POLUS

VI - Warning Labels

Bianca
Chapter Two
Ship 2

BIANCA POV

"Well, that's weird."

"What is?" I say, turning around to Pink as he stares at some random vials sitting on a shelf. He's not moving a muscle, which is usually what he does when he's thinking hard. Looks like it's pink big brain time!! What will he discover now :O

Hazel decided to split from us because she was tired, although I didn't really see her so much. But that's okay! We all need our rest!
Pink picks up one of the vials, the liquid inside being black with a red hue. Pink's a medic crewmate so he knows wayyyyy more about this stuff than I do. "Just looks like something I've seen before."

Pink turns and continues tapping some buttons on some medic equipment, while I continue to wash the extra vials and all of that stuff!

Pink and I met almost three years ago. I was going through some weird stuff back then- but he practically saved me! I don't like to remember what happened back then, so I simply don't.

He obviously wasn't too talkative at first, but when we were put in the same mission team two years in a row (now three!) he came out of his shell surprisingly quick. I also don't know his last name, or what he looks like- but I do know his first name- I won't say it here though, in case some crazy weird beings can somehow READ MY MIND. To most people at his work, he just goes by "Pink", aka his spacesuit colour- and favourite colour!

But anyway I just figured that's his choice and  we all have things we keep private, for example, I never talk about the mega emo phase I had when I was 14, because that was so embarrassing.

Oops, maybe I shouldn't have said that here.

"Bee."
Oh-! and now Pink is calling for me to hurry cleaning the vials! Yes I should probably do that now!
I finish up drying the last vial and place it near the others. I follow Pink out of Medical and we begin walking throughout the empty halls. He's carrying gas- he must have gone ahead and started transporting the gas while I was daydreaming.

"How was your winter, by the way?" I decide to ask him about things non-work related- Pink tends to overwork himself when it comes to Mira :[
Huh, he hasn't responded yet.
"Pink? Pinky? Pink man?"

At this point I'm getting right in his face trying to get his attention >:)

"Petal? Pink Panther, Cherry blossom, Strawberry milk-"
"Are you just naming things that are pink now?"
"...Pina colada?"
"Pina coladas aren't pink."
"I don't know, they sound close to the word pink."

At least I have his attention now!
"So, how was your winter?" I can tell he heard my question, but he looks in a different direction.
"Did something happen?"
"No, it just... wasn't super eventful." Yep, something definitely happened. Or maybe it didn't! Either way, he doesn't seem too interested in sharing, so I shall not ask!
"Fair enough then." I pet him on the head, which I always do, because he's shorter than me, even though we're both around average height.
"I told you to stop doing that, I'm only a centimetre or two shorter than you." I love getting him annoyed at me because I know I'm the only one who can get away with it. My optimistic nature always gets the advantage!
"Sure, but- I'm not even that tall!"
"Yes you are."
"Not really! I'm average height!"
We continue our friendly arguing for a while. At least I achieved my goal there! Pink doesn't seem as bothered as he did before. Not sure what he was bothered by but not being bothered is better than being bothered! Does that make sense? Sometimes I feel like I can't speak.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, sirens begin blaring and red lights rapidly waver around us.

"Uh, Pink? What's this?" I ask him, he probably knows what's going on!
"Ah, Fuck."
"Hey!"
"Sorry."
He looks around before placing the gas can he was holding down in front of him.
"I think the reactor's been meddled with. Whether that's accidental or on purpose, I wouldn't know." He begins speed walking back through the halls where we were walking earlier, into the intersection near security. The reactor was indeed going off. And it was LOOUUUUDDD. Shut up >:(
"Wait, so like someone pushed a wrong button or something?"
"Something along the lines of that, yeah. It's a little more complicated than that but that's basically what happened."
"So, what happens if we leave it?"
"Nothing good."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"we probably die."
"WHAT?!"
He goes and scans his hand on one of the security pads on the side of the wall. He gestures at me to scan on the other one. It takes me a few seconds, because uh, I'm just processing we MAY DIE RIGHT NOW?????!??!!? But once we both scan the reactor calms down and finally, FINALLY SHUTS UP. I don't want a headache :(

"Wait, so if we leave it for too long, we just die? How does that even-"
"Complicated stuff, Bee. But the fixing process when that happens isn't too hard so I don't think we need to worry about it. Plus, the person sabotaging it would need some really confidential info to be able to purposely trigger that, otherwise it's easier accidental."

Wow. That was like, the most words Pink has ever said to me in one go. And I'll be honest. I have not been listening and have no clue what he is talking about at this point. But you know what? We're not dead! YAY!!!

Now we just need to survive the rest of this trip. Woo!