Changes take forever
And I hear them saying you'll never change things
And no matter what you do it's still the same thing
But it's not the world that I am changing
I do this so this world will know
That it will not change me.
The Change – Garth Brooks
Bel looked in the mirror and traced her fingers along her hair, eyes taking in the now bleached bangs and red hair that was chopped short around her head and face. The weekend spent on Persephone did her well. She caught up with Sarah and Walter, old patients and new contacts. It was Sarah’s idea to go to this fancy place usually reserved for companions. The money helped a lot even though Bel’s opinion of companions changed significantly over the past few months. She wouldn’t say she disliked them, just the idea of them. The fact that most thought they were better than everyone and all they cared for was the credits. She had yet to meet one that had a heart of gold. Just ones that cared for their own bottom line.
“You look beautiful, Ms. Carver. That cut and color does very well for you.” The woman taking care of her stared back at her in the mirror and smiled brightly. She said her name was Alexis. Bel didn’t know if she was a companion or not. But she was nice and so Bel cut off her usual coldness just this once.
“You did a wonderful job. Thank you, Alexis.” She did feel good. She figured since every male in the verse drooled over long flowing hair, the short hair would turn them away. She didn’t need them. Didn’t need any man in her life. She thought idly about Derrick and rubbed the back of her neck before she looked back at Alexis. “Now, lets do something about these glasses.” She looked down at the glasses in question and smiled wistfully before glancing back at the girl.
“Right this way, Ms. Carver.” She helped her out of her chair and led her to the room where the doctor awaited. He was older, gruff looking and looked upset in the fact here was summoned here on a day off. The exchange of credits brightened his demeanor and he helped Bel onto the table before nodding to Alexis.
“Let’s get those eyes fixed. Just a little near sighted, Ms. Carver?”
The procedure took less than half an hour and when Bel looked up and over at the chart across the room, she smiled. She had never seen this clearly in years. Ever, actually. She sighed and nodded, blinking a bit before shaking the doctor’s hand and nodding.
The extra credits assured silence before she walked out the door, glancing up at the dark sky and stars for the first time without her glasses. Her walk took longer than usual as she chose to walk through the street market that only shows up after dark. Considering most of the objects were black market and under the radar of the Alliance.
As Bel walked around a corner, an arm shot out and stopped her, making her bounce back a bit on her heels before she reached behind her for her gun tucked neatly at her back. Her eyes adjusted to the dark, which was easy considering her state of black and white.
“ Ello, Missy. What ‘ave we got ‘ere? A pretty young thing walking alone after dark? You could get ‘urt.” She looked him in the eyes and quirked a brow. He didn’t scare her. She had seen worse things walking in the daylight to her own clinic on Hale’s.
“Mr. Kennedy sends his best.” She could see his eyes widen a bit before his arm dropped to his side. He shuffled back into the dark and Bel continued on, walking towards the shimmering blue light. A young woman, everything a companion says she isn’t, nodded to her as she approached.
“Looking for a good time, Miss?” She couldn’t of been more than 16, the girl’s black hair piled on her head Bel looked her over a minute before she spoke.
“Im looking for a small dog. Brown with black spots.” The girl nodded and moved out of the doorway, nodding at it before Bel slipped her a couple thousand credits. “Find a ship and board it. Head to Hale’s. We can find you a job there.” She looked at the girl and the girl nodded before Bel slipped in the door.
The warehouse was huge. Big enough to store a ship. Lined all over the floor space were small tents, the loud voices of barkers and sellers echoing in her ears. She tugged her jacket around her tighter as she wandered the aisles. She picked up a few medical supplies as well as some personal items before her eyes caught onto something. She walked slowly to the bike, cherry red and gleaming in the lantern light. She reached out and caressed along the handlebars and down along the tank and seat before she looked out over to the seller. She knew her look was neutral and calm, getting a good price for the bike and even getting the seller to deliver it to her on Hale’s. Along with a pair of goggles hooked around her neck, Bel wandered out the exit of the warehouse, looking over her shoulder as the exit was cleverly disguised as a mechanic’s garage.
With the night almost over and Bel thousands of credits poorer, she headed back to Sarah and Walter, deciding the next day she would head back to Hale’s.
And no matter what you do it's still the same thing
But it's not the world that I am changing
I do this so this world will know
That it will not change me.
The Change – Garth Brooks
Bel looked in the mirror and traced her fingers along her hair, eyes taking in the now bleached bangs and red hair that was chopped short around her head and face. The weekend spent on Persephone did her well. She caught up with Sarah and Walter, old patients and new contacts. It was Sarah’s idea to go to this fancy place usually reserved for companions. The money helped a lot even though Bel’s opinion of companions changed significantly over the past few months. She wouldn’t say she disliked them, just the idea of them. The fact that most thought they were better than everyone and all they cared for was the credits. She had yet to meet one that had a heart of gold. Just ones that cared for their own bottom line.
“You look beautiful, Ms. Carver. That cut and color does very well for you.” The woman taking care of her stared back at her in the mirror and smiled brightly. She said her name was Alexis. Bel didn’t know if she was a companion or not. But she was nice and so Bel cut off her usual coldness just this once.
“You did a wonderful job. Thank you, Alexis.” She did feel good. She figured since every male in the verse drooled over long flowing hair, the short hair would turn them away. She didn’t need them. Didn’t need any man in her life. She thought idly about Derrick and rubbed the back of her neck before she looked back at Alexis. “Now, lets do something about these glasses.” She looked down at the glasses in question and smiled wistfully before glancing back at the girl.
“Right this way, Ms. Carver.” She helped her out of her chair and led her to the room where the doctor awaited. He was older, gruff looking and looked upset in the fact here was summoned here on a day off. The exchange of credits brightened his demeanor and he helped Bel onto the table before nodding to Alexis.
“Let’s get those eyes fixed. Just a little near sighted, Ms. Carver?”
The procedure took less than half an hour and when Bel looked up and over at the chart across the room, she smiled. She had never seen this clearly in years. Ever, actually. She sighed and nodded, blinking a bit before shaking the doctor’s hand and nodding.
The extra credits assured silence before she walked out the door, glancing up at the dark sky and stars for the first time without her glasses. Her walk took longer than usual as she chose to walk through the street market that only shows up after dark. Considering most of the objects were black market and under the radar of the Alliance.
As Bel walked around a corner, an arm shot out and stopped her, making her bounce back a bit on her heels before she reached behind her for her gun tucked neatly at her back. Her eyes adjusted to the dark, which was easy considering her state of black and white.
“ Ello, Missy. What ‘ave we got ‘ere? A pretty young thing walking alone after dark? You could get ‘urt.” She looked him in the eyes and quirked a brow. He didn’t scare her. She had seen worse things walking in the daylight to her own clinic on Hale’s.
“Mr. Kennedy sends his best.” She could see his eyes widen a bit before his arm dropped to his side. He shuffled back into the dark and Bel continued on, walking towards the shimmering blue light. A young woman, everything a companion says she isn’t, nodded to her as she approached.
“Looking for a good time, Miss?” She couldn’t of been more than 16, the girl’s black hair piled on her head Bel looked her over a minute before she spoke.
“Im looking for a small dog. Brown with black spots.” The girl nodded and moved out of the doorway, nodding at it before Bel slipped her a couple thousand credits. “Find a ship and board it. Head to Hale’s. We can find you a job there.” She looked at the girl and the girl nodded before Bel slipped in the door.
The warehouse was huge. Big enough to store a ship. Lined all over the floor space were small tents, the loud voices of barkers and sellers echoing in her ears. She tugged her jacket around her tighter as she wandered the aisles. She picked up a few medical supplies as well as some personal items before her eyes caught onto something. She walked slowly to the bike, cherry red and gleaming in the lantern light. She reached out and caressed along the handlebars and down along the tank and seat before she looked out over to the seller. She knew her look was neutral and calm, getting a good price for the bike and even getting the seller to deliver it to her on Hale’s. Along with a pair of goggles hooked around her neck, Bel wandered out the exit of the warehouse, looking over her shoulder as the exit was cleverly disguised as a mechanic’s garage.
With the night almost over and Bel thousands of credits poorer, she headed back to Sarah and Walter, deciding the next day she would head back to Hale’s.
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