Scene One


    The round white room was waking up. The doors of the circular pods were opening all at once, as the eight members of the crew were beginning a new day.

*

    “Good morning”, a soft computer voice announced, over the sound of the four shiny cylinders sliding open. “It is now 07:00 hours.”
    Rebecca woke up slowly, feeling around with her hands, her eyes still closed. The fruitless search made her sigh. Now where did that husband of hers go? She reluctantly lifted her eyelids, letting the soft blue light in, as she raised her upper body, yawning and stretching. Her back bent and arched around like a sunflower, throwing the sleep away.
    Her eyes rotated around the room, as her senses returned to her one at a time, in no particular order. The room was huge. And white. And she hated it. No, actually she loathed it!
    “Live together for two months, they said”, Rebecca mumbled. “It would fun, they said. Help you smooth out the problems, they said“.
    “We’ll be here to help, they said”, a sleepy voice from across the room joined in the mocking.
    “Yeah... Don’t worry, it will be alright, they said”, Rebecca continued, doing a disturbingly accurate impression of an idiot. Then she got up, heading for the shower.
    “I hate you!”, she hissed, as she was passing by Susan.
    “I hate you too!”, Susan hissed back.
    That was the theory, at least. Living together was a challenge and they all needed all the support they could get. As if they didn’t know what it felt like. As if they never had to share tight quarters with a bunch of lunatics before. No, Sir... They wouldn't know anything about that! But she had to admit, though, it was true: they never had to live in a tin can before. And certainly not for that long.
    Rebecca got back from the shower in her knickers, as usual, still not exactly dry, her towel wrapped around her shoulders. She narrowly missed hitting Lieutenant Steve Gray, as he was sleepwalking his way to the showers. His half closed eyes popped wide open with surprise, from the unexpected obstacle.
    “Sorry, Major”, he said, trying to squeeze by.
    “Eyes front, Lieutenant!”
    “Yes, Sir!”, the unfortunate Lieutenant shouted, snapping to attention, even though his uniform - or lack thereof - wasn’t exactly salute worthy.
    “Who are you calling a Sir, Lieutenant?!”, the Major angrily barked back, shoving her face under the Lieutenant’s nose. “Maybe you didn’t see me right!”, she shouted at the poor, pinkish-white Lieutenant.
    “Here, have another look!”, Rebbecca shouted, instantly grabbing the Lieutenant's head and sticking it firmly between her luxurious breasts.
    “What do you say now?”, she said triumphant, while the Lieutenant desperately struggled to break free.
    “M... M... M...”
    “What was that Lieutenant? Speak up, I can’t hear you!”
    “Hey, what’s going on here?”, Commander Higgs asked from his corner, still half asleep. “What’s all that rocket?”
    “Don’t worry, honey“, said Claire next to him. “It’s Rebecca again, having fun with the Lieutenant.”
    “Not again”, he said, turning around and stuffing his head under the pillow.
    “M... M... M...”, the poor Lieutenant mumbled, gasping for air. In the commotion his hands found themselves pushing against the huge breasts.
    From across the room his wife’s voice thundered with a roar.
    “Lieutenant!”, she boomed, “just what the hell you think you’re doing?”

    With a final push, the poor Lieutenant finally broke free, throwing his arms in the air and running for dear life, while everybody was laughing.

To be continued...

© The Far Settler 2012. All rights reserved.

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