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[MiniKitty]

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Maybe going back to space was a mistake.

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Two months have passed. No sign of life from Kristoff. It took two months for me to recover to some level. The thing about space is, once you got out there, you want to see more of it. So, I did that. Took the Kay and went up into the sky. That was yesterday. Went for Tau-29 to my old stargazing spot. Lea found me there and we talked.

We flew around for a bit. I showed her the rocks in Tau-23, the ones that Aspen showed me. She made her intentions clear, and I tried to talk her out of it. But she insisted. I told her we would meet the next day on Barrier Gate, so she could think it over during the night. I went home. Monique and Madeleine were already asleep, so I simply lay down between them and closed my eyes.


Monique woke me up the next morning, asking me about my first space adventure after a long time. I think I did a good job avoiding to talk about Lea, as every time I mention her name, both of them perk up and try to make a thing of it, just to tease me. Told them I would go for another space flight. We had breakfast, relaxed a bit on the balcony, and then I got ready for the ... meeting. Accidentally spilled half of the perfume bottle all over me, then tried to wash it off. I can still smell it all.

As I got ready, Madeleine watched me. As if she had a sixth sense, she asked what my plan was. Whether it involved Yoshiko or Lea or someone else. I simply replied that I will know once I am up there. She moved up to my side and hugged me, taking in the perfume as she burrowed her face into my neck. And then she suggested that, if there is nothing planned, she and Monique could come with me. Without hesitation I said "Yes, of course!".

And for the entire duration of the transit from Liberty to Barrier Gate, Monique and Madeleine were with me in the cockpit of the Kay, commenting on everything, mocking and teasing me occasionally. Especially Monique, who seems to enjoy to distract me when I am trying very hard to focus on flying.


Very hard.


We arrived at Barrier Gate. Caliban, of course. And another person, a woman called Tracey. Just in that moment they talked about Kristoff. And that way I found out: Kristoff is alive. The Order never got him, and no bounty hunter got him. And he stopped hiding himself. Instead, he appears to live at Barrier Gate now.

Just like that.


And all this time he did not bother to contact me in any way. To tell me he is doing well. To tell me he misses me. To tell me anything.


Short time later, Kristoff arrived, along with the whole gang of undesirables from Inverness. Lea also undocked and seemed to notice something was going on. I told her I needed some time, so she waited. Kristoff and I talked... a tiny bit. Probably less than ten sentences. He barely paid any attention to me. And then I realized he had a woman with him, in his tiny fighter, right behind him, this entire time. No wonder he never contacted me. Or paid attention to me. He already got over me.


I asked Lea whether she wanted to go have dinner with me, and we docked at Barrier Gate. I asked Monique and Madeleine to stay on the Kay. I think they both left to explore the station, anyway. Lea and I went straight for her room, to... talk. Among other things.

I am next to her right now. She is sleeping. I think she really enjoyed it.

The room reeks of what we did, even with my perfume mixing in. I carefully try to slip away under her, as her head rests on my chest. Trying to find my PDA in the jacket on the floor. Still no message from Kristoff. Only a bunch of messages from Monique, asking whether we are at it. I put the PDA away and walk over to the bathroom. Time to get clean again.


Maybe going back to space was a mistake. I had made my peace with the thought of Kristoff being gone, or at least staying hidden. But now he is out there, doing this and that, openly. And everyone seems to know, except for me. I wonder whether Aspen knew all along, too.

The water is rationed. I forgot they do that on stations.


I know Lea would want me to stay, but I think it is better if I return to the Kay. Just to make sure Madeleine and Monique are not setting it on fire, or get themselves into trouble on station.

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