"I would hope so, in a few different ways. At any rate, we will soon be launching. I suggest you head back to the mechbay, find our Scimitar squadron, and secure yourself. If this is your first flight out of orbit, this will be rough." You smile in the most charming way you know.
You see Cornelius starting to raise his cane off the floor to point at the cabinet, and surreptitiously step on its tip to prevent him from betraying your disciple.
"Oh, thank you sir pirate! I wanted to visit with Fa for a while, but...I'll leave you alone with her and the doctor." She curtsies prettily and scampers off.
After a few minutes, Moe hauls himself out of the cabinet, disheveled and meticulously fixing his clothes.
"Hey, Mohammed." You say gravely, "What's this you're doing?"
"What do you mean, 'what am I doing?' I'm hiding from her." He brushes dust off his black leather Kestrels jacket.
You shake your head slowly, "A man doesn't hide from his woman's love."
"She's not my woman!" He sputters.
"Oh, isn't she? She seemed like she was to me. Or at least, she wants to be." You stretch a little without releasing Fatima's hand.
"Admiral. Sir. When I was in Lady Fatima's employ, she would often have me accompany her to visit the orphanage Lady Shukriya volunteers at. She teaches the children songs, sir. Obnoxious songs about friendship and tomorrow and understanding, most of which she either made up herself or learned from that one Jovian idol she likes. Lacie or Loretta or one of those names Fleur. It was endless. Her tastes are awful, and I had to stand there nodding politely and listening the WHOLE time because I was in Lady Fatima's service. I am a free man now, a pirate officer! Surely I do not have to put up with this anymore." He protests. Calmly at first, but by the end his voice is slightly frenzied, "She is incessant and clingy and relentlessly attempts to mold me into her ideal of a pious Martian man."
>[What say?]