Humanity in the Deep

Part 3, Chapters 3-4

"Erikson, you have the stick."

"Confirmed, Alice, we have the stick," Roger heard the lieutenant say as he took his hands off his board.

After almost two weeks of waiting, the Erikson had entered orbit. With an ominous feeling, Roger had watched the torch shut down.

Alice's jets fired a few times and they began a slow descent onto the track of the docking ring.

With a clang, they hit. A few seconds later, the umbilical indicators lit up.

"We are showing umbilical connections. Do you read the same?"

"This is Alice. We copy and show the same. Permission to come on board."

The captain cut in and said, "Granted, and good job, gentlemen and lady. You have our gratitude. We request you exit through the midship cargo lock."

Roger signed off, and while putting the ship into gray mode, turned and asked Thomas, "You know what that's about?"

"If I had to guess, I would say they have some kind of reception planned."

Dianna turned and said, "Most likely," as she unhooked herself and pushed herself out of the cockpit.

As Roger was doing the same he nodded in her direction and asked Thomas, "What's with her? She hardly said a word the entire trip, I doubt she really looked at me once."

"Don't take it personally. She's an aspie."

"What?"

"I keep forgetting you grew up on a backwater. It means she has Asperger's. There's several dozen aboard, including about half her family. As a rule, aspie's aren't very social. She's probably going to skip out on whatever the captain has planned.

"Come on," he clapped Roger on the back, "We have an adoring public to get to." He looked almost as happy as when the Alice had finished the six G burn.

---

The midship cargo lock opened to a midsize compartment. It was full of people.

When Roger and Thomas entered everyone began clapping and cheering. Roger was taking it all in when he was tackled and hit the bulkhead behind him.

It was Kat, hugging him around the waist so tight it almost hurt. After she righted herself, they kissed deeply, and for once, Roger didn't mind the public display of affection.

"I missed you," she said.

"I noticed," he smiled, not letting her go. Nadica was rushing at him from the 'top' of the room. Roger saw her fast enough to jump up and grab her by her foot before she hit.

She started laughing then and managed to kick free and use her mag shoes to stand on the bulkhead above and behind Roger.

"I missed you too," Nadica said with her hands on her hips.

"Kyle wanted to be here but he's preparing a 'meal,'," she said, using air quotes.

"With what? Don't tell me he held out some real food," Roger asked.

"He says he's found a way to quote 'turn water into wine,'" she said, imitating Kyle.

The captain, councilors, and everyone else in the room wanted to shake his and Thomas's hands and thank them personally.

It took close to half an hour to get free.

One thing Roger liked about the Erikson was they took their celebrations where they could. They had all lost a lot, but that did not mean grief ruled their lives.