Still typing with my eyes closed and slower than snot (sorry for the visual) so I thought I would just post a snip. Or three.
Cut from Eve’s book after Eve and Ben rescue Hanna:
“You’re frightening her more, Captain. Let me—“
“No time to coddle her, Doc. Wouldn’t be a favor anyway. Look around.” She set the child down, her hand now wrapped in the filthy hair. “This brat’s got to live here. Only way she’ll make it is if she gets tough. Right now.” She twisted her hand, the child rose silently to her toes. “That’s better. No screaming. Never let ‘em know you’re hurt. Learn fast, stupid, I don’t got much time to teach. We’re going someplace safer and my doc’ll have a look at you. He can’t stand to see nobody bleeding. Then, we’ll feed you. Then, you’re on your own. Got it?”
The child spoke for the first time. “You—are you C Street?”
Marcori chuckled. “My gang could take C Street and maybe B and D too. You’re going to scoot, do it now, I need my hands.”
“I’ll behave, ma’am.”
“Captain or sir’ll do.”
“You’re a spacer? Do they have gangs in space? How do you hold territory? I mean, I guess with ships, but—“ The child went on, and on, never pausing for breath or to let anyone answer a question while the slums faded to the splotchy grass of the landing field, until she spotted the musical instrument and Marcori—Eve—handed it over to shut her up. Then, the girl played music as she walked behind the captain, who marched into a chill wind. Ben brought up the rear and wished he’d worn a jacket too. When his teeth started chattering, Eve turned and slung her flight jacket at him. Ben slid it on and wondered how she’d heard him that far away.
The bright/sad music accompanied them all the way to the ship. Then Eve palmed the ramp control, and the pipe was forgotten in childish wonder.
“This is all yours? You should be the happiest—“
“Get real. Happiness is recreational drugs. This is a living.”
And a bit later:
Eve looked up from a tech manual, rolled her eyes and took her feet from the table, poked Snitch away from a tray. Cursed as the beast retaliated.
“Sit,” she growled, removing the claws from her glove. “This’s Snitch. Eat, we don’t got all night.”
“This is Hanna,” Ben answered, since at some point in the last twenty minutes, Hanna had reversed her fears. Now she cowered from Eve, by hiding behind Ben. Well, he’d already guessed she was bright. He escorted her to the seat Eve had set, two chairs away from hers. A cup of mint tea sat at the next place, Ben blinked surprise and sat. With food before her, the child forgot such mundane matters as scary, grumpy ex-Marines. Eve chuckled.
“Got teeth for a reason, girl. You’ll get more from it if you chew.”
“Yes’m,” Hanna said with her mouth full. Eve shook her head.
“Captain or sir. How long you figure on surviving with that stupid shit you pulled tonight?”
Hanna set her fork down, folded her hands in her lap and set her eyes on the far wall. “I’m sorry, sir.”
Ben sipped his tea and held his tongue. Clearly Hanna needed help, and she’d had the great fortune to come in contact with the most accomplished survivor Ben had ever seen. The fact he might well learn more of Eve’s past made him willing to see where this went, as well.
“Won’t be long,” Eve pressed, “if you don’t wise up.” She tossed a knife.
“Captain!”
“Catch!”
Hanna snatched, but dropped it with a clatter as she caught the blade. She stared at the blood welling from her fingers, Ben sighed and handed her a napkin to press to the clearly-minor wound. And hoped Eve had cleaned the knife more than he’d seen.
“Not bad,” Eve said, coming to fetch the knife. “Didn’t think you’d touch it at all, where your hands were.” She turned away, tossed it over her shoulder. “Now!”
Hanna caught the handle. Eve turned back to share her grin.
“Pain’s good for you,” she said. “Makes you learn. Keep that, and practice. Toss it, throw it, sleep with it. Get to know it and know how to use it. Keep it sharp so it stings when you mess up. Watch every fight you can and keep track of what works. Pick fights with folks a little bigger ‘n’ a little better than you, and watch how they beat the shit out of you. When they knock you down, get back up. Never show you’re hurt, never let them keep you down, and learn how to run. Got it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Oh,” Eve finally returned to her seat and her coffee, Ben wondered if caffeine didn’t keep her up, “but don’t pick knife-fights. That’s for emergencies.” Well, considering her daily activities, a mainlined dose of Bounce probably wouldn’t keep her awake more than five minutes.
“Yes, sir.” Hanna began shoveling food again. “Don’ need knives in space. What’s your gang?”
“Different planet, girl, you never heard of us.”
So her path had been more convoluted, the child Eve hadn’t simply stowed away on the Pride of Centuria?
“You expanding?” Hanna asked.
“Naw,” Eve chuckled. “I don’t want a piece of that shithole. I’m just paying a debt, kid.”
“How do you owe me?”
No. I don’t ever throw anything away. Hanna has never grabbed me as a main character, but that doesn’t mean she never will. And every bit of backstory builds my universe.
And now I’m going to bed.