The Girl in the Tank: Galactic Consortium, Season 1

Episode Six: Are there Closets in Space? ch. 11

Dan had got his lunch to go the next day and went to eat with Cheyenne. "How was your second day on the job?" he asked as he sat.

"Good," Cheyenne said. "It's not rocket science, after all. How was your, what? Third day on the job."

"Third," he confirmed. "Good, like you say, it's pretty easy work. If that were to be my full time career, I might find it boring. I'm not cut out to be an advanced agriculture technician anymore than I'd make a good old fashioned farmer. But as work goes, it's relaxing almost."

Cheyenne found a rag and wiped at the corner of her mouth. "Damn saliva," she muttered.

"Jensen's having the same problem, his new teeth are coming in. His kids teething, too. They joked about it on Skype. His wife offered to send a chew toy for him."

Janda snorted. "This one has already found a chew toy, I think. But she's off shift and I'm not volunteering."

Dan looked at Cheyenne. Every inch of open flesh on her face was bright red. She gave him a sheepish smile. "Actually," she started slowly, "I've been wanting to talk to you about something... alone."

"I understand," Janda said. He patted her knee, "or rather I don't understand, which is why you need Dan. I've been wanting to check in on Kavi anyway." He popped the final bite of his lunch in his mouth and stood. "The system can find me and I won't be more than a minute away, okay?"

Cheyenne nodded.

"Lana?" Dan guessed after Janda had left.

Cheyenne nodded, blushing again. "I've never felt this way, not about another woman. I...I've tried to talk to Janda but there are things he just doesn't get."

"Like what it's like to live a lifetime in a culture that tells you shouldn't feel that way about someone of the same sex," Dan said.

She nodded again. "I'm so out of my depths here. Tell me, what was it like for you?"

He started slowly, uncertain what she wanted to hear. He talked for a long while about growing up gay in a small town in Minnesota. She pestered him with questions, which made it easier for him to open up. She shared bits of herself, too, stories they had never told anyone before. When it came time for him to head back to work he felt better. He hoped she did too.

"You know, they all say there is that one we'd each swing for," Dan said as he made ready to leave. "That Lana, she's one to swing for."

Cheyenne shook her head but smiled. She stood and hugged him.

"You're like a sister to me," Dan said. "I'm sure you'll figure it out. And if you need me, I'm here for you."

"Thanks, and thanks for talking," she replied.

Lana entered the room as they were saying their good byes. She was wearing a low cut white top. Dan spied what looked like a hickey on one side of her neck. He turned back and said, "I see what Janda was talking about. You'd better be gentle."

She stuck out her tongue and waved him along as she crossed the room to greet Lana.

Dan returned later that day with two security personnel in tow. One was an American man with a reddish complexion and a sharp nose, Fox, she thought. The other was female, consortium and darker complected. "This is Fox and Nara," Dan said by way of introduction. "They want to talk to the two of us."

Cheyenne raised an eyebrow.

"It's not that kind of talk," Fox assured her. They all found seats around Cheyenne's medibay. "It's about Lannister's curfew."

"After what happened..." Cheyenne began and then trailed off.

"Something had to be done, I agree," Fox said. "But I think a permanent curfew on the entire crew, trying to keep us just on these two corridors, it's too much. It's having a disastrous effect on morale."

"Is it really that bad?" Cheyenne asked.

"It is," Dan assured her. "The men who don't care for the consortium have even more time to sit and brood over it. Those that get along with the crew up here, or are involved in fraternizing, at any level, are pissed about being punished for someone else's wrong doing."

"Even among our crew," Nara said. "It's emphasizing the reasons for mistrust and punishing those who did nothing."

"And what am I supposed to do about it?" Cheyenne asked. "Go to the captain?"

"I already went and made my case," Fox said. "He is willing to relax the rule a little, but there are two conditions."

"Okay?" she said.

"He wants it to be planned activities this time, supervised by people he trusts personally."

"I would agree with that," Cheyenne said.

"Good," Fox replied, "because that's the other condition. He wants you and Oleson."

"Us?" Cheyenne and Dan said together.

"Yes, he was firm, one or both of you had to be involved."

"But..." Cheyenne protested.

"No buts," Fox said. "I've thought about it and he's right. You both have proven yourself trustworthy to command. The men look up to you. And you both have an almost intuitive ability to size up situations. I agree with him, I'd hate to have to supervise both crews without you onboard."

"I don't know about that," Cheyenne said. "But fine, I am game if Dan, Oleson, is."