Anith: Beyond Space

11

Anith harvested the stones. He sighed, cracking his neck.

He carried the pouch on his back, heading back toward the ship.

He opened the door, taking off his suit. "I have returned."

Roxanne sat up.

He eyed her. "Are you alright?"

She nodded, standing. "Yeah...yeah, I'm fine. Did you get the stones?"

"Yes. You don't seem to be fine. Did I mistranslate?"

She took the pack off his back, looking at the rocks. "Don't they need to be synthesized? Let me help let me-"

Anith took the pack, setting it above her height. "Roxanne?"

"It's just I'm being suffocated. This silence. You won't let me do anything. I need to do something. I have to."

Anith sighed, handing her the rocks. "Okay. Here. I am going to heat them. Melt them down, and reform them. It'll be crude with what I have-"

"And you'll let me help?" She looked up at him.

Anith looked away. That was a dangerous look. 

"Anith, you like me don't you? You'll let me help?" Her lip quivered.

"Roxanne, what's wrong? Are you missing earth? Do you want to go home?" He asked, he held her face. "We can go back to earth."

Roxanne smiled shakily. "I can't...can't go back. Just let me help with those rocks okay?"

Anith sighed, stroking her cheek softly.

She pulled away. "Don't..."

"Don't what?"

"Comfort me. And stop looking at me like that."

He sighed. "Like what?"

She shook her head. "You'll let me help, won't you? Really help? No stopping me in the middle. No complaining about your pride as a warrior."

Anith held her face between his hands. "You seem to be in emotional distress, Roxanne. Will you allow me to assist you?"

Roxanne laughed, fighting back tears. "No. No. I don't want your assistance with this. I just wanna...melt rocks with you right now."

Anith nodded. "Alright." He put a helmet over her head, as her tears fell, taking her hand.

"Let's melt rocks."

• • •

Anith watched her melt rocks. She took over. Tweaking his whole tool. He sighed.

"Do you hate earth?" He asked as she focused the laser on the rocks.

"Yeah, sorta," she murmured. "It's full of...anyway."

The rocks began to melt.

"But it's your home. Sometimes...you mistake what you have with what you hate. Those things can go away. Very quickly."

She sighed. "Anith?"

"Yes?"

She said nothing for a moment. "Anith, how did you know?"

"How did I know what?" He shuffled the rocks as she took a break. He eased the laser off her shoulder.

"That you liked me? Or are you just saying that, so I'll have your blue babies?"

He raised his brow. "Again, is there an instance where a partner does not procreate?"

She shrugged. "Answer my question."

"It's something like...a feeling."

"A feeling?" She repeated.

"Like a gut feeling. An instinct. Iohirians are instinctive beings."

"Huh," she sighed. "What's the sky on Iohiri like again?"

"Light purple during the day. And at night, it's blue. So blue. And the stars twinkle brightly."

She grinned. "You'll take me there, won't you?"

"Yes. That is our next destination."

She snuggled against him. He shifted opening his arms for her. She rested her head on his chest. He rubbed her leg gently.

"Is everything alright, Roxanne?" He asked, picking her up, searching her eyes.

She sighed. "Yes. Fine. Let's just finish melting the rocks."

He watched her pick ups the laser and start melting away. She was beautiful. He liked her.

He looked away.

"Hey," she pulled her eye covering up, her brown eyes narrowing. "You okay? Usually, when I touch a tool, you sigh first."

He smiled. "I'm fine," he watched it her, he couldn't keep his eyes off her.

He closed his eyes.  She stood putting her hands on her hips.

"Hey, I'm a war criminal," she said gently, she patted his chest, "You can tell me anything."

He swallowed. "It's nothing."

She raised her brow. "Nothing? Nothing like I plotted to exterminate humankind nothing or nothing like nothing?"

"Nothing like nothing."

She got closer, cocking her head. "Hm...hey, did you put something in your pants? We need all the rocks, to get-"

She blinked. "I'm gonna stop talking now."

"Thank you."