After an indeterminate period of time a small hatch opened and a tray of food passed through. Tristan rose and walked over to the tray. At least the f...od consisted of cooked meat and vegetables and not the swill the Sicceians had served.He finished the meal and placed it next to the hatch. It was removed almost immediately. So I'm being watched. He returned to the bunk and lay back down. A short while later the ship lurched, and a slight vibration started. Two days passed before the vibration. She stood and dried her eyes before heading inside to bed. She set her glass in the sink before heading upstairs. Walking up the stairs, her legs felt like they had weights attached. Each step was heavier than the last. She reached the top of the stairs and turned toward the bedroom– their bedroom–the room they shared the most intimate places with each other, the place they shared their hopes, dreams and fears. Now it was just a hollow space: walls, ceiling, flooring and furniture. The life of. Meiersdottir immediately accepted on behalf of all of them. They could be ready, she told Joe, within only a short time, but they would need to return briefly to the lander first in order to provision themselves. Joe appeared disappointed at even this short delay, but after a slight hesitation offered no objection and the human party headed back. It was after they'd cycled through the airlock that Shaw burst out."All right, Bernard, all right," Meiersdottir cut him off briskly. "We have only a. “Whats that?” Ruth replied as she held the covers ready to put him to bed.“Pull down your dress,” he said while looking at her with utmost sober conviction.Ruth quickly felt the tug of both guilt and fear. The thought of him wanting to see her naked stirred thoughts of last night and how he pleasured himself in front of her. The fear that he could want her to pleasure him again still lingered too.Still knowing he was drunk, Ruth decided that his request was just a drunk man talking. “Best you.