Empty Toward The Moon

Chapter Eleven

Why so quiet all of a sudden? I asked him.

[I spent two point zero four minutes trying to comprehend your emotional responses to the situation you currently find yourself in. Then spent another seven point twelve minutes comparing this response to other young female as recorded in audio and video archives, from both fleet personnel and dramatisations, or what you call sit-coms. The responses vary widely, but all of them showed young female, such as yourself, displaying a far greater troublesome emotional reaction that you have displayed.]

[There were thirty thousand events that involved tears and mucus, twenty four thousand events involving screaming and language that should not be repeated in polite society. Fourteen thousand emotion responses resulted in some form of written expression, poetry or lyrics or song. And three hundred and fifty young female terminated their own lives, but these were mostly in the dramatisations... I do not understand poetry.] He stopped talking after that, and I waited a long time to see if he was going to continue what he was saying.

Nova?

[Oh, yes. Poetry. I don't understand it.] He replied to my query.

No, I get that, I mean your research. Did you come to a conclusion or are you just a rambling Old Geezer ready to blink out with the next dust storm? I tried hard not to laugh at him. He really did sound like an old man who was telling a story then forgot where he was up to and started staring at the sparkling dust motes as his train of thought derailed.

[I concluded, your emotional response, although immature in my point of view, were rather well contained and brief. Grace will be extended as you have requested. And I must commend your ability to reflect, respond, then move on.] He really did sound impressed.

Immature? I'm only seventeen, Nova. That struck a sore spot in me and I crossed my arms in a huff.

[Correction, you are eighteen, as of two days ago,] he said quietly.

Stuff-a-duck. Yeah, that hit me hard. My first birthday away from home. Eighteen, OK. I don't supposed there is anywhere we can get cake, is there? Birthday noodles? Champaign? I cleared the search history and search caches on the guest computer I was using and turned it off.

[None, I'm afraid. The mess galley has cake, but nothing with real cream or plexi-wax on top.]

You mean candles. I corrected him.

[Yes, candles, but calling it plexi-wax has a nice ring to it, don't you think?] He replied with a grin in his voice. I giggled.

Pity about the Champaign. I replied, with a sigh. I could do with getting a lot drunk, right about now.

[Eighteen thousand responses of drunkenness, most involving irreparable damage to reputations.] Was his reply.

This gonna be a thing, now? I asked. He didn't respond. Then a bell rang throughout the room, indicating someone was at the door.

Anyone we know? I asked Nova, as he would have checked the camera in the hallway outside.

[I have been in the system the whole time and have a sub-routine monitoring every space around us. A young ensign has your gear you came on board with.]

I opened the door and smiled at the young guy outside. "Hi, how can I help you?" I asked.

"Hi, my name is Ensign Douglasson. I have your space suit and some laundry that has been through repairs and a refurbishment. Your grey clothing fell apart, except for the hoodie, but your suit needed a bit of work." He chuckled at that, and I gathered he meant that it needed a whole system overhaul.

"Really?" I asked and stepped out to take the load from the gravlift next to him.

"Oh, thank you, this looks great. I mean, I can't believe you'd go through all that trouble to put this old thing back together for me. I really appreciate it." I spoke in an overjoyed voice, smiling at the young guy, who looked just a little older than me. He blushed.

"Oh, it wasn't me that did it, well I kinda helped. The chief had us working on it since you were kidnapped and everything."

Nova, is this thing worth anything if I sell it? I asked as I dumped the suit on the bed. The black cowel hoodie slipped out of my arms next to it and I decided to put it on straight away. It still held the few credit chips and a cheap looking necklace in a new containing pouch in the pocket. I pulled this out as I turned around and gave the guy who was still standing at my door a look of relief.

"I wasn't even sure these things would make it. I thought I had lost them." I exaggerated how happy I felt, but in reality they were probably worth a few credits at most.

[You are wrong, Young One. The credit chips are casino chips issued from a pleasure craft. They each hold twenty million credits. The cheap looking sapphire necklace, as you called it, features the Star of Bombay, circa 1970s, pre-diaspora. It is a relic of old Earth that was fashioned into the current setting you have in your hand by the late Sir Valour who gifted it to his wife on their forty fifth wedding anniversary, as per human tradition. It was worth seventeen point five billion at the time.]

I choked on my spit and quickly tucked the pouch with the priceless necklace into my pocket.

"You OK, miss?" The young crew member standing at the door asked. I could only nod as I struggled to breathe.

"I'm OK. Just glad my stuff was all there."

"Ah, yes. That was delivery by Commander Railex with the order to have it delivered with the space suit. If there is anything missing, please connect with the XO. I haven't touched anything on the gravlift. Just a delivery serviceman, Miss."

"No, everything is here. I'm all good. I am just glad that I have enough to buy some much needed make up and clothes from supply, you know?" I gave him a cheeky smile as I left the room, pulling the door closed behind me.

"But now I'm lost. This ship is so big. Can you please tell me how to get to the fabricator place so I can buy myself some things?" I asked.

"Aaaah, sure. I can take you there, if you like?" he replied.

And that was how I found myself in front of the old supply Master Chief who was retiring soon. He looked in a foul mood. I waved goodbye to the young ensign and found the list of supplies on a comp display on the counter that separated me form the large supply warehouse in the ship.

The old Master Chief didn't say much. Just gave me time to make my decisions, then took my credit chip. I gave him the one with the least credit value amount on it, but it still raised a few bushy eyebrows. I quietly smiled at the older man.

Forty minutes later, I was the proud owner of a new sleek black backpack. Clothes and a hand holo-projector, four sets of high-end fabric clothes, quality toiletries, another dark red cowl hoodie and a security pouch that went around my neck that wouldn't come off without permission from my implant. This I put the necklace in and put it on straight away. It was knife proof, fire proof and would last longer than I would.

The last stack of goods were high-end nutrients solutions that were printed in the medbay and delivered to me in supply. This would help my health and body repair itself.

Was there anything you need, Nova, before I leave supply? I asked my ride-a-long friend.

[I had something printed and slipped into the lining of your new backpack. Don't look at it here. It is contraband. We're good to go.]

Ooookay... Care to let me know what it is? I asked.

[Twenty grams of advanced nanites I've spent the last few days designing and programming, a gift for you. They are ready, but you shouldn't inject them until you are ready for sleep. It will hurt, but you can be unconscious for this lot.] I shuddered, remembering that bone-piercing pain he caused me the first time we met.

Good to know, buddy. Good to know. I said.

I quickly left the supply depot and went back to my room, opening and drinking a bottle of advanced nutrient solution on the way.