In The Orbit (Part I)

33. Azalea

An alarm wakes us all up. I startle at the fact that I am on the couch and not with Karma. Then I remember and stifle the shot of anger that shoots through me. It's stupid that I am so angry, it's not like Karma and I are married and she's cheating on me. Whatever.

I put a pair of maroon sweatpants on. They are hand-me-downs from my brother, even though I am an inch taller than him. They stop a little below my knees. I really like these pants. They smell like home. My shirt is white and looks like Karma's typical wife beater-style shirt.

Karma and Fifi are stirring. They sit up, eyes bleary. I don't say anything to either of them. I check my messages.

Cafeteria ASAP

I leave before either of them. I see them look at each other in confusion as I leave.

Harold is sleeping with his head on the table. Khan is still wearing his dress and he looks really sleepy too. I sit down and fiddle with the drawstrings of my sweats.

"Where's Karma?" asks Khan.

"Does it look like I know?" I snap.

"Well, she's your roommate... and you two are always together."

"I don't need any sass right now," I growl.

We sit in silence for a few minutes.

Then I say, "Am I really always with her?"

"Yeah, pretty much," replies Khan. "You guys are inseparable usually. I know Fifi's kind of upset about it."

"Fifi?" I ask. "She has all of those other friends of hers. Your friends too."

"They won't be around forever. She told me she feels kind of alone and wants in on your friendship."

"Huh," I say. "Well, she sure doesn't seem like it with all of her sassy 'you have holes in your shirt' crap."

"Hold a grudge?"

"That was just the first thing. I have a whole list."

"You're mad at her? What did she do?" Khan looks around my head. "Wait... hold it, don't tell me they are coming towards us right now."

I whip around. Karma and Fifi are striding towards us. Well, Karma is. Fifi is speed-walking, taking three steps for every one of Karma's.

We all sit at the cafeteria table. Khan gently shakes Harold awake. A thin line of drool is leaving a trail on his cheek, like a snail's. Fifi snorts. She is such a dick.

Harold wipes away the saliva and mumbles something about a juicy apple pie.

All five officers walk in right then.

"We require all of you to consume at least 200 calories before you leave," announces Kesselhof. "No cheating!" she looks pointedly at Fifi.

We all go to the food counter. I get some applesauce and a bottle of Gatorade. When I sit back down, Dipper pulls out his SmartScreen and pulls up a map of the area around us. The plan is for Karma and Fifi to go into the whatever it is that is passing our satellite. Harold will be stowed away on the ship, just in case the ship gets stolen or something. Khan and I will be there for backup, just under the radar, and in control of the officers, since neither of us can drive.

"We need to give all of you piloting lessons..." murmurs Hower.

"Yes, so Karma and Fifi will actually go into the unidentified spacecraft," continues Dipper. "You need to find the control of the craft and see who is controlling it. Get identification. Find out what country allows them there. We hate to be the police of the skies, but it is necessary when they are so close."

We all finish our food and go over the plan one last time. Then we are sent out to the port.

Immediately I can tell someone has been here. There are shoe scuff marks on the floor, and three of the ships in the room have huge dents. My immediate thought is that they dragged Strom back to Earth to chop off his thumbs.

The officers look at each other. Kesselhof shakes her head firmly and herds us towards our ships.

Khan and I step into a pod that is exactly the same as the first time we went out into space. Without the third person, we are sitting comfortably. It drives us to the door. We both have earpieces connected to the officers in.

While we are waiting to get out of the door, I try to make conversation. "I wonder where Strom went?"

Khan shifts, looking uncomfortable."Yeah. Strom."

"What's wrong?"

"Well... last time we were in this podship we kinda had an awkward moment."

"What do you mean?"

Khan puts his hands on his lap and squirms. "I don't want to go into it," he says, cringing.

"What's going on?" I ask. He looks like he's in pain. He cups his hands around his crotch. I think I know what's happening and I can't help but laugh.

"What?!" he demands.

"You like Strom, don't you?" I laugh.

"NO! I'M NOT GAY!"

I laugh some more. Then the door opens and we shoot out into space, the gravity loss hitting hard. Khan's hands go flying and I use the chance to look where his hands were. I was right. His dress doesn't do a good job covering what's going on down there.

We are flown out into space and we sit around, and don't do anything.

"I hope he's ok," Khan says.

"Who?" I ask.

"Strom," answers Khan. I take a peek back at his lap. He still has a boner.