The Space Between Us (WAYHAUGHT)

Chapter 2

"Haught, we're docking in T-47."

Doc's voice in her earpiece pulled her from a chemical blackness. She took a moment to come to her senses, the downside of having drugs pumped through a body. She made her way to the flight deck. The crew were already in position for the landing.

Gideon 9 came into view. A majestic planet, the largest in that system. Cold, permanently cold, benefiting from plentiful water. Frozen. Few lived on the surface. A barren, white landscape where nothing grew. Their food harvested from huge underground gardens, heated by the planet's core. Day and night regulated by lights.

The ship docked at one of the many sky stations, it being too large to land on the surface. The crew and survivors of the ambush assembled as their dead comrades were escorted from the ship. The saddest moment. Heads bowed, as the escort party moved the bodies past them. The last body that of Officer Solicco, Haught's newest recruit. He had fought bravely alongside them for the past six months. A quiet soul. Easy to get along with. Steady in battle. Never one to rock the boat. Not one for drugs. Preferring meditation over medication. Unusual on board a ship. It took a strong will to resist the temptation of the freely available drugs to get you through the most difficult parts of the job.

Gone too soon. His family would collect the body. Have it turned into a diamond. The one privilege of being in the military. Nicole watched as the body exited her ship. She felt the weight of her responsibility pushing her into the floor. She would never get used to this. Never. Never. Doc saw the tears welling in her eyes. He moved closer, whispering in her ear.

"Keep it together Haught. This is everyone's loss."

Nicole looked at him, desperate to bury herself in his shoulder, to sob beyond control. She knew she had no right to fall apart in front of her crew. They expected her to be the strong one. The one everyone looked to when everything fell apart. She understood at an intellectual level Solicco's death was not her fault. She understood at an intellectual level it was part of what they were there to do. Her heart told her she was responsible. Her heart told her she had led them into this fight.

Her heart was broken.

They took a sky hopper in silence to one of the underground entry points. And then a shuttle to her city. She needed to be off ship for a few hours. To smell different air, even if it was fifty metres underground. They had twenty hours of down time. Not long. Enough for everyone to make their way to their respective homes. Catch up with whoever was around. Be themselves.

Doc lived in the same city as Nicole, close to Legion. They travelled together on the final part of their journey. Both quiet. Both soaking up the atmosphere of other travellers. The sounds. The smells. Listening to their conversations. Looking at their clothing. A new design of body suit appeared to be fashionable. Changing colour as people talked to each other. Nicole was curious. She hadn't seen this type before. A fad that would probably die out. It made her realise how long they spent away from their home planet. Life moved on without them. Their missions across the galaxy unknown to most of the commuters.

She was fortunate to have an apartment overlooking one of the bigger food gardens. A privilege due to her family's standing. Her father was of high birth, from an elite family of elders, respected for their wisdom. It set Nicole apart, her name preceding her. The stifling expectation she should shine. She had seen how other cadets whispered as she went by, knowing she was the daughter of Elderman Haught. It isolated her, made her wary of others, slow to make friends, always gauging who might seek her out to ride on her name. Or, punch her for who she was.

The proximity of her apartment to the garden made the air sweet. She had shared the apartment with her partner Shae before her commission came through. Before Shae decided she no longer wanted to be with a soldier. She told herself it didn't matter. She knew Shae wasn't interested in starting a family. Neither was Nicole. She didn't want to be attached to anyone. For now. Her life on hold.