Star Dust

chapter 20 ~ Matthew

 Why does my head hurt? ... oh yeah the ship went crazy and I hit my head after hearing everyone shouting. 

 Fast beeps go off beside my head and I sit up startled, heart racing looking around wildly in search of a familiar face. Instead I am greeted by the pale cream walls of our little infirmary on the ship, I sit up and try to assess the rest of the room. My movement caused Gryphon to startle awake claws out and ready for an attack, after realizing it was only me she asks "how's your head" there is no cruelty or challenge in her tone this time. 

 "I must of hit it hard, 'cause suddenly you seem nice" I exclaim, she smiles wickedly "really, I thought you'd like the nice me" raking her claws along the bare flesh of my arm lightly enough that it doesn't break, but with enough force to leave marks. 

 "there she is" I say excitedly "she has returned from the land of sunshine and rainbows" we both laugh this time, whole heartedly and not at each other.

 "what did I miss that gave you such an attitude change?" I ask, she snaps back "nothing" a little softer she starts again "ran into a meteor shower, and found a half naked stowaway hiding on our ship. Dylan had done a complete check around the entire thing afterwards, Andrew even did a scan. Katie tended to wounds and I tried to save supper."

 I look at her pleading "did you? can I have some?" she giggles half to herself, then to me "you'll have to jump in the trash chute" I frown. 

 Katie walks in "the galaxy is moving in reverse, you to are laughing together and not at each other, should I run a test?" she asks us almost immediately after entering the room. 

 "NO!" we shout at her in unison, hands up warding us back she laughs "we'll be there soon" 

 "where?" I ask, Katie opens her mouth to speak but is interrupted by Andrew's voice ringing throughout the ship. "everyone get to the Pit, you might want to see this" he sounds wary, as if what he see's means we're in a lot of trouble, again. Hopping of the portable stretcher we head to the cockpit, crossing our fingers for good news instead of the suspected bad. 

 We enter the cockpit totally taken back by all the new tech Andrew had installed in such a short time, immediately my eye's go to the large planet in front of us. 

 "Whoa" is all I could say, Katie stands to the edge of the completely 'teched'out pit, trying to hide in the back close to the door. Andrew steps up and begins to speak "the planet before us is called Rexen, the total inhabitants of this planet is equal to zero" Griffin growls "in English Nerd, you're going to go all out, I just know it" he looks at her unconcerned for her attitude. 

 "As I was saying, the planet is barren, uninhabited for reasons unknown to all but those who had once lived there" he nods to Dylan who is madly pressing colourful buttons and flicking switches. A room full of people able to fly a ship and only one person is navigating its mass towards the barren planet.

Meanwhile Andrew doesn't stop talking "we are currently heading for a hospital in what was once a very populated area, for most of the first day we will be spending close together in case whatever drove the locals out won't get us, if that was the case at all" he looks directly at me and Gryphon. 

 I muster a smile "you think that we would wonder out into an unknown world and try finding some thing to practice kicking butt with" Griffin catches at this and pulls an innocent face in Andrews direction. 

 Unfazed he stares back "that's exactly what we think" I act defeated and Gryphon does the same as if she was dying on the inside because of those words. Suddenly I notice someone's absence "where's Mystery?" 

 Dylan turns away from the navigation system he was operating and looks me in the eye. As an equal, as a friend. "She has not woken up since the last out burst when we entered the meteor shower, you however have been inconsistent in resurfacing to the waking galaxy."