Opalina Outpost

Chapter 9: Interviews and Invitations

Lio built himself a creaky throne out of crates and flopped sideways into it, feet dangling over one makeshift armrest. The rest of the crew trickled into the lounge after him. Ravi, with his efficient plans and never-ending checklists, had driven them like mules for seven awful days. Lio had strained every muscle in his back as they carried all the recyclable junk down to the mag lane for retrieval hovs. His muscles were nothing but pulled taffy, and it didn't help that Ravi and Orvaska had kept jogging past him like tall, sweaty, tireless automatons. Ravi had lapped him at least three times between the mag lane and Opalina and looked good doing it. Which somehow made it worse.

Teres ambled over and collapsed half on top of him, ignoring his bleating when her heavy braids smacked his face. "Little Goddess," she groaned, "I swear I was this close to just rolling myself down the mountain to rest with the trash. Shove over, Lio"

"I don't have anywhere to move," he grumbled. The others claimed spots nearby. They were a chorus of limping, groaning recruits who had barely survived the morning's cleaning battle. Even the twins joined the group, or at least positioned themselves within earshot. Onfenka sat with her knees pulled up to her chest, toying with one of the fidget puzzles she always carried. Her brother stretched out near her, a stone-faced bodyguard.

"At least that's the last of it," Rosareen said, twirling her long hair around a hand.

"How do you know that was all of it?" he asked.

"Because Jossen announced that they applied for inspection, and they'll send someone from the ziggurat any day now. He said so this morning. Lio, I swear you don't bring your brain with you in the mornings." Rosareen lifted the miniature camera crane she'd somehow constructed from junk and pointed it at him.

"Since when have we started paying attention to Jossen?" he asked. He expected a round of laughter, but only Aziri cackled, and no one else joined him. Lio squirmed further up from where Teres had him pocketed so that he could see everyone's faces. "What?" he demanded, staring around. They couldn't possibly be picking Jossen's side over his.

Duhar gave him a nervous look but piped up. "Com Endessen said we ought to give Jossen more of a chance."

"I think," rumbled Orvaska from where he sat beside his sister, "it's good to have a com willing to challenge this place. The way it runs. Sloppy. Disgraceful." He made a flicking motion with one hand, as if he were shooing the rest of them away. The twins had been at Opalina for two months now, and the disdain Lio suspected Orvaska held for the outpost seemed to have spread to include the crew.

"Why are you still here, then?" Aziri never missed an opportunity to snipe at Orvaska.

"Wait," Lio broke in, trying to stave off another one of their ugly flare ups. "Duhar, when did Com Endessen talk to you about Jossen? Or did I miss that announcement as well?"

"He mentioned it in my interview."

"He said pretty much the same in mine," Teres added.

No one had said anything about interviews before this. Lio cocked his head at her. "He interviewed you? Why?"

She shrugged one shoulder and opened her mouth, but Rosareen answered before she could. "I think it's what he does to get to know a new crew. Really, it's a smart move. Get to know your audience, one-on-one, all that. He asked a lot of interesting questions."

Wedged against the crate, his already tender back was stinging. "How many of you has he interviewed?" He scanned the circle of faces, counting all the half-guilty nods. Ravi had pulled each one sometime over the course of the last week. Everyone except him.