Brass Skies vol 2 (Draft)

Hired Gun part 45 (Finale)

Asuka knocked on the captain's door. When Jezebel opened the door and seemed surprised to see her, Asuka bit her lip nervously. "Is this a bad time?"

"Not at all," Jezebel stepped to the side to reveal Clarabelle and Robert sitting at a table eating a third chair was pulled out, obviously where Jezebel had been sitting and a fourth chair sat at the table. We're just finishing up a little breakfast. There's plenty if you wish to join us?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I just need to talk to the captain for a few minutes," Asuka said softly.

Robert stood up. "If you need privacy, we can step outside."

Asuka shook her head. "Clarabelle and Jezebel should hear this too."

Behind her, Jezebel closed the door while Robert pulled the extra chair out. "Please, sit," he invited.

"Domo," Asuka slid into the chair. To the side, Jezebel slipped into the other.

"You said you had something to talk to us about?" Robert prodded gently as he sat down.

"Yes. I have a favor to ask. Actually I have two. I had intended on staying aboard this hikōsen only long enough to find a place to go. I now realize I don't have any other place. I cannot go back to Nippon, nor can I go back to the islands where you found me, especially now that I am pregnant. I have asked Mister Peters if he would marry me, and he has agreed so my first favor is to ask if you would be so kind as to marry us."

All three looked surprised, but offered their congratulations.

"Of course," Robert replied. "I would be more than happy to. What's the second favor?"

Asuka looked down demurely. "I know that you, have vowed not to take on any more women crew after the incident with Karin, but I would like to beg you to make an exception."

Robert raised his eyebrows. "May I ask for whom?"

"For me," Asuka said softly.

Across from her Clarabelle burst out giggling and beside her Jezebel did the same. Even the captain snorted and looked as if he was about to laugh.

Asuka's eyes fell and tears formed at the corner of her eyes. She had expected resistance to the idea but not outright laughter. Before she could stop it, a sob escaped her.

Clarabelle was kneeling beside Asuka in an instant and sweeping the girl into a hug. "Aww, Sweetie, don't cry. Forgive me, that was wrong of us to laugh, but I swear to you that we weren't laughing at the idea of you being part of the crew. We are laughing at the fact that you are probably the only person on this ship who, even after all this time, still hasn't realized that you're already part of the crew, you silly, silly girl. You were part of the crew long before that rule was made."

She felt Jezebel's hand on her shoulder as Clarabelle continued. "There was no malice intended. We just found it funny you felt you had to ask for what's already yours. I promise you, that as long as any of the three of us are alive and the ship exists you will always have a home on the Robert's Revenge. Always."

With that, Asuka began sobbing anew, but for an entirely different reason.