NOVEL FROG Chapter Thirteen: Can Die Happy
Dayshadow Industries Communications Outpost 3
Human Sphere
"Any contact with the California?" Barbara Williams exclaims, barging into the main information center.
Barbara Williams, the youngest CEO in Dayshadow Industries' short but tumultuous history, hustles animatedly towards the arrangement of supercomputers at the center of the room. Her numerous freckles stand out like chicken pox on her unusually pale face.
A tech glances up with an indifferent expression. This represents the third time the CEO has visited since the California went dark. The answer is always the same.
"Still nothing, ma'am," the technician hears himself say once again. "We're sending messages out to her on a loop every fifteen minutes. It's possible she went through an ionization cloud. If that's the case, we may hear from her as soon as the ship passes far enough from the anomaly. It's happened before... Especially ships close to Celstus or her ringed moon. We'll keep checking, ma'am."
Ms. Williams is only partially placated. She crosses both arms over her chest and nervously shifts her left foot so that the side of her high-heeled boot partially touches the floor.
"Keep me informed, Nate," Barbara says.
The CEO strolls from the information center for what seems like the thousandth time. Master Technician Nate turns to his colleague with a sly grin.
"If she walked any straighter...Her spine would snap! That stick must be wedged pretty tight!" Nate whispers.
Nate's male colleague performs a silent laugh, his shoulders bobbing, and his face reddens. Nate goes back to his task of trying to establish communication with the missing science vessel.
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Somewhere deep within the Human Sphere
U.S.S. California (Science Vessel)
Galley Freezer
Chief Engineer McAvoy is far from happy when he finally wakes up. His battered head screams 'bloody murder' and he is tied securely to a metal chair in the ship’s enormous walk-in freezer.
From the looks of it, someone has been extremely busy. Tools and equipment are scattered haphazardly on one side of the freezer. Crates of water are even stacked on an engineering cart beside the door. One of the freezer's tables is literally overflowing with bags of fresh and frozen fruits. Someone is definitely making plans for the long-haul.
Theodore has no idea who it was that actually hit him--until he catches sight of Harold and Teresa. The doctor and the lab technician are asleep nearby—snug in each other’s arms. Teresa's head rests on the inner part of Harold's right shoulder, his left arm draped over her. It is obvious they are enjoying the warmth their closeness affords.
Theodore, on the other hand, is freezing his butt off—with not even so much as a blanket. In his anger, Theodore rocks the metal chair back and forth. The violent motion makes a loud clanking sound reverberate around the freezer. Teresa and Harold jolt awake. Harold immediately reaches for his Orville rifle.
“Theodore…You dumb prick! You’re going to bring every bug within a hundred meters down on us with that racket!” Harold hisses in Theodore’s direction.
Theodore is nonplussed. The chief engineer's face is beet red from both the freezing cold, and his boiling anger.
“So what? Who gives a crap? We’re dead anyway!” Theodore roars back. “If the bugs don’t kill us…We’re gonna die of hypothermia!”
It is at this point when Theodore notices that Teresa’s blouse is buttoned incorrectly, with one button at the top totally skipping a hole. His voice is suddenly tinged with bitter laughter.
“Hahaha. Well, it looks like I missed quite a show!” Theodore laughs.
Theo's eyes remain fixed on Teresa’s bosom. Teresa follows his gaze and then glances over at Harold in embarrassment. Harold unconsciously glances down, but then remembers himself. He quickly looks anywhere but at Teresa's chest.
“That’s not…” Teresa begins. “Look, are we really discussing this? You go to hell, Theo!"
Theodore laughs even more bitterly and closes his eyes. Reclining his head and upper torso against the chair back, he releases a deep sigh.
“I’m already there, honey!” He says tiredly. “But you only live once. Why not hook up if you think you’re gonna die?”
Harold’s face twists into a confused grimace. He moves as if to rush Theodore.
“Who the hell is hooking up?” Harold demands.
Teresa puts a hand on Harold's arm to calm him. She calmly answers the question with details Theodore might like to know.
“For your information…Mr. Know-It-All," Teresa says calmly. "Harold and I did not sleep together. I took my blouse off while we were gathering supplies. Believe or not, the bugs have this place extremely warm. With the exception of the freezer. Many insects don't particularly like the cold. Our little arctic hideaway will only last as long as the ship’s energy reserves hold out. And then, we don’t dare venture out at all. Not without a really solid plan on how to get off the ship. And if you must know—."
Teresa unbuttons the top few buttons of her blouse to reveal the beige tank top underneath. Theodore's eyes don't budge an inch and he barely even blinks.
“I’m wearing a tank top! So can we stop with the casual sex prodding? It’s starting to get on my nerves!” Teresa says with an angry scowl.
Theodore grins and offers his colleagues a small shrug. The fact that Theodore’s hands are tied behind his back hinders his motion somewhat.
“Well. At least…I can die happy. I got you to open your blouse for me,” Theo jokes crudely.
Harold’s eyes narrow and he gives Teresa a look that says: ‘don’t bother.’ Teresa throws up both hands and shakes her head.
“Come on, Harry," Teresa says. "Let’s see what we’re working with over here.”
Teresa and Harold move toward the opposite side of the large freezer. Harold only looks back once, his upper lip twisted in disdain. Theodore follows their movements with his eyes.
“Hey! Y’all just gonna leave me tied up over here?” Theo yells.
“Yep,” Harold and Teresa say in unison.
Theodore scrunches his face and glares at his colleagues' backs. His mission window is rapidly closing. Yet, here he is; stuck in a goddamn freezer with Robin Hood and the infamous Lady Frankenstein.