The Space Between

Chapter Seven: "Distress Call"

Mark relaxed in the pilot seat, closing his eyes. He tried to imagine sitting in a chair on Earth. He hadn't been up here that long, but it was long enough that he missed sitting down without being strapped down to something. He imagined Sean walking up behind him to slide his hands down his shoulders to hug him. He had worried that Sean would sink into a lonely depression without him to talk to regularly. It hadn't been an issue before when he could text him whenever he wanted. However, this distance between them now made that almost impossible. It had really made him feel better that his mother had lingered to watch over him. Seeing Sean smile and giggle had just taken all his fears away. Mark opened his eyes, staring at the moon and vast starry sky. Space was pretty... but it felt empty. From the hatch, Captain Orochi asked him coolly. "Everything alright?" Mark glanced over his shoulder, answering with a small smile. "Ya. Just thinking." Captain Orochi floated in to lean on the other pilot chair, saying with light concern. "Everything good at home? You didn't stick around at dinner."

Mark turned his eyes back to space, honestly telling him. "Everything is fine. I just... felt like thinking about home. I didn't want to bring down the mood." The Captain smirked a little, turning his gaze to space too before he told him seriously. "Be careful where your thoughts drift to. It's easy to lose yourself up here. It's easy to feel alone and lost. So far from everything..." Mark glanced at the Captain, asking softly. "How many times have you been up here?" The Captain huffed softly, bowing his head as he told him truthfully. "A lot. I've spent more time up here than I have on Earth. The curse of being a good pilot. So, take my word for it. I've seen good men and women lose it up here. I want everyone doing weekly check-ups with medical, understand? You start feeling detached. You talk to someone." Mark nodded to acknowledge his concern. He respected a Captain that cared enough to look for signs early on. Even if he was fine, he was thankful that the Captain had come to check on him. Eyeing the Captain, he curiously asked him. "You have family on Earth?"

The Captain shrugged, giving him a small smile as he replied lightly. "My parents and grandparents. I have a young brother going into college again for a master's degree in business. He's the one with a wife and kid. My dad is training him to take over the family business." Mark tilted his head back, gently asking. "How do they feel about you being up here?" The Captain propped his head up on a lazy hand, chuckling out. "My family is traditional Japanese. As the oldest, they expected a lot from me... I put a lot of pressure on myself to meet their expectations. Up until I realized that... They had my whole life planned out. Nothing I did was me. It was what they wanted me to be. It was on the day of my arranged marriage that I looked in the mirror and... I didn't know who I was. I felt like a ghost in the body of my young father." Mark stayed quiet as he saw a sadness cross the Captain's eyes. The look was gone after a minute though before he added more guarded. "My dad and I had a falling out after that. I guess you could say that I rebelled by getting as far from them as I possibly could... And what's farther than space, right?" The Captain laughed, causing Mark to laugh with him.

The Captain folded his arms across the back of the chair, looking out at space with powerful eyes as he stated out confidently. "I love it up here though. It's freeing. I have the space to breathe up here and be myself. Like the weathered sea captain, I look out at that horizon and feel a sense of adventure. I can never go far enough. I wanna see it all." The Captain blushed, bowing his head to bite his lip as he mumbled out. "Sorry... I didn't mean to bore you." Mark shook his head, happily informing him. "No. I'm glad you told me. To be honest, you are intimidating. Hearing that helps me see you as a person. Not just a... boss." The Captain chuckled, blushing as he said softly. "I think it's important for us all to get to know each other. We are all we got up here. Something happens... I got to know that I can count on everyone to look out for each other." Mark extended a hand out to him, grinning as he told him happily. "I couldn't agree more. I'm Mark Fischbach. Your Chief Engineer. Recently married." The Captain smirked, accepting his hand to shake it formally as he stated back. "Captain Hiroto Orochi. Feel free to call me Captain or Hiro. Pleased to meet you. How's your spouse?"