Exploring the Station

Posted on Sat Jan 20th, 2024 @ 8:30pm by Lieutenant Calliope Ito & Finley Walker

1,022 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Lacertae Mortis
Location: Station Promenade
Timeline: Midnight before Boarding the Sakura

ON:

It struck Calliope how quiet the promenade was near 23:30 hours. The shops were still open, ships came at all times, but for the moment all was quiet. She had seen her cats settled and then finding it hard to journal she strolled through the station looking for a bookshop. It didn’t take her long to find a shop that sold old paperback books.

Like a moth to a flame, she floated towards it and began digging through the shelves looking for books to add to her slowly evolving collection.

Most people read on data pads but she preferred the feel and smell of a book. It was her happy place yet it was a reminder of a rough time in her life. She sighed as she ran her hands over the spine of a book published back in 2009. She read the back and smiled; the 600-page behemoth would keep her busy for a while.

“That’s a good one. A tale of revenge and betrayal but also of found family and redemption.”

Calliope startled and turned to see who’d interrupted her quiet thoughts. She was met with the smiling face of what appeared to be a tall woman with shoulder length black hair wearing what would be described as a chef’s uniform. She hesitated. She was not good at small talk but what had Blake said…try new things?

She took a shaky breath and then turned away because it was easier to talk with a person if you weren’t looking at them, at least for her. “Have you read it?” She picked up another book.

“I have, three times. It’s a bit…heavy on the battle scenes but well worth the investment. Also has an audio version for when you’re too tired to read the narrator is great. He does voices and all.”

Calliope smiled. “Alright. Into the bag.” She put it into the little shopping basket she held and then risked a sideways glance. “My ship leaves in a few days do you…have any other recommendations?”

The stranger smiled, a dazzling smile. Calliope couldn’t help but notice that the person in front of her had a symmetrical face, quite a striking one in fact.

“Actually, I do.” The stranger reached around Calliope and pulled out another equally thick book and two more thicker than the first. “This trilogy, made me call in sick for a week. I devoured it. It’s that good.”

She risked a glance at the stranger’s face again centering her eyes above the eyebrows, so it looked like she was making eye contact without actually doing it; another quirk she’d had since she was young. For some reason she found it uncomfortable to maintain eye contact for a long time, a few seconds yes but nothing more. Blake had her theories as to why but Calliope had told her she didn’t want to know. It was something she wanted to work on by herself.

Calliope gently took the first book and read the back synopsis. She smiled. “Sounds amazing.” She put it in her basket and then picked up the other two from the stranger’s outstretched hands. She put those in the basket too.

Calliope stared at the hands that had just handed her the book. “So, this is small talk right. I guess I’m supposed to say something next?”

The stranger grinned. “I think that’s how small talk works, yes.”

“Alright. Um…I’m sorry I am not good at this.”

The stranger chuckled. “You could ask me my name.”

“Right! I get it…I guess I can start by telling you my name.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Calliope Eden Ito I’m the Chief Engineer on the Sakura.”

The stranger smiled and shook her hand. “Walker, Finley H. Walker but people call me Fin. I’m a chef here on the station at the Vulcan restaurant a partner of sorts.

Calliope’s eyes lit up. “Oh! I love Vulcan food. I used to live on Vulcan…a long time ago,” as she said it she felt herself deflate a little.

“Small world.”

“May I ask you a question?”

The now not stranger, Fin, smiled. “Sure.”

“Why did you devour the books?”

Fin studied her. “Well, they were good. I read the straight through almost stayed up all week.”

“OHHHH devoured as in read them quickly not ate them.”

Fin laughed. “You’re funny.” There was a small pause. “Well Calliope it’s nice to meet you. I need to get back to work. I just popped by to get that.” Fin reached around Calliope and pulled a book. “Last one in the series.”

“Oh,” Calliope stepped back. “Sorry for blocking the way. Thank you for the recommendations. I look forward to reading them.”

Fin gave a nod. “Enjoy.” Fin smiled again at Calliope. “Again. Great to meet you. Happy Star Sailing.”

“Oh…um… thanks.” Calliope turned back to the shelves as Fin left.

“That wasn’t so hard,” She said to herself. She gave herself a pat on the back. She felt like telling Blake and then realized that she was on her own here. It was odd that a year ago she wanted to avoid Blake and all she stood for like a plague and now here she was missing the ability to tell the woman what had happened and dissect things with her.

It was a sobering thought that she was once again alone, not that she hadn’t been all her life in one way or another. Trying to shake the thoughts that brought dark clouds with them she turned back to the book stack and picked out a few more before heading up to purchase them. She would go to her cabin here on the station and get a few hours of sleep and then back to the Sakura. A new start…once again she was the fool within the Tarot deck staring her life again, a new beginning that she hoped she had the courage and stamina to go through.

OFF:

 

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