Chapter 11 #3
“Thank you, SAGE. I’m trying my best to look on the bright side of all of this, but I will never, ever forget waking up in that cage alone, helpless, and completely cut off from everything I knew.
I was scared when I woke up on the Destroyer/Destiny, yes …
but that was nothing compared to my kidnapping.
Nothing even close. And for that matter, I don’t care if I ever set foot on another spacecraft again for as long as I live. ”
“Dawn, this is only a bump in the road, as Kira would say, though I know right now it may feel like so much more. Things will work out, they always do. I’ll be popping in and out for the next couple of risings, but duty calls, and I swear, the Commander is as demanding as a small child.
That male can’t find a single thing without my assistance.
But know this … I’m with you, even when I’m not here.
All you have to do is call out, and I will come. Lots of hugs and kisses.”
And just as quickly as she came, SAGE is gone, leaving me standing in the middle of a very nice room all alone, while HaL stands on the other side looking at me like a puppy not allowed in with his favorite person.
The room is breathtakingly beautiful, as though it has been shaped not merely for comfort, but for intimacy and quiet wonder.
A large bed rests in one corner, set slightly askew in a way that feels inviting rather than imperfect, as if it were placed to catch the light just right or to better frame the moments meant to be shared within it.
All around, ice crystals shimmer softly, glowing from within as if they hold a gentle, living warmth despite their frozen form.
Their light spills across the room in delicate waves, painting everything in a dreamlike, almost otherworldly glow that feels both calming and deeply romantic.
And I roll my eyes at that last thought, since the odds of me seeing any action anytime soon are getting lower and lower the hotter it gets in here.
Plush rugs line the main walkways, softening every step and guiding movement through the space like a quiet invitation from one intimate corner to the next.
The room flows naturally, each area blending into the next with an effortless sense of closeness and care.
SAGE never fails when she sets her mind to something, and this is just one of the many examples.
On the nightstand next to the bed rests a holo-pad just like the one I had on ANDI, and I wonder if I will be able to talk to Lacie and Briar clear out here.
But the bed is not the only thing in this space because on another wall sits a small, thoughtfully arranged kitchen, complete with a replicator.
Altogether, the space feels less like a room and more like a private sanctuary, slash efficiency apartment.
And I hate it because he cannot share it with me.
HaL has not moved, nor has he said anything, but his eyes trace my every move. Knowing SAGE, she has put extra blankets and clothing in here somewhere. I get an idea.
“HaL, hang on a minute. I need to look around and see if I can find a few things. There has to be a coat or something I can wear so that I’m not stuck in here.”
He turns from me, and I sigh loudly in aggravation, before pulling my arm back against me where it’s starting to ache slightly.
I take a second to steady myself before walking through a room that is obviously a closet but unfortunately, it’s all but empty.
Determined, I walk back to the bed, ready to pull a blanket off to cut a hole in the middle, when I see HaL standing on the other side of the barrier with something in his hand. He motions for me.
“I have something for you if you want it, and I have turned the heaters up in here as well.”
I step through the bubble, the cold instantly making the hairs in my nose freeze as I fight not to cough.
“HaL dearest, I don’t want you to be uncomfortable in your own home, but I am not sure how we are going to work this out. The cold is so intense that I swear it’s seeping into my bones even with this heated suit on.”
“This may help.”
He holds up a huge coat and my fingers reach out only to recoil when I realize what it is. “Oh my God, is that like a dead ancestor you guys tanned or something?! NOooo, no touchy, thanks for the offer, but I’ll stay cold.”
I watch a dozen emotions flicker across HaL’s fuzzy face before he finally breaks into laughter, and I can’t help but smile in response.
It’s the first time I’ve ever seen — or heard him like this, and it catches something soft and unexpected in my chest. His laughter is contagious, warm and unguarded, and I find myself giggling with him as he carefully settles the heavy garment over my shoulders.