We're in Space ... So What?

Chapter 22: Not Another Alex...

Before heading out, Judah and Jamie gathered in the ship's main room, inspecting the state of their gear. The ship was starting to come together, thanks to Angelia's repairs, but they still weren't in top shape for an extended stay on an icy planet. Judah pulled on his worn-out coat, glancing at the frost forming on the windows.

"We need better gear," he said, tugging at the thin material of his jacket. "If we end up on another ice planet, or if this one decides to get colder, we're screwed."

Jamie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, this stuff won't cut it. I'm tired of freezing every time we step outside. Let's find something that'll actually keep us warm."

He strapped his blaster to his side, more out of habit than necessity, then stood up from the ship's bench, dusting snow off his boots. "Ryan, you good staying here? Angelia's still got a lot to do on the ship, so someone should hang back."

Ryan looked up from his tablet, checking through the ship's manifest and supply levels. "Yeah, I'll handle the food situation. I'll head into town and grab what we need. You two go get suited up, and hopefully, we won't need to be here much longer."

Jamie gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Good man. We'll be back soon."

Judah shot a glance toward Angelia, who was already deep into repairs, sparks flying as she welded a panel. "She's making good progress. Hopefully, we won't need to be on this iceball for long."

"Yeah, just get back safe. And warm," Ryan replied with a grin.

With that, Judah and Jamie left the ship, making their way toward the nearest settlement. The cold hit them as soon as they stepped outside, the icy wind cutting through their clothes. The town wasn't too far, but on this planet, every trip outside felt like an endurance test. They trudged through the snow, their breath visible in the frigid air.

"Gear, better suits, maybe even some weapons," Judah muttered, making a mental list. "In case we run into trouble again."

Jamie raised an eyebrow. "Or we could just not get into trouble. For once."

Judah chuckled. "Yeah, like that'll happen."

As they ventured off to explore and outfit themselves, Ryan packed up his things and prepared to head into town. He glanced over at Angelia, who was still absorbed in her work, then stood up and grabbed his coat.

"Food run," he called over to her. "You need anything while I'm out?"

Angelia didn't look up from her repairs, just shook her head. "Nah, I'm good. Thanks though."

Ryan nodded and headed off into the cold, leaving Angelia alone with her tools and the ship. The sound of clanging metal and the hiss of welding filled the air as she continued her work, focused on getting everything operational. This was her way of helping the crew-if she could make the ship fly right, maybe they'd start trusting her again.

Ryan, meanwhile, navigated through the snowy streets, heading toward the small town's market district. It wasn't much, but it had what they needed to survive-food, supplies, maybe even a few useful tools. His mind wandered back to the ship and the situation they were in. He didn't like being on edge all the time, but after everything that had happened, he knew they had to stay sharp.

While he wasn't really able to communicate well with the locals, he still made his point and they were more than willing to assist him. It wasn't often that they got visitors.

Back at the ship, Angelia took a moment to stretch her back, her muscles aching from bending over the equipment all day. That's when she heard footsteps approaching. She turned to see Alex, the stowaway from earlier, casually walking up the ramp again.