"Did I?" Kez's eyes flashed."Well, I don't remember doing anything according to you boy, eh?"

"Kez." Idris said quietly.

"I'm telling you. I will remove the rod up his arse." He turned his attention back to Isa. "Go to my quarters, boy, and get me my painkillers."

Foxy watched Isa. He seemed unperturbed by Kez's reaction. In fact, he seemed amused. He nodded at Kez's instruction and went inside. He didn't even acknowledge that there was a third person - Foxy - present. Foxy felt a ripple of irritation build inside. She was fine with the men acting weird around her. But she could not take it from a thirteen-years-old boy.

Kez didn't seem to notice anything in her, he said, "Come on, kiddo."

She nodded. She still knew that she had to impress the two men if she had to stay with them. And with each passing second, her resolve was becoming firmer; it wasn't the question of whether she had to stay with them. Foxy wanted to stay with them.

Kez and Foxy walked up the ramp together. Idris was behind them - quiet as usual. He didn't make sound as he walked. If Foxy was understanding  the dynamics right between them - Idris was the brain, while Kez was the brawn. She knew that she had begun to genuinely like Kez. Even if his action may not be genuine. So far, he was kind, nice, caring and funny. Foxy smiled. She liked the big man!

Deep in her thought, Foxy didn't realise that she was inside the beautiful ship. But Kez's voice broke through her reverie.

"Welcome to the Provision!"

He boomed. His hand spread wide and his eyes lit in delight. Behind her, the ramp folded itself in, and the door closed. Idris had a small smile plastered on his face.

"This lady here is one of the finest ships in First Alliance and its ours!" He grinned showcasing his crooked teeth and did a small twirl. "She is the most beautiful I've laid my eyes upon -- and I've seen plenty of beautiful things, kiddo." He said as he placed his big hand on the grey walls of the ship. "We named her the Provision because -- well -- she provides for us, eh? Have you seen a ship before?"

Foxy shook her head. She was smiling. The excitement in him was contagious.

"Oh, then you are lucky, kiddo. Your first ship and it happens to be this one! Now where to begin, where to begin . . ."

"Maybe tell her all the places that are off-limits, Kez." Idris said in his quiet manner. He was still smiling though.

"Fine, let me get way with the boring first. The deck, the armory, the engine room, or basically anything in the lower levels -- off limits! Understood?" Kez said. Foxy nodded obediently. "Our quarters . . ." He said pointing at himself and Idris. ". . . off limits."

"Unless we ask you to get us something." Idris added.

"Ay, same rules applies to the boy so don't get ideas, eh?"

Foxy nodded.

"And in case you are thinking that this ship does not have much else if most things are off limits . . . then you're mistaken." Kez grinned at her.

"The Provision is our home, Foxy." Idris said. "We do not belong to a specific planet but we do belong to this ship. It's your home too now if you want to stick with us."

"I do." Foxy said hurriedly.

Kez grinned. "Fabulous!" He patted her small back. "Come let me give you a tour."

The Provision had three levels. In the top level, there was the deck, and the men's quarters. There was also two other locked rooms -- one of it that was the armory -- which were off limits. In the second floor, which she had stepped foot for the first time, it held other quarters (one of which that would be her's), a garden where Kez kept his ducks (she did not know ducks could survive space!), the canteen (where food was served to them by a robot), the medical room, an entertainment room, and the viewing room. The viewing room was the best room, Kez had said. In space, you could the entirety of it from the viewing room, and it was beautiful. The second floor also had a gymnasium/physiotherapy room and other rooms that Foxy couldn't recall the name of. All in all, it was the best floor.

The lower had all the specialty rooms. Since, it was off limits, Kez didn't care to explain and Foxy didn't care to ask. Once, the tour was done, however, Kez had begun to look pale.

"Where's my damn medicine, boy?"

"It's right here. Can you calm down!" She didn't know that Isa had been quietly following them in their tour. He was as quiet as Idris. Isa walked past Foxy to hand Kez a small blue box. Kez flipped it open with one hand, removed the injection and a vial. Then, he sucked the contents of the goal inside the injection; pulled his pants up to showcase a hairy, dying leg and injected himself. He closed his eyes and took a calming breath.

"You took your time." Kez's eyes flashed.

"You were giving a tour to the little girl. It took time for me to find you."

"I'm not a little girl." Foxy found herself getting bothered by that statement.

Isa didn't look at her.

"I'm talking to you!"

Isa scoffed and then finally looked at her properly. "I heard you. I did not want to waste my breath responding."

"All right, Isa, off you go!" Kez handed him the blue small box, then gave him a nudge with his cane. He turned to Foxy. "The kid is a brat, but nice. He will warm up to you."

"I don't care." Foxy folded her hand.

"Time for another lesson, kiddo, from big old man Kez, eh? Don't get attached is a great lesson, however, there are strings to it. In this beautiful, glorious ship, everyone has a job to do, eh? We have to act like a unit -- not a family -- a unit. For that, you need to have a decent relationship with everyone -- enough that we can tolerate each other."

"I don't think I can like him."

Kez chuckled. "Were you not scared of me, kiddo? And here you are, warming up to me. I remember the time you couldn't look me in the eye, eh? Not too long back, I believe."

Foxy bit her lower lip.

"Anyway I'll summon the brat, he will show you to your quarters. Big old man Kez needs his rest."

Foxy fought the urge to tell him that if he could explain the direction she could go by herself. But she remained quiet. Kez called Isa from a device on the wall. Isa responded and in few seconds he appeared. He looked at her, grey eyes intense. "Come on, then."

His tone was not kind but it was not rude either. It seemed that he understood the rules as well. Foxy decided to be civil. She nodded and she followed him.