Astray Among The Stars

Chapter 41: Resume Descent

Solar Date: January 21, 2198
Mission: Day 1568

07:03

The ship shook again. Roger's sweet tea spilled slightly, a few drops leaving a trail on the floor. Damn it! Fuck me.

He set his chrome tray on the nearest metal table, grabbing a few napkins to clean the mess.

"Roger."

He looked up. "What is it. . . Tevs?"

The dining hall was empty. He was alone. Roger slowly returned to his seat, shrugging it off as his drowsiness. But then he saw a flash of color in the corner of his eye, to the right of him.

"Tevs?" He stood. "Tevra?"

Nothing moved. He heard not a sound. Roger sighed, rolling his eyes. "Seriously, this isn't funny." He took a mild stroll, ambling to where he saw her. He leaned over a table. No one was there. He turned to the other side, also checking behind the bar counter. He was alone.

What the fuck? Maybe I should lay off the Shushutalas.

The sliding doors opened. A bright and cheery girl stopped in her tracks, halted at the sight of her flustered friend.

"What wrong?"

"It's-it's nothing. I thought I saw something." Roger shrugged. "I guess I shouldn't have Shushutalas anymore. The last one I had was yesterday."

He returned to his chair, gesturing at the empty seat across from him. "How'd you sleep, Tevs? Feeling any better?"

She smiled with a nod. "Sleep good too?"

Roger shrugged. "Not at all. Running the ship for eighteen hours sucks. I barely got any sleep. Now I see why the captain is so irritable."

Tevra giggled, grabbing herself a light meal.

"Aw come on, Tevs. You gotta eat anything but rations!"

She put the packages back on the counter, instead grabbing herself a few muffins, but then pointed at strange device. "What that?"

"That's a wafflemaker."

"Make waffles?"

"Yeah."

"What waffles?"

"They're. . . uh. . . they're like pancakes, but better."

Her face crumpled with bewilderment. "Pancakes. . . ? Is cake?"

Roger smiled. She was completely lost. "Tell you what, Tevs, let's make some."

"Can cook?"

"Me? Oh, hell no. But I saw an old cooking bot in the cargo hold. I'll see what I can do."

"When eat pancakes?"

Roger shrugged. "Maybe tonight or tomorrow. I don't have much to do today."

She nodded, shortly sitting in front of him. He noticed the lack of bandages. "How are your arms?"

"Good. Much thanks."

"May I see them?"

She pulled up her uniform jacket sleeves. Her arms looked like a child's drawing on the wall, her skin carved with dark flaxen scabs, some scrapes a faint marigold.

"It's good to see you heal quickly."

Tevra nodded. "Roger?"

"Yeah?"

"Is okay?"

He sighed, running his hand through his chestnut hair. "No, not really, Tevs."

"What happen?"