Junior looks worn down. I expected as much and have two bottles of water with me. “Thank you. I don’t even need to pee. It all evaporates”, he downs the first bottle without hesitation or pause, “nice. You showered… you smell good." He licks his lips and I hand over the other bottle. “Is this everyday’s work?”, I ask. “Hell no. I would die in here. Most of the time is free. But this thing here is old and… sometimes needs what I call caressment”, he answers.
I roll my eyes. “I am almost done. The temp is down by 20%. Gotta make sure it drops another 5-10 and then we’re good. I can show you around tomorrow and explain some stuff to you, if you like”, he points at the parts I am inspecting because they vibrate. “He is just jealous of you I guess, so obviously I had to spend some time with ma man”, he giggles playfully.
I don’t follow. “The engine and I are married”, Junior explains happily. I smile: “That is some hot thing you have going on”, I notice. “You bet. Gotta satisfy some needs some more, I’d say. Be back with the fellas in no time”, he clears his throat and goes back to work.
I return to the common room and got some down time. The washer has finished and even dried the clothes, so I try to identify what is whose. While I make piles of themes of mostly underwear, Pops wakes up and joins me: “Yellow and green are Cap’s. Blue and grey are Junior’s and mine. Well, he is quite lean in comparison to me, so…” I already sort accordingly.
The jumpsuits are way easier, one size fits them all, but Cap got blue ones, Pops grey and Junior a darker red. Leaves me to my tattered old suit. I gotta repair some parts of it, I wonder if Pops can help me with tools. “That looks pretty bad”, he observes, “that’s some damage to repair. Wait, I’ll get my gear.”
“Are you hungry?”, I ask and grab a bar for myself. “I’m not in the mood for that stuff”, he bellows softly. “Can I get you something else?”, I keep him company, while he is getting started to repair that suit of mine. “Sit next to me and keep a close eye on what I am doing. Next damage you gonna repair.” I smile: “O’course.”
Before we finish this little lecture, Junior returns with a thumbs up and hits the shower. I excuse myself and visit Cap with some provisions. “Damn, good timing. When is Pops gonna show?”, he wants to know and hungrily stuffs the bar into his face. “I’m gonna ask him right away. He helps me repair my suit”, I reply.
“I see. He can relieve me after that”, Cap accepts, I nod and head back to the common area. I notice: It is a very small ship. “Is Cap angry? I missed my usual time”, Pops examines the cold weld he had supervised me to do, “looks fine enough. I guess we are finished for now.” “Thank you Pops. Cap would like you to visit him now”, I suggest. Pops laughs heartily: “Would he? I make sure he can do his training then.”
It is way more lively with Cap and Junior in the common area. Junior listens to music at least I have never heard before and Cap happily chatting away between his push ups and workout routine. But they are both soon tired and rest. I stay behind and bring Pops supplies. He is very happy. “If you don’t mind, take my bunk, need some space for yourself. Junior is very clingy with you, isn’t he?”, Pops asks checking navigation. “Thank you”, I reply. I have to gather my thoughts so I take my leave soon. Some things don’t add up in my memory.
I sit on the couch and relax. I have done this dozens of times before. There is always hope, it was all just a bad dream, but most of my dreams are closer to reality than they should. I am back here in this small body but a very sharp mind and neither Nil nor Sin are here to pester me. Did they send me or did I return myself? I hear someone raising from his bed and taking a leak.
It is Cap taking a walk to get another bottle. “I love freshly washed cloth”, he strikes a pose and takes a sip then sits next to me, his voice only a soft whisper to my ear: “I’ve seen plenty o’people running from somethin’. You are no exception.” Too many times I have seen people try to stick their noses into my stuff. I simply smile: “With sex or with spacecraft?” He giggles: “Smart one. Maybe both.” I am unsure if he is flirting with me or just messing around. I could make the next move, but I would unknowingly give away that I try to hide something from him.
“Don’t worry, won’t tell, been through this myself. Did too much stuff, I am not a bit proud of. Wasn’t even back then, did it none the less. If you need an ear or… a D to get over it, don’t hesitate, one of them is always near", he offers. “That’s a pretty bad pick up line”, I admit. “Won’t believe how often this worked. But for real. Take your time. I know no one who takes on more than 4 guys in one night without regret the next day. And here you sit and brood over somethin instead of keepin Junior up and awake”, he is quite observant, I'd give him that.
We both share the laugh and try to keep it down. “Don’t get me wrong, I’d be happy to join in or watch or just… well, listen. It’s better than him blockin the showers for hours”, Cap explains. “I gotta keep that in mind”, I wonder. “With you he doesn’t have that problem”, Cap states. “I know”, I look at him and want to change the topic: “Why is nobody on this ship called by their name?”
“Oh, Junior and I don’t like ours… and we can hardly pronounce Pops’ name correctly. And they are all shorter this way”, he explains and takes another sip and wraps his other arm around me. He softly strokes the back of my head. I will have to remember to cut my hair back again. Space travel on small ships means a lot of hair everywhere so keeping it short means less cleaning. Everybody conforms to it. Men, women and everybody else.
Cap exercises this to great length, with only an implied mohawk. The rest of his body is almost hairless or clean shaven. Pops on the other hand just trims down, even his full beard is very neat. But he is well… very manly. I am not sure how to level the hairiness of men. And Junior… is so young, he trims like Pops but has not much to trim down.
“How old is everybody?”, I keep on asking. “I am 32. Pops is 45 and Junior claims to be 19 by now. When we took him in, he had just turned 16. Looked like 14 though, very small and skinny. But that he left behind. Trained with me. Now he is tall, lean and a mean loving machine”, Cap almost hums his words. “You tend to speak in rhymes”, I observe and he nods: “I do. Part of my upbringing.”
He meets my eye: “You know we call you lil’one because of your height, don’t you?” I roll my eyes and reply: “There was a fifty percent chance of that.” “We would never make fun of your D, fella!”, he exclaims and tries to calm himself down. He clenches his fists: “Wouldn’t be fair… and I personally have to say… I grew up with Greek sculptures all around. You might be a bit short but all around you have the perfect proportions.”
I make a small gesture with my pinkie. He nods: “Exactly. I admit… I envy you. I would draw you, if I just had the talent.” I tilt my head suspiciously: “You mean shaping a sculpture.” “Even less talented…”, he exhales, “anything else?” “Your names?”, I follow up. “Damn. Mine is Casimir. Junior is Nepomuk. Yeah and, well, Chwnathrnagswa. I am sorry. As I said: Pops”, he runs his hand over my head.
We stay silent for a bit and he pats my head some more. “I go back to bed. Last night was very sweet but also very short. And as much as I'd like to repeat it right here, right now, I will go to sleep. You can stay here and keep to yourself, if you want… or spend some time with Pops, he would like that. Both of you sharing your Greek proportions”, he winks and gets me a blanket.
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