The Inner Ring (gxg)

Chapter 11

The MUSE Spacecraft had lasted longer than anyone had expected. The original end date should have been about two years into the flight, and yet here they were only six months from their target, and they were finally retrieving the last of the images. The last three years had gone by quickly, at least for Pepper and Vanessa. They were still working together daily, and having fun doing so. Vanessa had hidden the present that Lena had left for them, so it wasn't something that was constantly reminding them of that conversation.

In fact, that conversation hadn't come up again.

Vanessa felt horrible about it, but never brought it up. She had spent most of the outbound trip regretting saying that a relationship on the mission could have a hard time transitioning to the real world, or that things could get awkward, because she had wanted to start one with Pepper quite a bit. In fact, she had wanted to before they even left the Earth. But Pepper seemed oblivious, or at least caught up in remembering those doubts.

Lena most certainly wasn't helping. She never confirmed anything between her and Miles, but when Miles changed bunk rooms with Brody to be with Lena, it was kind of obvious. Also, Lena was loud. She didn't seem to care who knew that she was, in her screamed words, so close baby. So yeah, she never came out and said that she and Miles were together, but anyone with ears knew that they were.

When she came back to Pepper and Vanessa's bunk room again with her box, they knew something was up. "Hello again ladies! I hope you got some good use from the toy?" She asked with a smirk.

"Umm, nope. Sorry," Pepper stated.

"Why not?" Lena was confused. "Please don't tell me you two still aren't together? How long does it take you two to make a move? You're in space, just fuck already!"

Pepper lowered her head blushing, while Vanessa put her arm around her. "Hey, we're friends, and we don't want to mess that up," she stated.

Lena looked between the two of them silently. "Two of the hottest damned ladies I've met, and you're doing nothing. I don't get this. But anyway, have my box. With Miles around, I haven't needed it in ages, and I thought you might. You have lots to choose from, so even if you don't use them on each other, which you should, use them on your own,' she added sternly.

"Lena, we don't need..." Vanessa started.

"I know, you don't need them. But maybe it's like Christmas, and I'm Santa's naughty elf trying to get you two to have some fun on this trip," Lena continued. "If you two don't want to, I know Brody has been eying you pretty much every day," she added to Vanessa.

Pepper's eyes shot up at that while Vanessa scoffed. "No thanks!"

"Oh, hold on!" Lena opened the box and pulled out a blue glass plug. "Sorry, still need this! We're going to Uranus after all!"

And there it was. The first Uranus joke of the trip. Vanessa laughed and pulled out a pen, making a mark on the wall. They had expected it to be filled by now.

Once Lena was gone, Pepper curled up in her bunk, thinking. It had hurt her heart to think of Vanessa with Brody, but it wasn't up to her. Did she think of Vanessa as more than a friend? She certainly wanted to, but she had tried to swallow her emotions over the years. They had grown so close throughout the trip that it seemed as though they were together, even if they weren't in a romantic relationship. But they were with each other all the time, and she couldn't imagine not having her friend with her anymore. What if she wanted to move to Brody's cabin?

"Hey, you okay down there?" Vanessa called down from her bunk.

"Yeah," Pepper sighed.