The Last Dance

It’s him. It’s Noah. Rebecca couldn’t believe what she was seeing on the news cast. The first human to participate in the galactic community proper. What happened to get him on that ship. There was no way that he would have just accepted a posting on an interstellar research vessel. There has to be something going on behind the scenes.

“Hey Becky, what are you focused on?” Ruby said poking her head around the corner. “Who is that?”

“Remember the guy,” Rebecca said.

“The one you want to stab or the one you want to impregnate you?” Ruby said with her usual lack of tact.

“The second, he’s on a galactic community ship. Apparently he’s the first human, and is going to help with ‘integration work’ to get humanity integrated with the wider galactic community. This is saying ‘he’s going to be integral in bringing humanity’s lost colonies home’, like we are some kind of renegade settlement.”

Ruby hummed while she digested that, “I thought you said he was the most, ‘get those aliens off of my rock’ of anyone in the Rockies? Wouldn’t that be a change of heart?”

“Something more has to be at foot. There’s no way he’d willingly work with them. Hell I doubt he’d stand down if there was a single alien left on Earth. Which means there has to be something going on there. The question is what.” Rebecca started searching though the different feeds hoping to find one where they interviewed Noah.

“Well out of that armor the Roschani aren’t unattractive. My brother keeps musing about intersperses relations, Harriet needs to get a move on before he sticks it in crazy.”

Rebecca shot Ruby an annoyed look, “You can think with your brain and not your ovaries right?”

“Sometimes, that’s more depressing. Plus babies are cute.” Rebecca folded her arms in defiance.

“Your baby fever aside, there has to be a reason why Noah is working with them. Maybe I should have tried to sneak him and his sister onboard. It’s not like other people didn’t do that.” Rebecca flipped though another feed.

“You said that the only one more important to him than you was his sister right? What if they got his sister?”

Rebecca didn’t want to admit that Ruby had a point. It was one of the few things that could explain it. With Noah being blackmailed it would mean that he’d be functionally unreachable. There’s only way to figure it out. “I’m going to sign on a trader. I’m sure someone will have me. See if I can’t intercept him somehow.”

“I thought you hated the idea of space travel? It was too dangerous, and too risky for the reward.” Rebecca could hear how unimpressed Ruby was with her plan.

“That was a decade ago. Back when we were hot-wiring drives from crashed ships together in an attempt to make the longest shot in Human history. Hell maybe even galactic history.”

“Becky, they are the same systems just slightly more put together these days.”

Rebecca turned around in her chair, facing Ruby, “Good enough. If he is stuck in some kind of plot he will need me.”

“You need him more, don’t you?” Ruby said, attempting to trap Rebecca in the computer alcove. Rebecca pondered it for a moment then Ruby stepped aside. “Your face told me all I needed to know. You just need one last dance. Which may give you the closure you need.”

“You act like he’s taken already.”

“I expect you to find him surrounded by a group of alien girls all looking to get in his pants. Now they may or may not admit it. But that’s for later.” Ruby said letting Rebecca leave. “If you let me get dressed I’ll come with you. Maybe together we will have a better chance of getting on any ship.”

“Sure I’ll wait up. I want much more than just one last dance though.” Rebecca said halting at the door.