THE LAST BORN

N I N E

"What?!"

No answer comes for him but more stare and silence remain.

Malcolm ignores the silent treatment and goes back to his duty, he isn't trying to be busy or to appear to be busy, he is busy. He is currently visiting the engine room to make sure everything is in order.

As Nirvana is claimed as a terrorist ship, there is a workshop they can go to, even if there is any, the charge will be a few humans as slaves and a few more as prostitutes.

There are a lot of things for him to do, he needs to go back to the control room put the new code for their destination. There will be a meeting today for the third group of scavengers as the second group will be back anytime soon. And Jackie has been on his tail and hasn't stopped talking about his people's demand for justice for Noir.

Speaking of Jackie... He can feel her eyes poke holes in his skull.

He slams down the screen in his hand to the table and turns around. "WHAT?!" He says again, this time with full of annoyance. He looks straight at Jackie and Jamal who are looking at him strangely. Arms folded on their chest, eyebrows slightly raised, looking up to their leader with suspicion.

"So," Jamal starts.

"Do you like, hate her, hate her or...?" Jackie asks.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," He exhales.

"Ah, 'fuck'! That ancient word again!" Jackie says in excitement. "You know you're the only one who still uses that word as a cuss word right?"

"What do you want?" Malcolm grits his teeth.

"Do you like her?" Jackie shoots.

"I don't fucking like her, I don't even sure if I even like you the slightest," He hisses.

"Yeah well, yesterday was, you know, kinda like, intense, when both of you were staring at each other," Jackie says looking left and right.

"I told you a million times, I wanted to know if she knows any combat moves,"

"And?" Jamal asks rising one white eyebrow.

The nerve on his jaw is ticking, if not because apparently, he cannot connect to his people without his advisors he'd be more than happy to throw both of them to work in the kitchen the whole day. "Nothing. She has no muscle control, zero reflexes, she is undertrained, even her foot placement was awful," Malcolm admits bitterly.

"That means she isn't what you think she is, right?!" Jackie clasps her hand while smiling ear to ear.

"Perhaps she doesn't need to be trained physically to work for them," Malcolm says picking up the screen and walking away.

Maybe they want her to be as harmless and as weak as possible to mess with human compassion and empathy, good for him he hasn't felt those feelings for a very, very, long time. He is still sure that she is their enemy.

***

ANA

"You can go home now," Helen's voice doesn't startle me anymore. It seems to be her thing, move silently and just speaks behind you, catching you off guard. 

I pull a card and show it to her,

Later.

Helen sighs and puts her hands on her hips. "There isn't anything else to do, the second shift will come and take care of them, it's almost dinner time and you need to eat," Helen says sternly.

I look down and rub a leave of spinach between my fingers. I pull another card.

Please.

Helen watches me with her sharp eyes and finally sighs. "Ten more minutes and if I don't see you at dinner you're not coming here tomorrow," She says walking away.

I smile a little and stand up, walking between rows of plant beds to my destination. I discovered this spot earlier when I was looking for more soil. It's between the vegetable corner and the fruit corner, a small spot not bigger than my small bathroom that isn't touched by the artificial UV light, the wall is covered entirely with soft vines with colorful flowers. I get rid of my foot covering and enjoy the feeling of my toes tickled by the small soft leaves.

I sit down gently and sigh. It cannot get any better than this here. So peaceful, so serene. I pick one small flower and look closely at the tiny petals. So delicate, so beautiful. I wish I could find a way to sleep here instead of in my bed.

"Dinner time."

This time, I jump and gasp loudly at the voice.

I look back and look up to see him staring down at me. My heart is still racing from his sudden voice and seeing him, as cold as usual, and as pissed as he always seems when I'm around, both don't help my heart to not beat erratically.

His eye is cold as he looks down at me, with my legs folded under me, and my torso twisted to one side, supported by my one arm so I can look back at him. I can confidently say that I'm the tallest woman on this ship, but my height means nothing when he always looking down at me as I'm no taller than a bug. The fact that now I'm sitting on the ground and he's standing tall only makes it worst.

"If you don't eat, you'll get sick," He says again, folding his arms on his chest and I feel sorry for the seams on his sleeve as his bicep bulge, looking like it will break anytime now.

Again, I cannot find any strength in me to defy him, although I'd love to spend some time alone in this exact spot, I gently stand up to go to have dinner. As usual, our walk is as chatty as the graveyard at midnight, and again, it is me who lead and he is following me close behind, the coldness of his stare is my number one motivation to walk faster so I can put more space between us.

And just as I'm about to push open the doors of the dinner hall, the double doors are swinging open and a group of children is rushing outside. I jump back not wanting them to hit me but I forgot about the mountain of a man with hatred towards me standing close.

The moment my back touches his front I lose my balance, it is in my reflex to always try to not touch him, which I know will only irritate him more. To my horror, a steal of arm sneaking around my midsection, to hold me up so I won't fall butt first on the hard floor.

I look up and again become the temporary prisoner in his cold stare. Nothing ever manages to seep deep inside my skin, mixed with my blood, covering my bones like my fear of him. My body freezes and my brain stops working as I stare back at his blue/green eye.

Then he exhales, "Are you going to stand on your own feet anytime soon?"

I spring, jumping from his chest backward until my back hits the door. And never have I ever wished that I'd die like in that exact moment. Shame fills me until I feel sick to my core. I'd love to bang my head on the wall just so I'd feel pain instead of embarrassment.

What...? Why...? I mean...? For the living of the sun!

He walks past me with no change in his feature, so I follow him with my eyes looking at my feet. I glance at him before I turn to the opposite direction to where he's usually sitting and see Jackie and Jamal are looking at him with a strange look, then looking at me.

I look away and fast walk to the food.