Post by Lady Hammer on Sept 13, 2007 12:59:32 GMT -5
Chapter 1: The sun goes down again
Crickets chirped in the backyard. Owls hooted in the trees. Footsteps shuffled in the bushes. It was all normal, but every single night, it still left Rufina disturbed. Despite the comforting fire lit in the fireplace, despite the cup of warm milk in her hands, despite her significant other’s arm draped around her shoulder.
But the woman never said a thing. Her eyes flashed a glance to the light of multiple moons beaming over her. One yellow, one red, and one a heavenly white. Rufina never said a thing, she noted to herself, sipping the warm milk, shivering despite her boyfriend’s warmth. Would she ever be comfortable? Would she ever find a place that she could call home and not resent?
“Why are you so quiet?”
Rufina’s olive green eyes looked up to Jhase and his smile, dimples and all.
“I just like the silence. It’s comforting,” she said. The man smirked a little bit and kissed her forehead before standing up.
“It’s getting late. Have you finished your bookwork?”
“Yes,” Rufina answered. “It’s all done.”
“What do you say we call it a night?”
It sounded like a decent idea, she thought. She was scheduled to leave her planet in three days, and knowing this was nerve-wracking. The Phira Worlds United University had given her two weeks’ worth of studying on the adverse effects of space travel in human beings to complete in just those three days. Rufina found herself shuddering every time she thought of herself boarding the Incandescence and it slowly rising higher and higher into the air and breaking through the atmosphere and…
But she would never tell Jhase these thoughts. He was already mad enough that she’d be gone for nearly a year, and she wasn’t one who wanted to agitate that anger any more. His kind felt anger much, much stronger than the average human.
“Alright, a night it is,” she said with a smile. She took her man’s hand and got herself off the couch, following him into their tiny bedroom. The apartment was awfully cramped, so she at least hoped he would like having some room to himself. He appreciated solitude much more than she did.
“Rufe, can I say something?”
Here it comes, she thought. He was going to come crashing down on her and go off on his angry tirade about her leaving. Her leaving to escort diplomats and political figureheads to a habitable moon with its own life forms. No matter what the good was behind the mission, his emotions always came first.
“Of course, Jhase.”
“I’m really going to miss you when you leave…”
It always started out like this. Always. But, Rufina kept to herself and looked quaintly into Jhase’s honey-brown eyes. His sweet Sepoixan face was so betraying…
“I’m going to miss you too. I wish I could turn this down, Jhase, but when I come back, think of the money we’ll have!” she said. Money could always calm him down. Though his emotions ran rampant, the man did have many ambitions, many of which he couldn’t have within his grasp unless he had adequate funds. He grinned at her.
“When I came down from Sepoixa to your planet, I honestly didn’t think it was very much in comparison. But when I met you, I knew that there was nothing prettier back home.”
He always new the right things to say, she thought. Rufina’s eyes grew a little teary, and she walked over to embrace him for a moment, standing in the doorway to their bedroom. As a child, she loved the white moon the best, and when the Sepoixans made their way to her planet, she was instantly beguiled with him. Until she found out about his temper, but she quickly grew to deal with it.
“I promise I’ll try to speed things up. I’ll nag Captain Keller night and day about our progress and get on everyone’s tail to go about their business as fast as they can. Okay?” she said. She could tell by the clenching of his teeth that he wanted to get angry, but there was something different about tonight that was keeping him in check. Almost as though… for once, he was trying to let her be happy.
“Come on, let’s brush our teeth!”
So, the two prepared for what would be about six hours of sleep. As the minty foam dribble slid down Rufina’s lips, she envisioned her day tomorrow: making her way down to the Worlds United Office to check the itinerary and see what was left to study, and to meet the guests that would be boarding the Incandescence for the trip to Phira’s yellow moon. She would be attending to them, after all, as the newly promoted Chief Guest Attendee. Praying that no one too difficult would be taking the trip, she spit out her paste and rinsed her mouth out.
As the lights went off, the crickets grew louder, as did the ambient noises of the night. Cars and other vehicles zooming by on the nearby streets, dying chatter from those outside, etcetera. It was her most loathed time of day, the hours that separated Rufina from sleep. Tonight she especially dreaded; knowing that liftoff was only three days away, she doubted sleep would come at all.
“I’ll always love you, Rufe.”
The words startled her. Though Jhase told her he loved her many times, it was only ever in response to her telling him that she loved him.
“And I’ll always love you.”
Perhaps she wasn’t giving him enough credit, she thought. Jhase was difficult, but… there couldn’t have been any doubt that he loved her. He had stayed at her side for over three years.
“It’ll be a long year without you, but I’ll stay faithful. I promise.” Rufina’s heart swelled like a sponge as the two laid together under the heavy blankets. She brought his hand to her lips and kissed his fingers softly, and he ran a hand through her short, dark hair. “Please don’t forget me.”
“I could never forget you!” Rufina said, kissing him. He returned her kiss quite deeply, and it was then she remembered how the kiss of a Sepoixan could light her fire, and briskly, she grabbed onto his shoulders, returning his slip of tongue with a nibble on the lip. It was the times like this she would miss. Though Jhase had a temper that sometimes she would die to relieve, he was the only one who could get her to be passionate, and she wouldn’t leave without letting him know it.
They rolled around beneath the sheets for a few more minutes before an odd noise came from the door. Rufina’s head peeked up, her hair mussed.
“Did you hear that?”
“You’re always hearing things. Come on, come back under the covers…”
But the noise persisted. Something rattling.
“I think…” The woman rose a bit more, craning her neck to get a better listen. Rattling of… the tumblers? “I think someone’s trying to break in!” Immediately, she bolted out of bed and into the hallway, staring down the front door. Excitement and terror built up all at once, and she found herself shivering.
“Stay back, Rufe,” he said, eyes darting around the apartment for a blunt object. But, he wouldn’t need one. One swing from his arm would be enough. Sepoixans were built tall and bulky, and could take a hit.
But she feared, anyway. What if the intruder had a gun? One shot to the head, and… she didn’t finish the thought. Don’t go any closer, she thought… she would handle it, she would take care of the intruder! Jhase’s eyes found Rufina’s old baton that she used when she was still in the marching band, and his left hand gripped it firmly. Slowly, he made his way to the door, the tumblers of the lock still rattling.
Don’t go any closer, she thought. Just let them be. They would figure out how hard it really was to pick a lock soon, and run away…
Jhase first peered out into the peephole, seeing a feminine figure leaning over the doorknob outside. Quickly, he unlocked the door and ripped it open, swinging the baton immediately at the intruder. It was an older woman who screamed like the banshees as Jhase beat her.
“Stop it! Stop it, leave me alone!” she cried. “I’m sorry, I’ll go!”
If Rufina hadn’t have pulled the man away, he could’ve easily beaten the woman to death. The black-clad figure limped away as fast as she could, but Rufina’s heart was still rapidly thumping against her ribs.
“Why would someone try to rob us?” she asked, breathless. It was moments before she got an answer. Jhase slammed the door, uncaring of which neighbors he might’ve woken, and the anger on his face showed even in the shadows, the same twisted, malicious face that scared Rufina every time.
“They must’ve seen my heirlooms on the shelves,” he said, panting. His knuckles were white, still wrapped around the baton. He must’ve been dying to beat someone, she thought… the prime way to let loose anger… his testosterone and adrenaline were probably going through the roof. “Stuff from Sepoixa sells for tons...” Rufina stepped up to him tentatively, putting a hand on his forearm.
“Come on, sweetie, let’s go back to bed,” she said. “I’ll report it in the morning before I leave for work.” That seemed to be enough reassurance for him, as he flipped the lock again and followed her back into the bedroom.
The sky was morose the next day, and though it was a beautiful shade of gray, Rufina could feel it coming down on her like the weight of the world. The world she would soon be leaving. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get that thought out of her head, and she hoped that her friends at the office could alleviate some of the stress.
But, she knew her friends, and that wasn’t likely. Fun-loving, every last one of them, always getting into trouble, and it was a wonder that they ever got jobs on the Incandescence Project. She was the one alleviating everyone’s stress.
“I need new friends,” she sighed, turning into the parking lot with shaky hands. The incident from last night still had her in shambles. “It was just someone trying to break in! It happens all the time!” What if it happened when she was gone? Jhase’s lousy ear for detail wouldn’t hear the tumblers rattling again… so he wouldn’t have the same upper hand. “Who am I kidding? Jhase is a beast… even if it was a surprise to him, he could still handle himself… why am I worrying about this? He can take care of himself!”
The Worlds United Office loomed over her as she eased her speedster into the same parking spot that she always did. 12 stories, and behind it was the University. Poor Jhase, she thought… he had always been jealous of the job she had.
A cold breeze sent a chill down her legs as she stepped out of her vehicle, and she suddenly regretted not putting on a heavier blazer before leaving. But no matter… she’d have to deal with it. With her shoulder bag slung over one arm, the click-clack of her heels followed the petite tan girl into the building. Without even thinking, her programmed mind went through the daily routine – sign in, register her key-card, head to the elevator, go to the top story, wander down the hallway, open the door at the end with her key-card.
“Miss Lance!”
The female voice of Captain Lenore Keller greeted her just as suddenly as always. She was taller than Rufina, though that wasn’t saying much, and she kept herself looking neat, proper, and professional every day, and was noted for her short rust-brown hair that flipped out.
“Good morning, Captain,” Rufina greeted, bowing.
“At ease, Miss Lance. Admiral Long will be arriving with the latest news in just a bit, but in the meantime, I’d like for you to meet the guests you’ll be attending to!” Rufina’s eyes went to the small family in the other side of the room. An old man, a middle-aged woman, a spunky little girl and her…
“Is that a bobcat?” she asked.
“It was Daddy’s!” the girl said defensively, holding the feline tighter. “We’re going to take it with us!”
“It’s okay, Miss Lance. I told them that you could make arrangements, right?” Though she loved her captain, she hated that she was always putting her up to things before seeing if it was actually possible.
“Of course. I’m the Chief Guest Attendee, Rufina Silene Lance,” she said, putting her hand out to shake. They looked at her awkwardly, until the old man finally obliged to take her hand.
“Walter Briggs, this is my daughter Cinah, and that’s my granddaughter—”
“Elspeth Lindy Mariole!” The girl stuck her nose in the air and held onto the bobcat. “And this is Mack. He’s the only thing we have left of Daddy’s, so he’s coming!”
“Of course, of course, we’ll make sure there’s enough room in one of your suites to… comfortably accommodate to him, alright?” Rufina said, putting on a fake smile. The girl was still highly dissatisfied, but nodded nonetheless.
“Miss Lance, Mr. Briggs is one of the Initial Contact Admirals and will be assisting Admiral Long in dealing with the Perdu when we get to Hespera,” the captain explained. “So tell them about our suites and what we have to offer and get acquainted to their needs. I’ll be right back and see just where Long is…”
Aside from always putting her up to things before Rufina could decide whether they were possible or not, Captain Keller had a knack for leaving her alone with important people to fend for herself. Still, there was no one that she respected more. She went on to explain the food that Chef Damend made and how he could tend to anyone’s special needs. He would have to, as Elspeth admitted her lactose intolerance.
“Our guest suites are very large, much bigger than staff quarters, so you’ll have all the luxury you can handle! We have a wide array of books, movies, music – many things for you to do while we’re on our trip, though I myself prefer to hang out in the mess hall!”
“Very well. If that’s all…”
Cinah also expressed her dissatisfaction. How was this happening? If there was anyone who could exaggerate the Incandescence, or anything for that matter, it was Rufina. Why were these people not pleased?
“Myself and the other Guest Attendee, Delilah Obrahms, will be giving you a tour when we liftoff, too, so you won’t have to take my word for it.” Still nothing. Rufina was about to show her frustration when Captain Keller reentered her office with two others – Admiral Long dressed in the formal red coat of all admirals, and the Incandesence’s nurse, Sigurd.
“Unfortunately, our Senior Doctor is out for the day, studying hard as always! So, I’ve brought the Chief Nurse, Sigurd Cowl. And this,” the captain said, turning to the stoic woman beside her, “is Initial Contact Admiral Ambrosia Long.”
“I’m afraid I have bad news,” Long said at once, eyeing Rufina especially. “Due to the money that the Initial Contact Department has put in this project, they have the say-so on our liftoff date, and they’ve decided to leave earlier than we planned.”
“How much earlier?” Rufina asked, biting a nail.
“We leave tomorrow night. So all of those parties,” she said, eyeing the dark-haired nurse, “will have to either happen when you come home tonight, or wait until we get back from the mission.”
“This is splendid!” Walter said suddenly, his hand motions going wild. “I was wondering what I would do to occupy myself for three more days! Tell the department that I appreciate the haste. Now, if you don’t mind,” he said to the captain, “I’m scheduled for a suit-fitting in twenty minutes!”
Briggs and his family left without saying goodbye, leaving Rufina as relieved as she could be with Admiral Long’s news.
“We can’t leave ahead of schedule!” she said, clenching her fist. “I have plans! I have a going away party to go to day after tomorrow!”
“Sorry, Miss Lance. It’s one of those things you have to be able to deal with if you’re going to work in this field,” the admiral replied, her face still. Keller rubbed the girl’s back and smiled.
“It’ll be okay, Rufina. This whole operation won’t be as long as it seems. Time passes faster on Hespera. A year on there will be nine months here, most likely!”
“And,” Sigurd said, grinning and adjusting his glasses, “we’re planning a huge hull-party the night we leave! You oughta come!”
“My boyfriend will kill me, Sigurd!”
“Oh, tell that Sepoixan of yours to calm down. He’ll be seeing you soon enough,” Keller noted, pulling a coffee cup down from her shelf and making her way to her coffee pot.
That their time would be cut short would be the hardest thing to tell Jhase, and unfortunately, she had arrived back home and he would be eager to hear how her day went. How could she go about this? Rufina wondered which approach would work better… the crying approach, the stressed approach, the angry approach, the indifferent approach… somehow, she saw herself breaking into tears as soon as she saw his face.
She twisted the key in the tampered lock and opened the door. The apartment was dark, like usual. And cold.
“Jhae?”
His footsteps came from the kitchen, and he had a chocolate-covered spoon in his hand and a smile on his face.
“Are you… baking?” She started tearing up already.
“I missed you! I wanted to do someth—”
She broke down right there in front of him, falling to her knees and holding her head in her hands.
“I’m leaving tomorrow night!” she cried. “The department sped up our liftoff! Jhase, what am I gonna do?” His face reddened with anger for a second, but he kneeled down to her, handing her the spoon.
“I-It’s okay,” he said, trying to stop gritting his teeth. “We’ll just have to make your last day here the best…” Kissing her cheek, he wrapped his thick arms around her, and they sat alone, in the dark.
Crickets chirped in the backyard. Owls hooted in the trees. Footsteps shuffled in the bushes. It was all normal, but every single night, it still left Rufina disturbed. Despite the comforting fire lit in the fireplace, despite the cup of warm milk in her hands, despite her significant other’s arm draped around her shoulder.
But the woman never said a thing. Her eyes flashed a glance to the light of multiple moons beaming over her. One yellow, one red, and one a heavenly white. Rufina never said a thing, she noted to herself, sipping the warm milk, shivering despite her boyfriend’s warmth. Would she ever be comfortable? Would she ever find a place that she could call home and not resent?
“Why are you so quiet?”
Rufina’s olive green eyes looked up to Jhase and his smile, dimples and all.
“I just like the silence. It’s comforting,” she said. The man smirked a little bit and kissed her forehead before standing up.
“It’s getting late. Have you finished your bookwork?”
“Yes,” Rufina answered. “It’s all done.”
“What do you say we call it a night?”
It sounded like a decent idea, she thought. She was scheduled to leave her planet in three days, and knowing this was nerve-wracking. The Phira Worlds United University had given her two weeks’ worth of studying on the adverse effects of space travel in human beings to complete in just those three days. Rufina found herself shuddering every time she thought of herself boarding the Incandescence and it slowly rising higher and higher into the air and breaking through the atmosphere and…
But she would never tell Jhase these thoughts. He was already mad enough that she’d be gone for nearly a year, and she wasn’t one who wanted to agitate that anger any more. His kind felt anger much, much stronger than the average human.
“Alright, a night it is,” she said with a smile. She took her man’s hand and got herself off the couch, following him into their tiny bedroom. The apartment was awfully cramped, so she at least hoped he would like having some room to himself. He appreciated solitude much more than she did.
“Rufe, can I say something?”
Here it comes, she thought. He was going to come crashing down on her and go off on his angry tirade about her leaving. Her leaving to escort diplomats and political figureheads to a habitable moon with its own life forms. No matter what the good was behind the mission, his emotions always came first.
“Of course, Jhase.”
“I’m really going to miss you when you leave…”
It always started out like this. Always. But, Rufina kept to herself and looked quaintly into Jhase’s honey-brown eyes. His sweet Sepoixan face was so betraying…
“I’m going to miss you too. I wish I could turn this down, Jhase, but when I come back, think of the money we’ll have!” she said. Money could always calm him down. Though his emotions ran rampant, the man did have many ambitions, many of which he couldn’t have within his grasp unless he had adequate funds. He grinned at her.
“When I came down from Sepoixa to your planet, I honestly didn’t think it was very much in comparison. But when I met you, I knew that there was nothing prettier back home.”
He always new the right things to say, she thought. Rufina’s eyes grew a little teary, and she walked over to embrace him for a moment, standing in the doorway to their bedroom. As a child, she loved the white moon the best, and when the Sepoixans made their way to her planet, she was instantly beguiled with him. Until she found out about his temper, but she quickly grew to deal with it.
“I promise I’ll try to speed things up. I’ll nag Captain Keller night and day about our progress and get on everyone’s tail to go about their business as fast as they can. Okay?” she said. She could tell by the clenching of his teeth that he wanted to get angry, but there was something different about tonight that was keeping him in check. Almost as though… for once, he was trying to let her be happy.
“Come on, let’s brush our teeth!”
So, the two prepared for what would be about six hours of sleep. As the minty foam dribble slid down Rufina’s lips, she envisioned her day tomorrow: making her way down to the Worlds United Office to check the itinerary and see what was left to study, and to meet the guests that would be boarding the Incandescence for the trip to Phira’s yellow moon. She would be attending to them, after all, as the newly promoted Chief Guest Attendee. Praying that no one too difficult would be taking the trip, she spit out her paste and rinsed her mouth out.
As the lights went off, the crickets grew louder, as did the ambient noises of the night. Cars and other vehicles zooming by on the nearby streets, dying chatter from those outside, etcetera. It was her most loathed time of day, the hours that separated Rufina from sleep. Tonight she especially dreaded; knowing that liftoff was only three days away, she doubted sleep would come at all.
“I’ll always love you, Rufe.”
The words startled her. Though Jhase told her he loved her many times, it was only ever in response to her telling him that she loved him.
“And I’ll always love you.”
Perhaps she wasn’t giving him enough credit, she thought. Jhase was difficult, but… there couldn’t have been any doubt that he loved her. He had stayed at her side for over three years.
“It’ll be a long year without you, but I’ll stay faithful. I promise.” Rufina’s heart swelled like a sponge as the two laid together under the heavy blankets. She brought his hand to her lips and kissed his fingers softly, and he ran a hand through her short, dark hair. “Please don’t forget me.”
“I could never forget you!” Rufina said, kissing him. He returned her kiss quite deeply, and it was then she remembered how the kiss of a Sepoixan could light her fire, and briskly, she grabbed onto his shoulders, returning his slip of tongue with a nibble on the lip. It was the times like this she would miss. Though Jhase had a temper that sometimes she would die to relieve, he was the only one who could get her to be passionate, and she wouldn’t leave without letting him know it.
They rolled around beneath the sheets for a few more minutes before an odd noise came from the door. Rufina’s head peeked up, her hair mussed.
“Did you hear that?”
“You’re always hearing things. Come on, come back under the covers…”
But the noise persisted. Something rattling.
“I think…” The woman rose a bit more, craning her neck to get a better listen. Rattling of… the tumblers? “I think someone’s trying to break in!” Immediately, she bolted out of bed and into the hallway, staring down the front door. Excitement and terror built up all at once, and she found herself shivering.
“Stay back, Rufe,” he said, eyes darting around the apartment for a blunt object. But, he wouldn’t need one. One swing from his arm would be enough. Sepoixans were built tall and bulky, and could take a hit.
But she feared, anyway. What if the intruder had a gun? One shot to the head, and… she didn’t finish the thought. Don’t go any closer, she thought… she would handle it, she would take care of the intruder! Jhase’s eyes found Rufina’s old baton that she used when she was still in the marching band, and his left hand gripped it firmly. Slowly, he made his way to the door, the tumblers of the lock still rattling.
Don’t go any closer, she thought. Just let them be. They would figure out how hard it really was to pick a lock soon, and run away…
Jhase first peered out into the peephole, seeing a feminine figure leaning over the doorknob outside. Quickly, he unlocked the door and ripped it open, swinging the baton immediately at the intruder. It was an older woman who screamed like the banshees as Jhase beat her.
“Stop it! Stop it, leave me alone!” she cried. “I’m sorry, I’ll go!”
If Rufina hadn’t have pulled the man away, he could’ve easily beaten the woman to death. The black-clad figure limped away as fast as she could, but Rufina’s heart was still rapidly thumping against her ribs.
“Why would someone try to rob us?” she asked, breathless. It was moments before she got an answer. Jhase slammed the door, uncaring of which neighbors he might’ve woken, and the anger on his face showed even in the shadows, the same twisted, malicious face that scared Rufina every time.
“They must’ve seen my heirlooms on the shelves,” he said, panting. His knuckles were white, still wrapped around the baton. He must’ve been dying to beat someone, she thought… the prime way to let loose anger… his testosterone and adrenaline were probably going through the roof. “Stuff from Sepoixa sells for tons...” Rufina stepped up to him tentatively, putting a hand on his forearm.
“Come on, sweetie, let’s go back to bed,” she said. “I’ll report it in the morning before I leave for work.” That seemed to be enough reassurance for him, as he flipped the lock again and followed her back into the bedroom.
The sky was morose the next day, and though it was a beautiful shade of gray, Rufina could feel it coming down on her like the weight of the world. The world she would soon be leaving. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get that thought out of her head, and she hoped that her friends at the office could alleviate some of the stress.
But, she knew her friends, and that wasn’t likely. Fun-loving, every last one of them, always getting into trouble, and it was a wonder that they ever got jobs on the Incandescence Project. She was the one alleviating everyone’s stress.
“I need new friends,” she sighed, turning into the parking lot with shaky hands. The incident from last night still had her in shambles. “It was just someone trying to break in! It happens all the time!” What if it happened when she was gone? Jhase’s lousy ear for detail wouldn’t hear the tumblers rattling again… so he wouldn’t have the same upper hand. “Who am I kidding? Jhase is a beast… even if it was a surprise to him, he could still handle himself… why am I worrying about this? He can take care of himself!”
The Worlds United Office loomed over her as she eased her speedster into the same parking spot that she always did. 12 stories, and behind it was the University. Poor Jhase, she thought… he had always been jealous of the job she had.
A cold breeze sent a chill down her legs as she stepped out of her vehicle, and she suddenly regretted not putting on a heavier blazer before leaving. But no matter… she’d have to deal with it. With her shoulder bag slung over one arm, the click-clack of her heels followed the petite tan girl into the building. Without even thinking, her programmed mind went through the daily routine – sign in, register her key-card, head to the elevator, go to the top story, wander down the hallway, open the door at the end with her key-card.
“Miss Lance!”
The female voice of Captain Lenore Keller greeted her just as suddenly as always. She was taller than Rufina, though that wasn’t saying much, and she kept herself looking neat, proper, and professional every day, and was noted for her short rust-brown hair that flipped out.
“Good morning, Captain,” Rufina greeted, bowing.
“At ease, Miss Lance. Admiral Long will be arriving with the latest news in just a bit, but in the meantime, I’d like for you to meet the guests you’ll be attending to!” Rufina’s eyes went to the small family in the other side of the room. An old man, a middle-aged woman, a spunky little girl and her…
“Is that a bobcat?” she asked.
“It was Daddy’s!” the girl said defensively, holding the feline tighter. “We’re going to take it with us!”
“It’s okay, Miss Lance. I told them that you could make arrangements, right?” Though she loved her captain, she hated that she was always putting her up to things before seeing if it was actually possible.
“Of course. I’m the Chief Guest Attendee, Rufina Silene Lance,” she said, putting her hand out to shake. They looked at her awkwardly, until the old man finally obliged to take her hand.
“Walter Briggs, this is my daughter Cinah, and that’s my granddaughter—”
“Elspeth Lindy Mariole!” The girl stuck her nose in the air and held onto the bobcat. “And this is Mack. He’s the only thing we have left of Daddy’s, so he’s coming!”
“Of course, of course, we’ll make sure there’s enough room in one of your suites to… comfortably accommodate to him, alright?” Rufina said, putting on a fake smile. The girl was still highly dissatisfied, but nodded nonetheless.
“Miss Lance, Mr. Briggs is one of the Initial Contact Admirals and will be assisting Admiral Long in dealing with the Perdu when we get to Hespera,” the captain explained. “So tell them about our suites and what we have to offer and get acquainted to their needs. I’ll be right back and see just where Long is…”
Aside from always putting her up to things before Rufina could decide whether they were possible or not, Captain Keller had a knack for leaving her alone with important people to fend for herself. Still, there was no one that she respected more. She went on to explain the food that Chef Damend made and how he could tend to anyone’s special needs. He would have to, as Elspeth admitted her lactose intolerance.
“Our guest suites are very large, much bigger than staff quarters, so you’ll have all the luxury you can handle! We have a wide array of books, movies, music – many things for you to do while we’re on our trip, though I myself prefer to hang out in the mess hall!”
“Very well. If that’s all…”
Cinah also expressed her dissatisfaction. How was this happening? If there was anyone who could exaggerate the Incandescence, or anything for that matter, it was Rufina. Why were these people not pleased?
“Myself and the other Guest Attendee, Delilah Obrahms, will be giving you a tour when we liftoff, too, so you won’t have to take my word for it.” Still nothing. Rufina was about to show her frustration when Captain Keller reentered her office with two others – Admiral Long dressed in the formal red coat of all admirals, and the Incandesence’s nurse, Sigurd.
“Unfortunately, our Senior Doctor is out for the day, studying hard as always! So, I’ve brought the Chief Nurse, Sigurd Cowl. And this,” the captain said, turning to the stoic woman beside her, “is Initial Contact Admiral Ambrosia Long.”
“I’m afraid I have bad news,” Long said at once, eyeing Rufina especially. “Due to the money that the Initial Contact Department has put in this project, they have the say-so on our liftoff date, and they’ve decided to leave earlier than we planned.”
“How much earlier?” Rufina asked, biting a nail.
“We leave tomorrow night. So all of those parties,” she said, eyeing the dark-haired nurse, “will have to either happen when you come home tonight, or wait until we get back from the mission.”
“This is splendid!” Walter said suddenly, his hand motions going wild. “I was wondering what I would do to occupy myself for three more days! Tell the department that I appreciate the haste. Now, if you don’t mind,” he said to the captain, “I’m scheduled for a suit-fitting in twenty minutes!”
Briggs and his family left without saying goodbye, leaving Rufina as relieved as she could be with Admiral Long’s news.
“We can’t leave ahead of schedule!” she said, clenching her fist. “I have plans! I have a going away party to go to day after tomorrow!”
“Sorry, Miss Lance. It’s one of those things you have to be able to deal with if you’re going to work in this field,” the admiral replied, her face still. Keller rubbed the girl’s back and smiled.
“It’ll be okay, Rufina. This whole operation won’t be as long as it seems. Time passes faster on Hespera. A year on there will be nine months here, most likely!”
“And,” Sigurd said, grinning and adjusting his glasses, “we’re planning a huge hull-party the night we leave! You oughta come!”
“My boyfriend will kill me, Sigurd!”
“Oh, tell that Sepoixan of yours to calm down. He’ll be seeing you soon enough,” Keller noted, pulling a coffee cup down from her shelf and making her way to her coffee pot.
That their time would be cut short would be the hardest thing to tell Jhase, and unfortunately, she had arrived back home and he would be eager to hear how her day went. How could she go about this? Rufina wondered which approach would work better… the crying approach, the stressed approach, the angry approach, the indifferent approach… somehow, she saw herself breaking into tears as soon as she saw his face.
She twisted the key in the tampered lock and opened the door. The apartment was dark, like usual. And cold.
“Jhae?”
His footsteps came from the kitchen, and he had a chocolate-covered spoon in his hand and a smile on his face.
“Are you… baking?” She started tearing up already.
“I missed you! I wanted to do someth—”
She broke down right there in front of him, falling to her knees and holding her head in her hands.
“I’m leaving tomorrow night!” she cried. “The department sped up our liftoff! Jhase, what am I gonna do?” His face reddened with anger for a second, but he kneeled down to her, handing her the spoon.
“I-It’s okay,” he said, trying to stop gritting his teeth. “We’ll just have to make your last day here the best…” Kissing her cheek, he wrapped his thick arms around her, and they sat alone, in the dark.
