INTERSTELLAR NIGHTMARES - DISTANT TERROR

Chapter 15

   Once we docked in the space ring and the doors opened, we all go out. I was carried out by Fredrick, Kurt had apparently been bitten on the arm, and Morris furiously itched his leg. Fredrick was the only one left unharmed.

   We all made our way to the medical bay. Kurt just looked at his wound for a moment with an almost cold kind of look in his eyes, almost like they were damning the likely-already-dead bug that had bit him.

   I was set onto a bed and a drone flew over. They looked me up and down, looking for every wound they could find. They flew to my leg after as I itched the dry patch of my arm, and they began the healing process.

   It stung a bit and left a warm feeling in the area, much like a cramp would leave a warmth after subsiding. It took a few minutes, so I took a moment to look around at the others.

   Kurt stood as he had his wound tended to. He didn't seem to even realize the pain, more focused on our tech-savvy friend. I couldn't see his face, but his body language gave away that he was worried.

   I then turned my eyes to Morris. The wound was much more visible now, having the red sugar scratched away to reveal the damage underneath. The gauze was being removed, which was causing Morris some pain. Afterwards, the wound began closing thanks to the drone's beam.

   As I watched, the drone healing me moved in my line of sight and began to check my arm. It immediately got to work mending the hole the red sugar once held. The power of machines, I briefly thought as I stared at the beam going around and around, slowly moving from out to in.

   After being fully healed up, I sat up and patted the robot a couple times. I looked to Morris again to update myself on his situation, but as I did, he sat up too. "Feeling better now," he sighed. Kurt nodded silently and looked to Fredrick.

   "What about you, Freddy boy? You didn't get nipped," he chuckled. Fredrick shrugged and smirked, replying "Too fast for the buggy bastards! Untouchable!" Kurt heaved a laugh from his barrel-chest. "Untouchable is right, boy! But I'm the opposite... unbreakable!"

   Morris huffed softly while rolling his eyes in an overdramatized way. "I'm just smart!" he inserted, "And we all know the smart one dies first!" Fredrick snickered from the added comment.

   I decided now would be the best time to get up, so that's what I did. "Alright! How's about we get out of this armor and get to drinking after... that hellish mission?" I proposed. "Aye, I like the idea! After all, teamwork and beer will keep us together. Skål, brødre!" Kurt cheered, summoning the other two's cheers as a result.

   We all then exited the medical bay and headed to the Abyss Bar. "How's about we all get our favorites from the menu? Not that there's much to pick from of course..." Morris suggested. We all murmered in agreement before Fredrick spoke up.

   "Y'know, I think I saw somewhere we can make more beers available to us," he explained, "provided we get the ingredients first." Kurt nodded in interest. "Who let ya know? Sounds like a fun man!" he growled happily. "Well, I don't actually know his name!" Fredrick answered hesitantly.

   Kurt nodded again for a moment, but it slowed as his brows furled slightly, then more as he slowly turned to Fredrick. As he opened his mouth to say something, he was interrupted by Morris clearing his throat. "One Glyphid Slammer please! Had a rough day..." Morris playfully sculked. Kurt sighed ashe looked to Fredrick again before announcing "Make that two."

   After the drinks were whipped up for the two, they paid and tipped Lloyd and moved to a nearby table. I looked to Fredrick for a moment, and he looked up at me through a cocked eyebrow. "Oily Oaf your favorite?" I asked. "Yeah!" he responded quickly, "Slammers are too much for my stomach, and Leaf Lover's is Leaf Lover's." I nodded, respecting the reasoning of both, and ordered us both a mug of Oily Oaf. It popped up, was topped off, we paid, and we tipped before we sat with the other two.

   "To beer... and to sleep," Kurt huffed. "Cheers!" Fredrick cried as he pumped his mug into the air over the table. With a slamming clunk, we all sat back and drank. I took a sip, as did Morris. Fredrick got a bigger gulp in while Kurt chugged down a bit of his. "Oohhh, that's nice..." Kurt sighed happily as he let out a soft belch. "Excuse you," Morris mumbled, gaining a nod in return from Kurt.

   "So, Moleboy," Morris asked, "got research for us?" I nodded in response, thinking about all the new bugs we saw as we... kind of fought for our lives. "Yeah, but not tonight," I confirmed, "I'm wore out after all that." The others nodded in understanding, Fredrick groaning out an mmhm.

   We continued drinking as we talked. Most of our talks were of home and our upbringing to DRG. Of course, Kurt retold his account of being a long-serving veteran of Brawnlyn and Fredrick with his unsurprisingly short history of being a factory worker. I also told mine from being a former biologist. Morris got to explain his in more detail though.

   "I was an engineer on earth, mainly for tools though," he explained, "something about machines and I just... clicked. I worked on all sorts of gadgets and gizmos, but I was also very much a tinkerer. I fucked about with mechanics, electronics, hydraulics, all of it and more. When I saw the listing here, I knew that I'd make a damn fine employee... even if I do have arachnophobia."

   "Reminds me of a mate when I was in the fields against Inlytone," Kurt admitted, "couldn't keep his damn hands out of any of our machines. He could fix just about anything, and it made him good money! I envy the bastard..."

   After some more talking, we were full of beer and ready for bed. We forgot to change, so we all decided it'd be best to change then sleep.

   I shuffled into the sleeping quarters of mine and slipped out of my armor. It was still the vibrant yellow, even after today's nightmares, along with some dirt and blood from both me and the bugs. I'll clean it later, I thought before turning to get my outfit of choice.

   After showering, using the bathroom, brushing my teeth, and grooming my beard, I slipped into the comfortable night clothes and climbed into the sleeping pod. It closed over me with the press of a button, abd not too long after the red lights came on, I drifted off to sleep.

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