Cresswell: The Lunar Chronicles

Chapter One Hundred and Nine

Cress stifled a yawn, glancing at the clock on the nightstand. It was almost 6 in the morning. She didn't know why she felt so wide awake—maybe it was because she'd stayed up most of the night last night working on a new coding string for the EC's security network. Even now when she closed her eyes letters and numbers flashed in her vision.

"You okay?" Carswell mumbled beside her, his hand bumping into her shoulder as he moved closer to her.

Cress nodded. "Yeah. Just thinking."

"Of?"

"Codes."

"Rats."

"Why?" Cress asked with a smirk.

"I thought maybe you were dreaming of me."

Cress grinned. "I'm always dreaming of you."

At that Carswell blinked his eyes open and smirked. "Good answer Damsel." He leaned over to kiss her. "Now go back to sleep."

"Yes sir." Cress wiggled farther down beneath the covers, closing her eyes and forcing herself to relax. When numbers started filling her vision, she thought of going to Disneyland or LA or something fun. Something that let her imagination wander and would let her actually fall asleep.

"Cress?"

Cress's eyes snapped open and she jumped. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I've gonna head to the studio in about a half hour. You still wanna come?"

Cress nodded, waking up a little more. She smiled, seeing Carswell already dressed in dark blue jeans and a light blue sweater. He kissed her forehead.

"I've got coffee downstairs if you want it."

"Ooh thanks," Cress said as she pulled the dresser drawer open and grabbed her own jeans and sweater. She hesitated, not sure if Carswell would want to "twin" today when he was looking at the studio.

"It's right here," Carswell said as he held out her blue sweater.

Cress grinned to herself. She quickly got dressed and then trotted downstairs and poured herself a cup of coffee and tossed a few pop tarts into the toaster.

Carswell came down a few minutes later with his jacket slung over his arm. "You ready Damsel?"

"Yep!" Cress grabbed the pop tarts, handing two to him, and then followed him out the door. He'd already called for a hover and it was waiting. The drive was short, which was nice that he didn't have to work so far from home. The building itself was much larger than Cress was expecting, but it couldn't have been more than two or three stories high.

"Which one is yours?" she asked as they got out and started inside.

"Second floor, 201," he murmured, glancing around for an elevator.

Cress's excitement grew as they walked down the hall and toward the first door on the left. Carswell shoved it open and Cress gaped.

It was huge! And a real studio too—two different sections separated by a glass window. The recording area itself looked almost like it was done up to resemble the inside of the Rampion but with an old fashioned style microphone, an expensive looking headset and a leather chair that wasn't quite as big as the captains chair.

And there were about six people all milling around, talking to each other, testing the microphone, playing with the control panel.

"Thorne?"

Carswell grinned as a guy walked up to them, extending his hand. "Hey man, how's it going?"

"Great, glad you came by. Cress, I take it?" he asked, glancing at Cress.

Carswell squeezed Cress's hand at the same time she nodded.

"I'm Andrew. Nice to finally put a face with the name. Although," he continued as he waved them toward a door, "I did already know what you look like because, well, I don't live under a rock. But nice to put a name/face with an actual person."

Cress almost laughed. "Thanks."

"Alright, so here's where Captain Thorne will be spending 90% of his time--we tried to replicate the Rampion as best as possible but there's so many different options so if there's something you don't like we can easily change it."

Cress absentmindedly nodded until she realized Andrew was talking to her. She looked around again, paying closer attention to the room. "It seems kinda busy," she murmured. "The Rampion's more... classic."

Carswell nodded.

"But, I mean, that's not a big deal--no one will see it," she added with a shrug.

"Yes, true, but we can clean it up a bit," Andrew said. "I just kinda wanted to give you both a feel for it."

"Overall I like it." Cress shrugged, grinning. She nudged Carswell. "Go sit in the captain's chair so I can get the full effect."

Carswell laughed. He kissed the side of her head before crossing the room and sinking down. He propped both feet up on the desk the same way he often did on the Rampion.

"Perfect."

Carswell grinned. He shoved back up, rubbing his hands together. "Alright, I'm excited."

"Great! You want to set up a time to meet the rest of the crew? Or do you not care?"

"Nah, let's meet everyone."

Carswell and Andrew talked for a few minutes before Carswell took her hand and they started back down toward the still-waiting hover.

"So you like it? Really? Tell me if you don't."

"No, I do! It's so cool and it looks so professional and beautiful--I can't wait to listen to the episodes recorded there. When do you start?"

"Monday."

Cress squealed.

Carswell squeezed his arm around her shoulders, swooping her down into a dip and kissing her.