'05:12'
'04:20'
「BAM—BAM—! PSHHHH—!GRNK!」
A scene, full of tapestry—split down the middle, looking at a reflection of their own making.
'02:31'
Her gaze split between both screens. The two of them watching the movie playing out—Sienna's eyes, glassed over.
'1:11'
'00:32'
「BAM!」
「...stop...BAM! Stop moving!」
'00:07'
'00:01'
'「thp! uuumm▒▒KRRRNN—nnn░▒▓█!」'
Ears ringing, Sienna bolted for the bathroom, footsteps filled with weight—her heart, a heavy turmoil battering against her ribs.
"Sie—!"
THMP—THMP——THMP!
"Hkff—…ghh, cough!"
Her shaking hands, barely holding her upright against the sink within the darkening bathroom.
A cue of sound, so horrendous.
The tiles of the room beating alongside her heart, her labored breaths filling the backdrop, far and close all at once.
"Hkff—!"
Folding over the running sink, Sienna's chest burned—dreading and forlorn for something. Clenching the sink even harder, her heartbeat throbbing painfully through her palms.
Ikade, rub—bing…h—er…b—ack…
thmp…
"—! Sie! s....h...y..."
She slid to the floor.
On the ground, as she closed her eyes, Sienna's body felt tired.
I...I...i.
Darkness.
Darkness slowly spilled into white with every millimeter her eyes opened.
"Huahh..."
Her mouth hung open, lips parted. The soft humming and the faint tapping of a screen filled her ears. Looking up, she spotted Ikade gently brushing her feathered tufts while scrolling away at her phone.
She stayed still for a few seconds before pushing herself up from the mattress, one arm popping as she rubbed at her damp eye.
"Wh—Wgat...time is it?"
"It's three pm. You've only been asleep for thirty minutes."
Rubbing her head, forcing the pounding back, trying to push it aside—her face took a pained look.
"Nothing happened…right?
"...no...not much, really. Just the announcement."
Sienna stood up while looking around, continuing to rub her forehead—then heading to the bathroom, with Ikade trailing behind her, her feet dragging against floor.
My meds…where did I put them…
Once inside, she flicked the light on and rummaged through a small bag on the counter. Wrapping her hand around two small container—propranolol and ibuprofen.
She popped them open, tipping two of each into her mouth, and covering it with her hand. A trickle of water followed, spilling down her chin before swallowing the tablets.
"Sigh."
She looked up, meeting her own reflection, then turned on the faucet and splashed water over her face. While she did, Ikade stepped closer and tapped at her phone a few times.
"Do...you wanna hear what they said?"
Asking, Ikade observed Sienna drying her face with a towel, sighing again before speaking.
"Yeah. Go ahead—play it."
With a tap, a screen appeared over her bracelet.
「…Captain speaking. We've been assessing damage for the past hour and a half following the recent incidient.」
Sienna held the sink once more, catching the faint sound of other voices murmuring in the background—too muffled to make out.
「After speaking with my people, I have some news to share. We've concluded that three of our crawlers were damaged to varying degrees after colliding with a surface-level orekin deposit that was not present a few weeks ago.」
The two of them found themselves back in the living room. Sienna snapped her fingers at the TV, the screen shifting to a wide shot of a group made up of various species, all gathered at the center.
Their expressions varied, plentiful like them.
「It would have been manageable if only two were damaged. However, we've dug into the deposit itself, leaving us unable to fully inspect the affected areas. Until repairs are made, this vessel cannot move.」
A tension on the air.
「At this time, repairs and reassessment are expected to take approximately seven weeks, assuming nothing further goes wrong. We will be lowering the ramps to begin repair work. Passengers who cannot wait through the repair period may disembark, though a few required forms must be signed first.」
"Hahh...how wonderful."
The volume of the announcement dwindled until it faded into a noise. Sienna leaned her head back into the couch, they sat in silence before her bracelet buzzed against her skin with a—
ping~!
Glancing at the bell floating in her view, an opaque screen appeared near the ceiling, curving with her eyes.
"Well, look at that. They finished working on the car—took them a whole week, 'its been fitted and ready for inspection.'"
Her flat tone echoed through the room while her eyes scrolled through the rest of her inbox.
Right when Ikade opened her mouth, Sienna cut in.
"You know what? I think I'll take you up on that offer. I don't wanna be stuck here for two extra months"
"Ah? So quick? What if we get attacked by bandits—or bad weather hits, or we get lost?"
Ikade rattle off more hypotheticals at her, counting them out with her fingers.
"Mhmm~"
Sienna flung herself up from the couch and stretched, extending her limbs with a lazy roll of her shoulders. Her gaze flicking briefly to her pistol, sighing inwardly—thank Terra, she didn't touch it.
"You'll be fine as long as I'm here. Besides—who said it'd be just us?"
"Just like that? I thought, y'know… we'd argue about the implications or something."
Placing a hand on the feline's shoulder, Sienna spoke.
"It means you've come to terms with my shenanigans. You're powerless now. Hehh."
Turning away, Ikade couldn't see the expression on the librei's face. Sienna picked up her pistol and slid it back under her jacket, pausing in stillness.
"So, come—" She spun around, and they faced one another.
A few blinks later, they were already moving—out of the living room, past the front door, through the bustling corridors, and on toward the nearest market.
The two of them strolled through one of the markets within. The smell of produce wafted in the air, mingling with the warmth of people, their constant shuffling and their voices overlapping one another.
"Are these fine? I—can't tell."
"Hm? Gimme."
Ikade stepped up behind her and gently squeezed the tomato in her hand, testing its firmness between her fingers before nodding.
"Its okay, these too. Uh, what else do we need?"
She looked up at her with curiously.
Sienna dropped her gaze to the cart already piled high with food, then farther down—past the canned and sealed goods, stacks of pots, metal and wooden utensils clinking with every shift.
"We still need water…camping stuff too. We've got some medical supplies—oh, and actual food, since it has a couple freezers.
They pushed on, letting the cart roll ahead of them while they moved deeper into the market. The noise swelling the farther they went, more alive than it had been during the first few days aboard.
The meat aisle hit them all at once—bright lights, the smell of poultry. They chatted while scanning the displays, eventually grabbing the largest they could find. Then another.
And another, enough to last them a couple of months, at least.
Passing closer to the checkout, they grabbed handful of snacks for the road, greens for vitamins and supplements.
rrnn—
"That was five hundred—definitely more than yesterday."
"We're still fine. We only used, like, a ninth of it. Not too bad."
Sienna let out a small, triumphant snort while they waited for the cashier to finish up.
"Wait, I'll pay." Ikade interrupted, catching Sienna's wrist and gently lowering her hand before pulling out her phone instead.
"I might not make as much as you, but I've got this one."
With the receipt in hand, the two of them pushed the cart toward the entrance, merging into a short line. The other stood ahead of them with bags, and bundled supplies, waiting their turn.
"We'll send our stuff down first." Sienna said quietly. "That way, we can clean up a little before our stuff arrives."
While waiting, she pulled up her map, the earlier notice appearing beside it and displaying which deck their vehicle was parked on.
After typing in the address, several routes popped up—some marked with heavier foot traffic, changing by the minute. She scrolled through them while Ikade leaned in, tracing the elevation changes with her finger before selecting the path with the shortest walking distance.
"Hey there! What can I do for ya?"
Both of them looked up and the screen flipped around, the worker glancing at it with mild interest.
"We wanna send all of these to this address here. Food and supplies."
"Alright...just sigh this while I do this."
The worker slid a tablet across the counter. Sierra scribbled her signature before the person on the other side grabbed the cart and pulled it away, reaching for a few crates stacked on a pallet behind him.
"There."
"Your handwriting is so ugly."
Sienna's face stiffened, a wave of blue washing over her while she pushed the tablet away. The same worker returned once someone else took over.
"It'll be eighty dollars."
The pink-haired man spoke calmly, his black ears flicking at nothing, gesturing toward the card reader. Sienna tapped her bracelet against it and the readers screen changed moments later.
"Here you go—thank you."
Turning away, the two of them left the market and merged into the sea of people.
Linking their arms, Sienna naturally took the lead while Ikade pulled out her phone, tapping through a catalog.
"Should we buy furniture? I mean, not furniture exactly...but we've got to, right? Who'd want to sleep on just a mattress?"
She guided the feline along with the flow of people, glancing around before stopping short and tugging Ikade toward a nearby bench. Ikade barely noticed, still scrolling through listings.
Tap...tap tap tap. tap tap.
"We can start with the basics, right? A few extra towels—for washing clothes, plates. Maybe a couple board games—"
Ikade kept talking without looking up, only pausing when Sienna pressed her gently into the seat.
"Yeah, we just need a few things. It's got a bed and a closet, and hey—eighteen square meters isn't terrible."
"Hey now, that wasn't in the demo."
"'Cause it's not the demo. You'll see." Sienna waved it off. "I added a few more things too—some else to make it more bearable. Trust me."
Sienna patted her chest with quiet confidence. Ikade shot her a worried look, though she didn't stop browsing. Together, they added more to the every growing list—a turntable, a rug, extra covers, blankets, plushies.
Anything that might make the place feel lived in.
Something that took way longer than it needed to.
"This should be enough, I think...we also need this. And this. Oh—and this..."
A few more taps finished the decision. The purchases were sent straight to their waiting vehicle, both of them conveniently ignoring the several hundred dollars quietly ticking away from their account.
"We've got nothing else to do. Let's check it out—we're gonna use it anyway."
Once again, the two linked arms and set off for the vehicle. Strolling through corridors both thin and wide while talking about absolutely nothing.
They passed stores still full of novelties left unexplored, lights flashing by without them even slowing down. The route dipped downward, leading them to a wide staircase packed with people moving in steady currents. The farther they descended, the colder the air grew, the temperature dropping deck by deck, floor by floor.
The hum of the vessel increased with every level crossed. It wasn't loud—just a low buzzing from an hvac hard at work, for each blink, more people appeared until they themselves became the hum.
At the first elevator lobby, they waited shoulder to shoulder, others hauling their crates and luggage. The doors finally slid open, and they squeezed inside.
They stepped out, followed signs, then queued again for another ride farther along, this one was more spacious. This one dropped them even deeper, the hum growing more pronounced, vibrating through the walls.
Bang!
The elevator jolted to a stop with a dull thump, lights flickering on the landing before the doors slid open.
Ikade closed in and gripped Sienna's arm, sweeping her eyes across the space beyond with a mix of caution and curiosity.
Past the metal box, everything changed.
The smooth, enclosed corridors were gone. In their place stood rough, unfinished surfaces stretching in every direction. The floor vibrated faintly, warnings and hazards bled straight through the soles of her shoes.
Sienna tugged her along. the other elevators opened around them, people spilled out and split into groups, but she ignored them, following the map for the most part. After a few turns, they merged with a small crowd entering another lift.
This one dwarfed every elevator they'd used so far.
A blaring alarm shook her senses. A gate dropped down from above—like fencing, locking them in like beast. The vibrations bit deep into her bones when the platform began to descend. Everyone turned outward, watching the shaft slide past.
Stains and old marks served for makeshift floor numbers, blurring together while they dropped.
Then—light.
A sudden brightness forced her to shield her eyes.
They emerged into a vast cavern, dull and cold, stretching far beyond immediate sight. Cranes crawled along the ceiling high above, swinging over endless rows of storage. Amber lights flashed in warning patterns, mixing with harsh daylight spilling in from one side.
The hum was everywhere. Embodied even.
Without realizing it, she'd stood dangerously close to the edge. Sienna yanked her back right when the platform slowed, screaming softly before coming to a full stop.
The gate lifted and the blare returned for seconds, everyone rushed to disembark, Ikade clapping her hands over her ears, wincing.
Sienna pressed something into her palm.
Grabbing it, Ikade popped open the clear case and found two earplugs nestled inside. She slipped them in, wiggling her feline ears once, then nodding in relief.
Ikade then put them on and wiggled her ears, nodding after a second.
She followed Sienna, sparing a quick glance at the grin she caught, before being led toward a small help station. Ikade watched her chat with the worker, signing a few more forms before Sienna reached back and tugged her along by the hand.
Guards of nearly every species patrolled the deck. Weapons ready, constantly observing everything.
After several more minutes of walking, the two finally stopped.
They stared at their newly acquired purchase.
"I still can't believe it's this big."
Letting go of her hand, Sienna stepped forward and turned back, clapping her hands once.
Clap!
Just like that, they spent nearly twenty minutes circling it, checking whatever they could from the outside.
From the pristine brakes to the oil levels—Sienna popped the grille using its hydraulic lift and using a touch of telekinesis to guide the dipsticks into her grasp, scanning them before slotting everything back into place.
Along the sides, the cargo containers sat empty, bolted down into the chassis.
She circled it once more, crouching briefly to inspect the undercarriage, the drivetrain was solid enough that standing beneath it didn't make her flinch. She passed under and emerged from the other side without hesitation.
Turning around, she spotted the two spare tires stacked near where the generator would sit, one resting atop the other, ready to roll off at a moment's notice.
"Looks pretty good to me. Two extra tires, drivetrain's solid—we can stand under it without worrying."
"We still need to find a group though."
Sienna muttered, glancing to her side where Ikade was busy fiddling with the controls for the spares tire lift.
shrrr…
The two whipped their heads and a large trolley rolled up, stacked high with cargo boxes. Its operator stood beside it, nodding briefly to them before glancing down at his tablet. He guided the trolley in next to their vehicle, hopped off, and gave it a quick lock.
"This yours?"
Both of them nodded and the man turned, pulling out a clipboard, holding it out for either of them to sign.
"Your stuff's already sorted. First half's maintenance gear, the rest is food and housing supplies."
"Can you just leave the maintenance stuff here and move the rest to the rear?"
Sighing the last paper, she asked.
The man nodded without fuss and got to work immediately, hauling the appropriate crates into place.
With the last crate into place, he drove off and the two stared at the rear, where a metal staircase was higher than either of them could reach.
"I swear I saw a latter somewhere..."
They split off to opposite sides. A moment later, Ikade's voice echoed back.
"Its on this side!"
Sienna pivoted and headed over, spotting the feline already climbing a short set of ladder steps leading up onto what passed for the habitat's backyard. She followed, her shoes thudding against the metal.
Ikade tugged at a latch near the railing, and with a metallic clack, the staircase shuddered.
The steps widened, extending downward until they met the ground with a solid shake.
The feline stood there for a moment while Sienna turned around to face the front door off centered to the right. Where a small baggie was tied around the handle.
Sienna untied it, fishing out the key inside, then unlocking the door with a click.
She stepped back, gesturing toward the stacked crates below.
"Alright. We should bring our stuff in first."
They started hauling boxes one by one, setting them down outside their living space, off to the side.
It lasted quiet a while.