Snubnose

The rain made a drumming noise across the top of Alphie's umbrella and skittered across the concrete, getting the tops of her boots wet.  The road was painted in hues of green and red, and the momentary flash of yellow from the stoplights overhead, and further down pinks, reds, greens, and purples from the flashy, lite-up signs advertising hookers, money, and gambling.  Such was the life of Alexander, largest city on Azo 1.  The purchase of the planet nearly two centuries ago was a tragedy to the people of Earth- the first viable planet, bought by the bloodsucking Mafia, who still, to this day, controlled it.

Alphie, who had been raised on it, knew there were worse planets.  That didn't mean she didn't keep armed at all times.  There were always slavers afoot and people more willing to turn their head then spare a second helping the victim escape.  Music escaped from a bar through the opened doors- that's when she saw him.  Her heart stopped for a moment as she looked at him, framed in a halo of green light overhead.  Norse.  She walked faster, trying to catch him as he started walking across the street.  "Norse!" 

He stopped and turned, looking at her a look of surprise forming on his face, then walked off of the street back onto the sidewalk.  "Thought you were dead."

"Nope.  Just barely made it."  He nodded slowly, as did she. 

"Ship?"

"Destroyed."

"Ah."  He nodded again, feeling awkward out in the open.  "Come to my place.  We can talk there." She nodded again and they walked in silence. 

Norse lived in a skanky part of town, all dirt and garbage.  He didn't have to worry though- he was six-foot-eleven and was more than able to hold his own.  "Did you join the circus again?"  Alphie asked as he ushered her through the door. 

"No,"  he said, pulling the string to the bare bulb in the hallway  "Repo man.  Breaking knees with a sledgehammer."  He chuckled.  She looked at him out of the corner of her eyes.  He pressed past her, pulling the string in the living room, illuminating an easy chair and a couch, both old lady floral and scratched up by cats. 

She sat down on the couch, and he took the chair, long legs halfway across the length of the couch.  "You'd have made a killing in the circus, what with your freakish flexibility."

"Maybe, but I was waiting,"  her face asked the question.  "For a new crew, a new ship."

"It just so happens that I just bought a new ship."  He straightened.  "Snubnose class." 

"Jesus,"  he whistled.  "Old as hell."

"Yep.  I only need two besides myself."