Suddenly I feel like shit, not your average shit. The high fibre which has been brewing in your stomach for four days constipation shit. The benefit though; you wipe clean, which means, I’m still alive if we’re comparisons.

“Holy fuck, why am I still alive?”I gasp, rolling my head over.

“Eric, how do you feel?” Martin’s green eyes leaned over me. Pushing him out of my view I sit up.

“How do I look?”

“Like you’ve had a fight with Dojan.” He didn’t explain more, it must be some kind of well known alien animal. “We had to use some pretty good shit on you to keep you here, benefit though. You’re up and about quicker.

“How long have I been out?”

“Well, when we found you. You were pretty much dead, the only reason we rushed to get you onboard was that your flashlight was on. So you couldn’t have been there long. Do you remember much? What happened?”

“Well, you see. I had to shoot the top of my air canister to use it as propulsion, I then slammed myself into a window to smash through it, and then I ended up spaced with no power, weapon or air.”

“Wow… Just wow. You’re fucking crazy or dumb.” Martin’s jaw dropped.

“You know the station windows were made out of quartz.” The other engineer pipes up.

“You learn something new every day, like how to escape man eating fleshy space monsters.” I grin back, I take a look at my left and see it slung to my chest, throbbing slightly but not too badly. I look over to my gear on the floor beside me and look the helmet over, glad to feel I have no shards in my face. It looks like a mesh in the glass and the glass shattered but kept itself attached to the mesh.

“What’s the plan boss?” The pilot speaks over the intercom.

“I think we should go to a police station.” The one I assume is a player speaks up.

“Disregard that, I believe Martin and me already discussed this?” I received a nod from Martin and carried on. “We need a neutral station, preferably anywhere they won’t second guess our ship’s identification.”

“Rodger to Eir Station we go.”

“Why did you do that?” The player walked up to me angry that I ignored his input.

“Because if we go to any sort of patrolled space in this ship is asking to be arrested.”

“What?”

“This.” I gesture to everything around me, “is a pirate ship, our transponder is probably known to them as ‘there are killers on this ship’. You should have seen the bodies moving shit onto the ship.”

I finished talking to him and limped my way to the cockpit. The patchwork job of welding covered what used to be the windscreen of the cockpit. Luckily that’s just so you can look out when you’re bored. Actual space piloting doesn’t need it because everything is done by computers and sensors.

“So Martin tells me that you’re a window killer boss.” The pilot offers a smile and I grin back.

“Never liked them anyway, just a structural weakness.” He laughs at that and goes back to piloting.

“Got a reading on how long we’ve been frozen?”

“The ship’s time and date sets us ten years later, so I am definitely late for my girlfriend's birthday. I… Uh, I haven’t told the other guys yet, not sure how they would take it. I’m Alen by the way, I’ve set us on a course for Eir. We should be there in six hours.”

“Cool, I’m Eric. I’ll break the news to them, have you set up a rotation for the stick?”

“Thanks and no, I’m the only one that has actual experience the other guys have only been in Sims, not sure about the kid though he seems to be a mix of amnesia and hysterics.”

I observed the cockpit some more, noting the welding, the 3D interactive holographic controls to pilot the ship. They seemed cool and futuristic, I do suppose that’s a given because this game is set in the future. I sigh and head back into the hold.

The kid is pacing the back near the exit, sighing and looking around. Martin is working on one of the capsules while the other engineer passes him tools. The supplies and equipment we looted are haphazardly placed anywhere, so I debate putting off telling them so they don’t breakdown before I can get them to help me clean this ship.

“Right guys close in, got some news.” The kid practically stomps his way over to me while Martin and his buddy find a good place to stop working on the capsule, I don’t want to rush them because I have no clue what they’re actually doing to it. It takes a couple of minutes before they finish.

“What’s up boss?” The Engineer I don’t know the name of asks me.

“Two things.” I look them all in the eyes pausing on each person briefly. “We were asleep for ten years.” I let that sink in for a moment, Martin frowns, his pal takes a brighter shade of white and the kid looks indifferent. He’s definitely a player.

“Second, this hold is a fucking mess. We have six hours till we get there. Martin, I want you to rotate with Alen in three hours. We clean this shithole for three hours then we get some sleep for the remainder.

“Any questions?”

“Yeah, why are you in charge?” The player pipes up and I roll my eyes, holy shit, just how self-important is this guy.

“Be-” I was cut off by Martin.

“Kid shut the fuck up. I’m following his orders because he’s Station Security.” Which I wasn’t but thanks Martin I guess being all gung-ho about everything worked to some extent. I nod towards Martin and turn to the kid.

“Look, if you don’t like it we can put you back on ice until we get there.” I tried my best to sound as sarcastic as I could. His eyes went wide and he shook his head quickly side to side. “Now what I want to happen is I want the medical and food supplies closest to the cockpit, followed by sleepers and then weapons and ammo. Everything else will be stacked close to the exit, but I want it so it provides decent cover in a firefight.”

“Why’s that?” New Engy asked.

“Eir might have changed in ten years, it’s probably me being paranoid but hell least we won’t be unprepared.”

“Rodge” He nodded and walked away to start moving stuff getting the kid to help him. Martin stayed behind for a moment.

“Hey why did I get dicked for pilot duty?”

“You’re the only guy I trust on board, I’m sure as hell not letting that kid fly, maybe the other guy.”

“His name is Frank.”

“Sure yeah, maybe I’d let Frank, but you’re the person I trust most on this ship. I don’t want to burn out Alen before we get there, Alen right now is crucial to our survival. We’re not safe yet Martin.”

A look of alarm flushes Martin’s face as he realises I’m correct or paranoid. Martin nods and begins helping the others move cargo, I take a second and begin helping them as well.

                                                                                         ⚶

Surprisingly nothing happened, we had to turn off the gravity so we could move around some of the heavier equipment towards the exit and it took slightly longer than three hours to get it all moved and cataloged but it got done. Alen is currently dozing away and I feel like that too.

“Get some sleep while we can, we don’t know what’s at the station,” I advise Frank and the kid, kind of funny as an odd thought, I’m probably only a couple of years older than the kid.

If anything happened then Martin would be there to wake us up, we had no blankets so we stayed in our EVA suits and just set the temperature to something nice and cozy. Surprisingly more comfy than a bed in the real world, the gel in the suit really works wonders.

You are in a currently safe area, If you choose to log out your character will be taken control of by a comprehensive AI designed to mimic your decisions. The more you play the more realistic it will be.

So I logged out to get a brew, I stepped out of the capsule and checked the time. It was only 12:43 PM. It felt like I had been in there for days. Dominic had left to go to a friend's house, Ryan’s if I remember so it was just lunch for one. Nothing too extravagant, just a couple of sandwiches. I turn on the TV and switch channels until it’s on the news, not that I’ll watch it. It’s just nice to have something to listen to. I got halfway through separating my whites and my colors before my door offended someone.

“There’s only one person I know who treats my door like that.” I thought to myself and sighed loudly, I walked through from my bedroom into the kitchen, turning on the kettle as I walked across to the door. I check the peephole out of habit and see Amelia.

This time not wearing a uniform but casual civilian clothes; boots, jeans, jumper. I stop myself from opening the door immediately as she attacks my door again with her fist, I keep it shut to protect me while she gives it a new shiner.

“Glad to see this isn't any no-knock warrant.” I laugh out loud, speaking loudly through the door so Amelia can hear it.

“This door better open the fuck up before I kick it in.” She replied in a slightly amused slightly peeved tone, I threw open the door before I lost my deposit.

“The kettle has just boiled.” I offer while she storms past me and into the kitchen. I shake my head and close the door behind her. I mouthed ‘For fuck’s sake’ behind her back. Does it make me two-faced? A little yes.

“Have you eaten?.”

“Yes,” I replied and begin adding sugar and coffee to a cup.

“Well, you’re coming out anyway.” I rolled my eyes at this and take a deep breath.

“Sure.” I sighed already defeated.

She leaned on my counter and wiped her hand across it, checking for dust. Finding none and giving myself a mental pat on the back I give my best smug look at her. “Shut up.” She snapped at me. I jump up and sit on the counter.

“Where were you planning on taking me?”

“There’s this Italian place that does amazing lasagna.”