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February 11, 2051
After Henry hugged Claire and Alex goodnight, he headed to Autumn’s office, leaving the others discussing cat toys while Bugguffin fell asleep on Claire.
He knocked on the division head’s door, and she opened it a few seconds later. “Come in.” Autumn nodded to a chair, then crossed the floor to her desk, her jaw clenched. As she took a seat, she glanced at a folder beside her computer before turning her eyes to Henry.
He sat across from her. “What is wrong?”
“Nothing you should be worrying about. Have you ever had tiramisu, Henry?”
He blinked at the unexpected question. He did recall trying the dessert with his parents at a restaurant during his third Thanksgiving break from training, but he decided not to tell her that. “Once.”
“Did you like it?”
“Yes.”
She smiled. “Then if we’re ever back on Earth at the same time, maybe we could—no, we wouldn’t be. I got here a month after you did.” She shook her head. “Forget I said anything. What were you coming in to say?”
Henry let the matter rest for the time being. “Colton wants to take one of tonight’s watches. He says we’ll get more sleep that way.”
Autumn raised her eyebrows. “What’d you say?”
“I started to say I would talk to you about it, but I thought you’d agree he needs to sleep. Alex inadvertently interrupted.”
Autumn exhaled. “Well, on the one hand, I completely agree with you. I would rather he get a full night’s rest, especially considering what happened earlier—and considering the sleep deficit he’s running courtesy of our favorite major’s giving him extra shifts.” Her jaw tightened again, and Henry wondered if she was thinking the same thing he was.
What Barr tried to do to him in January probably affected Colton’s sleep too.
Autumn eyed the folder again, then turned back to Henry. “But on the other hand…He’s right about our needing the rest. Everyone here—every innocent person here—has been under extra stress from the rebels getting inside the station, on top of what we’re already under being at war.
“Now there’s a rebel who’s unaccounted for. We have to handle that, and if we’re not getting enough rest, we’re not going to be as effective at doing so. If Colton will split the watch with us, I’ll take the extra sleep.”
Henry sighed. “Eight hours split three ways is two hours and forty minutes per watch.”
Autumn nodded.
Henry exhaled. “By the time the third watch finishes, the doctors on day shifts will be leaving for breakfast…Perhaps Colton should take the second watch so fewer people will see him here.”
“Good idea. You can discuss it with him.” Autumn rose. “Good night. You’ll say good night to him—and whoever’s with him—for me?”
“Yes. Good night, Autumn.” Henry let himself out of her office.
The others were still there, likely guarding Colton and waiting to see if Autumn had any instructions for them.
“Autumn says good night.” Henry paused beside Alex. “Will you be safe going back to your quarters?”
Alex grinned. “No worries, Henry. Lew’s waiting in the rec area. He’ll walk there with me.”
“Good.”
Claire and Topaz left with Bugguffin, and Alex followed them through the hatchway.
Autumn entered the bay for the first watch as Henry and Colton went to Henry’s quarters, where the doctor told him what he’d suggested to the division head.
“Okay, I’ll set my CID’s alarm.” Colton typed on his device. “I’m sorry it will wake you up.”
“We have to use alarms, or we might not wake each other like we are supposed to.” Henry gave Colton a rueful look, then set his own alarm before giving the engineer a hug. “Good night.”
“Good night, Henry.” The engineer hugged him back, then sat on his cot to pull his boots off before he curled up under his blanket.
Henry hung up his lab coat and removed his boots, then lay down.
In less than a minute, he could hear the engineer’s soft, steady breathing.
How on Earth does he fall asleep so quickly? Henry guessed Colton was even more tired than he let on, but it still surprised him.
Henry’s eyelids felt heavy, but part of him was afraid to close them. Sleep was a double-edged sword—something he needed, and something he’d come to fear. Hoping neither Colton nor he would have nightmares, he closed his eyes and listened to his friend’s peaceful breathing until it lulled him to sleep.
The rebel faced away from him, electrical gun pointed at Autumn’s heart while he threatened her. Or was he holding a needle? Henry was too far away to see. Autumn was unarmed. He tried to move forward, to help her, but his legs wouldn’t respond. His chest locked up, and he couldn’t breathe. He tried to call out, to redirect the rebel’s attention, but no sound came from his throat.
Then another rebel seized his arm. He unfroze and twisted away, lunging back to grab the enemy’s wrist. If he could subdue him, perhaps he could make the other rebel—the rebel’s wrist slipped from his grip. “Henry.”
Henry caught it again. He’d break it if he had to. He’d—“Henry.” He recognized that voice.
His eyes snapped open.
“Henry!” Somehow Colton managed not to scream it, his eyes wide as he held still, trying to keep his wrist from snapping.
Henry let go and Colton stumbled backward, falling into a sitting position on his cot. He stayed there, rubbing his wrist and panting.
“Colton, what happened?”
His groggy mind formed the answer even as Colton said it. “It looked like you were having a bad dream, and I tried to wake you up, and…I’m sorry—”
“No.” Henry shook his head, guilt washing over him. “You have no reason to be sorry. I am sorry for hurting you. Is it…Let me see.” He rose.
Colton held it out. “It’s not really hurt. You weren’t gripping it for very long.”
You mean twisting it. Henry gently examined his friend’s wrist, then released it and sat on his bed. “I’m sorry, Colton.”
“It’s all right.”
No, it’s not. Henry lay back down. It also wasn’t all right that probably the only reason Colton was awake to guess he was having a nightmare was because he’d just been awoken by one himself. “If you see me having another bad dream, please don’t try to wake me.”
“What if I tried to wake you from a distance? I could call your name. I was saying it too quietly this time because I was worried the other doctors would hear, but these walls are thicker than the ones in my room. Or I could try using a pillow.”
“Please don’t try anything.” Henry rolled onto his left side, his stomach clenching and his chest tightening. He blinked back unshed tears. I don’t want to hurt you again.
“…In a way, this actually makes me feel better.”
“What?” Henry turned back around. “How?”
Colton smiled. “It reminds me that, when you broke Alvarez’s wrist, he was in a lot of pain. Good night, Henry.” The engineer curled up again and closed his eyes.
Henry just stared at him.
____________________________________________________________________________
February 12, 2051
Alex entered the rec area and slid into a seat at one of the corner tables. He dumped several ration packets on the table in case any of his friends showed up for breakfast, then opened one and started eating while he watched the room.
Colton entered from the hatchway a little ahead and to the right of the table, swept a glance across the rec area, then took a seat across from the pilot. “Good morning, Alex.”
“Good morning.” Alex frowned. “You have time for breakfast today?”
“Yes. And Henry and Autumn asked me to say hello to you and the others. They’re having breakfast in the medical bay so they can keep watching it.” Colton uncapped his personal water bottle, then glanced at Alex. “I hope you’re staying hydrated.”
“Yep. If I didn’t, I’m sure one of Henry’s tests would tell him. And then I’d get regular reminders.” Alex grinned, then grew serious. “Anything happen last night?”
“No.” Colton took a drink, then put his bottle away and opened a packet, one wrist twitching a little before he noticed and steadied it. “I actually slept a lot better than I expected.”
“Good.” Alex frowned. “What happened to your—”
“Hey.” Station Guard Stewart stopped in front of their table.
Alex’s pulse quickened. “Hey. Something happen?”
“No, I’m just getting some rations for the others.” Stewart hesitated, his gaze shifting between them. “And I wanted to thank you for how you handled what happened yesterday.” He focused on Colton. “Most engineers wouldn’t have been concerned for Duy like you were.”
“You don’t need to thank me.”
“Or me,” Alex added. “Colton was the one who helped him. All I did was fly near them. We have each other’s backs. That’s how this works.”
Stewart smiled. “Yeah, well…you guys are different. Not everyone thinks that way. Especially not about us.” He walked off.
Alex exchanged a look with Colton. “Yeesh. I know the engineers and doctors talk smack about everyone but themselves, but the pilots and operators aren’t like that.”
“Maybe he’s met ones on Earth who were.” Colton turned back to his packet. “Engineers look down on guards as the least skilled segment of the Pilots Division, despite the fact they receive training in demolition, construction…The guards may have met with that kind of hostility so often, they expect it from everyone, and that’s why they’re close to each other, but not really anyone else.”
You know what that’s like. Alex sighed. “That makes sense—and actually, I can imagine some pilots treating them badly too. I knew several cadets that were…Let’s just say they weren’t my favorite people.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Thanks. They got what was coming to them.” Alex nodded toward one of the hatchways. “Here comes Bugguffin. And Claire and Topaz.”
The black furball raced across the floor and hopped into the chair beside Colton. Her head stretched toward the ration packets on the table. “Mawrawr!”
Alex snatched the packets.
Colton attempted to distract Bugguffin by petting her. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fed.”
Claire and Topaz joined them and sat together on the third side of the table, Topaz chuckling. “There she goes again. But we trimmed two of her nails last night while she was asleep!”
“Great job!” Alex slid two rations over to Claire. “One for the hungry beast.”
“Thank you.” Claire ripped it open and held it out to Bugguffin, who tore into its contents like she hadn’t eaten in days.
Alex high-fived Topaz, then passed her a ration packet.
She opened it. “Janet messaged me. She didn’t find anything amiss on Morgan’s device, but she wants me to take a look at it.”
“Well, I hope you find something.” Alex drank some water. “It’d be nice to get something on…whoever this guy is.”
“Oh, I almost forgot.” Colton opened his jacket and retrieved a thin plastic rod with a long string wrapped around it. He placed it on the table. “I was able to find some things for Bugguffin. Here’s a string you can have her chase…And some things to throw for her.”
He placed a few pieces of silicone beside the stick. “I know Claire said silicone is supposed to be safe for pets, but we should still watch Bugguffin to make sure she doesn’t try to eat or chew on it. This is all waste material from engineering, by the way. No one should have a problem with us using it, but after how Morgan reacted to Alex’s plunger—”
“No one will know we have them.” Topaz took the items.
Alex glanced at his watch, remembering what Colton had said to them the other night. He looked at the engineer. “When are you working on the engines, again?”
Thank you for reading “Fail-Safe” (Part 5). Read the next part of this episode here.
The previous installment in this series is “Fail-Safe” (Part 4). Read it here.
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Omg, poor Henry. All the fighting is taking a toll on him 😢
Oh, good! They need a break...even if it's a short one. 😉