Scenes From Space

Chapter Seventeen: Boo Meddles

We met up with most of the RAFO crew in the mess hall. It was late into the cycle, so the food had been picked over, but there was still a green vegetable and some sort of starch left. Graham and I filled our plates up, as much as we could, and slid on to the bench across from Boo and Grey. Danyl and Mako were sitting across from each other drinking something red from a straw. I knew it wasn't blood. Like, I knew. but also...alien vampires.

"Where are Ben and Poku?" I asked, grabbing the water pitcher and pulling it towards me.

"Poku was asked to help fix something, I don't know what," Boo said. "Ben is off sulking somewhere." Boo paused and glanced over to Graham who was shoving a spoonful of food into his mouth. "Where have you two been?"

"Training," I answered. I wondered if Ben was actually off sulking or if he was flirting with that Lieutenant he liked.

"Mmhm, sure," Boo said with a nod. Her hair went seafoam briefly. I raised an eyebrow.

"Gwen was showing me some leg takedown moves," Graham said. "I think I can defend against them now."

"I'm glad to see that you don't hate each other anymore," Boo hummed.

"We lived in each others' pockets for nine days. Kinda hard to do that and not come away with some understanding of the other person," I said off-handedly.

Graham snorted. "That's one way to phrase it." I smiled widely at Graham before taking a few bites.

"You coming to the movie showing tonight?" Grey asked. "It's one from my planet and the fight scenes are really violent."

"Sure, but I should grab a shower before then," I said.

"I don't have anything else to do," Graham said.

"So, are you and Graham a thing now?" Boo asked on the way back to the ship.

"What? No," I responded quickly. "Is that what all the eyebrow raising and hinting voices has been about?" I hadn't realized that I'd stopped walking until Boo was a few strides in front of me. I walked quickly to catch up.

"Are you sure? It seems like there's something there," Boo said. Her hair flashed seafoam again.

I sighed. I wasn't sure. I wasn't anything. I didn't need Boo to be pushy about it. I just wanted to shower. Boo hummed softly for the rest of the way back to the ship. I showered and changed in peace. The peace lasted until we got to the media room and Boo pushed me down into the chair next to Graham. I shot her a 'what the hell' look and she giggled before sliding into the seat next to Grey.

"You good?" Graham whispered as the movie started up. There was a four armed man astride a leathery beast with a castle in the distance. I glanced at Graham, smiled and nodded. Back on screen the four armed man was now entering the castle. He was greeted by another man and handed a cup of something. I thought about how it was kind of weird that there were old alien stone castles but I guess technology evolved the same on other planets, just as it did on Earth. There was a discussion about the oncoming war. I lost the plot quickly and nodded off against Graham's shoulder.

Boo woke both Graham and I up when the film was over. On the walk back to the ship Boo gushed over the pictures she took on her com. She projected them into the hallway in front of us. I was too tired to be annoyed at her. I was asleep pretty much the second my head hit the pillow.

The morning found me sitting across from Ben in the mess hall. He had a piece of toast in one hand and was scrolling through a data pad with the other. Graham slid onto the bench to my right. He was learning that I didn't like people to the left of me. That felt warm.