To Colonia, and Beyond.
02 May 2019Traegon
It all started with a dare.At least, that's how I'm going to remember it. I'm not really sure how it all started, honestly, or when. Cmdr Roviden and I have hunted Thargoids together, travelled to Hutton Orbital (three times), explored Guardian ruins, and generally made a mess of things everywhere we went. So, there we were last week in the Electra system, reveling our victory against a few Thargoid Interceptors.
With a sigh, Roviden looks up at me. "No, seriously, I bet we could make it."
"You're actually serious. I'm always the one wanting to explore, and yet here you are, longing for a trip to Colonia. I'm shocked; no, it's more than that." I look at him carefully, trying to decide if he's joking, or if the boredom of our ship maintenance delay has affected him in some way. "Did that last run in with the 'goids affect you that much?"
"Pfft. Now who's the one that's affected? Yeah, we lost our ships and a few good members of our crew, but I've seen war. I've been out here a long time. This isn't some life-changing event that suddenly made me question what I've missed in life, and I'm not running from anything. I'm just bored. I want to visit Colonia, and I want to see Sag A*, and I want to do it now. I don't know why; I just do. Is that so hard to believe?"
"If this was Pleadtion, then no - it wouldn't be. But you hate..."
Roviden waves his hand at me dismissively. "..hate. Traegon, why do you think I 'hate' anything? If anything, I'm hating this discussion. Let's do this already, if we can."
He had me there. I mean, he never wanted to go exploring before, and now, out of the black, he wants to see Colonia and Sag A*. "Why? Well, I guess because you've never brought it up before, and every time I did, you weren't interested."
"So?" He took a sip of his coffee, and just stared at me.
…
I didn't have an answer. My head down; I'm trying to take this unexpected turn of events all in. He was right, as usual.
So, indeed. "Okay, then - Colonia it is, if we can."
His eyes light up, and I can see his resolution. "I bet your ship we'll make it."
"My ship, hmm?"
"Oh, shut up and stop whining." He stands up and begins to move toward the maintenance dock; his unfinished coffee still sits on the table.
Now, I know something's different. "You're not going to finish that coffee?!"
"I'll make more on the ship. Let's go already!"
I rise up from my chair and head in his direction. I'm already three steps behind, and have a feeling I'll be playing catch-up for most of the journey.
What have I gotten myself into?