I felt like writing a thing, it's not even big enough to keep in a doc, I just want to dump it somewhere.
***
Her hair was loose and shaggy, but quite short, just touching her neck in the back, not quite hiding her eyebrows. She wore a simple long sleeved, full length, powder blue shirt under a white sleeveless mini-vest that stopped even with the bottom of her ribcage. Her pants were a tough white cloth held with a single button on an attached belt that tapered to a triangle. The legs were tailored close, leaving just enough room for her boots. They were reasonably sized, rubber soled work boots, tan in color.
The rest of them were sitting in the commons, eating or killing time when she walked in. She apparently sucked all the air out of the room, because it was got quiet enough to hear the air recirculation fans. The crew paused, waiting for her to speak first, but when she didn’t need to give any orders, they started formulating their own things to say. Allen got there first.
“Nice haircut, Jane”
“Thanks XO”
“Thas Jane? Can’t be, looks like a woman” Song mocked
“Bosslady, you look… good” Added Issy
“What did everybody –”
“Lookin functional-hot there cap’n” Cowboy said, grinning and glancing sidelong.
“-Forget I was –”
“Very nice.” Darren nodded his approval.
“-A goddamned woman!?”
Jane’s yelling quickly shut the room up again. Nobody much wanted to meet her gaze, except Song who, besides her husband, was maybe the only one Jane couldn’t intimidate.
“The tight bun and man suit weren’t helping your case, sweetheart.”
“Thanks, Song, you’re a ray of starshine as usual.”
“Y’are aware they make business clothes that still make a woman look good, right?”
“Not on Rust they didn’t, Cowboy, I was lucky to pick up the men’s suit.
“We are spacefareing now. You could just pick something businesslike up next time we hit India or Trigger.” Allen offered.
“Ooh, I can help with that boss.”
“No offense, Issy, but-”
“You have to know how to dress for real before you can punk it out. I’m good for this.”
“Uhh…”
“I trust her sense on this, Captain” Darren finally nodded.
Jane sighed, “Fine, you apparently steered my right by this.” she said, gesturing to herself. “We’ll talk next time we hit a tradeworld, Issy”
“Nuh uh, we need to talk right now, c’mon”
Issy was excited, and practically yanked her boss out of the room by the wrist.
“So you-” Allen began
“I could defend this in a variety of ways.” Darren cut him off. “I have a great deal of fashion sense for both men and women. It’s one of many independent traits, don’t take it to mean anything else.”
“Why you always look so cheap then?” Song asked
“Too much work for a pilot to dress up anytime he has to leave his bunk.”
Cowboy grinned “Basically, he’s a lazy sunnabitch.”
Darren just shrugged
“Would not have guessed Issy knew how to dress either.” Alan added
“Issy learned to dress well, when she was young” Darren answered, “She chooses not to now largely as a statement of individuality.”
“Itsa damn starship, not a beauty parlor, you bunch of schoolgirls.” Song chided, heading out the front hatch and on toward the lower decks.
“I’m never gonna understand what you saw in that woman, Allen.” Cowboy added, swinging out into the forehall and through the hatch to his bunk.
“Well, course checks, you know” Darren waved in his hands, stepping out front.
Allen finally grabbed a seat, continuing to drink the coffee he'd made just before Jane swept in. Cowboy, he decided, he'd definitely have to spend more time with Cowboy. Too much estrogen was clouding up the ship, a fashion change had been the most interesting thing in a week.
