A'Vanti
Tomorrow, we arrive at Ceraste.
The knowledge sits heavy in my mind as I walk the observation deck for the third time tonight, unable to settle. Through the viewing windows, the stars zoom past, bright streaks against a black backdrop. I don't know if the churning in my stomach is nerves or vertigo. Somewhere beyond that blackness, my homeworld waits. The ruins of everything I once knew.
I should be resting. But every time I try to sit, my body rebels. My muscles are taut, my mind won't stop racing, and my heart is doing strange stuttering things.
I'm not the only one feeling it. The whole ship feels it. There's a tension threading through everything tonight, an electric undercurrent that makes my scales want to prickle.
I passed Officer L'Stourn in the corridor earlier, his usually serene expression tight around the edges. Even thehumans seem affected, moving through the ship with a certain restlessness, conversations trailing off into weighted silences. We're all carrying it, this tangle of hope and grief, of anticipation shadowed by memory.
The sound of laughter draws me from my thoughts.
It's coming from the common room at the end of the corridor, loud and startling in the subdued atmosphere of the ship. I pause, tilting my head to listen. More laughter, followed by what sounds like good-natured arguing.
I should return to my quarters. I should try to meditate, or read, or do any of the calming activities Dr. Singh has suggested.
Instead, my feet carry me toward the noise.
The common room is one of the larger shared spaces on the ship, designed for recreation and socialization. It features comfortable seating arranged in clusters, a small galley for preparing food and drinks, and an impressive entertainment system with a viewing screen that takes up nearly an entire wall.
When I step through the doorway, I find a small group already gathered.
Chelsea is perched on one of the long sofas, her legs tucked beneath her in that boneless way humans seem to favor. She's flanked by her mates; D'Rett on one side, L'Tarne on the other, both of them curved toward her like plants seeking sunlight. The easy intimacy of their positioning sends a small pang through my chest.
A few other crew members are scattered about the room. L'Zaen and his human mate, Ally, are sharing a chair that was clearly designed for one. Lounging across a chair, feet dangling over the armrest, is Dr. Zoya Petrova, our hydrological engineer and one of the few non-military humans aboard, frowning at what looks like a systems schematic on her data pad. And there, emerging from the small galley with a bowl in each hand?—
Cody.
His eyes find mine the moment I enter, and that ridiculous grin spreads across his face like it's been waiting there all along, just beneath the surface, ready to bloom the instant he saw me.
"A'Vanti!" Chelsea waves me over, her whole face brightening. "Perfect timing. We were about to start."
"Start what?"
"Movie night." She gestures expansively at the viewing screen. "I decided everyone needed a distraction, something to take their minds off tomorrow. We've all been wandering around like ghosts and it's driving me crazy."
"I wasn't wandering, sprite," D'Rett says mildly. The way he's pressed to Chelsea's side suggests he hasn't strayed far from her all evening.
"You were brooding. Which is worse." Chelsea pats his knee. "But it's okay, because I have the cure for brooding, and it's called cinema."
L'Tarne makes a sound that might be amusement or might be resignation. "And what film have you selected for this evening's cure?"
The smile that spreads across Chelsea's face is pure mischief. "I was thinking a romantic comedy. Something classic." She turns that smile on her mates, eyes dancing. "You two love rom-coms."
D'Rett's answer is to pull her into his arms, tucking her close. "You know we do. Which one do you want to watch?"
I hover near the entrance, uncertain whether to retreat or advance. But Chelsea notices and waves me toward an empty lounge chair near the viewing screen.
"Come on, A'Vanti. You can't stand there like a statue all night. Come sit. Have you ever seenCrazy, Stupid, Love?"
I sink into the sofa she's indicated, feeling more awkward than the situation warrants.
"I have not."
"You'll love it. There's this scene… he does the lift fromDirty Dancing,and it's awesome."
She must see my confusion because she stops mid-sentence.
