Worlds Collide

Chap. 3


Remy stepped into the hangar, beside Logan, and was immediately drawn to the enormous object that sat on the platform in the middle of the room. "Wow. It's big." The words escaped his mouth before he could make sure that he was the only one to hear the comment. He stood there, in his work clothes, blinking up at the shuttle while King Erik accompanied Rogue and Scott over to greet them. Spotting his King out of the corner of his eye, Remy quickly turned and bowed low to Erik, "Your Majesty."

King Erik smiled as Remy remained bowed. "I see Logan has managed to talk you into assisting us in repairing the visitor's shuttle. How soon do you think you can be finished?" His amber on black eyes met Remy's as Remy stood up to answer the King's question.

Remy took a breath and looked back at the shuttle before guessing to himself. "I think I might be done by the end of the week, if I have enough parts at de shop." He paused and looked over at the two other people with the King. Feeling himself not being able to speak, or breathe, his breath caught as he looked from the one with the visor to the one with the white patch of hair.

"They are two of our visitors, who will assist you with their technology." Erik spoke up as he watched Remy's shy stare at Rogue. "Logan, I will await your report on his -progress- in the morning." Smiling at Logan, who stood beside Remy, Erik glanced back to Remy before bidding farewell. "We will be counting on your professionalism, Remy. Don't discourage us," Erik warned as he walked back to the palace roamer to return to his husband.

Remy bit his lower lip as the King walked away before catching himself and remembering that he was being stared at by 3 people. "Bon Jour, visitors." Remy smiled and bowed curtly as Logan placed a hand on his back to lead them to the shuttle.

As they stepped closer to the large shuttle, Remy was beginning to have more and more doubts about completing his work. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he stopped at the bottom of the stairs and stared up at the open hatch. It was bigger than any roamer or trak he had worked on and just peeking inside from the ground, wasn't comforting him to see different components that stuck out.

Rogue stepped forward and smiled at Remy as she put her left foot on the first step. "C'mon shugah, I'll give ya a look around," she flirted with him, and winked, knowing that Logan was watching her.

~~~~~

Scott and Logan took a minute to glance at the internal plans of the shuttle, while Rogue was giving Remy a guided tour of the inside. "I think Rogue is a bit taken in with your friend." Scott hadn't turned from looking at the plans to see Logan's eyes grow wide as he stared back at Scott.

"He's doin' this as a favour for me. He's also the best roamer fixer in the city." Logan turned back to the plans, calming himself from the thoughts of Rogue stealing his husband away.

Scott's brow furrowed as he stepped back to finally look at the other man. "It's alright. Rogue wouldn't harm him, she just has a small crush on him." He caught a glimpse of Logan's uneasy expression and switched gears. "Unless he already has someone?"

"Yes," Logan stood back from the table and took a deep breath as he stared at Scott calmly, "me. Yesterday was our five aged anniversary."

"Aged? Married?"

Logan nodded.

"You mean to tell me that there are no women at all on this planet?" Scott looked around the hangar but all he saw were men, some holding hands, others talking about work and laughing about whatever. Even the Kings had struck him oddly that they were both men, and not a King and his Queen.

"Wo...men?" Logan raised an eyebrow and looked around, at his co-workers.

Jean strolled up behind them and explained for her husband. "A woman is another way of saying, 'she,' or 'her.' On Earth, men marry the women. We live somewhat similar to your people but, as two separate sexes."

Blinking in disbelief, Logan crossed his arms in front of him and studied both of them. "So, men don't live together..... on your planet? They don't share love like we do?"

Scott was quick to reassure him. "They do but, it's a difficult situation. It's not as..... open.... as it is here. It's a long story."

Logan had wanted to say something but everytime he opened his mouth to speak, he would close it again, releasing a sigh of mild confusion. Spotting Remy coming back down the steps from the shuttle, he smiled and reached a hand out as the young man walked up to join them.

Taking Logan's hand, Remy let out a sigh and smiled at Jean and Scott. "Good news, I t'ink I can fix it. De tools might be hard ta adjust but, I can do it."

Jean smiled kindly at Remy. "What can we do to help? We have some tools, and know how to use them but, not for shuttles."

"Oh, don't worry, chere, Remy can fix anythin'. Ya leave everyt'in' ta me, non?" Remy felt awkward as he spoke to Jean, thinking he should at least bow to her as if she were royalty.

Bobby had finished his assigned shuttle reports and had stepped up to the group in time to hear Remy vow to fix everything, and chimed in, "How soon can you be done?"

Turning around to look at the man who spoke to him, Remy gave two blinks inbetween the question and his answer to get a feel for the visitor who seemed to have a grudge against him. "I could be done in a week, monsieur."

Feigning a smile, Bobby stared directly at Remy in an impatient tone. "Great, so.... how about we get going so we can leave this place?" It was no secret that Bobby either didn't want to be on Alpheria, or that Rogue had started flirting with Remy and he wasn't wanting to allow it. Bobby had tried hard over the last year to get Rogue to go out with him, and now Remy seemed to be ruining his chances even greater than Earth men.

~~~~~

Remy slid out from lying on his back, on a board, under a control panel and wiped his hands on a rag that was hanging from his right pocket. Sighing deeply to himself, he shoved the rag back into his pocket and stood up. He had been working for most of the pre-dawn morning and had thought about getting some sleep but, he wanted to finish and prove to the Kings that he was the best man for the job. "Maybe somethin to drink," he whispered to himself.

Climbing out of the shuttle and walking down the steps, Remy blinked himself awake and looked about the nearly deserted hangar. The clear roundish container of water sat on a table at the far end of the hangar, and beside it sat Logan's cup that he let Remy use for himself. He smiled and scooped up the cup to fill it again with cool water from the container. As he took a drink, he felt someone enter the hangar and make their way over to him. Swallowing and lowering the cup from his mouth, Remy turned to see Rogue standing beside him with a plate of bread and jam. "Merci, she." Remy smiled and blushed as he wasn't sure how to address her.

Rogue laughed and set the plate down beside the container, on the table. "You can call me Rogue, Ah'm not into formalities. And, the formal word for a lady is, ma'am," she winked. She took a step closer to him only to have him take a step back, and then another as she backed him slowly up against the wall. "Such pretty eyes, you have. Didja know that they glow when you blush?"

"Oui. Logan tells me dat, all de time." Remy blushed even more as she stepped closer and he found himself pinned against the wall. He avoided her stare and tried to think of an excuse to get away from her but, all he could think of was Logan. "I- uh- I think mebbe I should get back ta work."

"You've been up there for hours, the sun is up. Why don't ya show me around-- as a break-- maybe even get some food inta ya?" A sly grin quirked on her lips as Rogue ran a gloved finger over his left jawbone.

Remy smiled politely but declined getting something to eat. "De faster I get done, de faster we can get you all back to your planet."

Rogue stepped back and reached for the plate of bread and jam. Taking a slice and lifting it to Remy's mouth, she added, "Don't make excuses, or you'll end up sick. Have a bite....... for me?"

Giving in and taking a bite, Remy chewed and smiled to show her that her hospitality was appreciated. "I -uh....." Not getting the chance to finish what he was going to say, he found himself suddenly face to face with an angry Bobby. His eyes grew wide as he was held there, by his jumper, and forced to watch in horror as Bobby iced himself up and glared at the Cajun. "Mon Dieu!" Remy shook and swallowed a lump in his throat, wondering what the visitor would do to him.

"Are you making moves on my girl?"

Remy shook his head. "Non." Watching Bobby ice up had startled him but it wasn't enough to keep him afraid of the visitor. Remy could handle his own in fights, and being in one was nothing new. He was, however, unsure of just what Bobby could do to him with Bobby being from another solar system altogether.

"Bobby! Stop it!" Rogue's voice rose to gain the attention of the crew just coming in for their shift, on the other side of the hangar. "Leave him alone. He wasn't doin' anything!" Her voice was loud enough to draw the attention of the other two visitors, as well as Logan's as she stepped forward to pull them apart.

A low, deep growl came from behind Rogue as an angry Logan moved to stand in between Remy and Bobby. Growling again, Logan placed a hand on Bobby's icy chest and forced him to take a step back. "I think you might want to rethink attacking my husband."

"Your what?" Both Rogue and Bobby had stated at the same time and stared at Logan.

Bobby stepped back and blinked at Logan before returning his gaze on Remy. "You and him are--?"

Remy nodded.

Bobby de-iced himself and turned to walk away, not acknowledging any of the others that called to him.

Looking at each other, Remy and Logan were perplexed as to why Bobby had just stormed away from them without an apology or explanation. Logan turned around fully to check if Remy was alright, before telling him that Remy needed some down time to sleep and recooperate.

Remy finally agreed and let Logan lead him out of the hangar as Scott and Jean both apologised for Bobby. "It's no problem. I'll get some sleep and be back, no?" He had to wait while Logan told Grant where he was going, and then stop and chat with Grant and a few others for a few minutes before they were finally able to leave. Neither one brought up what happened with Bobby but, neither could easily forget the commotion.


Next.....