That night, safely back on the road to the Loca Colony, Galberon pirates far in their wake, Heb made his crew a celebratory meal. It consisted mainly of the same protein and vitamin blocks they normally ate, but there was some whiskey afterwards.
"I've been saving this bottle for a special occasion and, well, this is about as special as it gets. I've lived most of my life in this part of space and I have never, ever heard of a human cargo ship getting the better of those little bastards. Until today!" He added the last bit with a flourish and they cheered.
"And, and," he continued when they'd quietened down, "we owe it all to the newest member of the E16 family. Cherry, you've certainly got your space legs now!"
As her shipmates cheered again, Cherry felt herself blush, but was grateful for the praise. Moreover, there was a warm feeling that came with being described as a member of a family. She loved her parents of course and sent them messages every other day and she even missed them sometimes, but this was different. This was something she'd carved out for herself.
Amidst the ongoing chatter and back-slapping and drinking, Cherry took note that for perhaps the first time since she'd met him, Fem was smiling and joining in. Maybe the whiskey agreed with him, or maybe it was the exhilaration of what they'd just been through, but he was obviously outwardly happy in a way she hadn't seen before, laughing and joking around like the rest. She considered commenting on it, but didn't want to seem rude. The captain did anyway.
"I tell you what else positive came out of all this. Cherry, you finally get to see the real Fem here, letting his hair down!" he said, giving Fem a clap on the shoulder and letting his hand linger there a moment or two in a way that lent the gesture much greater affection. Cherry expected Fem to look uncomfortable, but he smiled amiably and clinked glasses with Heb.
"Like you say Skip, it's good to let your hair down once in a while." Even his reply was friendly and cheerful.
Cherry couldn't help the wide grin that spread across her lips. She'd felt a little awkward around Fem ever since she first arrived on board. She was so out-going and talkative and so in her experience were the Skipper and Tor, but Fem was so hard to read. This new side of him was right up her alley and she was glad of the chance to finally get to peel back a few of his layers.
As the night wore on, the spontaneous division of four companions into two pairs that happens sometimes in such gatherings occurred naturally. The captain and Tor began sharing old stories while Cherry and Fem, sitting on opposite corners of the table, struck up their first ever friendly chat.
He even made the first move. He asked her all about her time on Earth and her background. Freely and happily, she told him all about Phil the prick and even her encounter at Velasy's. He thought this was hilarious, though he showed no surprise. Evidently, the reputation of Fetrillians was well founded and well known. She was eager to begin her own line of questioning when he made a parting remark about the effect of Velasy's pheromones that gave her pause.
"I wish I had that power sometimes!" It was too good an opportunity to pass up.
She stood up casually, or as casually as possible for someone just a touch on the drunk side of sober, and grazed her arm deliberately across his back as she moved to the counter for the bottle, adding:
"Just so you know Fem, I usually don't need special pheromones to get me hot."
She'd put perhaps a moment's thought into it. She felt with more time she could have made it more suggestive, more sexy, but was satisfied nonetheless. Fem snorted and glanced back at her, slightly inquisitively she felt. As she turned with the bottle, she winked at him.
"So tell me Fem, what do you like to do?" she asked as she returned to her seat.
"Now you've gone and done it!" It was the captain. She hadn't noticed that he and Tor were between stories. Before she could react, he went on.
"Come on Tor, if the whiskey don't do it, hearing about Fem's Rulippian clay will definitely put us to sleep".
Tor snorted drunken agreement and they all bade goodnight to each other, warm smiles all round. Cherry and Fem were left sitting at the table alone.
"What was that all about? What's Rulippian clay?"
"You'd think I never stop talking about it! It's... well... as a hobby I work with Rulippian clay, sort of sculpture I guess. But it's fancy alien clay so it's kinda magic!" His eyes were bright as he spoke and Cherry's happiness at seeing this new side of Fem grew. He was an artist. Of course he was.
"Magic?! What do you mean?" she asked eagerly.
"Come on, I'll have to show you," he replied, taking her hand and leading her from the lounge toward his quarters. Under other circumstances, her thoughts would already have turned to the potential for sex but for the moment she was still actively focused on lifting the veil on who Fem really was.