#FreeFictionFriday No. 39

Long Haul Goodbye by Lyndon Perry

A flash fiction sci-fi story for your reading pleasure this week.

Long Haul Goodbye by Lyndon Perry

“Docking in three, two, one.”

The whispy whoosh of the pressurized spacelock making contact and engaging its metal mate on the other side of the barrier signaled the successful docking of Cargo Vessel AF3098J to Terminal 73 of Spaceport Jallin 4. The bright lights on the panel in front of the long haul galactic transport’s piloting controls confirmed the connection.

“Nice job, Aron.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Commander Edeniah Justice sucked in stale air, the last few of such metal tasting breaths he’d have to take, for at least a fivecycle anyway. The place smelled of sweat and hot electric nodes, although the crew of seven had long before stopped noticing each other’s body odor. A deep space cargo run of eighteen months, fourteen days will dull just about all your senses if you let it.

Fried wires was something no one could ignore, however. Justice ordered general resupplies and level three maintenance of all systems.

“And tell engineering to double check water filtration. There’s got to be a misfiring ignition switch we’re overlooking. I’ve tasted copper in every half-liter for three weeks now.”

“Aye, Commander.”

His bridge staff of three snapped into action, their immediate work pushing the thought of a welcomed and deserved fivecycle shore leave to the back of their minds. Orders were forwarded and comm links established. The ship’s computer took over and ran standard protocols for service requests with the bots of Jallin 4. If all went well, they’d be able to disembark to the spacestation at cycle-11.5, just in time for a midday meal composed of something other than the cargo ship’s MREs.

A voice from engineering, aft ship, squawked out, “Running diagnostics now.”

The commander called back, “Larah, once that’s underway and the drive begins optimization, see me in my quarters.”

“Aye, Commander.”

Thirty minutes later Edeniah said, “Come,” in response to a light tap at his door. Sitting on his small couch that pulled out to form a bed, he put down his compslate which monitored their vessel’s maintenance and resupply progress. The air was already noticeably fresher, and tasted like lemon, this particular spaceport’s signature scent.

Larah walked in, waving a small circuit board. “Found the culprit. A few more weeks and we’d have had to ration water.”

“Reparable?”

The engineer shook her head. “And this little sucker’s expensive. Won’t set us back, but one of us might have to sacrifice our beat-the-clock bonus.”

They were three weeks ahead of schedule; Moon Metals Limited would get their precious ore and pay handsomely for it. Justice and his crew could afford the promised shore leave. And any repairs they needed to make.

Ed let a crooked smile form. “Who do you suggest takes one for the team?”

Larah thought about it as she shed her light engineering jacket, tossing it on the futon, revealing a tight tank top, gray but wet with sweat at the neck and armpits. Working class sexy, was how Ed thought of her.

“Maybe Jamee since he didn’t have to practice medicine on us very often this run.”

“For which I’m grateful. Last long haul two of the crew nearly lost their hands.”

“Yet they signed up for another sling shot ride to Gamma Bay and back.”

He stood, his muscled arms and chest filling out his tight black t-shirt, and put his arms around the slim waste of his engineer, pressing into her. He looked deep into her brown eyes.

“Worth the risks when we make it home in another month,” he said.

She pulled away just as he was about to kiss her.

She deflected with, “As long as we can tear Tony away from the gambling tables at the end of shore leave.”

Justice let her go with a sigh.

“He’ll be broke way before then.”

The two shared a forced chuckle. He picked up her jacket and handed it to her.

“I can’t change your mind?”

Larah kissed him gently on the cheek.

“Five long hauls is enough. I’ve beat the odds and I’m not getting any younger.” She looked back into Ed’s dark steel gray eyes. “We’re not getting any younger.”

“One day my space fever will break.”

She smiled. “I won’t say I’ll wait, but when you’re done touching the stars, look me up. We may still make a go of it. One day. But planetside.”

Justice nodded. His tight cabin seemed to shrink in on him. He looked out the small window port that revealed a slice of space speckled with stars beyond the looming curvature of Spaceport Jallin 4.

“Don’t feel guilty, Ed, for not forsaking your first love.” She paused. “Though Cargo Vessel AF3098J isn’t a very endearing name for a rocket ship.”

Edeniah Justice heard the door whisk shut behind him.

“That’s why I’ve always called her Larah,” he whispered to himself and to no one.

Long Haul Goodbye © 2020 by Lyndon Perry

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