or just cute. She hoped for the latter.
The terminal came alive when he touched it and she gaped. There were images and letters on the screen, but somehow three dimensionally hovering in the air, too. Travis nodded to her to take a seat, and she hurried to obey, thinking this was getting interesting.
"Okay, what do we need here..."
He was talking to himself, and she giggled when the computer answered cheekily, "That depends on what you want, Commander."
It might be a good thing the computer's personality was restricted to this room. It was easy to imagine an alone person in space getting entangled in long discussions with it that would slowly drive a human insane. Travis appeared to share her sentiment. He smirked and said, "And you wonder why I never come down here."
She could have sworn the computer was mocking him when it answered, "I do not wonder Commander, I know. You've told me many times that you do not appreciate company."
Travis shook his head and mumbled something to himself, and Patricia bit her lip trying not to laugh.
He ordered the machine to show pictures and descriptions of the one hundred most common dinners at space station 274. Up until now the computer had ignored her, and Patricia had assumed it didn't know she was there, but it asked, "Will you be buying the lady dinner, Commander?"
He plopped down in the chair next to hers. "If I say yes, will you keep it a secret?"
The computer answered good-naturedly, "Haven't I always?"
Patricia had forgotten both her comment about food and his peculiar answer, and she stared blankly at all the photos whooshing by her. Her lover said patiently, "I can't get you real food unless I know what it is. Touch the ones that look acceptable."
The idea of looking at food seemed bizarre, but the entire situation was crazy, and after a while she realized doing this was prudent. None of the names made sense to her at all, but paired with pictures and descriptions of foods it actually came together. Travis leaned back and stared into nothingness, and Patricia was so engulfed with her learning she hardly heard him ask the computer for their ETA.
*****
Later that afternoon, they reached the station and Patricia stared at the enormous building seemingly floating in space. "It's beautiful."
She was no less impressed with the docking with it. The way Travis managed to steer the ship that to her appeared to drift randomly was very... attractive. Trying to shake that mood off, she said helpfully, "I played space simulator once. That didn't go well."
Her lover sent her a puzzled glance, but didn't ask. He just got to his feet and waved to her to follow.
On the way down to the airlock, he explained, "If this is going to work, you'll have to boss me around. You're an... let's see... some form of expert I'm transporting, and you see me as a servant."
She groaned; she didn't see how that could possibly happen. He was authoritative and secure, and she was, well, lost. She didn't know the first thing about anything, and was generally dependent on him.
When he realized she'd stopped walking, he paused and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Just act decisive, okay. Don't ask for things, command. It'll be fine." He laughed joylessly, "As you'll see, I'm not very popular. Most people will stay out of our way."
The more he talked, the more frightened she felt, and she knew if she'd lift one of her hands it would be shaking. "Travis, no... This isn't gonna work."
It seemed unfair that he could be so relaxed. She didn't want to cry, but she felt so helpless and afraid, and tears were welling up in her eyes. He put his ungloved hand on her shoulder and gave it a little squeeze, and when he spoke again his voice was firm. "You will be fine. I won't let anything happen to you. People are too afraid of me to even look. Trust me, Patricia."
To her own surprise, she swallowed and nodded.
As soon as they entered the station she forgot to be sad and scared; there was too much to
The terminal came alive when he touched it and she gaped. There were images and letters on the screen, but somehow three dimensionally hovering in the air, too. Travis nodded to her to take a seat, and she hurried to obey, thinking this was getting interesting.
"Okay, what do we need here..."
He was talking to himself, and she giggled when the computer answered cheekily, "That depends on what you want, Commander."
It might be a good thing the computer's personality was restricted to this room. It was easy to imagine an alone person in space getting entangled in long discussions with it that would slowly drive a human insane. Travis appeared to share her sentiment. He smirked and said, "And you wonder why I never come down here."
She could have sworn the computer was mocking him when it answered, "I do not wonder Commander, I know. You've told me many times that you do not appreciate company."
Travis shook his head and mumbled something to himself, and Patricia bit her lip trying not to laugh.
He ordered the machine to show pictures and descriptions of the one hundred most common dinners at space station 274. Up until now the computer had ignored her, and Patricia had assumed it didn't know she was there, but it asked, "Will you be buying the lady dinner, Commander?"
He plopped down in the chair next to hers. "If I say yes, will you keep it a secret?"
The computer answered good-naturedly, "Haven't I always?"
Patricia had forgotten both her comment about food and his peculiar answer, and she stared blankly at all the photos whooshing by her. Her lover said patiently, "I can't get you real food unless I know what it is. Touch the ones that look acceptable."
The idea of looking at food seemed bizarre, but the entire situation was crazy, and after a while she realized doing this was prudent. None of the names made sense to her at all, but paired with pictures and descriptions of foods it actually came together. Travis leaned back and stared into nothingness, and Patricia was so engulfed with her learning she hardly heard him ask the computer for their ETA.
*****
Later that afternoon, they reached the station and Patricia stared at the enormous building seemingly floating in space. "It's beautiful."
She was no less impressed with the docking with it. The way Travis managed to steer the ship that to her appeared to drift randomly was very... attractive. Trying to shake that mood off, she said helpfully, "I played space simulator once. That didn't go well."
Her lover sent her a puzzled glance, but didn't ask. He just got to his feet and waved to her to follow.
On the way down to the airlock, he explained, "If this is going to work, you'll have to boss me around. You're an... let's see... some form of expert I'm transporting, and you see me as a servant."
She groaned; she didn't see how that could possibly happen. He was authoritative and secure, and she was, well, lost. She didn't know the first thing about anything, and was generally dependent on him.
When he realized she'd stopped walking, he paused and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Just act decisive, okay. Don't ask for things, command. It'll be fine." He laughed joylessly, "As you'll see, I'm not very popular. Most people will stay out of our way."
The more he talked, the more frightened she felt, and she knew if she'd lift one of her hands it would be shaking. "Travis, no... This isn't gonna work."
It seemed unfair that he could be so relaxed. She didn't want to cry, but she felt so helpless and afraid, and tears were welling up in her eyes. He put his ungloved hand on her shoulder and gave it a little squeeze, and when he spoke again his voice was firm. "You will be fine. I won't let anything happen to you. People are too afraid of me to even look. Trust me, Patricia."
To her own surprise, she swallowed and nodded.
As soon as they entered the station she forgot to be sad and scared; there was too much to
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