If Jove Stray

Chapter 10: on being partners

Tyson heard voices and woke up, sitting up in the unfamiliar bed. The day's events came back to him and he wiped tears from his eyes, remembering all that he had lost. His parents had always disapproved of his work in the streets, but he would have never thought that they would damn the country, no the planet, dragging him along with them. Of course, he would have been upset if his parents had vanished, but Tyson would have preferred to have a choice in what his life was becoming.

He rose from the bed, sliding open the door to see two people sitting with Alcott. They all turned to look at him when he entered the room. The woman was quite short, barely reaching the man's shoulders. The way they stood so close together made Tyson think they were probably a couple.

"You didn't sleep very long," Alcott remarked.

"I'm a light sleeper," he answered. "Hello."

"Tyson, this is Esperanza and Lully," Alcott introduced. "They're good friends of mine. Lully brought you a holo-rib. I'll show you how to use it."

"And it really doesn't cost anything?" Tyson inquired, suspicious that his parents paid for it secretly.

"I mean it costs three hundred credits in materials, but we don't ever charge anyone," Lully said. "We only ever get the one holo-rib."

"Unless you're Keller," Esperanza laughed. "Then you have to buy another when you drop yours into the trash compactor."

"Keller is a special case," Lully replied with a grin. "So you have your holo-rib; do you think that he has anything in personnel? I don't remember if Dashiell and the others did."

"We haven't gone yet," Alcott admitted. "I was planning to as soon as he woke up, as well as a trip to see our captain. I think he should explain some things to Tyson, things I cannot. What are you two up later?"

"Emerson wants to clear the main hall to play baskets," Lully said. "We haven't in ages, even before Harper was injured. It'll probably take us all evening to get the chairs put away, to be honest." He grinned. "You and Tyson should come play."

"I have no interest in playing anything while I'm pregnant, I'll wipe out and be in the medical bay for the rest of the cycle," Alcott informed him. "If Tyson isn't completely exhausted, we might stop by."

"And we need to get back to work," Esperanza noted. "Thank you, Alcott, for allowing us to come over. I'm glad we talked."

The shorter woman touched Alcott's arm and then left with Lully. Tyson watched them go and then turned his attention to Alcott.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"A couple of errands around the base," she explained, heading for the door.

"Is it all one building?"

"Yes. Currently, we're in an earthstorm; they get quite brutal; we would die if we went outside. It's a terrible time to wake, sorry."

Tyson glanced in the windows, noting that most of the large rooms they passed had science type tables and labs. No lab coats, but people using their holo-ribs and staring at beakers. He had never been any good with science. Amino acids had never held his attention, and calculus was exhausting for so little outcome.

"When's the baby due?" he inquired.

"In about three cycles," she replied, which didn't give him any information he could use. "I'm going to have to print new clothes before then. I feel huge already."

Tyson nodded, but Alcott didn't explain further. They made a couple turns. Each hallway was color coded, but without any signs saying what color was which. This place wasn't very user-friendly.