Yulia was getting riled up worrying about what the Captain might think of her. Valorie got the feeling the Captain’s attention only made Yulia nervous, though she didn’t understand why. Maybe Yulia would feel more comfortable if she didn’t focus on the things that made her nervous. Valorie said the first thing she could think of that might help.


    “Even if he wasn’t counting on you,” Valorie began, pausing when Yulia looked at her, “You would still set a good example.” She tried to give Yulia an encouraging smile. Yulia blushed and smiled, but covered it up while wagging her finger.


    “Now, now. Listen – if you take things as a sure thing, you’re gonna be disappointed.” She said, holding her head up proudly. Valorie’s eyes widened, that advice sounded important.


    “I’ll be careful.” She said, matching the serious tone. Yulia laughed, loosening up again.


    “You’d better.” Yulia grinned and Valorie nodded.


    They reached the gate and Yulia paused by the door. Yulia held out her PD so that Valorie could see it. There was a profile open of a very serious gentleman. Named Alec Porter, he had glasses and hair streaked with gray. He was a citizen of the Database.


    “Don’t forget to open the profiles Leon gets you before you go out there.” She tapped the screen opening a second one. A Union citizen named Kurt Lawson. He looked like a confident young man with short dark hair frosted green. Yulia scrolled down. “Hope he isn’t as puffed up as he looks.” She muttered. “Okay, that is both of them. Now, we are ready.” She grinned.


    “Are you sure?” Valorie asked. Yulia frowned and took one more look at her PD. It did not appear to help.


    “Yeah…” She said, reaching out to open the door to the gate before she could dwell on it any longer.


    Beyond the gate, Valorie reached out, searching for Dupont, but he was gone. She breathed a sigh of relief and focused on the two men waiting for them. Both of them looked like their profile pictures. The younger one was writing something on his PD, while the older waited closer to the door. He approached Yulia the moment they entered.


    “Are we leaving today?” He asked. His arms were crossed, his shoulders bent.


    “Mr. Porter -”


    “Doctor.” He said, glancing out the window at the Helianthus. “Are we?” He added. The man was a miasma of fear and doubt. Valorie wasn’t sure how he managed to stand.


    “I’m sorry, Dr. Porter.” Yulia smiled, “You may speak with the Captain about your concerns once you are settled in.” She cleared her throat. “My name is Yulia Durand, I will be your guide today.” She paused looking to the younger man who was still seated. “Uhm, Mr. Lawson, will you be joining us?” She asked. He looked up surprised and snapped shut his PD.


    “Yes, of course,” He stood, giving Yulia a friendly smile. “I’m sorry, Ms. Durand.” He added as he approached.


    “It’s okay,” She smiled back, and Valorie saw a shift in her attitude. Her mood lightened, her tone loosening. “And call me Yulia.” She turned so she was facing both newcomers. Opening her arms in greeting, she spoke. “Welcome, both of you, to the FL Helianthus.” Yulia bowed her head. Valorie remembered Sachi greeting passengers in the same manner. Kurt smiled at Yulia while Porter’s shoulders dipped as he uncrossed his arms.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    “Thank you, Ms. Durand,” Porter said, fixing his glasses by touching the side. “May we continue now?” He added. He was calmer, but his tone was still sour.


    “Seriously, calling me Yulia is fine.” She turned on her heel and saw Valorie. “Oh, and this is Valorie, our comms lady. She’s really helpful if you need it.” Yulia smiled at her. Surprised by the sudden attention, Valorie bowed her head.


    “Nice to meet you.” She said. Dr. Porter nodded in polite greeting, and Yulia gave her a proud smile. Kurt glanced at her and immediately refocused on Yulia.


    “Alright, good. Let’s get going.” Yulia led the way and Valorie followed last. She wanted to get a full view of the proceedings.


    Once they were inside, Yulia asked for their IDs for verification. She was leading the way towards the crew quarters, her PD open and ready. She glanced at Valorie while she waited for the IDs.


    “Don’t forget this part. Super important.” She said. Valorie nodded. Maybe she should have made physical notes. Porter got Yulia’s attention first. His arms were crossed again.


    “I don’t believe that will be necessary. I will verify with Captain Hughes.”


    “You’ll need to stick with me until we find him then.” She said. Porter grimaced, his fingers tightening on his arm. Yulia frowned, typing something into her PD with a few quick movements.


    “Very well. I also need to know if my transport was transferred aboard without issue.” He said. She looked at him again, her frown deepening before it broke into smile. Valorie imagined nothing kept Yulia down for long.


    “Right, well, let’s go see it right now. A little backtracking and the docking bay is basically along the way.” Her energy was back as she rerouted their path. Porter looked as if he might say something. Instead, he covered his mouth with his hand and looked ahead. The quagmire of his feelings made it hard to discern anything useful.


    When the moment passed, Kurt held out his display for Yulia to see. She thanked him, comparing the data as she walked.


    “So, what do you do here, Yulia?” He asked as she looked between the two PDs. She grinned at him as she finished.


    “I’m the pilot.” She squared her shoulders and puffed out her chest, “I get us where we need to go.” Valorie didn’t have to reach out to know Yulia was proud. Instead, Kurt caught her attention – his interest in Yulia evaporated. His voice remained friendly, but there was a definite shift in his attitude.


    “Are you now? That must be fun.” He said. The change made her uncomfortable, but Yulia seemed happy enough. They reached the doors to the bay, and Yulia paused, the rest of the group nearly crashing into her.


    “Alright, well we can cross this off the tour list for later.” She said stepping forward to trigger the doors. She continued with a speech about the area, but Valorie’s attention went to the new ship inside the bay. Three times the size of the lander, it was shaped like an arrow. The smooth surface was painted so dark it played tricks on Valorie’s eyes. Dr. Porter walked up to and around it, eyeing it from different angles. His arms relaxed, one hand resting on his chin. That ray of relief did little to fix his mood, but it was something.


    While Porter inspected his ship, Yulia was chatting with Kurt. She was enjoying herself, and Kurt kept up with her despite his disinterest. As Valorie watched them talk, it occurred to her that they had met less than an hour ago. It had taken Valorie so much longer to feel half that comfortable when she joined. There was a strange angry twist in her chest. What made Kurt so different? The feeling was a mean one, and she pushed it down. Valorie sensed the Captain approaching and glanced at the bay doors.


    “Yulia.” Gareth called to her as he entered, “I received your message.” He was dressed in his usual uniform, clean and sharp. Excitement had replaced his dark mood from earlier. Valorie wished her lifesense could see what caused the change. Yulia called Porter over and then looked at Gareth.


    “He wanted personal verification. You said he was a special case, so here we are, Captain,” She said. Gareth nodded. At the word Captain, Kurt’s posture straightened. He focused on Gareth but remained quiet.


    “You did the right thing. Thank you.” Gareth said, and Yulia grinned, her cheeks turning pink.


    “Of course, it’s my job.” She said, brushing it off with her smile.