Drex lay on his cot, staring up at the ceiling and tracing the patterned stains with his eyes. That one looked like a runner. That one like a boot. That one like a … . well, a more chaste mind wouldn’t see anything in that one. He needed a scrub brush. He needed soap. He needed to convince the guard that there was no possible way of killing himself or anyone else, or breaking out with a bucket of water, a scrub, and a bar of soap. He needed it. These guys just didn’t understand. Drex could put up with terrible food, resentful shipmates in the next cell over, and the noise, but he didn’t think he could keep being a good, docile, little pirate if he had to keep putting up with the squalor of this cell. Dinner had already been served, or at least what passed for dinner, and the brig was settling down for the night. Drex rolled over on his cot so he could see out into the passageway. It was clean. At least it was cleaner than this side of the bars. Maybe he could convince them they needed a better cook. Drex could cook. Maybe they’d give him a scrub then. A scrub, he wanted the thing so badly it hurt. Just a little hunk of wood. Bristles sticking out. The rejuvenating scrape of bristles on grim. Oh the thought of it made him flip over again with a hiss. Life was so not fair. He was going to be a good person and rat out his ship and everything and then Luciana and Zavyr had to go give the riders everything they needed! What’s the point of confessing and trying to be useful if one’s usefulness is rendered unuseful days later? They owed him a scrub brush.

There’s a good reason why one former-pirate has been staying well away from the brig. Not only because of her own brief captivity in one of the cells but because of the slight chaos it’d cause for her to be there. Still, Luciana got whatever permission she needed (or just warned someone she was going in there), spoke briefly with the Guards and tried not to laugh when they offered to escort her in. She didn’t need protection. She didn’t really fear any of the souls locked up here; she’d worry later over which had been released, if any. Now they are more or less harmless, trapped behind the bars of their cell. The quiet that had begun to settle is disturbed, a little ripple of murmurings and harsh whispers follow Luciana’s path down the row of cells. Some eventually get bold enough upon recognizing her to curse her name, curse in general or speak of things not worth repeating. She keeps her head and chin up, not even making so much as eye contact with any of them as she weathers the worst of the insults with hardly a twitch to the smirk permanently etched on her features. Regretfully, as she stands before Drex’s cell, her hands are empty. There will be no brush or scrub for him; at least not by her generosity. “You awake?” she calls out, voice lowered but easily heard.

The name ‘Luciana’ is one filled with resentment in the mind of this pirate. She is the one who Drex sees as stealing his rightful place on the other side of the bars. Hearing the whispers down the aisle makes him roll onto his back again long before she reaches his cell. All the information he’d hoped to sell to the riders was given by Lucianna and now he is still here. While the redhead did not join in the curses, every name that Luci was called is echoed in the man’s mind. Eyes remain locked on the ceiling as she approaches and at first he doesn’t move at the question. Finally, a hand moved up, middle finger raised. One of the nice things about having a cell to himself was that there was no question as to who she was addressing, still as Drex’s hand falls, the man sits up. Legs are swung over the edge of the cot and hands are folded in his lap, looking up at his ex-crewmate with a dark challenge, completely uncowed by the bars that separate them. Suddenly, eyebrows are raised, expression one of extreme attentiveness, brown eyes lock with blu. Drex’s dynamic face settles into a look of reverence, as if holding Luciana in the highest regard. His tone is bright, honey-filled, and almost childlike, “Piss off~”

Luciana doesn’t even bat an eye to that middle-finger greeting. She’ll just stand her ground and wait, arms crossing over her chest as she shifts her weight to one side. No rush, she’s got all the time in the world here (not really). Likewise she’ll meet Drex’s gaze and hold it there, even as her smirk broadens to more of a false-wry grin. “Aww, don’t be like that?” she retorts in a dry, dry tone. “And here I thought you liked me, Drex! If you’re going to be like that, I could just turn back and leave you to rot in here? Or we can talk.” Deal or no deal?

There is a pause, the sickly sweet act is dropped as Drex leans back, arms folding across his chest and his face dropping into a wary mask. Deal? Deal? With the person who took off with his opportunity for freedom? His eyes flicker to the cells around them, the audience of pirates behind bars shifts among the shadows, then are ignored. “Miss Luci, oh lady guard of some nice gold rider, why talk with a man who’s been rotting for weeks?” Rumors got around and although Drex didn’t take part in the trading, he heard things. He isn’t sure why Luciana is here and distrusts whatever ‘talk’ she wants to have. “However, if sitting among the tainted of society is a pass-time for you, please, be my guest~” He shrugs and points toward the exit, “One of the nice gentleman over there have the keys.”

Luciana ignores a few more curses sent her way from the other cells, facing Drex for now and watching him closely. His words bring only another smirk and a roll of her eyes. “Because I can,” she answers flippantly, “But I don’t *have* to. So, keep pushing me? And I’ll leave.” She might have no idea that she’d “stolen” anything from Drex. Brows lift when he suggests she keys the keys and she’ll laugh gruffly, more of a scoff than anything. “Why… Would I be stupid enough to enter your cell? No, we’re going to talk here, like this.” No way is she going to tempt fate that way, “And I think we can cut right to the chase, here. I don’t really remember you being among the worst of the shit that went down. So… what gives?” Why is he there? Where has he been?

Nothing changes in his demeanor as she speaks. His resentment simmers quietly, but he is taken by surprise at her questions. She doesn’t know?!?!? Well, he supposes that there is no reason for her to know, after all Miss Luci has her own issues to deal with. He knew that Luciana had still been in the brig when he was first brought in, but as he recalls, he sort of shut down after that. His little tale of woes never got related to the likes of her. After a moment of mulling over his answer Drex shrugs, “Miss Myzrini caught me all by my lonesome and I seem to have given the wrong answers to questions unasked. She has a rather large green beast and one does not try to run when one is standing only a few yards from the thing.” He slouches into the walk, demeanor turning dark, “I was accused of piracy and I confessed to everything. I couldn’t have her kill me then and there, so I promised to give them information.” His eyes flicker up to her again, “Of course, I didn’t know that there were others already giving all that information away.” He lets that hang in the air a moment, eyes narrowing on her, trying to articulate just what she took from him, “So I’m still here and get a nice cell to my lonesome for my attempted-betrayal.”

No, she really didn’t know. “Alright? So how’s that my fault?” Luciana fires back with a grimace. “You want out, Drex? Convince them you’re not the bad guy!” She doesn’t explain that the reason she got out, so easily, was because she’d made the effort from the start to reach out to the Weyr. Make it CLEAR she was a turncoat (and she really is). “I willingly turned,” she mutters next, which might rouse the other occupants to further curses to which she replies by ignoring them. Her attention is solely for the one captive in this cell and no others. “I didn’t just spit out that information when cornered!” There’s apparently a difference! “Let me ask you though?” Luciana will brave to approach the bars then, leaning in just outside of the distance Drex could reach her, were he to try to grab her. “Are you really not one of them? Or are you just doing this to save your sorry hide?”

Drex’s glare never wavers and although he does not make a lunge toward her when she approches his cell, the urge is present. The other cells of jeering pirates might as well not exist for all the attention they are getting from these two. Hands clench and eyes narrow again, “Miss Luciana, I am pretty positive I’m not a bad guy, I’ve done wrong things but given the situation, they were right. Does anyone think they are a bad person? No. I’ve made mistakes. Haven’t we all?” He resists to urge to throw something at her and is clearly fighting to keep his hostile tone from getting louder, “Self interest is a very strong drive in what I do, but last I checked self-centeredness is only a crime when one doesn’t have a large reptile to sik on people!” He leans forward now, one accusing finger pointed her way, “A better question is why are you here? You never were good on the ship, too soft, but here you are chatting with a convict. For all your airs and graces, there is no reason for you to be here. Do you think I’m a bad guy, Luci?” Because Drex doesn’t put on airs. Noooooo. Totally not him. “Do you think there is a chance I could get out of here before they start shipping people off to the mines?”

“I’m a firm believer that no one is purely good,” Luciana remarks dryly, unmoved by the threat that Drex may pose, even has he struggles to control himself. Her brows do lift when he calls her ‘soft’ and she makes a low throated sound of disbelief for it. “Are you saying that because I’m a woman? And I don’t have to answer to you, Drex.” So no, he’s not getting much of any answers behind her purpose being there. “Yeah, I do. I don’t trust you. You’ve never done anything against me or the kid,” That she knows of. “But you haven’t really gone out there to convince me otherwise. Certainly aren’t doing a stellar job of it now.” She’ll back up a step, putting distance between them as she stares at him in a mixture distrust and uncertainty. “There’s a chance, a slim one and I was perhaps your best bet.” So… play nice, Drex? Though something keeps her lingering there and from the way she frowns heavily, it’s obvious she’s making a decision.

There is a flicker, apparently the pet never told it’s owner about Drex’s murder attempt. Then again, Zavyr has an amazing talent for bring out the worst in people and every time the kid open’s his mouth, something offensive comes out. Needless to say, Drex was not a fan. However, he was not about to re educate Luciana on his and Zavyr’s relationship. Drex leaned back against the wall again, grimacing slightly but the inevitability of having to but nice to the opportunity thief settles on him like an ugly, and begrudgingly worn sweater. He gives a nod, “I don’t call you soft because of your gender Luci, you’ve always been my superior and I call you soft because you seem to have a knack for kindness in inconvenient situations.” He was mostly referring to Zavyr and the escaped healers. There is a shrug, “”You weren’t a good fit on the Disgrace. Good seaman, but not a good pirate.” He motions to the cell around him and sighs lightly, “Still, I can not articulate to the extents I’d go to not be here right now.” Of course, this statement certainly does lean proof to his goal of saving his own hide, but he sees little reason to lie to Luci. After all, her choice to help him would still be her’s and if he was successful in actually getting out, he’d owe her. He didn’t think himself evil, but there was no reason to pretend to be someone other than Drex at the moment.

Luciana considers Drex’s response and then shrugs, “Suppose I’m not heartless, then. I think that’s the word you’re looking for. I am not soft but I am not so dead inside or black of heart to be unjustly cruel.” She treads a fine line, sometimes, though. There’s a smirk then, “Or the Disgrace was exactly its namesake and not fit to be a pirate vessel.” she counters back easily and then, after another lengthy pause in thought, comes to a decision. “I work for one of the goldriders now. Specific type of work, at times. I’d considered going in alone but… perhaps I can see if they won’t consider your release on my word that I require you. For whatever reason.” So she’s here to “shop”, then?

Drex’s eyes widen. It was definitely a good thing he didn’t mention Zav and his falling out. He didn’t know where the pet was these days, but if Luciana was offering him a ticket out, then the kid must not be with her anymore, right? This was a golden opportunity! What was she? A guard? He could totally be guardly! Shady guarding? Even better! Sure, he’d be under Luciana and still around the people and their beasts, but if it meant getting out of this cell, he’d do it! These thoughts might be plain on his face and in the straightening of his stance, hands relax and fall to his lap, and barely a moment’s hesitation, “Miss Luciana, if you need yourself an apprentice, or grunt, or muscle I will forget any and all ills I ever had against you and will be the best damn deck hand-er-whatever!” He is not above groveling, but these words are sincere. He was an underling to Luci onboard the Disgrace, and a weyr can’t be that different, right? He wants to be required.

“Don’t push it,” Luciana grumbles, still eyeing Drex with an uneasy look. She’s made her decision but there’s just a hint of doubt there, wondering if she’s made the proper choice. Yet he’s the best option to pick from and it’s too late to undo the offer. “No promises I won’t be overruled so…” Don’t take it out on her! “Sit tight and try not to get yourself into a deeper hole? And if you get the chance, remember what I said. Convince them that you’re not the bad guy, Drex. Because you still haven’t even fully convinced me.” With that, she begins to shift her weight, preparing at last to leave.

Good guyness intensifies! Drex nods quickly and is on his feet as she turns, “Luciana! I will! I will be a damn saint! I promise! Just wait! A saint I tell you!” There is a laugh from the surrounding cells, but Drex pays them no mind, “I am most definitely a good person!” He’s grinning now, liking this new idea and liking his chances of getting out even better. The jeers are directed at him now, tall tales made good jokes. He steps back again, an offer to let her leave, but that grin remains fixed on the man’s face, “Just wait, I can be good~”

“We’ll see,” Luciana gruffly replies and with a smirk to match before she walks away and back down that aisle and out of the guard barracks; back to ignoring the jeers and taunts that drift her way when the other prisoners aren’t focused on Drex. She has no idea if she’s built up false hope in the man but it was worth the shot. She certainly hopes she doesn’t come to really regret the decision.