#Jazz and Naeva are having relationship issues

[toxiclizardwrites]

WIP Wednesday

I'm finally finding the time to wrap up Chapter 10 of Love and Rage. It's not quite done yet, but here is an excerpt: ---------------

Jazz paced the ship depot, her arms folded across her chest. Naeva was on her way, and she had run out of excuses as to why the Comspike wasn't ready yet. It was easy enough to dismantle from the prototype ship to transfer to Delgado’s, but building a new one from scratch was a completely different story. She bit her lower lip in frustration and stared at the blueprints that lay scattered on her desk. It would take at least another week to get the design right, and then another to find the right parts to create another Comspike. Some of the tech needed was difficult to get and expensive, and the Fleet’s finances were already in the red. Naeva would not be happy. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by the familiar sound of boots on metal as Naeva made her way down the hallway to the ship depot. Jazz took a breath as Naeva’s face came into view. These days, she didn't look like the Naeva that Jazz knew. Her eyes didn't have that cocky look anymore. Instead, they burned with hatred and a constant hunger for revenge. Jazz felt like she had to walk on eggshells around the woman that was once the love of her life, the woman who held her and laughed with her. Tears started welling up in Jazz’s eyes as she longed for the past, but she quickly blinked them away as Naeva approached.

“You know why I'm here angel”

The nickname would have once caused an involuntary smile to form on the ship technician’s lips, but now it sent an uneasy shiver down her spine. Jazz briefly wondered if she would ever feel that smile form again. 

“the design is finalized, but we need specialized parts. Once we get those, I estimate it will take about a week to build and install,” she said, walking over to the blueprints and running her hands over them like they had some secret that would save her from this conversation. 

Naeva scoffed and came up behind her, leaning forward so her mouth was near Jazz’s ear. “See the interesting thing is,” she started, the words causing every hair on Jazz’s neck to stand up, “we shouldn't need parts when the prototype ship had a working Comspike on it.” 

She clicked her tongue and rose to a standing position. “So I think, and by all means, angel, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you're lying to me.” 

Jazz turned from the desk and opened her mouth to speak, but Naeva held a finger to her lips. “Don't. Don't fucking tell me.” She pushed her finger off of Jazz’s mouth and pulled out her dagger, flipping it around in her fingers. Jazz backed away, but the dagger was at her throat before she knew what happened. 

“To think,” Naeva said, her mouth inches away from Jazz’s face, “my love, my angel, would do such a thing,” her eyes shifted to meet Jazz’s gaze, the dagger still present and threatening at her throat. “Help a weakling. Help a traitor.” She emphasized the last word like it made her sick to utter. 

Tears rolled down Jazz’s face but anger welled up in her eyes. “He's my captain,” she said softly. “He saved me, took me in when I had nowhere to go…” Naeva growled and in some swift motion, pulled the dagger back and threw it forward so hard that it grazed Jazz’s face, leaving a line of Crimson behind, and with a thunk, stuck in the wall behind her. 

“Oh he saved me” she mocked, “well what about me? I loved you, I gave you everything.”

Jazz tried her best to stifle her sobs as anger and sadness took over. “Naeva, you're not yourself. Just stop,” she begged, trying to reach forward to touch her girlfriend. “You were loyal to Delgado. To the Fleet. It isn't too late.” 

Naeva took two steps forward and looked down at Jazz, their noses almost touching. “I'm going to find him and kill him.” She said with vitriol. “And since you won't help me, it looks like I have no choice but to get you out of the way.” 

A small nod and four hands were on Jazz’s shoulders and hips. “What are you doing?” 

Naeva didn't say a word as the pirates pushed Jazz forward and told her to walk. 

“You're going to the brigg.” Naeva said simply. “While you're there, you can think about who you're loyal to.” 

Jazz didn't bother to struggle as she was led out of the ship depot. “Naeva,” she whispered through tears, but she didn't respond.