Dark Matter

Chapter 2

"Sage was always a funny man. He always complained about the ship and crew, but still stuck around to fix this old girl without fail. We all appreciated him, loved him," Rizza paused. "And today, September 17th, 2278, he died," he said quietly. "I think we all know that he would've wanted us to give him a good sendoff, and this is the best an engineer could have."
"You were a good friend, Sage," Amon patted one of Sage's sheet covered legs and turned away, opening a flask as he walked away. Everyone said their goodbyes, Mal tucked a cigarette into Sage's shirt pocket. Lo and Rizza pushed him out the airlock, and they all watched him drift away.
-----
"One liquor, one scotch, and one beeeeer," Amon and Mal sang obnoxiously loud, rum sloshing out of their cups.
"Guys, would you please quiet down," Rizza said quietly.
"No, we will not, Mr. Stick-up-my-ass," Amon slurred.
"Oh, yeah, he's got something up his ass, alright," Mal chuckled.
"You would know," Amon grinned, earning a glare from both Rizza and Malakai.
"Both of you need to go to bed. Now," Rizza took both cups away, snatching the bottle off the table. "Bed. Now," he pointed in the direction of the sleeping quarters. They glared but stood up, staggering to their rooms. Rizza sighed, shaking his head. He threw the cups out and took the rum to his private quarters, locking it up in his liquor cabinet.
"Riz, love. What are you doing?" Malakai's voice made Rizza jump, and he leaned against the cabinet.
"Saving you from drinking yourself to death," Rizza replied, holding his arms out to the other.
And then Mal was on him, kissing him like there was no tomorrow. For all Rizza cared, there wasn't. Mal's mouth tasted like Earth rum, cigarettes, and something else. There was always something else. Rizza had never been able to place it, they'd been doing this for two years now and he still couldn't place that taste. It was... fruity, he thought.
Rizza pulled away, smiling a little, putting a hand on Mal's chest.
"Not tonight. Can we just... sleep?" he asked quietly, and Malakai nodded. Mal pulled off Riz's shirt, hands running over his torso, tracing over his faint stick-n-poke tattoo that still had hickies on it.
"Gotta love that about cryo," Mal chuckled and Riz rolled his eyes, shoving the other back onto the bed. The lights dimmed as soon as they both got under the covers, and Mal turned on his side to face Rizza.
"It's a fuckin' shame," Malakai whispered and Riz nodded.
"Sure is."
-----
Malakai was conflicted.
He usually was, actually. But ever since he woke up from cryo, he was conflicted more than ever. Specifically because of what happened after drinks.
Everything was normal. They got drunk, they had sex. But the one thing he couldn't get out of his head no matter how hard he tried, is what Rizza said when they were done. Laying in the dark, under the covers, holding hands. Malakai couldnt forget his breathless, exhausted tone, couldn't forget the way he smiled a little after he said it, couldnt forget the way the whole room seemed to light up despite it being pitch black. He would never forget those words.
"I love you, Mal."
-----
Rizza woke up the next morning alone. He always woke up alone, even if Malakai ended up staying the night. He got out of bed, the computer greeting him like it always did.
"Good morning, captain. Would you like to hear the news?" the familiar AI chimed.
"No, thank you," he sighed, unbuttoning his pants.
"Would you like to hear the weather forecast for a planet or region?"
"No, thats okay," he opened his closet and pulled out brown linen pants and a white button up.
"Would you like to hear the status of your course?"
"What?" he pulled up his pants. "I never set a course," he muttered. "Computer, where are we going?"
"I'm afraid you don't have the clearance to access that information."
"I am the captain, I can have access to anything I want, computer. Where are we going?" he started buttoning up his shirt.
"I'm afraid you dont have the clearance to access that information."
Rizza sighed and left his quarters, walking into the mess hall. Mal, Emmanuelle, and Ebon were all sat at the circle table in the center of the room.
"Do any of you know where we're going?" he asked, placing both hands on the tabletop.
"No... I thought you knew...?" Em said carefully, sipping her coffee. The other two nodded. A wave of frustration washed over Rizza.
"I obviously don't know if I'm asking," he huffed. They were sheepishly silent. "Okay. Computer!" he called.
"Yes, Captain?" the computer responded right away.
"Tell me the coordinates of our desination," Rizza comanded.
"I'm afraid you dont have--"
"I know, I know," he clenched his jaw. "Where are we now?" he asked.
"Just outside the Tarent Nebula," the computer said after a moment of processing. "Near Planet T-52."
"The Tarent Nebula?" Em asked quietly. "We've never been here, have we?"
"Until now, no. My records show no records of traveling in this section of the galaxy. In fact, no one has traveled here for quite some time. Planet T-52 was abandoned four years ago after an unknown disaster," the computer stated.
"Unknown disaster?" Ebon asked, biting his lip. "Is this hostile territory?"
"No. This section of the galaxy has been abandoned for quite some time," the computer answered.
"Okay... thanks, computer," Rizza sighed, putting his hands on his hips, glancing at Mal.
"So... what do we do?" Em set down her coffee cup, leaning forward on her forearms.
"We ride it out," Mal piped up. "We've got enough firepower to fight whoever is... kidnapping us," he finished his coffee, which no doubt had some kid of alcohol in it.
"We can't just... let these people have us!" Rizza glared at him.
"Have you got a better idea?" Malakai stood. Em and Ebon felt the tension and cleared out, leaving Mal and Rizza glaring at each other over the table.
"Any idea is better than that," Riz snapped.
"But you don't have one. I think that's why you're so pissed off, sweetheart. I know what to do, and you don't," Mal smirked.
"Why dont you just shut the fuck up?" Riz growled.
"Why dont you make me?"
They were both silent for a moment, sharing a glare that could melt metal.
"Why are you being so hostile about this?" Rizza asked carefully.
"Why did you say you love me?!" Mal blurted, anger fueling him.
"What?! I don't!" Rizza shouted.
Malakai stared at him. He didn't know what to say. He didn't expect that. The look on his face knocked the wind out of Rizza's sails.
"Fuck. I'm sorry. I didn't mean--"
"Go fuck yourself, captain," Malakai turned and stormed off.
-----
"Captain?" Ezra was sitting at the controls, staring at the blinking message being displayed on the screen. "I need you in the control room," he switched off the intercom, and a few minutes later, Rizza walked in.
"I was just checking to see if there were any logs from when we were in cryo and..." Ezra trailed off, glancing at the screen.
"Where is it coming from?" Rizza asked, walking forward.
"Planet T-52," Ezra replied, looking up at the blinking distress call.
"But I thought..."
"I know. T-52 should be abandoned," Ezra shook his head.