Reflective
K.A. Maples
"Hullo old friend. Long time no see."

Everything on the Bebop looked so much smaller than it did back then. Older. Dingier. Badly in need of repair. I threw myself into a chair and winced as a spring dug into my. I jumped up and glared at the demon chair, rubbing the scratch. I sat down on the floor without a second thought and plugged my laptop into the mainframe. It was like coming home again.

I still remember when I heard about Spike. It was like the universe stopped. The big shoot out had been all over the news... and so was Spike's face.

It had hurt. Like I'd lost a big brother. I'd locked myself in my part of the comvee and cried for three days.

Amazing how life moves on.

Past is Prologue.

I never expected to see the Bebop again... but then Mark practically dropped it in my lap. Said he couldn't get the computer systems up and running again like I could.

I didn't tell him that I knew the Bebop inside and out.

I heard Mark coming through the ship, to the bridge. He was talking to someone. I lowered my goggles and got into my favorite working position, on my head in the full lotus. My fingers danced over the keys in familiar patterns. I didn't even have to look to see what I was doing. The system hadn't been changed since I had left.

Mark moved past the bridge without looking in, and I finished what I was doing and packed up quickly. Being in the Bebop was bringing back memories I didn't really want to think about. They made my throat hurt.

Ein was waiting for me in the basket of my bike. I scratched his ears and got on, then started peddling.