Living On The Edge

Chapter Two

You would never get tired of this view, not ever. The ever expanding universe, a black sea filled with the most gorgeous configuration of purples, greens, reds, and so much more. Each nebula your ship zoomed past would burst forth a magnificent cloud of sparkling dust and gas. Each dazzling solar flare from distant stars would light up the side of the ship, reflecting beams of all colors against the ginormous windshield from which you and your team could look out of. There wasn't much out there that could inspire awe in you, but this natural beauty is one you took with you even to your dreams.

You narrowed your eyes, reluctantly breaking your gaze from the view outside to think about the mission that had just been presented to your team. You were to infiltrate a starship suspected of containing plans for the creation of a biochemical weapon. This made you wonder about a number of things, none of them good. Were the presumably favorable relations between confederacies just a ruse to provide fake reassurance for the public? Were the pilots of this ship from a rival faction, and the biochemical weaponry was a move to rebel against your home planet, Herux, and the numerous allies it sided with? Did the occupants of the ship even know that such dangerous information was contained in the databanks of their motherboard? If any of these were to be true, then you may have a Civil War brewing amongst the people, one that may lead to even more fatal consequences.

You looked down from your perch at the four other empty stations contained inside the control room, eyes blinking wearily before you decide to lower the platform you were on so that you may leave the room as well. You had already dismissed the others after Hus set your starship on course and turned on the camouflage, so they were more than likely goofing off around the ship before they had to get serious for the mission. You looked over your shoulder one last time once stood at the doorway, taking in the sight of the galaxy located outside. It was silly to think, but you felt as though this would be the last time.

You walked through various corridors until you reached your destination, the medical bay. Even if the cut on your cheek was unnoticeable, Loria would be peeved and annoy you for the duration of the day if you didn't get it treated, so you had to get it bandaged at the least. The door opened before you as you reached your hands up, taking off your helmet to expose your head, loose strands of hair from your high ponytail brushing against your features with a gentleness that was not usually associated with you. At the sight of a reading Bosto you cleared your throat, the younger man immediately flashing you a warm grin as he closed the book before him.

Bosto straightened up, placing the book on the desk beside him as he took in the cut on your cheek. "Oh! Is that all? I bet the only reason you came in here was because Loria forced you to." He smiled apologetically at you, gesturing for you to sit down on one of the many beds in the room as he looked for a disinfecting ointment and a bandage. You followed suit, sitting down on the nearest bed as your eyes trailed around the many pictures of Bosto's family that were located around the room. You knew he kept many more in his resting quarters.

Your eyes remained locked on the wall behind Bosto as he finished applying the bandage on the small cut that ran horizontally across the smooth surface of your cheek. He backed away once he was done, looking into your eyes unflinchingly before nodding once in satisfaction. A rather stark contrast from the timid boy who used to tremble in your presence for many months after your first introduction.

"There. Now you're all set, [First Name]." He slid his chair back so it hovered near the desk he usually situated himself at, hand finding its way to his unfinished book before you stopped him.

"Thanks for the bandage. You should go put on your armor soon, though. We'll be arriving at the enemy starship in minutes." You stood up, heavy boots clanking against the ground as you made your way to the exit, the noises being made from the scrambling hybrid seizing once the door closed behind you. Helmet tucked underneath one arm, you raised the other to your cheek, feeling the rough material of the bandage for a few seconds. Huh, everyone on this ship is such a worrywart...