Betrayal

Chapter 9

I woke up early the next morning due to Rowundah blasting an wake-up call through the PA system. I heard Dani yell, "WHY?!" all the way from Dorm 1. I chuckled and climbed down the bed's ladder. Johav had already gotten ready. I don't know how people manage to get up in the morning and instantly be awake like that. I lumbered over into the bathroom and tried brushing my hair out. With little success I grabbed some spray-in conditioner to try and tame the wild curls. I changed into a fresh jumpsuit and put on my purple space gear. Then I considered my options with the helmet. I didn't really want to wear it, but I suppose I had to. I snatched the helmet from its shelf and put it on my head. Once again I heard a click and woosh. The tiny Rowundah appeared inside my helmet again. As I walked with Johav to the cafeteria, Rowundah explained, "Your communication systems are all connected right now, but you also have manual control. You can choose who you want to talk to once your day officially starts. You are permitted to take your helmet off for meals. Any other reason is strongly advised against. Once the morning meal is complete you will each split off and go to your assigned workspaces. If there happens to be an emergency, there is a button in the cafeteria that will alert everyone and a meeting will be held in the cafeteria.  End of group transmission." We all met up in the cafeteria by the end of the message. It was hard to see everyone's faces through their tinted visors. Everyone grumbled about it being so early through the comms, but Johav talked above the moans. "GUYS! We've gotta get our heads on." "You mean helmets," said Izzan, who seemed to be in a better mood judging from the sound of his voice, but he also sounded weary. "No, I mean heads. Our helmets are what keep the transmissions going, and you heard Rowundah, we can't take them off for unnecessary reasons. We clearly have no idea what to do, so let's get it together and have some breakfast first." Johav glanced at me through his visor, like he wanted to know if he did a good job. I nodded at him. He must've really taken my advice from last night to heart. We sat at the table and Dani, who was in a really bad mood was yelling at Rowundah through the helmet comms, making my ears ache. Rowundah luckily told us about the kitchen on the left of Medbay. Emily-Anne decided to make some pancakes and she cut some fruit as well. We sat together in the cafeteria while the smell of the pancakes made my stomach grumble. Dani took off her helmet first when Emily-Anne came out holding a large platter of fluffy pancakes and a bowl of assorted fruits. I smiled at Dani's eagerness to get at the food. I was starving. I took off my helmet as well, and my crewmates did the same. Everyone passed around plates and drizzled syrup and fruit on their pancakes and we all started eating. The food was delicious. Emily-Anne was a really good cook, and while we ate, she and Johav actually started talking about culinary career options from where they lived. "There was a high-end restaurant back where I grew up. Coulda gotten a job there too because the owner knew me. He and my mom were friends for quite a while, but she didn't think it was a stable career, so here I am," she said. "Well I didn't have any fancy places on my planet, but I have an uncle who I'm really close with and he's a millionaire. He paid for my UGIS education when I couldn't. I'm sure he would've supported me if I chose to open my own restaurant, but he's a tough guy. He's helped give my parents financial support a couple times when they had it rough, but he always makes sure you pay it back so the people he helps don't think they can get off easy and take anything they want," Johav explained. Hmmm, I thought. I guess his uncle was right. Nowadays people take any advantage they can over everyone else, no matter the consequences. It's good that the uncle helped them, but even better that he waited patiently to be paid back. Once everyone stuffed themselves full of the delicious fruit and soft pancakes we all put our helmets on and decided it would be best if we split up and went to our designated work areas and get done our various tasks as soon as possible so we could spend the rest of the day together. I headed over to the laboratory and caught sight of a tablet laying on one of the lab tables. I tapped the screen with my gloved hand and it sprang to life. Inside my helmet Rowundah said, "You each have a tablet at your work stations. It has a list of tasks that you have to do and will automatically mark which ones you have completed. Please proceed with your activities." The tiny blip of the metallic assistant disappeared from my visor in a flash, so I figured that was my cue to start work. After about an hour I had realigned some wires that were mixed up in the lab and organized some specimens from various planets. I beeping sound startled me when I was analyzing some alien compounds and almost spilt the liquids al over myself. I sighed and saw a tiny icon on my visor. Incoming Private Message, it read. I opened the message and Johav's voice came through. "Hey Aura. I'm checking up on everyone and wanted to know if you're good?" "Yep," I replied. "I have a couple more tasks left and then I'll be done for the day." "Sweet. Also, Quentin told me he wanted to speak with you. I just passed Navigation and I talked with him there for a bit." "Dually noted, Captain," I teased. I could hear him sigh through the radios and laughed a bit. "You know I don't like titles," he told me. "I know. Sorry. Couldn't resist. Over and out." I ended the call and got back to work. 

Almost halfway through the day I checked my tablet. More than three-quarters of my tasks were done. Huh, I thought. Why hadn't Quentin called me yet?  I put down the files I had in my hands and closed the lab door. As I started walking to Navigation I heard...well, something. Like echoing thuds from underneath me. Oh well. Emily-Anne or someone mechanically-inclined would fix it. I made a mental note to let her know. I walked down to Navigation, which was on the other end of the ship. I pressed my hand to the door and it opened, revealing a confused looking Quentin sitting in a seat beside the captain's chair. I selected private message mode on my helmet by tapping the outside and said, "Um, hi. I heard you wanted to talk to me?" He stood up from his chair and looked at me. "Yeah. You know what happened last night with Izzan?" How could I forget? Seeing the sobbing green boy who just wanted to help people fall apart broke my heart. "Of course. Poor guy. I can't imagine having someone just... fade away in your hands while you sit there and can't do anything." "I know. He told me last night that he was afraid it would happen again on this ship to one of his friends." "Oh...." I thought. It's actually possible, I thought. No. No way. I shoved that thought as deep down inside myself as I could. No one was going to die. Not if I could help it. "I'm sure that won't happen. After all, UGIS is sending us with some of the most highly advanced technology in history. We'll all have to just be careful." "Definitely. I'm pretty sure you know already, but Izzan actually seems to be ok as long as nothing... bad happens." He told me. "Yep. Don't worry, though. Nothing bad will happen." I couldn't even see Quentin's face, but I know he didn't believe me. And I couldn't blame him either. I didn't even believe myself. 

Author's note- Thx for reading! I know right now there's a lot of filler in this story but not to worry, the good stuff is coming. (DRAMA! ACTION! spoiler alert- SABOTAGE!) Reminder that I WILL put a note if there are events in this story that may upset readers at the top of a chapter. Any ideas, ships, plot twist recommendations ;) can be put in the comments and I will gladly read them and perhaps put them in the story! Now... 

I want to try something. Next chapter Aura will have a chance to deepen relationships with ONE character. Your Options are... 

1-Ferula (yellow)

2-Izzan (green) 

3-Emily-Anne (brown) 

4-Connor (black) 

5-Alessa (pink) 

If no votes are cast the lucky crewmate/imposter will be chosen at random. 

I love you all! (p≧w≦q)