The Afterlife of Alice Watkins 1

by Matilda Scotney

  “I thought we might have coffee here,” Alice pointed at a drinks dispenser. “It’s not like the one in my other quarters and I don’t know how to work it.”

  “I’ve got one too, all you need do is this...”

  Amelia made a flicking movement over a small panel on the side and the dispenser woke. Alice tried the flick, but nothing happened, must be a knack, so she tried a wave, that worked so she did the same thing with the entertainment registry and that too, came to life. She waved her hand again, and it went dark, then waved her hand once more and back on it came. Then she waved it dark again.

  Amelia watched as Alice amused herself. Like a little child, she thought. How would life on Earth be for her? She had already decided to remain friends with her unusual and interesting student.

  Alice saw Amelia watching her and suffered a moment of feeling foolish. She must have looked daft playing with the registry like that.

  “Shall we find the mess and let them make us tea?” she suggested.

  “They’re called dining rooms and pasticiums on the starships,” Amelia said as they left Alice’s stateroom. “There are pasticiums on Earth too. You’ll love them! I love them!”

  Alice grinned. “You love a lot of things, Amelia. I’d only just got used to ‘mess’.”

  “I know I do,” Amelia admitted, “but, they don’t have messes on these ships. Pasticiums are where you get cake and coffee on Earth. If you want a meal, you go to a restaurant or dining hall. Unless you can cook.”

  “We had restaurants.”

  “Did you? Tell me about them.”

  “I’ve never been to one, I’ve only been to cafés. Pasticiums.”

  Alice chatted about the coffee shops she visited with Michelle, taking care not to mention her daughter’s name or be too time specific and hoping her descriptions weren’t too old-fashioned for Amelia to understand. Then, trying to find the pasticium, Amelia saw the zone lines change from the guest habitat red zone to green. She looked around. She hadn’t yet mentioned the restrictions to Alice.

  “We need to go back the way we came and ask for directions,” she said, stopping Alice from walking further.

  They turned and retraced their steps until, to Alice’s delight, she saw Statesman Patrick coming towards them on the walkway, dressed in overalls and looking more like a plumber than a high-ranking officer but still so handsome; he would have turned heads if he’d been wearing a sack. Stop it, Alice told herself.

  “Dr Langley. What a pleasure. I was on my way to your stateroom to welcome you aboard.”

  Alice remembered the protocols, but she was already smiling anyway.

  “Statesman Patrick, it’s nice to see you again.”

  He snapped a glance across to Amelia and waited for the introduction, but when Alice hesitated about what she should do next, Patrick helped her out.

  “Educator Sebel.” He bowed to Amelia.

  “Statesman Patrick,” Amelia responded. It took a second for Alice to realise it wasn’t how the introduction should have gone but no-one appeared troubled.

  Patrick turned his attention back to Alice.

  “Well, Dr Langley, I’ve been looking forward to seeing you again. Tyro Drake reported your safe arrival, and I thought to contact you, to inform you I am assigned as your escort and protector for the trip. You may contact me if you have any requirements or wish to attend events your companion doesn’t have permission to attend.”

  Amelia used Patrick’s inattention to mouth at Alice behind his back.

  “You know him?”

  Alice stifled a grin. “Protector, Statesman Patrick? Protection from what?”

  He didn’t skip a beat. “Space dragons. Monsters. I’ve no idea. But if you need protecting, just call and I will ensure it is I who rescues you.”

  “I wouldn’t want to put you to trouble.”

  “No trouble, it would be my pleasure.”

  “Well, Statesman Patrick,” Amelia smiled and turned on her own brand of charm, drawing his attention away from Alice. “It seems we need you to rescue us now. We’re lost.”

  “Are you indeed? I expect you are looking for morning tea if I am not mistaken?”

  “You are not mistaken, Statesman.”

  “Then I will escort you.”

  Patrick made no comment about them being so close to a restricted area though Amelia was sure he would be aware of her orders. He showed them to the pasticium but declined their offer to stay, insisting he was there only to help two lovely damsels in distress.

  “He’s gorgeous!!” Amelia sighed, as soon as Patrick was out of earshot. “Wherever did you meet him? And a military statesman, my goodness!”

  “A couple of nights ago,” Alice said. “I didn’t see you yesterday to tell you. Principal Hardy wanted me to go to dinner and meet the pilots or whatever they are, of this ship. But he couldn’t go, so Statesman Patrick took me instead. I met the principal and one of the other officers. They weren’t as friendly or nice as Statesman Patrick.”

  “You’re so lucky. That’s what you get for being a heroine. And he seems interested in you.”

  “I expect Principal Hardy has told them everything and I doubt Statesman Patrick gives me a second thought.”

  The guest deck pasticium, small and cosy and with a more modest viewport, was a far cry from the bustle of the ‘mess’ on the station. Saturn Station was visible through the viewport, where all her friends, save Amelia remained and, fearing the sight might reduce her to tears, Alice changed seats, so the view of the station was behind her, she then distracted herself by asking Amelia to run through Earth’s society and the statesman, principal, title thing she found so tedious.

  “Earth’s culture is one of respect for rank and achievement, Alice. Whatever your designation that is your title. As you know, I’m Educator Sebel. Statesman Patrick’s title would have corresponded with whatever he did before he became a statesman.”

  “An engineer.”

  “Engineer Patrick in that case. Engineering is a scientific qualification, but they’re never called ‘doctor’. Elevation to statesman overrules all other titles as does the title of principal.”

  Amelia nibbled her biscuit, anticipating more questions.

  “What would they do if I asked them to call me Alice?”

  “They’d say ‘no’. Such familiarity is disrespectful unless you are on close terms and even then, they might not because, frankly, it’s not your name.”

  Alice let it pass. “Is Patrick Statesman Patrick’s first name?”

  Amelia shook her head. “No, that’s his family name. They don’t go by their first name unless, as I said, you’re on close terms with them, until then, they’re ‘Statesman’ and whatever their family name is or just ‘Statesman’ if you are addressing them directly after being introduced.”

  Alice listened and learned, wanting to know if on Earth, would things be different?

  Amelia said no, the same. “As a rule, you should address everyone by their title and family name, but when you have your circle of friends, all that gets dropped. The formality is only for strangers or in work conditions. If your husband is an educator, you wouldn’t address him as Educator while you are having sex.” She popped the last of her biscuit in her mouth and cocked her head to one side, munching away.

  Alice’s eyes widened, and her jaw dropped. Amelia gave her a crooked smile and they both burst out laughing. Alice had never laughed at the word ‘sex’ before but she giggled like a naughty teenager for a moment or two more before Amelia once again became the instructor and Alice, the willing learner.

  Chapter Twenty

  “How long will it take to get to Earth?” Alice asked Amelia.

  Having found a signpost to point the way to the guest observation deck, the two women were looking out across the panorama of space. They’d departed Saturn Station, but Alice couldn’t detect any sensation of movement.

  “Maybe a week at this speed,” Amelia estimated.

  “
This speed? A tortoise could overtake us at this speed!”

  “There aren’t any tortoises in space, Alice. Lots on earth, though, and we’re moving very fast, but nowhere near the ships true capabilities.”

  “How fast is very fast?”

  Statesman Hennessey joined them, dressed like a plumber, just as Patrick had been earlier, though not possessed of the same glory, and answered Alice’s question before Amelia had the chance to speak.

  “At present, Dr Langley, we are travelling at around 2,500 kilometres per second. And Educator Sebel is correct, compared to the speed of which this ship is capable, we are, literally, crawling. Magnitude is never engaged within proximal space, so the journey takes longer.”

  “Statesman Hennessey,” Alice smiled a greeting, once again completely forgetting to introduce Amelia, but he acknowledged them both, having already assumed Dr Langley’s companion, dressed in the requisite maroon, must be Educator Sebel.

  “How far are we from Earth, Statesman?” Alice couldn’t see any planets outside the observation deck viewport.

  “Planet to planet, the distance can change in a day, Dr Langley. At this point, we’re around 1.2 billion kilometres from space dock.” He looked towards the viewport, unaware of how cryptic his answer sounded to Alice. “Alas, for me, it will be a long time before I’m out here again.”

  He seemed more affable away from the formality of the dinner.

  “I heard your wife had a baby, Statesman. Congratulations. What a wonderful coming home present.” Kelly had told Alice the baby was about three months old.

  “The best, thank you. I’m delighted. Working in space is exciting, and a challenge, but I’m more than content to be going home to my wife and child.”

  “You’re a civilian, Statesman Hennessey?” Amelia asked.

  “Yes, Educator Sebel, Statesman Junnot had been assigned to this role but met with an unfortunate accident only weeks before departure. As the only other linguistician available with experience of deep space travel, the Tabernacle appointed me; not an opportune time as I had recently married, but the mission couldn’t be delayed after so much time invested.”

  “You have a new position on Earth?”

  “At the Bell Institute for the next five years. My focus will be anthropology.” He turned back to Alice. “I note you’re cleared for the officer’s observation deck, Dr Langley?”

  Amelia guessed he knew Principal Ryan had put her in her place and the knowledge irked her.

  “Statesman Patrick will escort you there if you wish. The view from here is limited but from the officer’s deck, you can also see the length of the ship. It’s a wonderful sight.”

  “I don’t have clearance for the officer’s decks, Alice.” Amelia folded her hands behind her back and lifted her chin, hoping Statesman Hennessey would notice her display of defiance and suggest to the principal such sanctions were a little extreme. But the meaning of her gesture was lost on Alice.

  “Oh, are there many places we can’t go?”

  “Without clearance, yes,” Statesman Hennessey said. “Most particularly, the forward disc.”

  “Is there something there we shouldn’t see?”

  “The engines,” Amelia declared. “And the bridge.”

  “Yes, in part. Engineering is Statesman Patrick’s realm.” Hennessey paused, noting Educator Sebel’s attitude, though he didn’t know what he’d said to make her bristle in such a way. Alice still didn’t see Amelia’s irritation.

  “We met Statesman Patrick earlier today. We were lost, and he showed us to the...to the...?”

  Alice looked to Amelia for help.

  “…pasticium.”

  “Yes, pasticium. He was very nice and kind.”

  “Statesman Patrick has a cheerful disposition. Sometimes, irritatingly so. Now if you will excuse me, I’m just passing through.” Statesman Hennessey smiled, and Alice understood he meant no criticism of Patrick.

  They watched him leave.

  “How did you know he was a civilian?”

  “He doesn’t wear a military insignia on his uniform.”

  “An insignia?”

  “Yes, next time you see a military… oh, here’s one, excuse me, Councilman, I’m Educator Sebel, this is Dr Langley.”

  “Councilman Stewart,” the woman inclined her head in greeting.

  “Councilman Stewart, Dr Langley and I were discussing insignias. May I?”

  Amelia pointed out the badge embroidered onto the shoulder of Councilman Stewart’s uniform, blue and gold chevrons set in a narrow cord circle. Alice remembered them from her first lesson with Amelia.

  “Thank you, Councilman.”

  Councilman Stewart inclined her head again. “Pleasure.”

  “I hadn’t noticed that on Patrick.” Alice only remembered the purple braid.

  “I wouldn’t notice it on Patrick, how would anyone take their eyes off that face! Or that body!”

  “Amelia! You’re shocking! Hennessey seemed much nicer today.”

  “Pleasant enough, yes.”

  “I thought him a bit of a sourpuss at the dinner. I might have to revise my opinion.”

  “Well, maybe he doesn’t like formal get-togethers. I hear Principal Ryan doesn’t either.”

  “He didn’t seem too keen the other evening. What did Statesman Hennessey mean, I can go to other places with an officer but not with you?” Alice wasn’t keen on exploring the ship without Amelia.

  “Principal Ryan placed restrictions on me,” Amelia said. “What does he think I’m going to get up to? It’s because I’m only a third-year educator and rank too low, but under the circumstances, he’s being unreasonable.” She pulled a face. “You aren’t allowed on my deck or any general crew areas. If you’re with an officer, Statesman Patrick I suppose, you can go anywhere he chooses,” then, with a naughty grin, she added, knowing her next words would shock Alice, “even his quarters!”

  Alice and Amelia spent a couple of enjoyable days at the registry in Alice’s stateroom, indulging in chocolate, drinking coffee and at other times, exploring the guest habitat deck, an area large enough for Alice to not consider what lay in the rest of the ship. Patrick checked in on her once or twice via the registry and on one occasion, accompanied them both to the pasticium, charming them with his humour and stories.

  In the early afternoons, Alice had always enjoyed a nap and even in her new life, the habit continued, but here, it was more comfortable napping almost nude, wearing only her camisole and panties. She kept the portal locked to stop anyone entering unannounced.

  One afternoon, the communication registry sounded and woke her from a deep sleep. Still groggy, Alice wandered over to the registry and passed her hand over the panel. Statesman Patrick greeted her with a smile. She rubbed her eyes.

  “Oh, Statesman Patrick.”

  “Did I wake you?”

  “No, I…” She couldn’t think up an excuse for her confusion.

  “You have an imprint of your hand on your cheek. You were sleeping. I’m so sorry.”

  “Oh, well, yes, I have a nanna nap each afternoon.”

  “A nanna nap?”

  “Yes, it’s a nap old people take.” She glanced down at herself, realising with horror, she only had on her panties and a tiny vest.

  He saw her alarm. “What is it? Are you alright?”

  “Umm...on these things, do you just see my face?”

  “Yes, and your shoulders, why?”

  “Nothing. Nothing at all.” Thank goodness, that could have been highly embarrassing!

  “What I can I do for you, Statesman?”

  “I thought we might have dinner tonight?”

  Dinner? Have dinner? Alice was speechless. A date? What should she say? Old ladies don’t go out on dates. But she’s young again. Oh dear, what to say. She wanted to go but what if she made a fool of herself? How should she answer? She was all in a dither.

  “Us? Alone?” she blurted out.

  “Yes,” but he didn’
t notice her panicky confusion. “I thought you might enjoy the cabaret we have in the officer’s dining room, rather what serves as a cabaret. It’s just background music really, but we could go to the officer’s observation deck afterwards. The views are more spectacular than in the guest area. Whatever you would like, Dr Langley.”

  “It sounds nice.” Control yourself, Alice Watkins, keep your voice steady. She took a deep breath. “I would like to go to dinner with you, Statesman, but I had already arranged to have dinner with Educator Sebel here. Should we ask her? Would she be allowed if she is with you?”

  She imagined he sounded disappointed, but he didn’t say Amelia wasn’t welcome, instead, offered to call her to suggest it and would collect them both at 1900 hours.

  A date! What would her mother say? She spent the afternoon awash with excitement and nerves. Alice Watkins had a date! Statesman Patrick invited her out!

  As the time for her dinner date approached, Alice wondered why she hadn’t heard from Amelia. Perhaps she wasn’t going to come tonight? The thought of spending time alone with Patrick filled Alice’s tummy with butterflies and she was surprised she wasn’t floating around the room. For most of the afternoon since Patrick woke her, she’d been deliberating what to wear. Kelly had left the earrings and the belt in her case, insisting they brightened up the drabness of the clothing and to keep them until she found more beautiful things to wear when she arrived back home. The comm. registry flashed, and Amelia appeared, her face festooned with knowing smiles.

  “You got an invitation, didn’t you? From a gorgeous statesman?

  “Well, aren’t we all going?”

  “Not me! I’m not going to be a gooseberry. You go with him and have a great time.”

  “But what about you?”

  “I’ll see you for breakfast…maybe.”

  Alice pursed her lips, but Amelia only giggled at Alice’s unspoken admonishment.