MEA CULPA
“All right, we’ll see you guys later.”
Callista dropped her playing cards as she and June rose to their feet. They had been playing a game of poker with Andrew, Gordie and Jovan.
“Where you guys going?” Andrew asked.
“Gonna check out the Yellow Rover’s library. You know, stimulate our minds or at least that’s what she keeps telling me.”
June pointed to Callista.
“I say it because it’s true, June. And you guys are more than welcome to come with.”
“Pass. I’m really trying to see Jovan clean the dishes again.” Gordie said.
He laid two cards face down and plucked two more from the deck. He seemed pretty pleased by what he received.
“He’s long overdue.”
“You keep telling yourself that, Gordie.” Jovan said.
Callista and June exited the commissary, leaving the three of them to their own devices. Andrew fanned his cards out to figure out his next move. He had three kings, a six of clubs and a four of diamonds. At this point, he was just waiting for these two chuckleheads to make a move.
“So can I just say for the record, that I don’t understand what it is that we’re doing?”
“Please be a little bit vaguer, Gordie. I don’t think Andrew and I are confused enough.”
Jovan looked his way as they both exchanged smirks.
“I mean, what are we still doing on this planet?”
“That’s a Marius question.” Jovan said while still looking at his cards.
“No it isn’t. He said that we needed to come to some kind of resolution. We—meaning us. The cadets.”
“Do you have a place in mind, you would like to go?”
“Don’t do that.”
Jovan lowered his cards.
“Do what?”
“Try to make it seem like I’m saying some stupid shit. I’m being serious.”
“So was I.”
Gordie just stared at Jovan for a moment as Andrew chuckled. The question about where they were supposed to go hadn’t been addressed since the first time Marius brought it up when they had returned from the alien city. And other than hearing about the seismic wave that happened outside the forcefield, which they were totally unaffected by, they were pretty much in chill mode. So this was a nice change of pace.
“Isn’t Dee-Dee still repairing the StarForger?” Andrew asked.
“She is.”
“So when she’s done, I’d expect Marius to ask us again.”
“That seems like a good bet.”
Gordie dropped his cards on the table. He had two Aces, two fives and a queen. He pointed at Jovan.
“Dishes. Dishes. Dishes.”
Jovan scoffed and lowered his cards upside down. He turned them over, revealing the other three queens.
“You were saying.”
“Oh, fuck off.”
Andrew folded his hand. He didn’t even care that he would have won this game. Just seeing Gordie’s reaction was priceless.
“Wanna go again, double or nothing?” Jovan asked.
“Deal ‘em.”
Jovan gathered the cards together. He took Andrew’s and turned them over, noticing that he would have won instead. Andrew shrugged. The commissary door opened as they looked towards the door. It was Delly.
“Oh hey, sorry. Don’t mean to interrupt, but do any of you guys know where I can find Marius?”
“You might wanna check his quarters.” Andrew said.
“Thank you.”
She pointed at him and turned to walk away.
“Hey Delly.”
She stopped and turned back.
“You know you broke my brother’s heart, don’t you?”
Delly stepped into the commissary looking somewhat confused.
“I’m sorry. Your brother?”
“Yeah. My brother. Kristian Llenas.”
Delly stood there for a moment like she had seen a ghost.
“Oh. You’re Jovan.”
“I am.”
“I don’t even know what to say. Your brother was a good guy and I loved him very much.”
Delly hightailed it out of there before Jovan could even say another word. He stopped shuffling the cards as the mood shifted.
“Jeez. Orion’s sister is fuckin’ beautiful man. Seriously, she was dating your brother? No wonder he got all sad when they broke-up.”
“Fuck off, Gordie.”
Jovan tossed the cards at him as Gordie deflected them.
<>
“Doctor Marius. Are you in there?”
Banging could be heard against his chamber door as Marius squinted. He noticed that he was lying face first on the floor.
Bloody hell.
“Doctor Marius.”
“Yup. Hold on. I’ll be right there.”
He placed his hands underneath his chest and struggled to do a push-up. He groaned. An androbulin re-up would be needed pretty soon. He limped to the exit and opened it. Delly was waiting on the other side.
“Sergeant.”
“You know you could just call me Delly, Doctor Marius.”
“What can I say? Sergeant works for me.” He smiled. “So, what can I do for you?”
“I need your help.”
Marius leaned against the door frame to keep himself from falling over.
“In what way?”
She exhaled and looked away from him.
“This is about the alien you told me about, isn’t it?” He went on.
“Yes, this is about him.”
“And what exactly are you expecting us to be able to do?”
“I need help finding him. The same way you found me.”
Marius chuckled. If only she knew. They had found her by blind luck. There was no reason to expect that they would be able to duplicate it.
“Did I say something funny?”
“Not in the slightest. But unfortunately, there’s nothing I can do for you.”
Delly’s head lowered. It was obvious that this wasn’t an answer she was hoping or expecting to hear.
“However, if this is something you really want to pursue, then I’d advise you to talk to those seven young people, because that’s who you’re gonna need.”
She lifted her head with confidence.
“I can do that.”
“Okay. Then get to the gathering.”
“Yes sir. I’ll be back.”
Delly turned to walk away.
“Hey Sergeant.”
She stopped and turned around.
“Word of advice.”
She gestured for him to continue.
“Before you ask them for help, you might want to think about thanking them for saving your life.”
Delly nodded and pointed at him. She resumed walking away as the motion sensors went out. Marius exhaled. They were on the precipice of another damn boondoggle, he could feel it in his deteriorating bones.
<>
Orion and his freckled girlfriend entered the Red Rover’s galley as Delly did a head count. The only ones not here were the duplicate android and the four-legged creature. She and Marius exchanged eye contact. He nodded that she could begin.
“Before I get started, I just wanna say thank you, to everybody in this room. I know you all risked a lot for me and I am very grateful, although it may not seem that way. I guess I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately.”
“It’s okay Delly, if anybody understands what you’re going through, it’s us.”
She turned to Orion and smiled. Seeing her little brother as a grown-up would never stop being weird. She looked around the room and saw that all eyes were still on her. It was time for her to shit or get off the pot.
“So, I’ve been informed that you all make your decisions as a collective and I respect that.” She cleared her throat. “The only reason I’m standing here right now is because one of those Fonantians was noble enough to value my life. And then someone kidnapped him and his family, while I was—utterly useless if I’m being honest.”
She scratched the side of her head. They were a vacant lot for the most part, making it difficult to tell if they were even hearing anything she was saying.
“Now, I don’t expect any of you to care, but I can’t stop thinking about that family and what’s to become of them. I keep coming back to that seismic wave that could have killed us, but somehow, it didn’t. We’re lucky to have some of the technology that we have. Still, maybe I’m wrong, but I just can’t help thinking that Kabibi and his family—they’re wrapped up in all this.”
“Delly, if you need our help, all you gotta do is ask. We’re all a part of the same family here.” Jovan said.
“That’s right. When one of us is in trouble, the rest of us pick up the slack.” The female cadet with the booming afro chimed in.
The other cadets were nodding and seemed to be echoing their sentiments.
“I guess you got your answer. Sergeant.”
Marius shrugged as she smiled. She pantomimed thank you to him and exhaled. Even after the way she had treated this group, they were still willing to help her. This was exactly what she had been missing from the Yellow Rover since losing her team. The togetherness.
I really need to learn their damn names. This is ridiculous.