Zeke! Hey, Zeke!

[May Peris]

May shakes her brother's box, tipping it slightly so she can see inside it. The angle of the box has Zeke upside down, with his feet sitting up at his head.

"Get up, lazybones! It's 8AM! We've got work to do and you'd best help! I don't care how hyper-depressive you are!"

Her brother simply stares back at her.

"What's got into you? You never used to be this way when we were kids! Remember?"

[May, the Happy Child]

"Get up get up get get up GEEEEEETTTTT UUUUUPPPPP!"

Despite all her pulling on his arm, Zeke won't roll out of bed. He's twisted up in his sheets, and hangs in the air with his legs on his bed and his upper body supported by little May.

"Is 8 in the mornin'! Daddy says we gotta help him today!"

She tires of holding him and drops him, still shaking his arm.

"Wake up!"

[Zeke, the Happy Child]

"I am...how could I not be with you shakin' me an' pullin' me an' stuff?"

Zeke yawns from where he is on the floor, legs squirming slowly out of the cocoon of sheets.

"Jeez...wrapped myself up good."

He finally manages to kick himself free and stands up with a stretch and a yawn.

"Let's go see what mom made us for breakfast!"

[May, the Happy Child]

"She didn't make nuthin'! She's gots work to do too, so she left us milk and cereal. She said you have to pour the milk for me, and that I should wake you up so I can eat."

She leads the way into the kitchen, taking three or four steps to Zeke's two, running lightly to beat him there. She hops up in her chair, settling before the bowl of cereal she managed to pour herself.

"The milk jug is too heavy. C'mon, I'm hungry!"

[Zeke, the Happy Child]

Zeke is busy over at the fridge though, looking through it for some juice. May's got a glass of chocolate milk in front of her, but Zeke's got his heart set on orange juice.

"Chill. I'll be there in a minute."

The fridge is crowded, and he can't see the juice anywhere.

"Man...where'd they hide it?"

[May, the Happy Child]

May hops down lightly, stomping over and taking a handful of Zeke's long hair, shaking it as quickly as she can.

"Come ONNNNN!"

She wears a grumpy expression, irked that he's not cooperating.

[Zeke, the Happy Child]

"Owwww..." Zeke says, though he's not hurt in the least. He finally shoves a pitcher of tea aside and takes the orange juice, padding back to the table and pouring May's milk.

"Now eat up. If Dad's got work for us then he'll want us on the bridge soon."

He pours his own breakfast and begins to eat, still yawning on occasion.

[Zeke]

Zeke stumbles into the kitchen, still groggy from having been thrown out of his box by May. He blinks stupidly at the table. Cereal. May's is poured already, including the milk for it and the glass of chocolate milk. His bowl sits empty to the side, along with a glass. He shambles over and sticks his head into the fridge, seeking juice. It's hiding from him again.

[May Peris]

May seats herself with a grumpy expression.

"Why can't you just deal with what's here?"

[May, the Happy Child]

May scoops a big spoonful of cereal, eating it carefully so as not to spill it.

"You always have to have juice, even if there's milk or something on the table! Picky!"

[Zeke, the Happy Child]

"Just means I know what I like is all."

Zeke is eating more quickly than May, but he's making a small mess. Not that he particularly minds or cares.

"Did Dad mention anything about what he needed us to do?"

[May Peris]

"We get to oversee unloading today. It'll take a few hours, and we might have to do some of it ourselves. We're not taking anything, just dropping stuff, so it won't be as long as usual."

[Zeke]

Zeke shuffles out the door, hands in his pockets, leaving his empty bowl and glass where they are and heads toward the bridge. The captain is there, no doubt. He'll tell Zeke what's up.

[May, the Happy Child]

"Zeeeeeeke! You forgot to clean up!"

May hops down again, little shoes tapping as she hurries to catch her brother.

"Zeeeeke! Wait for me! Wait for me!"

May's little feet are moving a bit too fast, and the girl trips over them. She skids on her tummy, skinning her knees and scraping her chin, crying at the stinging and burning pain.

"W-waaaaiiiiit!"

[Zeke, the Happy Child]

Zeke turns around and walks back to her, hefting her up and inspecting the little scratches on her knees and chin.

"You'll be ok. Does it burn?"

She nods a little, and Zeke smiles comfortingly.

"Dad'll have some o' that stuff he has...y'know, the cool feelin' stuff."

[May, the Happy Child]

May nods, feeling better but sniffling anyway, just for the sake of looking pitiful. She holds Zeke's hand so he can't get away and goes to the bridge with him, letting him go and running to her daddy's arms with fresh tears.

"Daddy I tripped and fell and I hurt my knees and chin and it burns!"

[Jhony]

Jhony scoops his daughter up into his arms and walks down the small flight of steps to where the bridge crew is performing their duties, kissing his daughter lightly on the forehead as he makes his way to the med kit on the wall.

"Got an injured soldier, people! Everyone stand and salute her, wounded in the line of duty!"

The bridge crew stands and mock-salutes May as her father shifts her to get into the first aid kit. He pulls a small tube of bacta-like gel, taking it back to his captain's chair.

"As you were!"

The crew mock bows and sits down.

[Zeke, the Happy Child]

Zeke leans in the door with an amused expression.

"Jeez, ol' man. What're ya gonna do if she breaks an arm or something? A hundred gun salute with the turbolasers?"

[Jhony]

"Well, now that you're here, let's explain the work. I need you kids to help me direct the cargolifts. We're offloading food and speeder parts. The boxes are big, so the operators won't be able to see where they're going. You'll need to direct them with the headsets."

[Zeke]

"Hnn....hmm."

Zeke stands from inside the door and shuffles off to the cargo hold.

[Jhony]

Jhony follows Zeke out with his daughter in his arms, applying the medicine to her bruises as he goes and thinking on Zeke's behavior.

"What do you think, May? What should we do with him?"

[May Peris]

"Oh...the hell if I know. He's being such a stick in the mud. Maybe we should throw him in an airtight cargo box and space him."

Her father gives her a severe look and she holds her hands up defensively.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding! He mentioned a girl. And if you've taught us anything, it's that ladies can be real heartbreakers."

[May, the Happy Child]

May giggles at her father, feeling better already. What to do with her mischievous brother?

"Make him sit in time out for not cleaning up breakfast!"

[Jhony]

"Oh? Is that so?"

Jhony mulls over his daughter's suggestions.

"We'll just have to watch him and do what we can, I suppose."

[May Peris]

"I'll bet a girl dumped him or something. She turned him down for a date and he got all mopey."

[Jhony]

"He's got more fight in him than that. I doubt if she dumped him. It had to have been something bigger, and alot worse. I just don't know what."

Jhony rubs his chin with a sigh.

"Well...ready to get to work?"

[May, the Happy Child]

"Yes sir!" May chirps, squirming out of her fathers arms and running to catch up to Zeke. "Hey, Daddy says we hafta get to work now! Are you ready?"

[Zeke]

Zeke simply nods his head with a sigh. He could do this job with his eyes closed and all his limbs tied up.

[May Peris]

"Good. You'd best give it your all. If you work like a slacker and make me have to do it all you'll go hungry for the next week."

[Zeke, the Happy Child]

"Hah! I'm not one to half-do stuff May. I'll do the best of everyone, and get the most equipment off the cargo bay!"

These are big words for such a small person, but they've got plenty of experience to back them up. Zeke performs just a little under the adults. Kids these days learn too quickly, it seems.

[Jhony]

"That's the spirit!"

Jhony gives the two a pair of headsets, with which they would guide the cargolift operators around the unloading dock.

"Now get out there! We've got work to do!"