Request: How about Joey/AJ, with a futuristic vibe? Space AUish?

"Damn the moron mechanic who thought it a good idea to put a little more thrust into this piece of trash. It damn near came apart on me!"

Joey didn't remind him he'd been the one to ask for it in the first place. "You're just bitter 'cause your bird's still in repair," he said, giving AJ's ass a good slap on his way by. "When do you get her back?

"Not before I have to do a supply run to the Mars colonists," he said sourly, patting the nose of his loaner with a mixture of fondness and contempt. "I have to take this beast out again. She has all the maneuverability of a flying elephant."

"At least it's just a Mars run," said Joey. "You could be going out past the belt. Now that would be worth complaining about."

AJ grunted and gave the ship a last scowl before he stalked off toward the edge of the hangar. Joey hesitated before following, but not for long. He didn't get as much time with AJ as he'd like, between AJ roaming the solar system and Joey working planetside every other week, and he wasn't going to waste what he had.

AJ stood humming an old jazz standard under his breath as he looked outside, at the broad sky. The stars shone bright, and Joey hardly even missed the twinkle anymore, they'd lived there so long. The only time he felt the twinge of homesickness was when Earth rotated into view.

"Not just a supply run," said AJ after a moment. "Latest data is the Richardson faction is operating in the area--"

"That close to Earth?"

"We start test flights of the E-33 series in a few days. They'll be wanting to get their hands on one of those and whisk it back to Europa before we can so much as signal the fleet."

"The new series that good?"

"Puts even *my* bird to shame," said AJ, "and that's saying something. Wish I was gonna be taking her out on this one."

"You probably won't even see them," said Joey. "It'll probably be an uneventful run."

"Your mouth to God's ears," said AJ fervently. "Not that I wouldn't want to take one of those bastards down, given half a chance."

"Don't go looking for trouble."

"I'm not that stupid," said AJ. "I just hate taking a substandard hunk of metal out when my own bird'll be patched up and waiting for me back home."

"Then come home safe to her," said Joey. "And to me."

"I always do."