Scenes From Space

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Is it weird?

Graham and I joined Ben and the tech team to talk about what should go on the disc. We, mostly me, eventually found six planets with rumored Assymirun presence that were unrelated to the safe planets we took humans. Ben and Graham were no help. The tech that I was sitting next to, Henry, was great. I encrypted a tracking program onto the disc. It wouldn't work but it amused me to try and hey, maybe Kuzzon wouldn't find it. I pocketed the disc when it was finished and Ben, Graham, and I went up the mess hall to eat something. 

There was an awkward exchange in the food line as we passed Soothia. I gave Ben a pat on the back and Graham did as well.

"Did you know too?" Ben anxiously whispered to Graham.

"Oh, was your ex-relationship a secret?" Graham asked. Ben pouted and slid onto the bench where he angrily shoved food into his mouth.

"Right now, you look like a PSA for workplace relationships," I sighed as I took a seat across from Ben. Graham took a seat on my right.

"PSA?" Graham asked.

"It's an Earth thing. Public Service Announcement. There's a video and it's disseminated with the intent of changing public opinion on something. In your case, I picture a black and white photo of you zooming in on your sad, petulant face. Don't date your co-workers if you're like this guy."

"Oh so you're saying that people shouldn't date their co-workers?" Graham asked and I had the sudden realization that this was a bad a topic and fuck. Oops.

"No, I'm saying that Ben shoudn't do it," I shot back quickly. "Sorry, Ben." When I looked over, Graham, thankfully just looked really amused by my foot in mouth disorder.

"Seems a bit harsh," Ben said.

"How long do you plan on looking really pathetic every time you see your ex?" Graham asked as he dug his fork through what looked like mashed potatoes. Ha, got him.

"We make fun because we care," I said, taking a bite of my own food.

"Thanks. I think," Ben said quietly. He had a small smile on his face.

After the meal, Graham and I went to the gym for a spar. Unlike, before, every grab and hold and takedown was charged with sexual tension. Jesus. Graham had his hands around my wrists holding them down to the mat.

"This was probably a bad idea," I said. "I'm supposed to leave like soon." Graham loosened the hold and we both sat up. Graham's com lit and we both looked at the tabloid report.

We received notice that Prince Kuzzon was partying on the moon Hu, so we were all set to get back on the RAFO and head out again. 

"Yep," Graham said. "Agreed." We both stood up and Graham walked me back to the RAFO. He gave a little wave from the other side of the door. I waved back before going back to my room.

The RAFO stayed in orbit outside Hu. Danyl and I took the runner ashore. I opened the tabloids in order to find the bar or club of where the Prince was. The tabloids led me to a club lit up like Vegas. The name of the club was Genennt. When said out loud it translated to Rave. I thought that was fun.

The inside of Rave was like if a seventies disco was built in a futuristic sci-fi film. It was odd. I took a seat at the bar which had light up squares at the base and was topped by something that looked like brushed steel. I ordered a beer and the amber liquid came to me in a tall curved glass. Kuzzon was across the dance floor intimately holding onto a very drunk human with dark hair. Good to know that he moved on quickly. I turned back to my drink and waited.

"You're still wearing a mask," Kuzzon said as he slid into the barstool to the left of me. Thankfully I had my eye turned on, otherwise I would've jumped. As I did have the eye on, I just flinched a little.

"It's a cute, new, trend, all the rebels are doing it," I snarked at him. "I see you still haven't made it to the Capital to visit your dad." I slid the disk to him. He slid the disk into a tablet. I took a drink and kept my left eye on him.

"I don't feel like making the long journey home right now," Kuzzon sighed and after a minute he said lowly, "You've encrypted a tracker onto the disk."

"Can you blame me for trying?" I asked with a cute little smile.

"No, I can't," he sighed. He ran a new program to copy the data files sans the tracker. He sat the tablet down and let it load. He waved the bartender over and ordered two of whatever I was drinking.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" Kuzzon asked once the drinks were in front of us.

I nodded. Because, why not?

"Are you dating my brother?" he asked.

"No, why do you ask?" I was legitimately surprised by this question. Especially, since I had sex with Graham earlier, my handler, and not my captain.

"In the Waseatryn culture, you made a claim on him when you protected him and called him a nickname. It's a very intimate thing to call someone a nickname," Kuzzon explained.

"I was unaware. On my planet of origin, nicknames are very common in and outside relationships," I responded. Ben, Benjamin, had never said anything.

"And what planet is that?" Kuzzon asked quickly. His tablet beeped letting him know that the disk had finished copying. He pulled it out and slid it back to me. I dropped the disk into what was left of my drink and watched it spark.

"A pleasure doing business with you," I said and left with a wave. I kept my eye moving to make sure no one was following.

Danyl piloted us back to the RAFO. And once we were back on board, I sort of barged into the Captain's quarters. "Hey did you know that we're dating?"

"I mean, I know, I mean, we're not but I uh," Ben stuttered. He had been laying in bed reading a book. Now he was anxious and standing.

"Do you want me to stop calling you Ben?" I asked.

"No, I like it, I know it doesn't mean that," Ben sighed. "I know you mean it in the human way."

"Okay, as long as you're comfortable," I said. He nodded.

I nodded back. "Goodnight, Ben." I gave him a smile and went back to my own room.

I filled out my official report, saying that the information was given over to Kuzzon but the tracker was not. After that went through, I sent Graham a message asking if he thought it was weird that I sometimes called Benjamin, Ben. He responded right away to both. The official response to my report was: Received and Acknowledged. The response to my message was: No, why would it be weird?