Title: Remorse

Author: GoddessofBirth

Series: Dross-verse; follows 'Out of the Shadow of the Valley'

Pairing: Implied Rayne

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: If I owned this, would I be writing fanfic?

A/N: For those who were wondering, there will be two more ficlets for this 'verse and then it will be done.

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The man sat at the bar, slowly nursing a mug of beer. A whore sashayed toward him, but before she got close enough to touch, he turned in her direction and growled fiercely, sending her scurrying back the way she'd come.

He felt the captain approach but didn't acknowledge him, even when he slid onto the stool next to him.

The captain cleared his throat.

“I hear tell you're the best gun this side of the 'verse. Got a ship that occasionally sees a spot of trouble. Could be useful havin' someone like you aboard.'

The man grunted and stared into his drink. 'Already got a job.'

The captain shifted on the stool. 'How much they payin' you?'

The man wiped a nonexistent smear off the bar. 'Ten percent, straight off the top.'

'I can offer you ten an' a half. Got your own bunk?'

The man shook his head. 'Naw, but that don't bother me none.'

He raised his drink to his mouth and the captain caught a flash of gold glinting off his hand.

'Well, we can offer you free run of the kitchen, ten an' a half percent, an' your own bunk – sharin' it's up to you. Nice bunk. In fact, it's the same bunk our last mercenary an' his girl used. Ain't had nobody in it since; just haven't quite been able to replace 'im before now.'

The man was silent, arms folded across his chest. The captain shifted uneasily on the stool. He started to speak, hesitated, then began again.

'Ah, there's one other thing you outta know, should you decide to ship out with us.' The captain cleared his throat again and picked an imaginary piece of dirt from underneath his thumbnail.

'When you join our crew, you join a family. And, ah, like all families, sometimes, we, ah -' t