The Chapters

Chapter Eleven

I never really went into detail about Last Orders, did I?

Carcia, you goddamn bastard.

What? I'm just making conversation.

Don't give me that. You completely skipped the debriefing. You are not allowed to skip over that like it's nothing.

Oh, right. Well, that's top secret. I'm not sure I can tell you. Besides, it's been two days since then.

Three things. First, I am top secret. You are keeping a secret from a secret. Second, why we're you guys even discussing top secret things in a crowded cafeteria? Third, you cut me out for two whole days!

Nothing much happened in those two days. And it was loud in the mess hall. No one overheard us. Even if they had, the only reason it was top secret is because Rey's embarrassed.

He is? About what?

Can't say. It's top secret.

Screw you.

Does that mean you've accepted it yet? Besides, you're going to find out on the way. It's like a surprise party, except not a party.

That was a terrible analogy.

I'll take that as a yes. So, ready for a tour of Last Orders?

Only if you don't spend a whole chapter on it.

I promise I won't. Deal?

Deal.

Okay, I mentioned that it was a vehicle before. Did I mention how big it was?

You might have in passing.

Well, it's big. Huge, in fact. Right now I'm actually lying in one of the sleeping spaces in the back. We have ten of those, five for us guys and five for the girls. Each space has a little horizontal alcove that we sleep in and drawers underneath built into the wall. That's where we keep our stuff.

That's cool, I guess. You guys must sleep there, then, am I right?

Yeah. We also have a little kitchenette, though we don't have many fresh foods, and a whole other level for the weaponry. Karla's in charge of that, so she's supposed to man the long-range weapons from the top dome on the roof. The rest of the roof is just flat, but it'd make a good place to hang out after dark.

This is a vehicle.

Yes. We also have the mobility area in the front, where there's a huge clear glass in front of us and a whole lot of seats that control different stations. Driving, for example, which Amias just took over from me about five minutes ago. We also control inner and outer communications from there, as well as the cameras and sensors around the inside and outside of Last Orders to tell us different things, like the temperature or radiation levels. And we have two bathrooms.

You're silent for a long time and I wonder if you've just blanked out. Finally you write on the metal above my head. Holy shit.

I grin to myself. It's impressive, isn't it?

How on Earth did you get something like that? I thought people didn't like Omegas.

I think we had an abundance of strong metal and an Omega - God, I feel so bad that I don't remember their name - who was really good and shaping metal. Omegas help each other, I guess. With all that mechanical engineering, it turned out to be pretty sweet.

I'll say. Wow, I wish we had this stuff. Hey, if you're off on rotation or whatever, what's everyone else doing?

The others? Well, I already said that Amias is driving. Karla's likely still upstairs (and I don't want to go there, too many firing weapons). I don't know what everyone else is doing exactly. I guess you want me to check?