The Recovery of Dreams

[Stoner_Steve]

Brad rounded the corner into the mess hall, a whirlwind of flustered energy and data pads. The precarious stack threatened to topple with each hurried step, his brow furrowed in concentration. Scanning the room, his gaze landed on Emily, tucked away in a quiet corner. Relief momentarily washed over him before a playful annoyance took hold.

"There you are!" he exclaimed, maneuvering the data avalanche towards a nearby table. Pads clattered down with a satisfying thud, a few spilling onto the metal surface. "Have you seen Sean? Took off for a 'bio-break' two hours ago and vanished into thin air. Left me with a mountain of reports that 'suddenly require the Director's immediate attention' apparently."

He straightened, brushing a stray bit of hair from his eyes. A wry smile tugged at his lips. "Seems the Gryphon's Captain believes that since the Consortium is 'borrowing' the ship, they can borrow all of it, including the daily reports."

Brad gestured to the fallen data pads with a theatrical sigh. "So much for pre-jump preparations. Though, I suppose Sean deserves a break every now and then, even if it means burying me in paperwork."

His gaze shifted towards Emily's untouched meal, then back to the stack of pads. "Finished your dinner already? Mind if I join you for a moment? These reports won't sort themselves, and frankly, some company would be appreciated."