Tyson woke up to an irritating chiming sound. He patted the bed for his phone, but realized quickly that he didn't have one. His holo-rib was on the dresser and he stumbled out of bed to answer it.
"Yes?" he managed.
"Hey, do you and Alcott have plans today?" said a female voice.
Tyson had to blink a couple times to get his eyes to adjust to the translucent screen. It was Dylan and it was very early, if time was the same here.
"Not that I know of," he managed. "Why?
"Can you eat yet?"
"I don't think so."
"Okay. Then I'm headed over soon. I was going to bring some fruit, but that seems cruel to eat in front of you."
"Alcott might want some," he suggested, stifling a yawn. "See you in a bit, I guess."
He set the holo-rib down and rummaged through the drawers. He was reasonably certain that he was wearing Marcus's clothes, but he didn't want to ask Alcott and he didn't actually want to know. He only had a couple shirts that his parents had packed for him, as if this was a weekend getaway that they had kidnapped him for. Seeing how they were antiques, Tyson didn't want to wear them until he could talk to Lully or someone about replicating the screen-printing. Surely it wouldn't be too hard.
He staggered out of the bedroom as he pulled a shirt over his head. Alcott was in the kitchen, though froze when she saw him.
"Morning," he said, stretching his shoulders. "Dylan called; woke me up."
"Dylan? What's wrong?"
"She said she's coming over for some reason. What are you up to? Need help?"
Alcott looked like she was in the middle of baking, and Tyson moved around the counter to see what he could do. Instead, Alcott started putting up ingredients.
"No, it's fine. I'll do this later," she said quickly.
He put a hand on her arm, stopping her clean up.
"Dylan and I can go somewhere else, there's a whole base out there," he said. "But I don't mind if you bake. Just because I can't eat it doesn't mean it doesn't smell delicious."
Alcott snorted. "I wouldn't get this in the oven in time for anyone to eat it. It's taken me a cycle to get this far."
"Is the recipe so hard?" he asked, puzzled.
Alcott held a measuring spoon in her hand and then began to sob. Tyson's default was to pull her into his arms and let her cry, even knowing that Dylan could be banging on the door any second. He hoped he hadn't said something to upset her, but it was a bit early to dissect the conversation.
So instead, he stroked her braids and stood calmly in the kitchen, waiting for either Dylan to knock or Alcott to explain.
"I never really cooked before," Alcott managed, lifting her head up and wiping her eyes. "Marcus loved to bake. He used to bake cakes, muffins: all sorts of things for people across the base. He was hoping to quit his job and stay at home with our children and have time to write down the recipes he'd been working on. I can't even manage one batch of muffins. It's easy. I have his notes on my holo-rib and I just...can't do it." She sniffed. "Dylan will be here soon."
"I can tell her to wait," Tyson offered.
"No. If Dylan is bothering us at this hour, it's important."
"Then we'll make muffins after," Tyson replied. "You shouldn't do this alone, Alcott. I know that you think you can, and I have no doubt that you would manage, but why would you want to?"
YOU ARE READING
If Jove Stray
Science Fiction{✨Book 5✨} Earth. Light years away, and yet now that some on the base were born there, it seems so...close. As communication with the mother planet seems more and more likely, Dylan and Alcott have to wonder if Earth really has anything to offer to...
