Small workshop and a Locker [ Log 2 ]

Elsa

As the days passed and our destination, D473, appeared on the long-range scanners, our patched-up relationship still held, but only just. I was sure that if I dared to look more closely, I would see small cracks appearing under the freshly painted surface, revealing the deep structural damage it had suffered when she left.

I glanced at the display on my console. No, a starport wouldn’t solve anything. It wasn’t a dry dock or a bunch of engineers that we needed to fix it. What then…?

I hadn’t dared to stay with her again, not knowing where it might lead, but Li had begun spending time with her to teach her about the ship. I didn’t know how to feel about it. On the one hand, I was happy, and I had always wished she would have someone more than me. But deep inside, I was worried that the patch would break under the pressure and she would get hurt again. And then there was Sol…

I sighed and leaned back in my seat, hoping that the soft hum of the ship would clear my mind. I could have a smoke. I got up and stretched myself before heading to the engine room. The aircon worked well, so I could have smoked here without bothering anyone, but it was a habit. Back on Minerva, the small workshop at the end of the engine room had been my safe space and the official smoking room. There, I could be alone with my thoughts, and Li never went there, respecting my need for space. She, on the other hand, had a locker next to the airlock for the same purpose. She could spend hours there, and I sometimes wondered what she actually did, but I never asked, respecting her privacy.

I smiled at those memories as I walked. This ship was so different from Minerva. Clean, with soft panels imitating wood still lining walls rather than Minerva’s bare metal, covered with pipes and cables that ran through the ship. But it was also unsettling. Photos and posters in the canteen, flags on the walls and even my room felt like someone had lived there before. But I didn't have the heart to ask Sol to put it away, knowing how much it meant for her.

A sudden thud echoed through the corridors. I halted and then instinctively ran towards its source, putting on my respirator just in case. Had it come from the main airlock? I halted as I came to the door and quickly checked the readings on the panel. The pressure was within normal range. I pushed the door open.

One of the power suits lay on the floor curled into a foetal position, and I could hear Kay’s panicked voice,

“I cannot move… I cannot move...”

Li was standing next to her, frantically checking her holo display. I checked the readings on my suit and then pulled off my respirator.

“What happened?”

Li ran over to me and pointed at her holo display.

“I disabled Alpha, but the override still doesn't work.”

“El… Help… I cannot move... ”

I glanced at Kai, checking her suit's readings. All was green. I relaxed. She wasn’t hurt.

“Don’t worry, it will be okay.”

“El… Help…”

I walked over to her and crouched down, putting my hand on her visor.

“It will be okay, Kai.”

I glanced at Li, busy scanning the data on her display.

“What happened?”

“She felt the suit lock. It must be the kinetic interface, but the override should work. It could be a faulty logic processor.”

“I stumbled, and this thing just… ”, Kai murmured. “Help, El… It hurts.”

I sighed and turned to Li.

“It must be the core function. Maybe the Impact protocol.”

“I could use an emergency shutdown, right?”

Li looked at me, and I nodded.

“It would work, but wait.”

I leaned over the visor.

“Kai. Open your fists.”

She gave me a panicked look.

“I cannot move.”

“You can.”

I gave her a reassuring smile and watched as her clenched fists slowly relaxed.

“Touch your palms together and turn on your back.”

I watched her follow my instructions, trying to hide my chuckle. She wasn’t the first one to have messed up the kinetic interface. Most of the times it just gave you a story you could share over a drink.

The suit opened, and she threw her arms around me.

“El… ”

“Are you okay?”

I tried to pat her back, but she winced in pain.

“It hurts.”

I checked her biometrics. They were fine, but still…

“I will take you to medbay”, I said softly and put my arm around her. “Can you get up?”

She leaned on me, and I glanced at Li as she got into the power suit to put it back in place. She would be fine cleaning on her own. I helped Kai stand, and we left for the medbay. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to teach Kai some basics about life on a ship. I remember teaching her on Minerva back when I believed she would stay with us, but now I couldn’t bring myself to restart it.

She was quiet as we walked, leaning heavily on me. Was she really hurt?

“We are almost there.”

I led her to the cold, sterile medbay, sat her down on the table and then turned on the machine to run the diagnostics.

“Lie down.”

I looked at the monitor as the blue light of the autodoc enveloped her body.

“You seem to be fine. How do you feel?”

She sighed and looked at me.

“Better when I am still”

I smiled and brushed my hand on her cheek before resting it on her shoulder.

“I will take off your suit and run some more tests.”

She reached for my hand, but I turned to the monitor, pretending I hadn’t noticed her hand resting on mine. Once it was clear, I helped her out of her suit and let the machine do its job. The mechanical arm moved to her side and pressed a small needle into her arm.

“What was that?”

She gave me a panicked look.

“It will make you feel better,” I told her, using one of the reassuring phrases displayed on the screen.

I wasn’t a doctor, but from what I could tell, she seemed to have pulled a muscle. It made sense: she’d panicked, and the suit had put her into a safe-impact position. I felt the tips of her fingers brushing my leg, and I looked at her.

“El… I am sorry. I am not made for it.”

I froze. What did she mean? I glanced at her with rising panic. She beamed and reached for my hand.

“El…”

I blinked. Bright smile, shiny eyes. She was intoxicated. Great.

The door to the medbay suddenly opened, and Li ran in, saving me from a drunk confession that both of us would probably regret afterwards. I felt it coming.

“Are you okay?”

Li leaned over the table and looked at Kai.

“I am great.”

She chuckled, and I shook my head.

I left her with Li and went for my long-deserved smoke. The flickering lights of the engine room welcomed my scattered thoughts as I leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette. I really missed her. Why couldn’t it be as it was back then? Why did she leave?

I blew out the smoke and watched it swirl in the air before disappearing into the air vent in the ceiling.