Relaxation Revoked
16 Aug 2019Jimi_Jazz
6 May 3305NLTT 38960
Combat Zone - NLTT 38960 8A
"Area is secure, thank you Commander" the voice of the Green Party Naval Captain sounded over my ship's speakers, her voice light with the relief of yet another successful engagement. We had just routed another attack by Creative Inc. military vessels on listening post GP 8-A-7, a critical intelligence satellite in low orbit over the moon upon which Saramiento colony stands.
Federal naval ships began to scout the area for any dropped intel or escape pods, and CMDR Tastus throttled down for light field repairs. I released myself from the pilots seat and drifted to the back door of the cockpit, out into the body of the Boonta Warrior. Despite consiting of two levels, the Alliance Crusader has a relatively small interior space. The bottom deck is a narrow driftspace that only serves as access to core systems and vehicle/ cargo bays. The upper level consists of a single hallway leading to access terminals for various internal modules, a small rest area, and a couple basic amenities for extended flights. It was clear that the focus of this vessel was combat, not luxury.
I floated to the kitchenette at the end of the corridor and prepared myself a vial of mango nectar. Then, on the Chef unit, selected a couple of cookies, which dispensed immediately - crumlessly - into my hand and were just as quickly floated into my mouth. After a short thought, I pulled one of my favorite kits from my flight suit pocket. A small titanium container with a stylized marijuana leaf engraved on the front in oxidized copper, this ancient stash box was recovered from a "Zorton Time Probe", launched during the popular fad way back in the 2200's. Instead of sitting in some sterile museum like when I found it, I decided to give this ancient relic a new life under its original purpose, and acquisitioned it for my own use.
From the container I produced a purified tobacco leaf and a 5 gram hydrotube of high quality delta10-cannabinoid marijuana. Rolling a blunt in zero gravity was a skill that took quite some developing, but I have had plenty of opportunity to get it down as my time as a spacer. The trick was to gently cradle the wrap in your hand, while disengaging the suction of the hydrotube and, with a tap, letting the finely ground plant matter carefully float downwards into the open leaf. Then, slowly and evenly pushing the top of the leaf over the bud before it can bounce out of the blunt. Once secured, you can tuck and lick it down. Its an old fashioned way to enjoy the plant for sure, dating back millenia, but one that I have a particular soft spot for. I have rolled so many blunts in the weightlessness of space that I can do it while moving around on my vessel.
I bemused this as floated back to the cockpit, focusing primarily on the blunt I was packing in my hands. The door sensed my biometrics and automatically slid aside, granting me entrance to the control room: three commander seats under a cavernous glass canopy.
A blinding flash of brilliant white light assaulted my senses. I jerked instinctively, twisting my head back and accidentially colliding with the door jamb, which sent me cartwheeling towards the pilots seat. Sensing this, the magna-locks in my flight suit activated and tugged me to the ground.
I blinked repeatedly as detail slowly returned to my vision. CMDR Tastus' excited voice sounded in my auditory implant,
" -absolutely sick right? Just got these new shiplights installed earlier today, they really cut through the darkness huh! ...Jimi?"
I groaned as I lifted myself into an upright position, eyes finally returning to focus. A flurry of green crumbs bounced aimlessly off the cockpit panels and larger nugs, filling the control room like some kind of dumb hippie snowglobe. The hydrotube - suction still off - bonked me in the forhead before shifting direction towards the pilots seat.
"...Jimi?"
God. Dammit.