Life of Space - Chapter 49

Miss Roberts and Nick certainly didn't leave quietly.

NICK

Take your hands off of her!

MISS ROBERTS

How dare you throw us out!? We paid for this base to be built!

R-328

Yes, along with every other nation on Earth. Besides do you really think I care about your money?

MISS ROBERTS

We have shown you hospitality and that's how you repay us?!

R-328

Don't make me laugh! You believe this planet belongs to you, when in reality you are just passing by...

NICK

So that's what you're planning! You want to take away our planet!

R-328

If we had wanted it, we would have taken it. You can keep it for as long as you exist, which wouldn't have been for long anyway, hadn't we come across you.

MISS ROBERTS

The fact that you can't throw us out still...

R-328

The fact that we are in charge of this base still eludes you. I can throw you out and I will!

MISS ROBERTS

You are going to regret it!

Upon realizing that her removal from the base was imminent, Miss Roberts started grasping at straws.

MISS ROBERTS

If you think that my government will remain silent on this matter...

R-328

Well, I think your government has done enough by sending you here and that it will remain silent for its own good.

She couldn't respond to that.

R-328

You humans are fairly predictable after all...

NICK

Shut up you alien scum!

R-328

WHOA! You should be careful!

Strangely, the cloned seemed amused, not annoyed.

R-328

X-466 will be flying you back, and he's not as accepting as me...

NICK

So what?! What's he gonna do?!

R-328

He will still get you to your destination, don't worry. But he might throw you off the ship before landing... just to get you a test of your own medicine...

When Junior woke up the following morning, he immediately felt sick on the floor. As he hadn't eaten anything since before the launch, he couldn't really vomit much, so he just laid in bed, waiting for the room to stop spinning. Once he felt well enough to walk, he stumbled to the kitchen and grabbed the sweetest, most chocolaty thing he could find. For a while he sat alone in the dim light, slowly eating and feeling better. Then, she suddenly appeared. Stumbling just as he did, her head partly bandaged, Irina walked into the kitchen and sat down in front of him. He offered her a cookie and she took it without making eye contact. Now they sat together, biting on their sweets, waiting for a dawn that wouldn't really come.

JUNIOR

Crazy jump, uh?

IRINA

Yeah...

JUNIOR

I bet we won't be doing stunts like that anymore.

IRINA

We shouldn't...

Junior decided, on his own for once in his life, to shut up. He did't need to say anything.

IRINA

It's getting colder and colder...

JUNIOR

...

IRINA

Winter is about to start...

JUNIOR

But you must be used to it!

IRINA

I was never so far north during winter.

JUNIOR

Have you ever felt so cold?

IRINA

Pretty much...

JUNIOR

Then I guess this trial is going to be a cakewalk for you.

IRINA

A what?

JUNIOR

It's going to be very easy.

IRINA

If I don't get killed...

JUNIOR

...

As if someone had opened a window, the temperature in the kitchen suddenly dropped.

IRINA

So anyway, thank you for saving me.

JUNIOR

Thank you!

IRINA

Why are you thanking me?

JUNIOR

I may have saved your life, but you will probably have to save me from freezing...

That was the first time he saw Irina smile.