It's Not What It Looks Like [ISHTAR-V]

"Where do you think you're going?" The sudden appearance of the synthetic draconequus from any unsupervised opening was never not surprising.

Alistar leaned on a railing casually and put on his winningest smile. Try as he might, a veneer of customer service-esque contempt was bound to slip through. "Oh, me? I was just heading back to my ship for a bit of privacy."

"Leading one of my strays in a captive suit on a leash." Zeno's fingers drummed on their elbow.

The gryphon looked down briefly with a smirk. "You've got a passenger yourself, I'm sure she was having a great time in the vents."

"She's in timeout, don't change the subject."

"Fine, fine. That?" Alistar brushed his crest feathers back as he looked over his shoulder. Fizzy swayed a little as she stood, balance somewhat unsettled by the sudden stop, condensation and saliva dripping from the tubes in her gag as it hissed with her heavy, slow breaths. "She did that to herself."

Zeno's eyes narrowed. "Don't fuck with me, Alistar. I've spaced tougher pirates than you without breaking a sweat. You're only allowed here on the condition that you take nothing with you."

"And I believe you, I swear, I'm telling the truth here. Check with Tightie at the bar. Chase up Vitruvia for camera logs if you must. Hell, look at the printing errors on her suit."

Zeno's eyes pulsed in their furious orange as they darted between the cocksure pirate and the huffing prisoner. "So how -did- this happen, if you aren't simply re-abducting her?"

"So. About a week ago I was in the bar and we were getting... friendly. All perfectly innocent stuff. We head back to my ship to fuck, a good time was had by all. And while she's stuck on my knot for an hour, we get to talking..." Zeno rolled their eyes. "... and it turns out this lil' minx is kinkier than she lets on. So I get her set up with a chastity bulge to keep her nice and ready for my return. I've got the keys, naturally."

"Is this true?" Zeno peered over the gryphon.

"She doesn't really know what words are right now, so you'll have to take my word for it."

The noodle squinted. "And how did that happen?"

"I'm getting there, I'm getting there. Evidently, poor Fizzy here got too horny for her own good, and snuck into the old holding cells, three or four days ago. Got herself suited up and stuffed into one using the automated systems, couldn't get herself out. That's why the suit is all printed wrong, she didn't input a task or a destination, so it's just printed error messages."

"And why didn't Tight Fit report her missing if she didn't show up for bar work in that time?"

Alistar shrugged. "Beats me. She's probably had all kinds of helpers flake on her before. It's not like you're her boss either."

"And how did Fizzy even know about the holding cells? That part of the station is off limits."

"That's how she got in here in the first place, noodle. She didn't get brainfucked like the cat over there so she remembers everything. You forgetting things about your own 'strays'?"

"I was making sure you didn't use your private time with her to tempt her into doing something stupid."

"Oh no, she's perfectly capable of doing stupid things all by herself. Anyway, would you mind letting me through? The poor thing's just spent 72 hours straight in a padded locker getting buzzed in the nullge and she needs a little TLC."

Zeno's eyes darted around again. "You know I can't let you leave with her."

Alistar rolled his eyes. "I'm not gonna steal her, stop worrying. I come to Ishtar for my own entertainment, not business."

"I'm locking your ship in dock until Fizzy is back on board and had a medical check."

Alistar grimaced, then nodded. "Fine. I know you don't trust me."

"You're damn right I don't trust you. Consider yourself lucky I'm even allowing you to entertain anyone under my protection."