Creative Commons – The Plainsrunner – Chapter Forty-Three

Continuing the serial release of The Plainsrunner under a Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike license – (CC-BY-SA).

Blunt turns over a new leaf.

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Chapter Forty-Three – The Apology

The next day they settled into the routine they would follow for most of the flight. Since they each slept for one-third of the day, and there were four of them, it didn’t naturally come out even the way the space station did. What they did instead meant that sometimes all four of them would be up together for a few hours, at other times three of them, and never less than two. The schedule ensured that all combinations would occur at least once during the trip. This morning saw Tallgrass paired up with Wayfarer, while Steel and Blunt slept.

Tallgrass said, “How far are we now, Wayfarer?”

She laughed. “Are you going to ask me that every five minutes?”

“No,” he said archly, his chin up and his nostrils flared. “Only every time we’re on shift together. And maybe when you’re on and I’m not. And when I get up. And …”

“Okay,” she said, still laughing. “I get the picture.” She checked her instruments, looked at the ship’s clock, which displayed the flight time elapsed, and punched the keys on her calculator. She said, “We appear to be just over two hundred thousand kilometers out.”

That was just over one-fifth of the distance to Grasswind’s L1 Lagrange point. “Still right on schedule then,” he said.

“Yes,” she said. “On schedule and all systems functioning normally.”

“And the flip will be the day after tomorrow.”

“First thing,” she said. “According to our shift schedule, you’re going to be sleeping at the time.”

“No,” he said. “I might be scheduled to be sleeping, but I’m going to be up for that, if only to make sure Blunt doesn’t mess it up.”

“Hey,” she said. “He’s still part of the crew.”

“You’re right,” he said. “I should probably give him the benefit of the doubt. But I’ve known him a lot longer than you have, and he hasn’t changed much in all that time.”

“I know,” she said. “I know you guys have a history. But what’s done is done. Time for a fresh start.”

“Yes,” he said. “A fresh start.”

“Speaking of fresh,” she said, “have you noticed the sanitary facilities?”

“No. What about them?”

“They’re really fresh and clean lately. I noticed after Blunt got dressed down by Supervisor Steel.”

“Come to think of it …” said Tallgrass.

“I think he’s really taking his maintenance duties seriously now.”

“You could be right. Maybe he can change after all.”

“I think so,” she said. Then she quietly added, “Do you think he really would have done it?”

He thought he knew what she meant, but he asked anyway. “Do I think who would do what?”

“Supervisor Steel. Do you think he really would have, you know, put Blunt out the airlock?”

Tallgrass thought about it, then he said, “Not for that, no. But for something that was a real threat to the mission, and with no other option, yes.”

Wayfarer shuddered. He could see the ripples in her scales. Then she said, “Yes, me too.”

They looked at the curtains closed over two sleeping alcoves, then they looked at each other. After a long shared look, they turned their eyes down to their control panels.

After four hours it was time for Wayfarer to take her sleep break, and for Blunt to come on duty. Tallgrass was not looking forward to it. He’d have to spend four hours alone with Blunt before the Supervisor got up, then four hours with both of them before Wayfarer’s sleep period was over. Then all four of them would be up together for a while, until it was Tallgrass’s turn to sleep. Or, this time, not sleep while he observed the flip and the beginning of deceleration.

It was uncomfortable. Blunt freshened up in the sanitation alcove, and Wayfarer ducked into it as soon as he came out, leaving the two of them to work out their new relationship. They didn’t speak, and their eyes met only briefly before they ignored each other. Tallgrass even tried to get his prey eyes to not see Blunt. He couldn’t do it, but he tried.

He couldn’t help but notice, then, when Blunt floated over and hovered behind him. Tallgrass finished a scan of his panel, then turned around and waited. If Blunt wanted something, if there was something he wanted to say, then the next move was up to him.

It was clear that Blunt did want to say something. He kept beginning, and then stopping and looking everywhere but at Tallgrass, who continued to wait. He could have said something to help things along, but he didn’t see any reason to make it any easier. After almost a minute of awkward silence, Blunt took a big breath and let it out in a sigh, his shoulders slumping, then he said, “I want to apologize.” He stopped, peering at Tallgrass, who said nothing. “Okay, it’s up to me, I guess,” he said.

Tallgrass nodded.

Blunt continued, “So I want to apologize to you for pulling those pranks. I know it was wrong, now. I know that I endangered the mission a little bit. And I’m sorry I pulled the pranks on you and got you in trouble.” He stopped and crossed his arms, looking up from under his brow.

Tallgrass nodded again, then said, “Thank you, Blunt. That’s a big step, and I appreciate it. I know it couldn’t have been easy for you so, like I said, I really appreciate it.”

“Yeah,” said Blunt, turning to go back to his station. But he stopped and faced Tallgrass again. He said, “You still ratted me out, Runny. I’m not going to forget that.”

As Blunt turned away again, Tallgrass turned back to his panel, a tight, wry smile stretching his mouth.