Species XD-63

The Landing

"A few hours! It's just a few hours!" Julie squealed as she burst through the door of no. 35.

Lola looked up from her suitcase and watched as her brunette friend skipped over. An announcement had come over the tannoy a few minutes ago informing the crew that Planet Xyon was only a few hours away. Egris had left earlier on to check on his trainees, leaving Lola to finish her packing. 

"You excited?" Lola asked sarcastically and zipped up the last bag.

Her nerves had been on edge since that morning. Despite being a couple, Lola and Egris still slept in different rooms most nights. Once they had their own home, they would lie together for the first time.

That's what Lola was worried about. Their home.

What would it look like? Egris had mentioned the farmhouse - would it look like the farms back home?

"Have you and Sestru talked about housing?" Lola asked quietly, trying to voice her own concerns through a question.

"Only a bit. He mentioned the idea of living in a town and I think it's a good idea. I'm not about the city or country life, really. What about you?" 

"Oh. We thought about the farmhouse. Apparently, it's got a good amount of land and it's a decent size, too."

Julie nodded her head in recognition but didn't say much more. Lola watched as she wandered up to the glass windows and tracked a passing star. 

"You okay, Julie?"

"Yeah. It's just a lot to take in." She murmured.

"You were singing a minute ago about how excited you were." Lola added with a smile in an attempt to lighten the mood again. 

"I'm still excited, don't get me wrong, but I'm going to be living a new life. It's a little scary." 

"You'll be fine!" Lola reassured and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, "You and Sestru are going to have a big, happy family with gorgeous little Xyon babies, right?"

"Right. You and Egris are going to have such sweet, strong babies. I can see it now." Julie giggled lightly. 

"Well in nine months time...." Lola mused and drifted off.

"What was your life like before?" Her friend suddenly blurted and looked away from Lola's eyes, "I'm sorry if that was too personal."

"No, it's not. There really wasn't much happening before and a felt a little lonely so I signed up! Simple as. You?"

Julie let out a self-deprecating scoff and sat down on the sofa, still looking out the window.

"I was married." She stated and waited for Lola's reaction.

They both matched each other's deadpanned expression and waited for one another to say something. From the look on her face, Julie was desperate to tell more. It was the end of the first chapter and the past had to be opened to be buried. 

"We were nineteen and it was the biggest mistake I think I've ever made," she continued and tore her eyes away from the window, "He loved his drink more than anything and got angry at a drop of a pin. It took 3 years to get out. Three years too long." 

Lola didn't know what to say in that situation. You can't tell someone's past from their face and Julie was living proof of that. She carried herself with such joy and contempt, you would think her life had been nothing but rainbows.

Instead of saying something which she would regret, Lola went back into the kitchen to make a cup of tea for Julie.