It hadn't taken them long to get berthed back aboard the dropship, and the journey to the system's nadir jump point was uneventful. For the journey back to the clan home worlds, wherever they may be, the bondsmen remained berthed aboard the dropship, in the cargo hold that had become their home. The Falcon warriors had mostly moved to billets aboard the Warship. 

     Early on, Dirk Masterton had approached her, seeking to make amends. 

     "Hey Kendrick. It's been a while. I know you had a lot of stuff going on. I just wanted to try to smoothe things over with us. To apologize."

     She smirked, "For being an asshole?"

     He cocked his head slightly. "Something like that. Look, we're all just trying to get by here. I shouldn't have been so judgemental. I'll try to be more understanding going forward."

     "You're right, you shouldn't have been so judgemental."

     He held his hands up defensively. "Hey, I'm apologizing. Besides, scuttlebutt says we're in for a long ass journey. If we're going to be all cooped up in this egg, we might as well get along, right?"

     She raised an eyebrow mockingly. "You and your scuttlebutt. And you can ditch the act, I know you too well by now. If we're going to be all cooped up in this egg, as you put it, you're going to try to get back in my pants."

     He feigned a look of indignation. "Hey, give me some credit. Not that I'm denying it, what with you being all hot and clannified now."

     She smiled playfully at him. "Tell me you did not just say that."

     He laughed. "Truth hurts sometimes. Anyhow, I'll catch up with you later. I've got some actuators to grease or something."

     She allowed herself a smile as he left. 

     It hadn't taken them long to settle into a routine, and Fiona had gone about her training all the harder. After a few weeks, however, Abigail had broadened her training to include a significant amount more technical study. The differences in clan and Inner Sphere technology never ceased to amaze her are she poured over texts and readouts for the vastly superior clan equipment. 

     She was propped on her elbows, reading a text about the development of omnimech technology by Clan Coyote in the mid 2800's when she felt Dirk begin to massage her shoulders. 

     "You know, the whole idea of naughty study dates is that after the studying and the naughty parts, you relax and pass out for a while. You push yourself too hard sometimes, Kendrick."

     She chuckled. "You didn't seem to mind how hard I was pushing you earlier. And I told you, you need to stop calling me that."

     He rolled off her and onto his back. "I know, I know, the clans dont like last names and all that. But you have to hold on to some of yourself. Better than what that taskmaster of yours calls you. You know a surat is like this weird bat monkey thing? I mean they're cute and all, but still."

     Fiona clicked off the noteputer and nestled up against Dirk. "I know. Personally, I take it as a term of endearment, but maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment."

     He ran his fingers through her hair. "No, you just take this warrior business too seriously at times. Just relax. You'll pass whatever the test is, and you know it. Just dont burn yourself out in the process so there's nothing left when you get there."

     "Understood, doctor Dirk." She joked. 

     They lay in silence for a few minutes before Dirk spoke up. "So, ask you a question?"

     She kept her eyes closed, savoring the sensation of floating in the weightlessness of zero-gravity. "Sure."

     "Some nights you never come back to the dropship. You got yourself a secret clan lover or something squirreled away on the Warship?"

     She opened her eyes and raised an eyebrow. "Keeping an eye on me, eh? Is someone jealous?"

     He chuckled. "Not on your life, Kendrick. Our arrangement is just for fun, I know that. But I'm also curious, you know that as well. Me and my scuttlebutt."

     She sighed playfully. "Yes, you and your scuttlebutt. Look, it's no big deal. Every once in a while my training runs late and I just stay on the Warship for the night. With Abigail."

     He grinned. "Ha, I knew it. Wait, so you're sharing the sheets with that gorgeous piece of clanner that wipes the floor with your ass every day for fun? You're crazy, Kendrick, you know that. Besides, I never knew you were into that."

     She punched him playfully in the chest. "Into what? Clanners or women? Because in both cases, you never asked. And with the clanners, coupling is no big deal, it's just casual. Like this."

     "Hmm. Maybe I could get to like this clan thing after all..."