“...okay.”
Exhaustion struck harder than a gut punch. I wanted to get back to the habitat. I wanted us to go back to his office and hide away where I would forget this happened. My nerves were as fried as my exoskin. I slid out of the rover. Roys took up driving while I sat on the passenger side trying not to think of Roys falling into shadows, of me driving off without him, of finding his body lying there in the flora.
“Thank you,” he said.
I shifted toward the window. “For what?”
“Coming back.”
He should be upset. He should lecture me about abandoning him.
But Roys settled that hand on my thigh like he couldn’t fathom the idea of being apart. I wouldn’t look down. My breath fogged the glass where I brought my finger up to draw spirals. Another breath covered them, and I repeated the process, wishing it would distract me from the open silence.
Words settled on my tongue, yearning to break forth, and I bit them back to no avail. “I liked it, too.”
His fingers tensed, as did my thigh. “What?”
“The field.”
He admitted the same all those days ago when I ran off, and he remembered based on the way his thumb rubbed my leg. Such a simple gesture that I couldn’t bear to witness or acknowledge.
To my relief, we said nothing more. At the habitat, Ryker assisted me to the cradle. Roys offered, but Ryker was easier, simpler.
After undressing in the med bay, I dropped into the cradle where, at some point, I thought I heard Maddy, even saw her looking down at me. Eyes wide and bottom lip caught in her teeth, her hand traced the shape of my arm, then she was gone.
I must have been delirious.
025
Royskepthispromise.The following day, the droids descended into the caves. Roys used our shotty equipment as perfectly sound reasoning for why the droids should get samples rather than us. The survey team argued the droids weren’t capable of acquiring good samples, but we all knew that was a lie. The survey team had an insatiable curiosity, had to for their line of work.
The cradle healed my arm, so I went with the geologists, mostly to ensure they remained in the rover while the droids brought samples. Korb grumbled over how well the droids did, claiming the captain would use the samples as an excuse to send the droids in their stead. Roys wouldn’t totally deprive them of their adventures, but he might put his foot down more than usual, as he had been doing to Zavir.
Roys remained at the habitat to monitor our resident troublemaker. Honestly, I was surprised it was Zavir instead of me. I was even a little upset to have the title stripped from me. What was I meant to be if it wasn’t a royal pain in the ass? I’d have to work on scrounging up trouble later to reclaim my rightful place.
That afternoon, we returned to the habitat without incident to find Zavir lying alone in the yard, practically sweating off his weight. Ryker and I were not ones to miss a perfect opportunity for harassment.We surrounded him on either side, where Ryker said, “It looks to me like someone is taking a break that I do not believe is mandated.”
“Where is our captain? He should know about your slacking off,” I asked.
An empty yard greeted us. The others hadn’t returned. Those who stayed were in the habitat. Roys was nowhere to be found. A swell of disappointment tugged at my chest.
Zavir used every hand to give us the finger. “I don’t know where he is. He was out here a moment ago, so yeah, I am taking advantage of his absence. Do not ruin this for me.”
Snickering, we both gave him a swift kick to the sides and returned to the habitat where Maddy and Galya ate in the communal dining area. Galya rambled on about scientific jargon I couldn’t understand. Maddy might not have either, based on how rapidly she ate in a clear attempt to escape.
Ten years had passed. She was a different person. I didn’t know a damn thing about her. I probably never would because nothing remained of our family. We all died back there at the Colony, just in different ways.
“Oh, Private Adkins and Katlan, welcome back! Korb begrudgingly admitted that the droids had done well in obtaining samples from that dreadful cave system. Surely you must be hungry. Please, come sit with us!” Galya had two trays hovering out of the kitchen to land on the table. Elphies couldn’t carry heavy items a great distance, but those small trays were easy.
Ryker gave an apprehensive look that I would have returned if I weren’t currently losing my mind. An opportunity had arisen that I couldn’t pass up, especially after last night. I thought I saw her there above the cradle, looking down at me like she still cared. I wanted that.
I wanted my sister more than anything.
I sat down beside Galya because sitting by Maddy might have been a death sentence. Ryker forced a congenial smile and sat beside her instead.
“Thanks, Doctor. We are hungry. It was a hot one out there,” Ryker said, having already removed his visor and the torso part of his exoskin. The equipment hung loosely from his waist. I mirrored him.
“Oh please, call me Galya. We’re to spend the next few months together, and I’ve found humans open up far better when there is a lack of formality. Why is that, may I ask?” Galya’s spoon dipped into the gruel to bring to her mouth.
