Chapter 28

Cali is lying in her bed and looking up at the fairy lights. She smiles at how quickly they caught on. Everyone has some in their quarters, she is sure. But her smile slowly leaves as a newly familiar feeling of sadness comes back. She isn't so much as sad as frustrated at her inability to do anything.

Doc insists she rest, so she has been spending most of her time in her quarters. However, she really wants to go climbing with the captain. She smiles, thinking of her always cheers her up.

She needs to do something.

And just like that, as if her brain just needed a prompt, she has an idea.

"Tyche," she doesn't bother waiting for acknowledgment, knowing Tyche was always listening, "Are there any new comedy holos?"

Tyche laughs a little laugh. It still kind of amazed Cali that Tyche is like a living person. This trip has been pretty remarkable in so many ways.

"There are several habited systems, some with many, many worlds per system. You realize there are a lot of new holos?"

Cali says with a laugh in response, "Fair point, okay. How about Accord Holos?" She prefers Accord entertainment anyway, as there is just so much violence and unneeded complication in non-accord entertainment. If people just talked to each other, it would solve so much of their "Drama".

"Okay, limiting it to Accord space narrows it down a bit. There is a promising one that came out last week. I'll watch it. One moment." And a moment later, "Okay, that's amusing. Should I cue it up?"

"What's it about?" Cali asks, already planning a group movie night.

"Do you know anything about the old world Rube Goldberg Device?" At Cali's nod, they say, "Well, it's like that, but on a planetwide scale. I don't want to give too much away, but it involves a contest that they execute in what I think to be an amusing way."

Cali nods. "Okay, yeah, let's do it. When is the next period that most everyone is free?"

"Tomorrow evening, everyone is free after dinner except for Adair, but they can just connect their PID to the bridge. I'll set it up. Now I would be remiss if I didn't remind you to rest."

Cali admonishes with a laugh to show it wasn't real. "He has you babysitting me as well?! I'm fine. Ugh."

"Shall I tell him you are taking a nap?" Tyche asks with a smile in their voice.

"Yes, please, and lower lights to 20%. Thanks."

#

Doc is cleaning up after dinner the next night, and Adair walks over. "Can I help?"

"Sure, the more people cleaning up, the faster the movie starts. How about you take these dishes, and I'll get the harder stuff like the pans?"

"Sounds good. Hey, can I ask you something?" At his indication that Adair should continue, they do, "Why do you wash your dishes by hand?" They look behind him at the industrial ship-spec dishwasher, "Does that not work? I could have Rory look at it."

Doc chuckles as he dips a pan into the soapy water and starts scrubbing. "That's not needed. I just prefer getting my hands wet. It's about the tactile feeling. It is a good separator between cooking and the rest of the day. For instance, when I finish these dishes, I don't have to worry about the kitchen until tomorrow morning when I start working on the day's food."

Adair nods and finishes the silverware they are washing. "Okay, that makes sense. Hey! Do we have any popcorn? That would make the movie experience even better."

"Hmm.." Doc rinses the pan, clips it to the magnetic holder to drip dry, and turns to the cabinet holding various dry goods. He moves things around, making little sounds of potential discovery and then annoyance before finally holding up a little container triumphantly. "Aha, yes, we do. I totally forgot that I ordered a bit for a few movie nights."

"But, this means more dishes.." Doc says, pretending to be a little sad.

Adair laughs and rushes over, grabbing the popcorn and getting a couple of oven-safe containers. "I'll clean up after popcorn. You just finish up. I'll take care of all this."

Doc leans against the counter; he forgets dishes as he watches Adair's lithe form work competently making the popcorn. They arrange the containers in the oven in a weird way that promises to let the corn pop as it was wont to do and drop into a different receptacle. He thought it kind of ingenious. He can't help but smile, and at that moment, Adair looks over.

"What?" they ask, blushing.

"Nothing, nothing, just admiring my kitchen and all the beauty in it. Carry on."

Doc left them blushing and turns back to the dishes with a smile, wanting to get them finished before starting the movie.

#

Doc takes a minute to take in the crew. He thinks this is the first time they are all in the mess at one time. Brigit and Cali cuddle together, as do he and Adair. Adair has to keep acknowledging alerts as they come up on their PID. A small price to pay for getting to not be on the bridge all the time. Rory isn't curled up with anyone, but she is sitting near The Maiden. She appears to have worked out her issues. He thinks that is good.

When they have finished, Adair makes good on their word and cleans up the dishes from popcorn. Doc heads to bed, but Adair waves him over, so while everyone else funnels out, he stays.

Adair is washing dishes. As he walks over, they ask, "Have you heard anything else from Ananke?" As he shakes his head, Adair smiles conciliatorily, "I guess you're Electra's now.."

"Yeah." He leans on the counter on his elbows, head down, twirling a loc. "I feel a little guilty about that, to tell the truth. It seems like I'm, I don't know, being unfaithful."

Adair laughs as they finish the dishes, letting the water drain out and wiping up the counter. "Silly man, do you not believe?" At his nod, they continue, "Well then, you have faith. You are, by definition, not unfaithful."

He smacks Adair's arm playfully. "You know what I mean."

They nod. "I know, and I forget you come from another culture and aren't used to our ways. Even the concept of 'unfaithful' is a little foreign to some. But to refute your worry, the gods don't expect blind obedience. Well, most don't. There are some.." Adair shivers before continuing, "My theory is that you don't feel Ananke anymore because Electra kind of took over, as it were. It happens. People change over time, and the help that you need changes as well."

"Maybe you no longer needed Ananke's energy, but you need Electra's. Or," Adair takes on a pretty strong blush, encompassing more than just their face, drawing his eyes down past their neck, before he looks back up as Adair continues, "Maybe they were tired of us taking so long and decided that we needed to share deities."

Adair smiles at his shock as he asks, "Do they do that?"

"Do what, get involved in people's love lives?"

"Yeah, do they?"

"Look at it like this; the gods watching us are like us watching a Holo. Only they can influence the characters and help or hinder them." Adair smiles big, as they get a better idea. "No, not just a holo, a holo-game!"

"Makes you feel kinda insignificant, doesn't it when you think of us as just a game for the gods to play?"

"Well, you could look at it like that, or you can look at it the way I like to look at it. Not only are we not insignificant. We are actually quite significant. Out of everything in the entire universe that the gods could focus on, they choose to focus on us. So that makes us pretty important, no?" Adair smile as Doc nods.

"I guess you're right; that is a good way of looking at it." He feels the hot coolness of the medallion against his skin and then frowns.

"What?"

"Well, okay, we're important enough to warrant the Gods' attention. What did I do that warrants that attention? Do I deserve it?"

Adair smacks his shoulder playfully, and then takes his arm and leads him into the hallway on the way to his quarters. "You were born, silly."

#

Brigit grunts with exertion as she slams the ice pick into the rock face. Then, pulling herself up, she withdraws the last pick and slams it home above the other one and slowly, slowly climbs the rock face. 'Thanatos' Wall' it is called. She can fully comprehend why they named it that. The wind is whipping around her, pulling her, trying to tear her from the rock face as she climbs. She knows the mat is only a few feet below her, but she can feel that it would be a mile down if she looks down. She thinks she remembers there being a ledge to stop and rest coming up.

Sure enough, after about 20 more draining feet, she reaches a tiny cave opening in the rock face. Of course, the machine couldn't get the whole cave, but it gives enough of a ledge to rest and get out of the artificially generated wind for a bit.

She flexes various body parts: toes, fingers, arms, etc. Giving thanks for each one, how they all helped her climb. While she is in this mood to give thanks, she mentally kicks herself, as she had taken no time formally to give thanks to Athena for getting through the slingshot safely.

"Athena, hear my prayer. You are the Goddess of wisdom and warfare, among other things. I want to give you my sincere gratitude for the part You played in us getting out of that slingshot alive and intact."

And then she just sits there, feeling gratitude, and she can feel the energy flowing from her and an energizing feeling flowing back. Then she smiles as she steels herself to continue the climb, ready to take on anything.