Chapter 5
Landing on Thelia
Hannah.
“Is she okay?” Charlie asks and I sigh. Everyone who sees my sister shut down asks that.
Obviously she’s not okay, otherwise, she wouldn’t have mentally withdrawn into herself.
I didn’t snap that at him though. Charlie was asking out of genuine concern.
It was coming from a place of kindness. So I smiled and kept my hands on the table and focused on him with a smile.
“Billie will be okay. She’ll come back when she’s ready.
She likes to call this rebooting. Sometimes it’s quick, sometimes it takes her hours.
It doesn’t matter how long she needs. I’ll wait with her until she feels ready to come back.
” I hate the way people stare at her when she’s struggling like this.
I also have to watch myself for judging people who genuinely don’t understand.
You can’t, unless you have or love someone with autism.
Sometimes I feel like I’m having to take care of not just my sister, but the people around her so they relax too.
It’s tiring but worth it. Billie is worth it.
She is worth knowing, and I help other people know her.
“Billie has a degree and a masters in computer programming. It’s so above my head I don’t understand it when she talks to me about her coding and her algorithms.” I make sure to keep my voice down and quiet and nod to Charlie to join the conversation.
The more normal we are, and the more relaxed we seem, the less anxious Billie is of how we’ll react once she resurfaces from behind her knees.
Sometimes she prefers total quiet, but she isn’t tense so for now, soft talking is the way forward.
I discretely check on her as I peer down over my shoulder to make sure I read her right. “She’s amazing with computers.”
“A real asset to the mission.” Charlie nodded and got the message.
“As a doctor, technology is absolutely vital to saving lives. I expected to be in a lab studying potential allergins and microorganisms to boost our immunity so we can colonise the planet more easily. Now though? I expect I’ll be deployed to a medical clinic to treat Ucfeni patients.
” I nod, agreeing how likely that will be.
Allico Barbie AKA operator Lilly Ellis did say that people with medical expertise would end up being positioned in Orna for that reason. “What about you?”
“Hmm?” I hum curiously.
“What is your specialism?”
“Big sister. Best job in the world. Trained my whole life for it, and still learning all the time.” Charlie smiled and waited for the punch line.
Either that, or he thought I was teasing and would answer his question properly if he waited.
Nope. I’m not kidding. “My day job used to be a barista in a café. I’m only here because Billie is so smart, they needed her for the mission, and I do my best to help her achieve her potential.
I’m proud of her, and wasn’t going to let her go to another galaxy without me.
” I turned to look down and catch her honey eyes peering up at me from behind her knees.
“She told them we were a package deal or no deal, so here I am.”
“…understandable.” Charlie nodded slowly. “You must be hot stuff for Allico to bring your sister on board just to help you settle in.” I watch my sister for her reaction. Billie lowers back behind her knees. She isn’t ready yet, and that’s fine.
I engage Charlie in idle chit-chat about his previous positions and he revealed that he prefers Petri dishes to people.
He isn’t looking forward to dealing with living talking patients again, but is intrigued about having alien patients.
We land all too soon and my anxiety starts to pick up behind the scenes of my calm smile.
One, Billie is still in shut down mode. They’re going to expect us to get off the shuttle right away, and that isn’t happening. Guard mode will engage and I will kick some serious ass if anyone tries to move my sister.
Two, we’re officially on an alien planet.
We’re going to live amongst aliens. Well, Charlie will.
Billie works with computers so I bet she goes back to one of our established human compounds to the comfort zone of a dark room with at least three computer screens.
Set up just the way she likes it. Probably wearing her favourite snoogie she carefully folded into her suitcase before we left Earth forever.
I got the real impression that Allico were willing to do whatever my sister needs to be comfortable just so she would agree to join the mission.
The door to the shuttle opened and I was about to begin my attempt to explain to the attendant that we would not be getting off right away, when Billie leaned back in the chair.
She still held her legs but she looked at me with watery honey eyes.
I started singing you are my sunshine and slowly she lowered her feet back to the floor.
I cautiously lifted my right hand and she eagerly cupped it in both of hers.
I smiled even more and together we slowly stood and followed the attendant down the landing ramp.
I didn’t need to look to know Billie had her eyes clenched shut.
Charlie moved to stand on her other side and made sure to wave off anyone who got too close.
That’s sweet. He’s making sure no one bumps into her again like earlier.
He’s a keeper that one. If only he wasn’t gay?
He’ll make excellent best friend material.
I just need to find myself a dude like him who is kind and isn’t into other guys.
Who am I kidding? He was always too pretty for me.
I smile, having amused myself at my own expense, and guide Billie as we follow the attendant.