Hello everyone, here is my second entry for the YC 119 Pod and Planet Fiction Contest in the A Day in the Life category.
Hope you enjoy!
Image found on Pexels.comLooming Shadows "I'm sending you out." the words came out cold, as a statement and without appeal. She had thought about it but in the end, it was the only course of action she thought safe enough.
The blue-green haired woman laying close jumped up with a bit of wide eyes "What?!" there was something wrong in the way it was said, such coldness.
"You heard it, hon, better if you pack your things and get ready, the shuttle will be here soon." the capsuleer gave the other woman a squeeze but the warm touch didn't elicit the expected reactions.
"I'm not leaving you." Synani looked for an eye contact that was avoided, she was getting worried. They had always shared everything, why her lover was now hiding things to her? The worry was a tide rising while a bit of anger flared in a lonely flame, she wasn’t a child to who hide the bad things of life.
"You are. It's better for both." Pain was growing into her heart, she hated to force her away but the prospect of her dying was far more painful of the pain of forcing her to leave now.
"What's happening?" she asked, getting on her knees and reaching for the capsuleer’s back. The other woman tensed at the touch before relaxing slightly. She wasn’t going away without at least knowing why she was being sent away.
"I cannot tell you. It will probably be only a few restless days but I prefer be safe than sorry." Miyoshi stated, breathing slowly, not looking at her but at the same time not resisting as Syn pulled her around.
Violet eyes fixed into the blue ones, not letting her look away. Syn could see pain underlying the unmovable decision while Miyoshi felt her heart sink seeing the doubt, the fear crawling into her lover’s eyes, as well as the lonely flame of anger.
"No." Syn said, trying to emulate the same cold she had felt in her lover’s words, she wasn’t letting her love push her away like a little obedient puppy always following the orders and never asking why.
"Yes, Syn. I don't want to mourn you if things go bad. I don't want... to lose you." she said, trying to not quiver, to show her she was stronger. The idea of having to mourn her made her stomach knot and her heart being gripped by cold hands. It was a thing she would do everything to avoid. She could die and be alive again, Syn could not.
She had learned to be cold-hearted after becoming immortal, she was more than any baseliner could be but deep inside she had always tried to be human. At least to some degree. Meeting Synani brought her humanity back, made her hold life dear more than she used to. It had changed her.
Miyoshi shut her eyes and pulled her lover tight close "I cannot live without you but this time the risk is real. It will be for a few days only, I'll come get you as soon as everything goes back to normality." she whispered, face pressed against her, breathing in the scent of the woman she loved. Memories of so many good moments lingering in the back of her mind.
“I want to know you’re safe… I don’t want to worry cause you’re stuck down there. If…” she had to take a deep breath before being able to keep speaking “If fighting happen and I get podded… I might be too far away to come back in time.”
Synani had fallen silent, breathing softly, holding her lover back tightly, listening and slowly coming to realize what the capsuleer was trying to tell her. Their home was at risk. A home her lover was ready to die for.
Miyoshi was going to fight for her home, the same home of Syn. She was going to fight for the dream that had come true, for everything she held dear and believed in. Synani wanted to fight with her, to be beside her as things happened. Her heart called for it but her mind knew it wasn’t possible. She wasn’t a capsuleer, she couldn’t be immortal nor she had any knowledge that could turn useful during a siege of the size her lover hinted.
“I know the place won’t be that nice and you will have to stay low and quiet but I have assigned people to you so you won’t be alone.” Miyoshi words broke the silence that had fallen on them. She pulled back, their eyes meeting again “Do it for me Syn, if nothing happen we will laugh on it but now, the threat is here and I cannot ignore it.”
Synani remained silent; she wanted to remain, she wanted to fight and support her home but then, was she ready to risk dying? Without the possibility to live again? Was she ready?
“You’re asking a lot…” she breathed, leaving Miyo for un unknown time, leaving her behind to fight, felt like she was betraying her lover as well as her home. “I don’t want.” she tried knowing her fight was probably going to last little, her lover could summon people to carry her away if needed; Syn knew she would hate it but the light in her eyes told her she was ready to if needed. “There is no other option? Not a single one?” she asked, her hands would have curled into fists if they were free. She hated being cornered this way. Miyoshi shook her head “Orders to be ready to evacuate are in place. People had been warned. Many will remain there but not you.”
A bitter answer raised to her lips, she was a grown-up woman, she could take choices by herself, but the eyes of her lover told more than words could and without much could be hidden. She bit her lips, Miyoshi didn’t deserve such bitter words, not when what she was doing was because of love “Family?” she asked in a breath, she had a family to worry about too “They will be with you.”
Synani sighed, closing her eyes for a long moment to try quiet and focus her mind. “I’m going.” she finally said in a whisper, staring into her lover’s eyes, calling for a promise. The decision was taken, there was no turning back now. Miyoshi pulled her back close “Send good vibes, the hope is still there and we aren’t going down without a fight.” she tried to smile, for her lover and for herself.
She was an immortal but she was scared nonetheless. Everything she had worked hard in the past months were at stake, her resort, her home. If anything happen, it was probably going to be the biggest fight she participated in since she had started flying. She would do her best, she had to.
She breathed softly as her hands reached to cup her lover’s face “Syn, never forget I love you. Even if lightyears apart.” she said softly kissing her with love.
Time flew by as they packed and the shuttle brought them up to Indigo Station. As they moved through the station to reach Miyoshi’s docks, Syn felt like it was the quiet before the storm, when everyone was getting ready and the force was building up more and more.
Soon enough they were travelling again, through Origin first and then into high-sec space. Syn stared silently as her home got smaller and smaller. As the wormhole in its flowing beauty grow smaller and smaller as they sped away.
Only a few days, Miyoshi had said. She had to have faith in her and in the others fighting for Origin. She had to.
Silence lingered into the small apartment as Syn waited for Miyoshi to come back; she sat on the couch, low lights around her, holoreel shut down. This was going to be a goodbye, even if for just for a few days.
Silently Miyo came in and reached for her lover, pulling her into a tight hug; she held her close, breathing her scent and feeling her to remember. They shared a long, passionate kiss, their hearts and feelings into it. The last kiss, the last touch, to be remembered, to warm the long days of wait.
The moment was only theirs. Unspoiled. Silent. And untouched.
Miyoshi was ready to walk back into her capsule when she felt her lover’s gaze on her and their eyes met one last time. “Wait for me, just for a few days.” she said softly, trying a smile.
“Miyo.” Syn called with a lump in her throat, a hint of tears showing on the edge of her beautiful eyes “Defend home.” She didn’t cry much but this time, knowing what was at stake, she felt unable to hold the tears back from showing.
“With all my heart.” A grin spread on her lips, whoever was going to try take her home away from her was going to sweat on it. She would fight until the last ship, until her last breath.
The pod closed around her and the darkness surrounded her before the light glared into her mind. Her pod undocked and slowly floated at the center of the hangar, it stayed there for a few slow seconds before speeding out.
She stared silently as everything unfolded and waited until the pod disappeared from view. Her hands gripped the railing, knuckles turning white as she breathed “Come back to me.” she whispered as a single tear fell. She felt her heart heavy but at the same time a smile blossomed on her lips: her lover wasn’t going to leave without a glorious fight.
The door to their home, spinning and twirling silently in space; Miyoshi stared through the mechanical eyes of the camera drones to the wormhole leading into Origin. Her thoughts sped between her duties and her heart. Had she brought everything out? Had she made the right decision? The wormhole rippled around her and she went back into Origin. She had made the right decision. Better safe than sorry.
She docked and without even leaving her pod, she reached up for the station outside view. Days of restless watch were ahead but she was calm, scared yes, but knowing what she held most was safe, it gave her the strength to survive anything it would happen.
Everything was set.
She was ready.
- - - < > - - -
Thank you for reading!
Author
Topic: Looming Shadows (Read 1030 times)