Pluto And Back

Four - Arrow

I'm in the cockpit, switching the ship into autopilot now that I have enough fuel to head home. I check the fuel meter and sure enough it reads that I'm good to go. I stare out at space. It's so beautiful. I flick on my exterior lights for a second to get a better look. The colours purple and blue colours in the air mixed in with the black make me feel free. They make me think that I can do anything. I wouldn't trade this job for being a General. This is where I'm meant to be and this is what I'm good at.  I turn the lights back off to save power.

Atlas is curled up at my feet again, fast asleep. I think I deserve a well earned rest too. I had another day or so of my journey left and my chip tells me it's 10:50 AM. A quick power nap wouldn't hurt anyone. The route is pretty safe and easy, I've done it so many times before. I know where I'm going and could get there with my eyes closed. I trust Pluto, my ship, to get me home safely and in one piece. I'll wake up at lunch feeling refreshed.

I get up to head to my room. Before I go I flick the kettle on to make a cup of tea. I'll grab my comfy clothes out of my wardrobe and sit and have a relaxing drink first. I loved getting cosy on a ship, there was something really comforting about it that reminded me that home could be wherever I wanted it to be.

I start walking across the common room when I hear movement. I stand still. My head spins around to check Atlas but he's still sound asleep. I'm right outside my bedroom door. If it's not Atlas and it's not me, then there was something or someone else on my phone ship. I grab a pipe. Well, part of a broken pipe that I needed to fix but it was the best weapon I could find under pressure.

My mind starts racing. I mentally prepare myself for what I might find in there. Could be anything, an animal, criminal or - I can't think I just need to open the door. It was silent and still. The only thing that I could hear is my heavy breathing. Three, two, one- the door opened from both sides. I raised the pipe but when I saw who was on the other side I was shocked.

A girl stood before me. She was quite tall for a girl, but I still towered over her. She wore what looked like military clothes but she was clearly only one or two years younger than me. 19, maybe. She had lots of small freckles that covered her nose and forehead. She had dark ebony hair, half pinned up into two little buns on her head and the rest of her hair down. Her skin was like beige/olive but had a pale hint to it like everyone here. People say that's because there is little light exposure. She was no doubt pretty.

Her face looked scared and then I realised I was still holding the pipe. "Uhm, who are you?" I said as I slowly lowered the pipe, still holding it just in case. "Why are you on my ship?" I asked making sure to put on my authoritative voice but not to sound too intimidating, she already looked uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry, I really don't mean t- I, uh - I was tr- I'm sorry it's a long story" she couldn't seem to hold a sentence. I thought maybe she felt intimidated as I was a 6 foot 5 grown man holding a pipe in my hand ready to attack if necessary. I put the pipe down and walked to my sofa and table and sat down. I gestured for her to take a seat but she stayed standing.

"I'm Arrow, I'm a voyager and I'm headed to Cobo. This is my ship, I call her Pluto." I tried to sound friendly in hopes to start a good conversation to figure out what the hell was going on and why I had a stranger on my ship.

"Pluto's such a good name for a ship and she's beautiful, one of the nicest ships I've seen. I'm Nova. I live on Endus and I ended up here because I was trying to escape these boys. I know them, they're not like criminals or anything, just - they give me the creeps and they kinda forced me onto the ship with them. I didn't know what to do so when I got the chance I ran and ended up on your ship. I was gonna come out straight away when I heard you come in and apologise, but we took off so fast i-,"

"Woah, slow down. Are you okay?" She sounded scared.
"Yeah, yeah I'm good. Again I'm sorry about all of this."
"It's okay, I can just drop you off at the next port if you want and you can contact someone on your chip to come get you, your parents?"
"No! Uh if it's okay can I stay here? Until you get to Cobo?" There was a sudden urge to her voice.
"I mean, yeah sure if you want. It is a days journey from here though." I didn't mind her staying, she seemed okay. Obviously I don't know her but you won't know anyone if you don't give people a try sometimes. Maybe it would be good for me to actually talk to another human for once instead of a cat.