Mint leads Asher into the hangar, to meet with Jules. She has a large sum of credits from her win. Mint walks in casually: ”Great fight today Jules, at least you didn’t wreck the thing like last time.” he holds out his hand gesturing to receive some of the winnings.
Jules: “Right, thanks for the repairs Mint, sorry I couldn’t pay you back sooner.”
Mint: “Sure, whatever. Anyways, you got some fans here who wanted to see you. Well just one really” Asher is smitten and finds himself at a loss for words. Mint continues, “Asher was the one over the radio!”
Asher smiles nervously, “right… about that-”
Jules, realizing who she’s talking to, barrels toward Asher angrily. “You, you’re the jerk on the radio! I don’t know who you think you are, but you got a lot of nerve hijacking my coms!” She jams her finger into Asher’s chest with her gloves in hand.
Asher is taken aback, as Mint jumps to Asher’s defense, “Jeez Jules calm down. Poor guy came here just to meet you.”
Jules: “You know what I said before mint! I’ve already got enough to deal with when I’m in the arena, let alone some crazy stunt like this.”
Mint breathes a sigh slightly embarrassed by her reaction, “Sorry Ash, Jules can be a bit stubborn sometimes.”
Asher gets himself together and smiles at Mint’s apology. “No, don’t worry about it, I get it.” He looks at Jules “Sorry about that.” He smiles awkwardly.
Jules’ demeanor changes ever so slightly. She sighs, and looks toward Asher, “Just stay clear of my way.” She begins walking back to her rig.
Asher is more relieved by her response, breathing a sigh of relief while she turns away: “You’re new right?” he says, trying to keep up with her as she walks away.
Jules rolls her eyes, “was it that obvious?” she says sarcastically.
Asher: “no it’s not that, it’s just I don’t usually see new faces in the arena.”
Jules: “registered a few weeks ago,” her answer is short, hoping Asher will leave her alone but he persists. As she catches him at the corner of her eye she continues “This was my second fight.”
Asher: “Really? Well, you looked amazing out there.” Mint plants his palm into his face in the background.
Jules is unamused by the cheeky remark. She places her gloves down and turns to face Asher. “If you’re gonna bullshit me, you should work on your lying.” Her expression is blunt. She knows that her performance was lacking, and his effort to be polite falls short.
Asher: “Sure it could’ve been better, but I can tell you got skill. For a second fight, you could’ve fooled me.”
Mint stands between the two: “Asher’s a pilot too.”
Jules replies in a condescending tone “Really?” She eyes Asher sizing him up looking unimpressed.
Asher: “I’ve been around the block a few times, I know a little.”
She looks at him intently: “What’s your record?”
Asher: “5-0”
Jules: “only five fights?”
Asher grins smugly: “this is more of a side hobby for me.”
Jules: “You run with anyone?”
Asher: “I’m used to flying solo.”
Jules: “Who’s your coach?”
Asher: “self taught.”
Jules scoffs, “I call bullshit.”
Asher: “I can show you my rig.”
Jules, still not believing him, follows him to his spot in the hangar with Mint trailing behind. They stop in front of his wreck of a rig, and Jules can’t help but laugh out loud.
Asher: “It ain’t much, but it gets the job done.”
Mint looks at jules concerned: “apparently he does all his own repairs too.” she looks back at him.
Jules: “You expect me to believe you won 5 fights in this thing?”
Asher: “Not really.” He tosses the credits he just won onto his workbench. “But I know how money talks.”
They both look at him now considering he might be telling the truth. Asher smiles nonchalantly: “I’ve actually been looking for a mechanic, You must be pretty good if you’re the one who’s been doing work on Jules’s rig.”
Mint takes pride in the praise.
Jules quickly picks up on where Asher is going, and is amused at the gull of the proposition. She chuckles: “You are not taking my mechanic!” Her expression bitters, “I let you off the hook for the stunt you pulled earlier, but you best not push your luck.”
Asher tries to lighten the tone: “Never said that, but I know talent when I see it, and I could use a little help is all.” Asher pauses for a moment to look at Mint, “Fully paid of course.”
Before Mint can say anything Jules responds masking her annoyance with sarcasm: “Well I don’t know about Mint, but I’m not really interested in the idea of helping my competition. Another contender in the arena means more variables.” Jules has a more assertive look now. Mint thinks for a moment then nods in agreement.
Asher: “Who said we had to be competition?.”
Jules ignores the question: “Thanks, but we’re fine.”
Asher picks up a wrench fiddling with it while Jules walks away: “I know you’re new, so you probably don’t have a gang, do you?” she stops in her tracks.
Jules: “So what? Neither do you.”
Asher continues: “All I’m saying is, you got some skill. Maybe we could help each other out.”
Jules: “Gang of three isn’t much of a gang. Besides, If I wanted to be in a gang I could just go join some other gang.”
Mint watches the conversation go back and forth.
Asher: “If you wanna join one of these mediocre gangs, by all means go for it. But there’s a reason I fly solo; you don’t want your team to be a liability. But in regards to better gangs, they don’t want stragglers. As a rookie, you’re a long shot away from what they’re looking for.” His words are blunt, but true.
He continues “You’re not bad, but you’d be settling, and if you’re the only one winning, you’re gonna be splitting everything you earn at least 4 ways. If you ask me, the only way to really succeed is to make a name for yourself… but I have a feeling you already know that.” She turns around to face him “So… you can help me now, or we can see each other in the arena later.” He holds out the wrench, waiting for her to meet him halfway.
Jules’ arms remain folded. She and Mint consider the proposition. There is an underlying confidence in Asher’s words that is perplexing to Jules, “Pretty confident for someone who only has five fights under their belt.” she says smugly.
Asher: “You’ll get used to it. After all, when no one else believes in you, believing in yourself is the only other option.” he says, matching her tone.
The words strike a chord with Jules, and her expression softens, but she still isn’t convinced. “Thanks, but we don’t need your help.”
Asher finds that he’s losing her, “That’s a shame, cause I could offer to coach you…”
Jules’ brow furrows, almost seeming offended by the offer. “What makes you think I’d accept coaching from you?”
Asher: “I get it, you don’t have to pay me or anything.” he smirks “I just thought you’d make a good teammate. As I said, I’ve been around the arena for a bit, might help to have someone like me around.”
Jules: “You’re confident, but that doesn’t mean you’re capable, don’t care what your so-called record looks like. Besides, I don’t make deals with strangers.”
Asher: “Sure that’s a fair point, but I helped you win today, didn’t I?”
Jules doesn’t want to admit it so she stays silent.
Mint sees that Asher has a fair argument, “Jules he is offering to coach for free.”
Jules: “I know, but I don’t need a coach!” she yells in whispers, beginning to argue with mint in front of Asher.
Mint: “Jules… there’s a reason why the people who can afford coaches have them.”
Jules: “Yeah but-” she can’t immediately come up with a valid reason to turn down Asher. “But- how are you gonna work on two rigs?” she asks mint.
Mint: “Come on look at the thing. Sure it’s a piece of junk, but it’ll be easy work.” he quiets his voice, “And easy money.”
Jules: “But-” Jules expresses her displeasure.
Mint: “But only if you supply all the parts” mint says loud enough for Asher to hear. Jules rolls her eyes in contempt.
Asher: “Of course, they’ll be fully compensated.”
Mint: “30 creds for an hour of repairs.”
Asher: “Fair enough.”
Jules: “Really mint? Come on, you can’t just go work for him!”
Mint: “Jules, you would’ve lost today if it weren’t for Asher.” he gestures in Asher’s direction and they both look at him. He stands there watching them. “Besides, if we turn him down now, he’s guaranteed competition later.” there’s a pause, “We both know we could use all the help we can get. Plus, he is playing…”
Jules looks hurt by Mint’s honesty, but she also sees the credits in Mint’s hand, realizing she wouldn’t have been able to give him that if she had lost her fight. She sighs in reluctance. “Fine, just get his rig up and running so he can start being useful.” Mint nods. Jules continues, “Alright… Asher…” Reluctance fills her words “Looks like you got yourself a deal… on one condition. If you don’t carry your weight, we’re out, got it?” she reaches out to grab the wrench taking it out of his hand.
Asher holds back a chuckle, “Fair enough… but I can say the same for you.” There is a pause as Jules turns to the side
Jules: “Don’t worry about me.”
Asher: “First rule of being on a team is looking out for each other, second is keeping each other accountable.”
Jules plays along, “Guess you got a point.”
Asher, “it’s what us runt’s gotta do”
The banter brings the group closer together.
Mint begins to smile, “Well then, let’s see what you got flyboy!”