Gwen had never known true silence unless Ben was asleep, but even then it only lasted for a few fleeting moments before he began to snore. At her own home she never really got silence anyway, whether she was at her mothers house with that blasted broken ceiling fan, or at her fathers house with the hum of the air conditioning always blowing above her head.

Yet here on this ship, it was quiet, an odd sort of calm unfit for her depressed mood. She dozed off a few times, every now and then waking up to a thunking noise, but then dozing back off.

A louder thunk woke her from her dazed sleep. She sat up to see Hinu setting up a cot in the corner of the room.

"I see you've finally woken up Gwendolen." he said as he turned, dropping a greenish blue pillow onto the center of the bed.

She just looked around a while, running her fingers about her hair. "Gorg's coming down the hall, don't keep her to long." Hinu said as he slithered out, shuting the door behind him with a bit of force.

Hinu’s attitude seemed almost the opposite of what he had been when Gwen had first met him.

Gwen glared at the door for a moment before sitting up completely, testing the strength in her legs. She lifted her feet quickly and dangled them over the side of the bed, letting her socked feet touch the floor.

She held onto one of bedposts and lifted herself slowly. A sharp, painful feeling in her feet began to tare its way across the bottom of her heals.
Gorg slipped in quickly, carrying a tray.

"Oh Gwendolen, don't try and get up just yet!" she said quickly with a spark of energy. She placed the tray down on a table beside the cot and hurried to Gwen's side as she fell forward.

Gwen felt Gorg's tail wrap around her waist and her hands help her to her feet.
"You'll pull something deary, let me help you." she said gently. Gorg lifted Gwen up off of her sore feet and ripped feeling thighs and began to slither toward the cot.

Gwen's stomach bubbled as she felt the muscles under Gorg's scales rub against her clothes. It was an odd enough feeling, but it wasn't anything to make her sick. In an odd way the scales on Gorg's tail felt...comforting, if that was the word.

Gwen reached her hand out to the blue cover of the cot and plopped face first onto it, her arms under her chin.
"So what exactly DID you cook Gorg?" Gwen ventured to ask as she rubbed her socks together, trying to look over at the table.

Gorg smiled brightly and sat next to Gwen on the bed with a smile.
"Well, Kevin told me your into organic, so I tried my luck with a few things and got this." she turned gently and put the tray out in front of her.

Gwen pondered in angery how Kevin, of all things that breathed, would know what she liked to eat. She shook her head and rolled her eyes, she'd ponder that unpleasent thought later. Much later.

Set in the center of the plate was a creamy white with a splash of green.
"Vegtable Lasagna, a homemade coffee cake and hot cocoa. I made two cups if you want me to stay with you for a while." Gorg said in a shy mannor. Gwen looked over the food and took in the aroma, she looked up at the snake creature and felt a smile come across her face.

"I'd like a little company." Gwen said happily. Maybe she could get along with Gorg well enough to get her to send her home. Gwen sat up gently on her elbows smiling. "So, what am I really doing here, besides company for Kevin-jerk?" Gwen asked picking up the fork.

Gorg only shook her head with a laugh, she poured two cups of the milk chocolate drink and handed one to Gwen. "Careful, it's still hot." she said in a motherly tone.

Gwen laughed and sat up more. "I'm serious Gorg." she said with a smile. The snake woman smiled and blew on her drink. "It was Hinu's idea really Gwendolen. I just wanted the boy off my case." she smiled and pinched off a piece of the coffee cake. "Really though, Kevin isn't that bad of a person."

"Oh no, he's worse." Gwen said as she stabed the creamy sauce covered noodle and shoved it into her mouth. Gorg giggled gently as Gwen swallowed the hot food quickly and fanned her hand outside of her mouth.

"Geez!" she squeaked blowing out. Another fit of laughter.
"Don't be in such a rush Gwendolen, things are never as they appear." Gorg said with a sip of her drink.

Her tail flipped up happily beside her on the oppisite side of the plate and caught Gwen's eye.
"Gorg..." she started.

"Yes Miss Gwendolen?" Gorg asked gently, placing the cup on the tray. "Can I ask you a question?" she said as she stabbed a smaller portion of the food onto her fork.
"Of course you can, anything." Gorg said sweetly, her face slightly flushed.

Gwen blew on the food and glanced at the shimmering purple scales once again. "Well, how is it...how is it you got your tail? Were you born with it, or was some magic involved?" Gwen blew on the food again before sticking it in her mouth to avoid eye contact with the other woman.

Gorg sighed and looked up.
"Magic was involved, magic and science." she said simply. Gwen began to chew on her lower lip in the silence and then looked up to her.
"I'm sorry."

The snake woman laughed warmly, her hand to her mouth.
"Oh dear no, there's nothing to be sorry about." she smiled and ran her hand across a scale on her cheek.

"This happened a very, very long time ago." she smiled and took up her cup again. She blew the steam away and smiled.
"How about we take questions in moderation. I tell you something and you tell me something." Gwen said quickly.

Gorg smiled and nodded.
"Alright then. I actually do have a question for you." Gorg said happily. Gwen took a bit of the coffee cake and swallowed quickly, "Shoot."

The snake women smiled happily, "What's it like to wear socks again?" she asked with a smile. Gwen couldn't help but laugh a bit at the thought.
"I never really thought about it." she said thoughtfully.

"Well, I know it's stupid, but it's a question none the less." Gorg said, her face the color of a cherry. She sipped once more at the emptying cup. Gwen sighed through her laughter and wiggled her toes.

"Sweaty." Gwen said with a smile. Gorg only laughed into her drink and let the silence develop over them. Gwen saw this as her turn for a question, and opened her mouth.

"Gorg." Hinu's voice snapped through the silence. The snake woman stayed in her seat, but turned her face to the shadowy figure in the doorway.
"Yes?" Gorg said in a timid voice, her body stiff in one quick movement.

'Just when I was getting her to open up.' Gwen thought throwing a tiny glare at the male. She shook her head as he slithered into the room. Hinu held out a bottle to Gorg and didn't give Gwen any notice.

"You left your pills on the bed. I was worried." he said as he tail tip curled by hers. Gorg laughed and stood.
"You worry to much." she said gently.
He shook his head and gave a smile.

Gwen saw a glint in his eyes like the first time she'd seen him, he was happy again. Gwen couldn’t help but wonder if Hinu was going through some kind of PMS. A smile broke out on her at the thought.


Gorg smiled and picked up her cup and turned back to Gwen with a smile.
"It's getting a little late Miss Gwendolen." Gorg smiled and gave a fake yawn.

"We'll leave you be for now." she gave a wink and hurried out after Hinu in a giggle. Gwen let her jaw drop and gave out a huff of annoyance, rolling over onto the bed again to finish eating.

Outside the closed door stood a dark figure, tall and bulky. Gorg stood behind Hinu, facing the figure.
"She's very annoying isn't she?" the creature asked, gruff and bitter.

Hinu seemed to be biting his tounge, his fist clenched.
"Gwendolen is only human." he seemed to remind the figure.

Gorg held out the bottle in her hand.
"Just take two, it'll give you three days more." she said gently. Hinu watched as the shadowy hand took the bottle slowly, as if daring him to come any further.

"You can go." the voice barked out, it gave off a low groan after a gulping sound was made, then no noise was heard. A moment later the door opened as the figure entered the room in silence.

Gorg looked back at the door and bit her lip.
"She'll be alright won't she?" she asked looking back at Hinu, taking his hand.

"She will, that's why I picked her." he said with a smile. He lifted her hand and gave it a small kiss.
"Let's go." he said with a smile. Gorg followed him with a smile, humming tunlessly.