“Just kick it.” Trisha suggested.

“Uh… No.” Jim continued to tamper with the computer terminal’s wiring.

“This is taking too long.” Trisha complained, “I’m serious, give it one good sharp kick, that’ll boot it back up; and then we can take a break.”

“You’re worse than Aisha.” Jim muttered, shaking his head in disbelief, “We just got off lunch 45 minutes ago, we don’t need a break. And I hope your ‘kick it’ suggestion was a joke, that’d probably only break something else.” Jim scratched his head uncertain of what to do, “The wirings been cut, it looks almost like its been…… chewed through.”

“I’m worse than Commander Bitch? phfft!” Trisha was pretty offended, “Thanks for the insult Jim, why don’t you just call me evil incarnate? Or is that not harsh enough?”

“Trisha, Aisha is really nice when you get to know her.” Jim said seriously while searching for the cause of the cut wiring, was it Malukian rats again?

“Aisha is the meanest, snobbiest, most stuck up, self centered, egotistical, annoying, conniving, loud, offensive, ugly, moronic, malicious, and spiteful bitch I’ve ever had the displeasure of knowing. But if you ignore all that I suppose I can see how she might be tolerable… for short intervals…. Eh, who the hell am I kidding? It’s impossible not to hate her guts.”

It was amazing how similar the two of them were. Both had firey personalities, both had playful natures, both were loyal friends. It’s just that, while Aisha grew up with a silver terran…. Er… spoon in her mouth, Trisha had grown up in a crumby orphanage. Though Jim loved Aisha to death and though he really liked Trisha he couldn’t deny they were both hotheads. It wasn’t too hard to dream up a situation were the two could wind up hating each other. One bad first impression had probably led to their long lasting rivalry. If only the two women weren’t so damn confrontational. He knew Aisha could easily hold a grudge and Trisha was apparently the same way.

“I’m telling you that if you….. damn it!” A large three eyed rat scurried over Jim’s hand shrieking.

“Hm? More Malukian rats?” Trisha asked.

“I swear this ship is infested with these things.” Jim shook his head, “They must have snuck up on the ship when we were getting resupplied and multiplied.”

“Here.” Despite her stuffed stomach Trisha licked her lips. Jim moved aside and Trisha reached in snapping up the rather large rat. She quickly swallowed the critter in one large gulp. Her belly weakly shook. Though Jim assumed the man inside was dead, what with the melting bones and all, having a furious and scared Malukian rat land on his head was enough to cause him to move slightly. Or maybe the rat was just really strong and desperate, “Tasty… hmmm, there don’t seem to be any more in here.”

“How could one rat do so much damage?” Jim looked back in on the ruined wiring, “This all has to be replaced. We’ve got some work ahead of us.”

Trisha sighed, “Aw well, beats scrubbing toilets anyway. I’ve still got to do that later tonight ya know. Compliments of the Commander you seem to think so highly of.”

……………………..

After her nap Paige wanted to go help her friends but…. She still had quite a large tummy. Though it was nothing to be ashamed of if you’re Ctarl Ctarl she was a bit afraid of Jim’s reaction. It had to bother him, knowing that some innocent soul had died inside of her. Actually it bothered her as well! Also she looked quite plump with her once living meal causing her belly to bulge out. Paige, being very self conscious and occasionally self loathing, couldn’t allow Jim to see her until she’d fully digested her poor meal.

Trisha and Jim rendezvoused back at her room two hours after lunch.

“I wonder what’s keeping her, she’s probably feeling a little under the weather.” Trisha knocked on the door.

A minute later it opened a crack. Paige’s eye looked through the opening. “You feeling all right Paige?” Trisha asked concerned.

“Y- yeah. Hey Trisha, could I speak to you alone in here for a second? Sorry Jim, could you wait in the hall?”

“Sure.” Jim nodded.

Trisha slipped in and Paige quickly shut the door behind her.

“What’s wrong?”

“This!” Paige patted her gut.

“…. I don’t follow.”

“I can’t let Jim see me like this!”

“Oh, he won’t care!” Trisha laughed.

“No please, you have to put him up for the night!”

“…. Are you serious?” Trisha couldn’t believe how self conscious Paige was acting. Jim wouldn’t judge her; Jim wouldn’t even care. He’d seen plenty of prey filled guts.

“I’m sorry Trisha, I know I’m asking a lot. Just…. Please.” Paige asked her friend, a not of desperation in her voice. “I’m just scared of what he’ll think.”

Trisha sighed