1.9.1

Informal Unfamiliars

“So maybe we make sure you’re on the Bridge next time we start up,” Anders suggested over lunch.

Tenya detailed to the others what happened while Astrid readjusted to the buzz of the mess hall. She’d detoured to the washroom to freshen up and steady herself, but what happened still left her queasy.

“That would be preferable,” she agreed.

“I didn’t even think of what it would do to you,” Romo spoke over his bowl of chili.

Astrid found herself hungrier than usual after her energy work the day previous. She still tucked her extra cornbread onto Tenya’s plate, but her stomach rumbled against the thought of sharing more.

“Did what to who?” Dell sidled next to Romo.

“The engine. Apparently for Channelers it’s a bit of a menace.”

“Oh.” Dell shared in their surprise. “I mean, the Aldebaran has a finicky engine, but only because it’s the only of its class. Without Tilly, the thing would probably never work right. I can only imagine what it would be like on a larger ship. Or one of the older models. Do you remember the clunky old cores?”

Tenya held up a hand as if to ward off bad memories. “Sounded like a buzzsaw going through a steel pipe.”

“Ah look, the elusive Lady of the Lair.” Romo nodded to the far door.

A dark-haired girl Astrid had not yet seen slipped in quietly. Her mane gathered in a messy bun atop her head with frayed strands stuck out haphazardly.

Her tank and pants were solid grey save for the grease and score marks that marred the fabric.

“Tilly!” Romo called over.

The woman waved to Sugar before she stalked over.

Tilly’s uniform hung in disarray. Her pockets bore holes from tool marks, and her belt slung low on her hips, laden with equipment. But her boots sported steel toes, and a pair of goggles pinched her hair where they rested above her forehead.

“Tilly, this is Astrid. You haven’t met yet.”

Astrid swiftly swallowed and shifted in her seat to greet the mechanic. “Hello.”

“Oh right, the Channeler.” Tilly’s voice came a smooth alto, despite her rough-and-tumble appearance.

“Tilly takes her meals in the engine room. She even has a cot down there. We almost never see her,” Tenya divulged.

“What can I say, I don’t like being away from the baby.” Tilly shrugged and cast a look to where Sugar set a loaded tray for her to retrieve. “Look, don’t take it personally, Channeler, but I won’t be mad if you don’t want to come tour the engine room. Who knows what your energy-thing will do to the careful balance I’ve got going down there.”

Astrid nearly huffed. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not get anywhere near that thing.”

“Nothing personal, but that sounds like the start of a beautiful working relationship.” Tilly bobbed her head in approval. “Now, I can’t stay. Duty calls and all that. Nice to meet you, Astrid.”

As quickly as she arrived, the woman collected her lunch and delved back into the lower levels.

“So, you guys almost never see her?”

“She’s a loner.” Tenya shrugged. “She grew up in an old scrapyard on Earth. Just her and her dad. Then he passed away a few years ago. I think her work is the only thing that feels like home, you know?”

Anders agreed. “Even the captain talks with her via the Bridge rather than going down there. It’s kind of her personal refuge.”

“Or asylum,” Rue poked.

“She’s a magician.” Tenya paused for a bite. “I swear that woman could make a motor out of a few bolts and some duct tape.”

“She’s a hermit.” Dell passed his own bread to Romo while he spoke. “She only comes out for food, and even then, sometimes Sugar has to send it to her because she gets so invested in whatever the hell she does down there.”

“I don’t know,” Romo contradicted, “she comes out for poker night.”

Rue snorted. “Yeah, to rob us a blind.”

“So, I guess that makes her more of a super villain than a magician?” Tenya joked.

Astrid smiled to herself as the team lovingly reviewed their fellow crewman. But she couldn’t help but wonder what they would one day say about her when she was no longer around.

~~~

Astrid spent the afternoon learning theoretical tactics with Anders. He went over basic formations, and the protocol for advancing in hostile territory. How to check corners and keep each other covered. How they were to move, how they were to commune. He described a method of falling in synch, in a unit, that Astrid realized she rather longed for.

The more she learned, the more eager she was to connect. The prospect of becoming a part of something so different and meaningful, despite its obvious risks, allured her.

She avidly took notes. Astrid became enthralled with how passionately Anders talked about their work and their team.

The whole premise became intoxicating. How hard it must be, she wondered, to learn all this over the course of months. To have to “hurry up and wait” to be a part of something so purposeful. And though nerves still swirled each time the lieutenant described various perilous scenarios, her drastically sheltered adolescence craved the chance to experience life from a more visceral view.

At one point, Dell arrived with an arm load of tech gear, to teach her how to recognize and interact with different tools of the trade. He introduced her to the comm systems, the protocol for speaking through to the crew onboard while the team was groundside, and even familiarized her with some of his own toys.

“This one,” he waggled a wand-like device in the air, “helps me detect other listening devices in the area. Just like we watch others, they watch us. We need to protect the integrity of our own mission. The less others know about it, the better.”

“Which is why we don’t use things like this very often,” Anders interjected as he waved vaguely over a small rectangular machine with a mounted round lens.

“What is it?” Astrid asked.

“A camera,” Dell named, though his expression turned perplexed. “It… records video. You haven’t seen one?”

“Why would I…?” Astrid did her best to avoid sounding defensive, but once again, she found herself feeling the alien.

“Uh, okay.” Dell delved into description. “Well, it views and records whatever it’s pointed at, and even picks up sound. Some models can be directed to pick up specific direction of sound, but this one just records the immediate radius.”

The technician’s dexterous fingers slid over the casing in an agile dance. He flicked plates aside to expose the interior.

“Here’s the battery,” he pointed, “and here’s the chip card all the data is stored on. As long as this little baby stays intact, we can recover whatever was recorded and play it back for viewing.”

Astrid came to see, though she couldn’t discern all the inner workings. She almost asked if Dell could turn it on, just for her to feel it and better understand.

“You really have nothing like this at the Sanctuary?” Anders asked of her fascinated expression.

“No. Nothing like this.” She looked up from where she peered into the device. “No machines, no electronics. Every time a Channeler loses control they can fry anything in the vicinity. It’s a waste of resources. Never mind that it supplies power to be manipulated by students. There’s always some kid that thinks static-shocking someone in meditation is giggle-worthy.”

“What about monitors or video players? Do you watch movies?” Dell asked.

“No.”

“Radios? Listen to music?” Anders queried next as the men grew steadily awed.

“And risk getting a dozen Channelers hyped up with adrenaline? No.”

“What about for studying? No computers, net, anything?”

“Just physical books. And not even racy or evocative fiction. Memoirs. Subdued classics. Textbooks.”

“I guess that explains why you’re so well-read…” Dell surmised.

“Okay,” Anders shook the disbelief from his expression. “Side mission: we need to introduce you to this stuff. I can’t believe you haven’t had access to music! How have you lived?”

That left a sobering sting. Astrid cast her eyes over the table.

“By not knowing any different, I guess,” she muttered. “It was still a life…”

Anders blinked as if she’d struck him. Immediately he reached across the table for her hand.

“Shit, Astrid, I’m sorry. We didn’t mean it like that. I only meant I want to give you the chance to see more. It’s just kind of heartbreaking that you can’t know what you’ve missed. It’s hard to a picture someone like you in such a deprived environment.”

“Someone like me?”

Anders flushed and unceremoniously released her hand.

“Oh, this should be good,” Dell jibed.

“What makes me more worthy to experience a fuller life than the rest of my people?” Astrid put to the lieutenant.

“Oh, yeah,” Dell snickered while he gathered his things. “It’s good.”

“I just mean that you’re obviously an adventurous person, Astrid,” Anders tried. “Open minded. You have a depth. Exposure to music, movies, or more creative arts, they usually accompany that. That’s all I’m saying.”

“Nice save,” Dell teased under his breath.

“I didn’t mean to be patronizing,” the lieutenant extended. “I’m sorry.”

He looked as though he wanted to say more. But when the captain’s voice broke over the intercom, Anders guiltily returned to his own formal demeanor.

Astrid wondered if he noticed. For the first time, he seemed to avoid eye contact with her. At least for the moment.

“Attention crew. It’s time we get this boat in the air. Report to stations for ascent.”