The Solar Wind

by Laura E. Collins

  “I’m sorry that I was gone so long that I couldn’t help you with that. You must have gone stir crazy in here without any entertainment.” He looked around the small apartment. They finished eating, packed away the leftovers in the fridge and relocated to the small couch and turned on the large television monitor.

  “Are you flying out again tomorrow?”

  “Yes, we’re scheduled for departure at 4 p.m.”

  “Of course.” She said softly as she stared at the monitor. She felt reluctant to admit to herself that she missed him, especially him, and also the rest of the crew during the week.

  “Ava, do you have any plans next weekend that you need to be here for?”

  Next weekend happened to fall on one of the few political holidays that Orionis celebrated. The OMC clinics and most non-retail businesses were closed on Monday. Ava hadn’t really thought about it much, she never had plans except when the Andromeda was stationed.

  “No, I don’t think so,” she wondered what he was thinking.

  “I know that next weekend is a three day weekend and that you have lived here long enough to be allowed to travel. We have a short assignment next weekend on Capristine and I wondered if you would like to come with us. You could go shopping with Naomi and Rowan while I’m working. After the assignment is completed, which shouldn’t take very long, we could spend the rest of the weekend showing you around some new territory. I’m sure you would have a great time. What do you think?”

  She hesitated. The thought of traveling for fun on a starship and exploring a new space station excited her, however at the same time made her nervous. She believed that she trusted Wesley, he was an experienced captain and a good friend, but after her close call with danger last night she had reservations about how much she could trust anyone. Interstellar travel could be dangerous, that’s why the captains and crews of starships were among the most highly paid people in the galaxy. She had no family or any other close friends that could help her out if something went wrong, and she didn’t have a lot of money. In addition, her feelings for Wesley were changing slowly, however she was still hesitant to fall into a relationship with him. If she stayed with him and his crew on the ship, would he take that as a sign she was ready?

  “You can think about it and let me know tomorrow if you like,” he must have sensed her uncertainty. “We would depart Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. and I promise to have you back here by 4:30 p.m. at the latest on Monday. You would have your own quarters and bathroom on the ship. We have plenty of room; I’m sure you would be comfortable.”

  “It sounds wonderful. I’d like to go. I’ve haven’t travelled a lot, much less in space. Can I check my schedule and give you my answer tomorrow?” She did not feel ready to explain her real reasons for not accepting the invitation.

  “You certainly can. I could come by tomorrow to check on you before we leave. How does that sound?”

  “That sounds good.”

  It was past 10 p.m. and Ava started to feel tired again. She hinted to him that she was sleepy and wanted to go to bed. Understandingly, he left her to her rest with a simple hug.

  The next morning Ava almost felt back to her old self again. As she ate breakfast, Rowan’s fruit salad, she pondered Wesley’s invitation to spend the weekend on Capristine, or “Capri” as it was called. Before being selected by the ITO to migrate to Orionis, she had hoped she would be sent to Capri, or one of the other more modern stations. Due to its flourishing economy, Capri had a reputation for fine dining, theatre, clubs, shopping, and many more luxuries than Orionis. One of Ava’s patient’s had told her that Orionis seemed like a military establishment compared to Capri. Wesley said he had an assignment on Capri, if she didn’t go with them it meant she would have to spend the long weekend alone; the thought made her sad. Perhaps if she paid them for her travel expenses, Wesley would take the hint that she still had reservations about moving their relationship forward. Ava checked her schedule and did not see any reason why she couldn’t be out of town over the weekend. She decided that she wanted to go with Wesley and would ask him if she could cover her own fare.

  The day passed quickly. Ava made a quick trip to Infinity for some groceries and then spent the rest of the early afternoon tidying her apartment. Wesley arrived around two o’clock to check on her as promised.

  “You look so much better today. How are you feeling?” He said as he walked inside.

  “Almost 100%. I’ll be fine tomorrow, I think.”

  “Good. Naomi and Andre say “Hi.” Naomi’s been worried about you. She’ll be happy to know that you are doing well.”

  They sat down on the couch angled to face each other and continued to chat amicably. The time always passed so quickly when Wesley was there. After a few minutes he asked Ava if she had come to a decision about Capri.

  “I was wondering if I could pay you for my travel expenses and lodging for the trip?”

  He seemed a little taken aback at the question. “Ava, I had no intention of charging you for your passage. We are going to Capri for an assignment. I just thought that maybe you’d like to hitch a ride with us and take a break from this place, to get out and have some fun, especially after what happened to you this weekend.” He looked into her eyes as he spoke calmly and softly. She could tell he wasn’t angry or offended, however there was a hint of disappointment in his voice.

  “I’m sorry Wesley. I just. . . I have a difficult time trusting people. I want to go with you but I worry.”

  “I understand your concern. You don’t have to go if aren’t comfortable with the idea, I’m not going to stop being your friend if you decide not to. However, I don’t think that is the only reason you have reservations about traveling with me.”

  He guessed it and as she thought about what to say next he spoke again. “Ava, we’re good friends. That’s not going to change until you want it to. Going on a trip with us will be no different than any other time you spend hanging out with us. You can trust me, and my crew. I promise we will take good care of you, as always,” he smiled warmly at her.

  “Okay. I’m in. I would love to go with you,” she said resolutely. She had made up her mind. What will be, will be. She had no reason not to trust him.

  “You’re sure? There is zero pressure here.”

  “No, I’m sure. I want to go.”

  “Excellent!” She sensed his genuine happiness. He didn’t have much time left before he had to be back to the Andromeda for departure and proceeded to fill Ava in on some important details of space travel. He advised her of the online passport forms that she would need to complete for security purposes, and what things she could and could not bring through the hangar security. After taking a few mental notes she hugged him, wished him a safe trip and then he was gone. The next time she would see him would be when he came to escort her to the Andromeda for her first journey off of Orionis. She could hardly wait.

  Chapter 9: The Andromeda

  On Monday Ava returned to work ready to put the terrible events of Friday night behind her. Although she felt better, she became perhaps more cautious than ever before. As she walked to the OMC she let her thoughts wander. She felt so alone without her friends from the Andromeda stationed there and made a decision to try and join a self defense class when she returned from her trip to Capri. She did not know whether or not she wanted to return to the gym anytime soon to see any of the women she had tried to be friends with. They didn’t want to stick together at the club, each breaking off and going their separate ways. Maybe Ava was just used to the organization, support and unity of the crew. It was a group that she wanted to belong to and it felt as though she belonged there.

  After work Ava set to work completing the necessary online documents needed for travel. She wanted to wait a few more days before packing and decided that she would take the backpack Wesley had given her along with another small bag she had recently acquired. Much to her relief the week passed smoothly and quickly. As each day came to a close she became mor
e excited about her upcoming adventure. She wanted to buy a new outfit for the occasion, however decided to wait until they arrived on Capri, so that she could buy something new there. One of the few good things about the ITO was that it was organized. An ITO issued ID/Credit card was valid on Earth and any of the space stations and mass transit systems in orbit. Credits were the same no matter where you went, however prices were not. What could cost you a few credits somewhere could be very expensive somewhere else. Wesley had told Ava that Orionis was one of the more expensive places to live. Ava’s mind piqued with curiosity to see what Capri was like.

  On Friday Ava stayed very focused and worked hard at the clinic to keep on time so that she could complete all of her charting and messages before leaving for the weekend. She did not want to run late because of the short window of time between the end of the day and the Andromeda’s departure. She wanted to have time to take a quick shower to freshen up, eat a quick snack, and complete any last minute packing before Wesley came for her. Luckily everything worked out. He arrived at her door promptly at Six. She felt strange and excited as they walked away from her small quarters, she had never been away from it overnight before. Wesley carried the heavier of the two bags as they walked and briefed her on what to expect at the hangar when passing through ITO security. The enormous hangar seemed alive with activity. Ava recognized the small ITO office she passed through only six months ago and studied the numerous monitors with the bright green letters and symbols. They passed through security smoothly, the officers were apparently used to seeing Wesley coming and going as they barely looked at his ID, however they did check Ava’s ID and online passport because it was her first time traveling. They continued down the hangar and Ava obtained her first close up view of the Andromeda.

  The large sleek silver ship loomed above her as they walked nearer. She was in awe of its magnificence. Various scattered lights formed a blinking line around the perimeter of the ship. The Solar Wind seemed to pale in comparison to this magnificent sight. Wesley smiled proudly as he realized how impressed she was. Ava could see Rowan overseeing a few crates of what looked like food being delivered last minute and Naomi sat at a small computer terminal not far from the lowered entrance ramp typing something into the invisible flat keys. “She’s entering our ship into the queue for departure.” He gestured to Naomi. “Orionis has a massive hangar, but it’s congested. We have one of the larger ships so we have to coordinate with the ITO Control System so that we can take off without crashing into one of the smaller ships either coming or going.” Naomi finished her task and as she stood up and moved away the small terminal lit up and sank down into the floor, leaving a small illuminated circle where it had been. She saw Wesley and Ava and gave Ava a hug as they approached.

  “How are you Ava, much better I hope. I’m so happy you decided to come with us. I desperately need a new shopping partner.” Naomi joked.

  “I’m doing well. I’m so excited to be here. The Andromeda is beautiful, I can’t wait to see what it looks like on the inside.”

  Andre appeared in the ship at the top of the entrance ramp. “Let’s move it people, we’re up soon. Hi Ava. Don’t worry, we won’t crash tonight, Ash is doing the driving instead of Wesley.”

  “Very funny honey,” Naomi replied.

  “He’s kidding,” Wesley defended.

  “Well, let’s get going then, we’ll be departing in a few minutes and we need to get you buckled up.” Naomi smiled as she took Ava’s arm guided her up the ramp, Wesley following behind.

  Their appropriately timed humor put Ava at ease. She laughed with them as she boarded the ship. A rush of cool air hit Ava when she and the others stepped over the threshold into the ship, the door slid shut almost immediately behind them. Wesley took Ava’s travel bags off to her quarters on his way to the flight deck. Ava noticed the freshness of the air immediately as Naomi escorted her to her seat in the observation deck for lift off. “The air smells so pure and refreshing in here. It makes the air on Orionis seem downright stale. Why is there such a difference?”

  “It’s easier to purify air for a small vessel such as this ship compared to an entire space station, plus we have our own oxygen garden. Capri is a much smaller station than Orionis, you’ll find you notice a difference in the air quality there as well. Either way, I think anything beats the air quality on Earth right now,” Naomi explained as she assisted Ava to buckle the safety harness. There were only a few moments before departure. “After we are safely in Orbit, Andre and I will give you a tour of the ship and show you your quarters for the weekend.” Naomi took the seat next to Ava, buckled up, and pushed a few buttons on her armrest. A monitor slid into view in front of them lit up with a view of the hangar. There were no outside windows on the sides of the ship, only numerous camera lenses at various angles, able to give the captain and crew of The Andromeda any view that they would like at any given time. The front and rear of the vessel were equipped with windows, the front for the cockpit, and the rear for the oxygen garden to allow sunlight to shine in. Ash announced over the intercom that they were about to lift off. As The Andromeda took off Ava could not believe how smooth and seemingly effortlessly the ship pulled out of the hangar into space. She was unable to watch space travel on The Solar Wind because there were no monitors showing a view of the outside. This time she could not tear her eyes off the monitor. The ship glided slowly away from Orionis. Naomi pressed a few more buttons, giving them a view of Orionis as they pulled away. Ava stared in awe and thought the station looked beautiful with its glowing rings, the gravity stabilizers, lit up and angled protectively around it. Ava could see stars in every direction in the distance, almost like small cities themselves shining against the darkness of space.

  The Andromeda hummed loudly as it picked up speed. “We’re about to make the jump to absolute velocity, then the computers will take over to navigate us. We won’t be able to look outside at that speed, all we would see is a black blur,” Naomi explained. Ava flinched as the ship pushed forward, pressing her back into her seat. Then, almost immediately the monitor went dark and the sensation and air pressure stabilized. The ship hummed gently and everything seemed peaceful. Naomi unbuckled her safety harness and motioned for Ava to do the same. “Are you ready for the grand tour?” Naomi asked cheerfully.

  The first stop was the flight deck where Wesley, Andre, and Ash were overseeing the flight details and coordinates. The room seemed enormous with numerous monitors, computers, flashing lights of multiple colors, and the large windows that appeared black. They chatted for a few minutes and then moved on, with Andre joining the party. They took Ava to the kitchen and dining hall, also a large structure. Naomi took out three silver metal glasses and poured some water out of the refrigerated water dispenser for them. Ava could not believe how fresh and pure it tasted. It was probably the best tasting water she ever had. “This water is so refreshing and delicious, how do you get it so pure?” she asked Naomi and Andre.

  “We put it through a more rigorous filtering system than the stations can afford to. Plus we occasionally refill on Earth as well as several of the other stations in addition to what our oxygen garden supplies us. That’s why it tastes a little different,” Andre explained lightly. All of the passages were brightly lit and well marked. As they were leaving the kitchen they greeted Rowan and Mia on their way in to start the crew’s dinner. Andre and Naomi showed Ava the recreation rooms, the common rooms, the workout facility, the den, which also doubled as a library, the stairwells and passageways, the massive cargo hold, and the oxygen garden. Ava inhaled the fresh sweet warm air as she and her companions stepped inside the garden. The air quality seemed unmatched to anything she had ever breathed. She had also never seen such beautiful green plant life. As they walked through the garden she gently reached out and touched some of the small tomatoes that were growing. “Amazing,” she said. After a few minutes of walking in the neatly manicured garden, Ava began to feel lightheaded. She stopped and put her hand on h
er head. Andre and Naomi immediately took hold her arms on each side and quickly escorted her out of the garden and into the main passageway where they sat her down on the floor. The flashing lights Ava had began to see passed.

  “I’m sorry Ava, I forgot that you are not used to breathing air with such a high saturation of oxygen, no wonder you started to feel dizzy,” Naomi apologized sincerely.

  “It’s all right, I’m fine now. I’ve never seen a garden like that. Can I still see the rest of the ship?”

  “Of course, we’re ready when you are.” They helped her up to her feet. Ava marveled at the numerous interconnected levels of the ship, which seemed confusing to her at first. After a few more stops Naomi and Andre showed Ava the cabin that would be her quarters for the duration of the trip. The ship had numerous cabins scattered throughout the ship, however Ava’s cabin was located on the lower level, down the hall from Naomi and Andre’s Cabin. “Wesley’s cabin is on the first level, nearest to the flight deck,” she explained. At the push of a button on the door frame the door slid open. “Your cabin number is 3 and you can use this keypad to enter your own security code to lock the door if you like, just please remember to erase it when you leave on Monday, I have an override code, but it’s a pain to run.” She smiled. A small bed occupied the cabin against the center of one wall, opposite a monitor on the other wall. The monitor hung in between a small closet and the bathroom; which consisted simply of a toilet, sink, mirror, and shower stall. On one side of the bed was a small dresser and mirror and on the other a small desk and chair. The walls and the furniture seemed to be made of a shiny silvery aluminum like material. The comforter on the bed brought the only color to the room, a bright blue hue. Naomi’s PCD beeped, Rowan reminding the small group that dinner was ready.

  “We eat in two shifts so that the flight deck and other duties can be covered,” Naomi mentioned cheerfully. “I believe Wesley will be joining us now,” she said with a coy smile. Ava smiled back as they left for the dining hall.