Aubade: Chapter 14
What’s it all about? [all previous chapters linked]
You just woke up and find yourself onboard the spaceship Aubade escaping Earth. Forever. Last thing you remember is going to bed. On Earth.
Sara floated somewhere in between sleep and dozing off for several hours. She sat up when she heard Vince and Sirta.
Vince looked at her while talking to Sirta on the secure channel.
"Yes Sir, I will. Thank you." He logged out and said:
"Well what do you know, Captain Meadows has decided to land."
Sara instinctively laughed, not so much at what he said but at his tone of voice. He gave her a surprised look.
"... and we're the assigned welcome committee, I just learned." He handed her some water.
"Do you think you can get on the next shuttle?"
"Yes, I can do it."
She walked over to the bathroom to refresh herself. Getting into clean clothes made her feel better. A look in the mirror told her she had aged. Along with this observation came a feeling of weariness. It was perhaps what maturity felt like.
Vince was studying the Defense Library schematics when she entered the room. The images of her family were gone and when she came closer he held out his hand to her. No words were exchanged as he handed over the chip to her. She sat down on the edge of the couch and held onto the small object while staring at the moving structures on the visual.
Finally he asked:
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I just couldn’t. Peter would never separate me and Pandora. We were supposed to stay together when the ships left. But now I'm wondering if he did figure out a way to take us. Maybe Pandora is with him? Vince, I am going insane! Who else knows about this?" she asked.
"Captain, Sirta, you and I."
"Can we please keep it that way?" she asked and he immediately nodded in agreement.
"You sure you’ll be OK?" he asked and she could detect a worried tone in his voice.
"Peter and Jack are..." she began.
"...brothers, I know," Vince said. "How come Jack doesn't know you?"
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