y'want me too. She's got every right t'be hesitant. Carson's gonna have t'take it up with her if she wants a ride. I get where Pol's comin' from, I'd be sayin' the same thing she is if I were in her position," another sip of his drink, a brow arched at Cobb's comment. "And?"

"Don't seem t'matter to most, does it?" Pol interjected, lifting her voice to be heard. "S'right, I ain't worth it as a cap'n. Probl'y best if'n ya'll just leave. Me 'n my bucket o' bolts'll get on just fine." Now how's that for a depressed midget with inferiority issues?

"You're a fine cap'n," Brent replied while dropping onto a stool next to her, patting her shoulder. "Cobb's just bein' his pissy ol'self. If he can't follow the rules it's his problem," the pilot assured her. "And I wouldn' be flyin' that ship if it were a 'bucket o' bolts,'" he went on to add, glaring over his shoulder at Cobb as if to say: Look at what you've gone and done.

Sui sighed with frustration. It was a battle he knew he wasn't going to win, no matter how hard he tried. Watching Brent leave the table, he sighed again and took a swallow of beer. "Jus' wanted t'show 'er th'black." He muttered and stared at the door.

"Mebbe should jus' give 'er up," Pol was sighing into her glass. She seemed oblivious to Brent sitting beside her. "Let one o'ya's take command, so's I kin sit back'n not worry 'bout anythin' but flyin'."

The pilot's hand smoothed along the bartop, snagging Pol's glass from her hands to slide it away from her. "As y'know, I've had plenty o'cap'ns in the past. Wouldn' trade ya for a one o'them, or anyone else for that matter."

"Was drinkin' tha' ..." She reached out to try and snag the glass back. "An' y'only sayin' that 'cos y'got a sweetie outta havin' me f'r a cap'n." Her hand closed around the bottle instead and lifted it to her lips.

"Not true. How often did I complain about ya when I was just another member o'the crew? When I was just a pilot? You've always been a good cap'n, Cobb's just a piss fellow, moodier'n most folk are."

"Y'know I can hear you." The merc turned and glared back at Brent. "How bout you take your insultin' mouth outside. Instead o' pissin' t' the Cap about me, huh?"

"Y'couldn't complain, y'was th'only other person 'round." Pol threw her head back and downed another huge gulp of the acrid whiskey. Then she dropped the whiskey on the bartop and swung around. "Y'got somethin' t'say t'me, Cobb, y'say it out clear, no fannyin' 'bout an' makin' out like y'got a noble purpose behind it. An' I tell ya what I told Aidyn when she asked 'bout gettin' her brother on board. I gotta feel it's right. Y'got a problem with that, y'can jus' go an' take the rest of 'em with ya. Seems like y'don't need a cap'n anyways." She spun about unsteadily on her heel and aimed for the door, stumbling into furniture on her way. Last thing she needed was for the two most ornery men on board to see her in tears over something so small.

"How 'bout y'stop pissin' t'me about the cap'n n'her decisions?" he snapped over his shoulder. "And insultin' her ship, and insultin' her." Brent sighed, shooting another glare at Cobb before, abandoning his stool and drink to quickly follow after Pol, stepping around the furniture to quickly gain ground on her.

"Da xiang bao zha shi de la duzi!" He growled and shook his head, angry. "All this because o' a favor I said t'forget! Y'two are feng le!!"

The deed was neatly folded, slipped into his pocket, and tucked safely away. Brent took a deep, steading breath, glaring after Pol, but not at her. He turned to Cobb, slow, steady, blank faced. "If you throw a punch at me again. I'm gonna shoot you, no warnin's. Y'c'n be as pissed as y'want 'cause Pol didn' say she would take Carson aboard right off the bat, but she didn' say she never would either. Whatever problem you have with me, ends here, or the Nighthawke will never lift off the ground again. If y'gotta problem with Pol's decisions, y'talk t'her about it. Don't ask me t'try and make her change her mind. It's not right, ain't my place. She is the cap'n, she's in charge. Deal with it."

"Y'know, that's all fine and dandy, your shiney little speech and all. But it ain't gettin' the Cap back any time sooner. I said t'forget I even asked. When and if Carson is ready t'go into the black, I'll take her t'the Cap m'self. That is, if there still is a Cap and there still is a ship t'take any of us. I suggest y'get off your high horse, Noble. I aint done nothin' but treat y'with respect until y'thought it funny t'start insultin' me bout my name. You show no respect, y'get none. Y'don't demand it either." Sui shrugged and folded his hands into his pockets. "Got a deal?"

"Call ya one name the day I met you. The day I met ya. Stopped callin' ya that a couple o'days later. Except when Carson first met ya," he remembered, see? "Apparently, you haven't been on a lot o'crews. It's the new blood that's gotta earn the respect, granted, you're not new anymore, but at the time, ya were. If I recall correctly, I told Pol that you were a good pick for a merc on our crew, good shot, big guy, obviously strong. So shut the hell up, let's quit this, so we can go'n get Pol."

"Yeah, let's." The merc frowned, looking around. "Gorram it, she coulda gone anywhere." He folded his arms over his chest and took a deep breath. "Wish Carson were 'ere."

This wasn't a good time to come to the bar, was it? Carson was heading towards it as Pol was apparently heading out. Which meant they might possibly cross paths. If she made it inside, well ... there'd be Cobb and Brent. Were they fighting again?

Quickly, the pilot turned and stepped out, almost bumping into Carson. "There she is," with a nod to Carson and a wry grin to Cobb. "Fill her in or follow along," Brent then stepped out and looked around. "Pol?"

Sui was on his way out, as well when he caught sight of Carson. He blew out a breath and quickly went to her, a whisper into her ear, and then he stepped back to look at her, expectantly.

"Fill me in about what?" She hated being the one who didn't get the party invitation. Narrowing a pointed glance at Cobb, the tension in the air was so thick she could feel it. His whispered question didn't go over very well. Not bothering to whisper an answer back. "I'm not a bloodhound." If the captain wanted to be found, they'd find her. Carson would not be utilizing any abilities to locate a woman escaping from men.

Sui frowned, nodding to her response. "Then come on then. I'll fill y'in on the way." He reached for her hand and gave her a look that said that he definitely wanted her along. "Brent, y'got the mule?"

A very blank and ultimately completely confused glance was tossed toward Cobb. Wait ... for it. "Oh, no," Brent's head shook. "She can't have gone that far," he muttered absently, turning to hurry off down the street toward where he thought Pol might have gone. "Pol! Where are ya?"

"Brent!" Sui called out after the pilot.

Carson wasn't so sure she needed to go along for this ride. Not part of the crew, didn't need to be part of any problems. "Is this a long story?" Start filling her in any second. "Is Pol in some kind of trouble?"

"Listen, bao bei. I'm sorry. I know I shoulda stopped yellin' at Cobb. I'm sorry I didn' listen t'ya. But we're done now, problem's solved. Just take the deed back," Brent reached into his pocket for said deed.

"You guys should put a boxing ring in that ship. Let them duke it out in a more gentlemanly fashion." Carson shook her head a little. Men! "What did you do to fan the flames, Cobb?"

"Yes, Pol, take the deed." Sui kept his eyes on Carson, apologizing silently. "I asked for y'to be able t'come with us into th'black."

Pol looked between the two men warily. "An' if I do, I ain't gonna get another two months o'neither of ya bein' able t'hold a single conversation without fillin' my ears wi'complaints?" she asked pointedly, her hands thrust into her own pockets.

"Nooooooo, I think there's more to it than that." Carson had been witness to just how Brent and Cobb interacted once before. Poking at each other until one finally snapped. "Nobody has a bruised face at least. Didn't come to blows." She was sympathizing with their Captain.

At this point, Cobb held up both hands. He wasn't going to take the full brunt of the blame. Stepping back, he shook his head.

"Any problems Cobb'n I have with each other in the future will be dealt with between him'n I. Ain't no fightin' gonna happen, we c'n be civil," Brent was busy assuring Pol, hoping Cobb would come in and back him up on that one.

"Yes, civil."

"I think they should kiss and make up," was Carson's contribution. At least give a bro hug. Prove they be in the same enclosed space without it coming to a physical smack down.

Sui gave Carson a pointed look and grunted. "Pushin' it, bao bei."

"I'd sooner kiss a monkey's ass," from Brent to Carson for that comment, then a glance to Cobb. "No offense."

"None taken." he shrugged and held out his hand to Brent, a shake, peace offering.