Scenes From Space

Chapter Three: A Past Bomb

"Have you ever taken your clothes off for money?" Graham asked. He was 100% serious and I couldn't hold back a snort. If I held my head in the right position, Graham's metal arm casted reflections over my eyes, so I kept my head forward to avoid the glare.

"Nope," I responded with a pop. "But, there's a first time for everything." I kept my eyes on the galaxy in front of us. The galaxy passed with a blur of light.

"Then how do you believe yourself to be qualified for this mission?" Graham asked.

I didn't stop to think. "Well, I'm pretty cute, I pick things up fast, and I'm literally the only person available for this mission." I looked over at Graham. He was unamused. This time I stopped to take a breath before I spoke, "Graham, I know that you don't particularly care for me and I get that, but these 10 days on planet are gonna suck real hard if we can't at least get along."

"You're right," Graham breathed. "I don't particularly care for you." Ouch. I knew, but, it still hurt. "I think Captain Benjamin Barnes spoils you, I think you're full of fake confidence, I think one day you're going to get yourself and others killed because you're reckless, and I hate your personality." Again, ouch.

"Okay, good notes. Let's not talk again for a little bit," I said. I reached around to the backseat and pulled the dictionary out of my bag. I was going to ignore the asshole and learn something because godfuckingdammit, at least I was smart.

"What are you doing?" Graham asked maybe a two hours later.

"Learning an alien language," I answered. I didn't look away from the text and as prescribed by almost all of the RAFO crew, I had been turning my eye on and off periodically and trying not to throw up when it made me dizzy. Reading with it was actually easy but looking away from the data pad was not recommended.

"Why?" Graham asked.

"Because, sometimes words aren't spoken but I still need to understand the words," I replied. I had actually learned a lot. Apparently the programming that was running over my field of vision was an instruction manual, and not the names of things I was looking at.

Graham sighed. "I shouldn't have snapped at you earlier. I didn't want this mission. It wasn't you. It was the assignment."

"But, you still don't like me, right?" I looked up from the electronic book at Graham. His face was pinched inward. He looked like a constipated, smaller Captain America. And as I just learned, I could take a picture of that hilarious face with my tech-eye, if I wanted to.

"Yeah, sorry, you just come on really strong and I can't relate," Graham tried to explain. Graham also came on strong. He was pretty upfront.

"That's the trauma," I shot back.

"I'm sorry," Graham said. "Both my parents were freed Humans. You obviously went through some stuff and I don't get it, or you, I wasn't raised on Earth and you treat me like I should get your references and I don't." I maybe had called him Winter Soldier a few times. Bucky a few times. He had a metal arm. It was awesome. Okay, and I probably also referred to him as Shiro and the Black Paladin one or seven times. But, I was only calling him flattering characters.

"I can see where I carry a little fault, but, we've known each other for a while now, and this is the first time you're bringing it up. You could've told me a while ago that you aren't from Earth," I complained. Graham changed his grip on the controls. He looked nervous.

"You make me nervous. You come on strong. You know who you are and it's intimidating," Graham said. He flexed his hands again. The knuckles on his human hand cracked; the metal knuckles made no sound. I bit down on my bottom lip.