Drifting

We drift. Every hour we pass by, we drift. Like survivors of a shipwreck, we cling to our raft as we float on the black sea of space. A comet sails in the distance like a fairy running a marathon. A nebula, hundreds of lightyears away, is our major source of light in the pitch darkness; it stretches like a towering cliff on the coast. Stars dot the sky like tiny bubbles of sea foam. Or is it space foam?

Ezekiel won't admit it. He is stubborn that way. Every time something happens, it is never his 

fault. Even back when we were training, when a simulation went wrong, he never took the blame. Many fine men and women were cut from the program thanks to him. They left without retaliation, but there is no doubt of the anger they had towards him. He was the instructor's son, so there was little they could do.

But here we are. Far from the nearest jump point with no way of getting there. How could he be so stupid?

"I told you," I begin to say.

"Shut up," Ezekiel mutters through his teeth. He has taken out a deck of cards and is playing Solitaire in the air, seven piles float near his face.

"We didn't have enough fuel to make one jump," I say, "and home is ten jumps away. I don’t see why we didn't refuel before we went out."

"Well, you shouldn't have interfered with my date," Ezekiel mutters, "Then, we wouldn't have had to escape so quickly and forget to refuel."

She had her tentacles on you," I fire at him. "All six of them. I've been with a few of those myself, and believe me, they always want something. Particularly, your flesh."

"I would have given her some flesh," Ezekiel smiles, with a hint of a heaving chuckle under his breath. He picks up a card and transfers it from one pile to another.

"I mean to eat."

Ezekiel's smile drops. His eyes become like green marbles. He lets go of the card, and it floats away. It was clear, then, that he never had a mission in this sector. 

Percy's Mirror, much like the Greek myth, is home to many tentacled creatures. Despite the constant fear of getting eaten, they were amazing. Not at all like the ones back home, not as adventurous. We were encouraged, in the Academy, not to mingle with locals, but once can't hurt. Or ten, in my case.

"I just wanted to have a good time," Ezekiel finally speaks. “We’ve been out for weeks with no physical contact.” 

"And you decide to go with her," I say critically. "What about the ones at Cassie's Crown?"

"I wasn't interested in them," Ezekiel replies as he plucks the stray card back.

"But you didn't know she was dating anyone,” I say, “and that her boyfriend runs the mob. We’re banned, you know.”

“Hey, she came onto me,” Ezekiel snaps, “What if they were broken up?”

“Oh, I doubt that.” I raise my arm to reveal the singed hole in my suit. “I don’t think Space Ross is on break.”

“Oh, God,” Ezekiel’s eyes widen.

“Fortunately, these suits are thick,” I say, “But I can’t go out again. Not until we get back.”

Ezekiel sighs.

“I was hoping to see Zala tonight,” I say as I stare out the front window.

“Who’s Zala?” Ezekiel asks.

“She was a singer at that club,” I answer. “She sang beautifully. I met her three years ago on a mission with Charlie. He wasn’t one to associate with creatures who weren’t human. But the moment I saw her, I knew I had to meet her. She was as funny as she was gorgeous.”

“Did you…?” Ezekiel held onto his question. I knew what he meant.

“No,” I say, “I wanted to though. But I thought if I was going to be serious with her, I must be a gentleman to her. Zala liked that about me. She called me her knight from the heavens.”

It felt uncomfortable to tell Ezekiel all my dirty secrets, but at the same time, it felt good getting it out in the open.

Ezekiel sighs again. “Hey, I’m sorry. I should have been more careful of who I dance with.”

It was a shock to hear him apologize, but I don’t let it affect me. “Maybe she’ll assume I’m dead. It’s better that way maybe. I can never make her happy. Not with my lifestyle.”

“There will be others like her.” Ezekiel sounds like he was trying to be positive.

“But none like her.” I look at him. He may be stubborn, but he’s my comrade. I’d take a bullet for him. And deep down inside, I know he’ll do the same for me.

“Well, shall we call for help?” Ezekiel asks.

“I don’t see any other way we can move,” I say, smiling. “Do you?”

“No,” he chuckles.

Ezekiel brushes his hand across his game, cards flying everywhere. He reaches for the distress button on the dash and presses it. A light comes on and blinks on and off, like a red eye winking at us. Ezekiel enters our coordinates and explains our situation, then presses send.

Ezekiel gathers the cards out of the air. “Wanna play?”

We float away from the controls and sit with our legs crossed. We play Go Fish in the air. The deck floats between us.

As a ping silently zips across the dark ocean, we sit. We wait for the signal to reach the base and help to arrive. We’ll likely get a stern lecture about mingling with the locals, how dangerous it is. We’d probably get demoted for our antics. We’d only do missions to the moon. But it wouldn’t matter. We’d work our way back up, get promoted once again, and we’ll sail the stars once more. Hopefully, Zala is still waiting for me, waiting for her knight.

But for now, we wait. Drifting.