Today's Reading
I gulp some more water. "Don't get me wrong, super grateful to not be dead," I say, "but what the fuck took so long?" I tip my head back, thunking it against the metal wall, and peer up at the other people. While Nandina is now on her knees, scanning me with something white and flashy and important-looking, there are three other people standing nearby, scowling as if they're deeply perturbed by the inconvenience of my rescue.
"Hello," I say, waving cheerily at them with my left hand as Nandina scans my right arm.
"Pulse elevated," Nandina mutters.
"It's been an exciting evening." I think I see her bite back a smile. I glance up at the other people still staring down at me. No reaction. Tough crowd.
The short white woman in front stands with her legs apart, arms crossed, taking up as much room as her petite frame is capable of. Unconsciously, I think. She wears a tight-fitting jacket that has a line of red at the collar. Noted. This ship is large but not large enough for the captain to literally wear a badge of her rank, just the color stripe. She's got a hard face. Looks like a planner, and I didn't file the triplicate form to be added to the agenda.
The person just behind her and a little to the left has broad shoulders and big muscles. Seems a little jumpy, eyes darting around, looking for danger in this well-lit corridor tastefully tiled in white enamel and accented with chromium. On the captain's other side is a man with unkempt hair. Average size, average build. Totally forgettable. Except for the sharpest, clearest hazel eyes I've ever seen. I shudder. From the cold air, obviously. Then Nandina rips off the nasal tube, and I flinch at the sudden movement.
"You're back up to normal levels," she says.
"That's me," I say. "Normal." I've got my eyes on the trio looming over us. The captain ignores the big person—despite the military bearing, they seem to be a subordinate. She keeps turning to the other man, and I'm starting to think maybe the captain's not as in charge as she wants to be.
"Well, not quite normal." Nandina's a smiler. She looks to the captain. "I'd like to get her to the med bay."
"I'd like to get her off my ship," the captain says.
"Got any mechanics who can fix my ship's life support and also the three-meter hole in the side?" I ask.
Her eyes flick to the airlock. Just a quick movement, nothing more, but the meaning is clear. She doesn't need to fix my ship to toss me back outside. It's an idle threat.
Probably.
"This is going to be a fun stay aboard Hotel Halifax." I attempt a grin, but it costs too much energy to sustain for more than a second.
"This is a working mission that cannot afford to be interrupted by—" the burly person starts, and then the captain interrupts them.
"First, take our guest to the med bay for Mohammed."
I push against the wall, trying to get my legs to work enough to get me into a standing position, but my feet slip. When I got into the Halifax's hyperbaric chamber, I was wearing a full suit. Now my boots are gone. I took my helmet off myself already, before I passed out. Panic flares inside me. I need my suit. My suit. I whip my head around as the first officer steps closer to me, the effect making me dizzy. Bile rises up in my throat, but I swallow it down, frantically trying to see through the red haze.
Light fingers tap my hand. My head sloshes forward, looking down at Nandina's touch, then back up into her concerned face.
"My boots," I gasp.
"Right over there," Nandina says, pointing. My helmet's beside them, and so is my LifePack. Shit, I was panicking about boots, and they're nothing compared to the backpack-like device I have to attach to my suit that holds everything I need to not die out in the black. Air, the jetpack, temp and pressure units. Worth more than the boots. And I've upgraded that shit, personalized the rig to hit my every need.
"First," the captain says impatiently. I assumed the person was the first officer, but I wonder if it's actually their name? Perhaps they prefer the title to a name. Either way, First scoops me up, arms under my knees and around my shoulders, like I'm a fussy baby.
"Hey!" I say.
Nandina stands too, as if this is all perfectly routine. She starts down the corridor, First following behind, stoically looking forward to pretend I'm not flopping around in their arms. "I'm coming back for my stuff!" I say as loudly as my ragged voice can allow. "Do not steal my stuff!"
The captain's eyes widen just a little, which, frankly, is rude. That's a good suit. It saved my life. I mean, it also almost killed me when it ran out of air, but before that, it saved my life. Plus, the jetpack cost extra. It's really fancy, if I do say so myself.
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