We Leapt Into the Sky

Chapter 14

After his requisite five days, Seph traded the observation room with the squeaky furniture for a room in the temporary lodging area of the medical station. It was essentially a hotel suite, complete with a sleek chrome coffee maker and a bucket for ice, as well as a variety of teas and snacks.

He wasn't much in the mood to eat and instead he lay on the bed in his pajamas and old sweatshirt, now that his belongings had been disinfected and delivered to him. Bria had arrived and was impatiently awaiting the end of her own observation period—she had sent him a few messages about current job openings at her university on Acinos, to which he had not replied.

It was too much. He ignored another pair of messages from Bria in his inbox and messaged Antony instead: Hey, how are you?

Barely a minute passed before Antony called him, his face appearing on the tablet screen. He was curled up in bed, his hair unkempt.

"Are you feeling okay?" Seph asked.

"I guess so. The doctors changed the bandages on my arm today. They said it was healing since they removed the weird clay and some of the normal tissue nearby," he said, holding up his bandaged arm. He shook his head. "I just don't understand how it's possible my arm could transform into that. How can I know that won't happen to the rest of me?"

Seph paused as he considered what to say to that. "I don't have an answer. Unknown technology can behave in strange ways. Yet I know it's a good thing this hasn't spread, and the longer you remain stable, the better."

"Yeah, Bria quoted that stat at me," he said with a snort. "That '95% of people who are stable five days after injury from unknown technology eventually recover.' Didn't make me feel better. I'm still in limbo here, not knowing if I'm going to be fine or dead."

A chill ran down his spine at the other man's words, and he drew in a sharp breath. "I apologize Antony—I wasn't trying to overstep."

Antony hesitated, his eyes flicking away from the screen. "You didn't say anything wrong. Bria quoted that stat at me like it should make me okay with everything that happened, and I snapped at her." There was a tightness to his expression that looked like barely concealed misery.

"Bria might mean well, but she isn't great at providing emotional support," Seph said.

"Yeah, but I still shouldn't be snapping at everyone," Antony said. "It's obvious I haven't been the best colleague on this expedition."

"Oh, neither have I." He leaned back against the pillows, staring absently at the coffeemaker in the corner as he recalled their quarrels back at the research station. "If you're talking about getting combative during lab meetings, well, I've contributed to that as well," Seph said. "I want you to know that I enjoy your company, and even with everything that happened, I'm still glad to have worked with you."

Antony's eyes widened. "I'm glad you feel that way, but I still want to apologize for my less than friendly behavior."

"Well, naturally, I accept your apology. You helped me in ways you didn't have to do, like when I fell into that crystal pit," Seph said, feeling himself flush in the face and ears. "I've seen plenty that makes me want to get to know you properly."

"I want to get to know you better, too." He huffed, and his solemn expression broke into a small smile. "It'll give me something to look forward to after this."

* * *

Seph woke the next morning to a message from Bria—she finished her observation period and had moved to a temporary lodging room. He walked the halls of the medical station, passing the food court area. Something about the gleaming white tile and lunch crowd reminded him of his time on research vessels.