First Contact – III
Alan was true to his word because the main shift at the U-party was an all-Japanese affair.
And at the party Pavel and Kateryna were true to stereotyping by opening a bottle of best vodka and insisting that everyone had a shot. Connor was not saying no and he sat with the two Russians trying to learn some Russian songs, which he was useless at, which endeared him a bit to the Russians. The two Chinese joined in with the spirit of the party, but didn’t drink much.
Vanessa joined them as soon as her eight-hour shift had finished and she had got showered and changed. She downed her vodka and then Pavel poured her another.
“What do you think we’ll find when we reach Hades?” Alan asked.
“More vodka,” Pavel shouted.
“Seriously,” Connor replied. “I hate to be a bit of a bore, but I don’t think we’ll find anything of much interest.”
“The thing isn’t natural,” Alan said.
“Don’t be such a pessimist Connor,” Vanessa said, “Perhaps we will eventually find signs of aliens or perhaps it is an artefact from some ancient alien civilisation. I’ve got a bottle of wine stashed away, perhaps I should open it now.”
“If we expect nothing, then we won’t be disappointed,” Connor said. “Is it red or white?” He felt they were just rehashing the same arguments that they’d been having for weeks, lots of speculation with very little facts. And even though they were so much closer to their destination, Hades remained nothing more than a speck in the sky that occasionally flashed IR in their general direction.
“I’ve got one of each. I was going to save them for when we reached Hades, but the three Gm mark seems to be a great reason to celebrate.”
“Tm, not Gm, they’re Terametres not Gigametres,” Kateryna corrected. “You Americans, will you ever get used to the metric system?”
“Oh, yes, you’re right. Just as well I’m not the navigator.”
“How do you say I want wine in Spanish?” Connor asked. “I know how to ask for vodka in Russian.” He was sure he had had the Spanish explained to him once. “I need to know how to ask for wine in Spain or America is it different.”
“In Spain you just say give me wine,” Carmen said. “Déme vino.”
“We’re a bit politer in Puerto Rico,” Vanessa said.
The conversation then descended into a fast discussion in Spanish about the merits of the different dialects. Connor tried to listen in, but he only managed to catch the odd word. Then Vanessa and Carmen disappeared and ten minutes later returned with two bottles of wine.
Vanessa lined up eight tumblers and poured equal amounts of wine into each. “Drink up boys.”
“We need some music,” Connor said, he disappeared to his bunk, brought out his harmonica and started to play Danny Boy, quite badly. Alan surprisingly knew the words.
“I didn’t know you were a musician?” Vanessa said.
“He’s not. Call that music,” Pavel shouted and then launched into another Russian song.
“It’s the only instrument I can play,” Connor replied, “and then I’m not very good. I can only play a couple of tunes without the music. So perhaps Pavel is right. I’m not.”
“But you were going to bring a guitar!”
“To learn to play, I guessed it would be the perfect opportunity, I could sit at the other end of the ship and not annoy anyone. Is anyone drinking that wine?” he asked as he spotted an undrunk plastic tumbler.
“Bottoms up,” Vanessa said grabbing another tumbler. Carmen then opened up the second bottle and filled up six tumblers of wine.
Once the wine was finished, there was still the rest of the vodka to drink.
“And I have been experimenting a bit,” Pavel said. “You may have wondered why you haven’t had your full quota of fruit over the last couple of weeks.”
“Can’t shay I notished,” Connor slurred.
Then Pavel said something in Russian that must have meant that he had been experimenting with home brew because some bottles of something else quite alcoholic appeared and the tumblers were refilled with the dodgy coloured liquid.
Connor knocked one back. It tasted a bit foul. He just hoped they all didn’t end up ill, that would … Ah fuck it. “Más bebidas,” he shouted
Then Alan put some music on over the intercom and then the dancing started.
Connor remembered Alan, Carmen, Vanessa and himself staggering back to their bunks, but not what happened next.
And at the party Pavel and Kateryna were true to stereotyping by opening a bottle of best vodka and insisting that everyone had a shot. Connor was not saying no and he sat with the two Russians trying to learn some Russian songs, which he was useless at, which endeared him a bit to the Russians. The two Chinese joined in with the spirit of the party, but didn’t drink much.
Vanessa joined them as soon as her eight-hour shift had finished and she had got showered and changed. She downed her vodka and then Pavel poured her another.
“What do you think we’ll find when we reach Hades?” Alan asked.
“More vodka,” Pavel shouted.
“Seriously,” Connor replied. “I hate to be a bit of a bore, but I don’t think we’ll find anything of much interest.”
“The thing isn’t natural,” Alan said.
“Don’t be such a pessimist Connor,” Vanessa said, “Perhaps we will eventually find signs of aliens or perhaps it is an artefact from some ancient alien civilisation. I’ve got a bottle of wine stashed away, perhaps I should open it now.”
“If we expect nothing, then we won’t be disappointed,” Connor said. “Is it red or white?” He felt they were just rehashing the same arguments that they’d been having for weeks, lots of speculation with very little facts. And even though they were so much closer to their destination, Hades remained nothing more than a speck in the sky that occasionally flashed IR in their general direction.
“I’ve got one of each. I was going to save them for when we reached Hades, but the three Gm mark seems to be a great reason to celebrate.”
“Tm, not Gm, they’re Terametres not Gigametres,” Kateryna corrected. “You Americans, will you ever get used to the metric system?”
“Oh, yes, you’re right. Just as well I’m not the navigator.”
“How do you say I want wine in Spanish?” Connor asked. “I know how to ask for vodka in Russian.” He was sure he had had the Spanish explained to him once. “I need to know how to ask for wine in Spain or America is it different.”
“In Spain you just say give me wine,” Carmen said. “Déme vino.”
“We’re a bit politer in Puerto Rico,” Vanessa said.
The conversation then descended into a fast discussion in Spanish about the merits of the different dialects. Connor tried to listen in, but he only managed to catch the odd word. Then Vanessa and Carmen disappeared and ten minutes later returned with two bottles of wine.
Vanessa lined up eight tumblers and poured equal amounts of wine into each. “Drink up boys.”
“We need some music,” Connor said, he disappeared to his bunk, brought out his harmonica and started to play Danny Boy, quite badly. Alan surprisingly knew the words.
“I didn’t know you were a musician?” Vanessa said.
“He’s not. Call that music,” Pavel shouted and then launched into another Russian song.
“It’s the only instrument I can play,” Connor replied, “and then I’m not very good. I can only play a couple of tunes without the music. So perhaps Pavel is right. I’m not.”
“But you were going to bring a guitar!”
“To learn to play, I guessed it would be the perfect opportunity, I could sit at the other end of the ship and not annoy anyone. Is anyone drinking that wine?” he asked as he spotted an undrunk plastic tumbler.
“Bottoms up,” Vanessa said grabbing another tumbler. Carmen then opened up the second bottle and filled up six tumblers of wine.
Once the wine was finished, there was still the rest of the vodka to drink.
“And I have been experimenting a bit,” Pavel said. “You may have wondered why you haven’t had your full quota of fruit over the last couple of weeks.”
“Can’t shay I notished,” Connor slurred.
Then Pavel said something in Russian that must have meant that he had been experimenting with home brew because some bottles of something else quite alcoholic appeared and the tumblers were refilled with the dodgy coloured liquid.
Connor knocked one back. It tasted a bit foul. He just hoped they all didn’t end up ill, that would … Ah fuck it. “Más bebidas,” he shouted
Then Alan put some music on over the intercom and then the dancing started.
Connor remembered Alan, Carmen, Vanessa and himself staggering back to their bunks, but not what happened next.
Connor woke up, he felt trapped and then he realised that there was someone else in his bunk. No, he was in someone else’s bunk.
And his shift started in four hours.
Vanessa stirred. “Connor what are you doing …”
“I’m not sure, I am so sorry, I don’t really remember.”
“Did we?”
“I don’t know. Vanessa, I am so sorry …”
“Connor get out!”
And Connor was shoved out into the corridor. Fortunately there was nobody else about to see him in his undies.
For days afterwards, the atmosphere between Vanessa and him was muted and awkward. It was only after a week when they both alone on the night-watch that Connor managed to broach the subject.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I truly do not remember how we ended up, you-know.
“Perdone?”
“I’m sorry about what happened at the U-orbit celebrations,” he continued.
“Esté bien.”
“No it’s not OK, did you say it was OK? Can we have this conversation in English, because even though I’ve managed to pick up some Spanish words and phrases, your English is much better than my Spanish.” He was rambling.
“I was just as much at fault,” she replied in her sultry Puerto Rican accent.
“But I was more at fault.”
“Why is that?”
“Because, I am. I should have had more self control,” Connor replied.
“You know we weren’t the only ones, there was a bit of Russian loving happening.”
“Was there?”
“You didn’t know? Did you not notice them disappear?”
Connor shook his head. “To be honest I don’t remember much after the home brew appeared. I don’t know what that was but it was lethal. Has Pavel got a still somewhere?” For some reason the idea that Pavel and Kateryna had been at it as well made him feel better. “Does anyone else know?”
“About us? I think Alan suspects and disapproves.”
“I’m not surprised, that he disapproves that is.”
“None of his business,” she said.
“He is your commanding officer. And mine. So in a way it is his business.”
“He can order us to do anything as far as the mission is concerned but he can’t command my personal relationships. Anyway I think it is partially jealousy.”
“So do you like me?” Connor asked.
“Of course I do, if for no other reason than the accent of course.”
Connor started to laugh.
“Why are you laughing?” Vanessa asked.
“Because to my ears, Spanish is sexy as anything. Everything you say, even when you’re shouting at me sounds like ‘Hello can I get to know you better’. The angrier you get, the sexier you sound. And when you’re really angry …”
“I’ll make a deal with you,” Vanessa said after a pause.
“What?”
“We don’t regret what happened, and we wait until we return to Earth and see how things work out.”
Connor nodded. “And I promise not to brag.”
“Brag?”
“Do you know how many teenage boys have posters of you on their walls?”
Vanessa shook her head.
“Thirty-seven, I counted. To a lot of us you are the perfect woman. There may be this belief that men prefer dumb blondes, but it is not so. Never forget that.”
“Well never forget that you can seduce any woman, just by speaking,” she replied. “Well American women, I can’t speak for any other nation.”
“If I’d known that I’d have spoken to you earlier.”
“Why didn’t you? You always came across as quite retiring.”
“Because, I’m only here because I was the only Irish person to volunteer. Alan in a way was right, I don’t deserve to be here and because of that, I’ve been aware of the way everyone else is, I’ve always felt a bit not quite part of the team.”
“You have as much right as any of us. You did well in the training. You didn’t quit.”
“Yes well, it doesn’t feel like that at times, and believe it or not you are quite intimidating. You’re sexy as hell and an astronaut and one with a lot more experience than me.”
“Being sexy can be more of a hindrance than a help. People assume you’ve got where you have because of your looks, and overcompensate.”
“I can imagine.”
“And then they think you’d much rather become an actress or a model and think you shouldn’t be there, because really that’s what you should be. They’re the only professions open to attractive women.”
“Really?”
“You would be surprised how often it occurs.”
“Well then can I say, I am all for more attractive women on spaceships.”
“I hope you are joking because if you are not, I am going to have to slap you.”
After that, the crew dynamics returned to somewhat normal. Alan, the stuck-up mid-westerner had difficulty being civil to both Connor and Vanessa. But then he, like Connor had been, seemed oblivious to the Russian romance that was developing.
At the N-orbit party, Connor remained sober for several reasons; firstly he was on duty on the shift immediately afterwards, Alan had kept his promise literally; secondly he didn’t want Alan to have a reason to discipline him and thirdly and most importantly, he didn’t want to break his promise to Vanessa.
Then a week after the N-party all ten of them were squeezed into the bridge while Alan programmed the final jump and then they were closing in on Hades through normal space, not that anything was really visible apart from a brightish spot in the sky.
And his shift started in four hours.
Vanessa stirred. “Connor what are you doing …”
“I’m not sure, I am so sorry, I don’t really remember.”
“Did we?”
“I don’t know. Vanessa, I am so sorry …”
“Connor get out!”
And Connor was shoved out into the corridor. Fortunately there was nobody else about to see him in his undies.
For days afterwards, the atmosphere between Vanessa and him was muted and awkward. It was only after a week when they both alone on the night-watch that Connor managed to broach the subject.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I truly do not remember how we ended up, you-know.
“Perdone?”
“I’m sorry about what happened at the U-orbit celebrations,” he continued.
“Esté bien.”
“No it’s not OK, did you say it was OK? Can we have this conversation in English, because even though I’ve managed to pick up some Spanish words and phrases, your English is much better than my Spanish.” He was rambling.
“I was just as much at fault,” she replied in her sultry Puerto Rican accent.
“But I was more at fault.”
“Why is that?”
“Because, I am. I should have had more self control,” Connor replied.
“You know we weren’t the only ones, there was a bit of Russian loving happening.”
“Was there?”
“You didn’t know? Did you not notice them disappear?”
Connor shook his head. “To be honest I don’t remember much after the home brew appeared. I don’t know what that was but it was lethal. Has Pavel got a still somewhere?” For some reason the idea that Pavel and Kateryna had been at it as well made him feel better. “Does anyone else know?”
“About us? I think Alan suspects and disapproves.”
“I’m not surprised, that he disapproves that is.”
“None of his business,” she said.
“He is your commanding officer. And mine. So in a way it is his business.”
“He can order us to do anything as far as the mission is concerned but he can’t command my personal relationships. Anyway I think it is partially jealousy.”
“So do you like me?” Connor asked.
“Of course I do, if for no other reason than the accent of course.”
Connor started to laugh.
“Why are you laughing?” Vanessa asked.
“Because to my ears, Spanish is sexy as anything. Everything you say, even when you’re shouting at me sounds like ‘Hello can I get to know you better’. The angrier you get, the sexier you sound. And when you’re really angry …”
“I’ll make a deal with you,” Vanessa said after a pause.
“What?”
“We don’t regret what happened, and we wait until we return to Earth and see how things work out.”
Connor nodded. “And I promise not to brag.”
“Brag?”
“Do you know how many teenage boys have posters of you on their walls?”
Vanessa shook her head.
“Thirty-seven, I counted. To a lot of us you are the perfect woman. There may be this belief that men prefer dumb blondes, but it is not so. Never forget that.”
“Well never forget that you can seduce any woman, just by speaking,” she replied. “Well American women, I can’t speak for any other nation.”
“If I’d known that I’d have spoken to you earlier.”
“Why didn’t you? You always came across as quite retiring.”
“Because, I’m only here because I was the only Irish person to volunteer. Alan in a way was right, I don’t deserve to be here and because of that, I’ve been aware of the way everyone else is, I’ve always felt a bit not quite part of the team.”
“You have as much right as any of us. You did well in the training. You didn’t quit.”
“Yes well, it doesn’t feel like that at times, and believe it or not you are quite intimidating. You’re sexy as hell and an astronaut and one with a lot more experience than me.”
“Being sexy can be more of a hindrance than a help. People assume you’ve got where you have because of your looks, and overcompensate.”
“I can imagine.”
“And then they think you’d much rather become an actress or a model and think you shouldn’t be there, because really that’s what you should be. They’re the only professions open to attractive women.”
“Really?”
“You would be surprised how often it occurs.”
“Well then can I say, I am all for more attractive women on spaceships.”
“I hope you are joking because if you are not, I am going to have to slap you.”
After that, the crew dynamics returned to somewhat normal. Alan, the stuck-up mid-westerner had difficulty being civil to both Connor and Vanessa. But then he, like Connor had been, seemed oblivious to the Russian romance that was developing.
At the N-orbit party, Connor remained sober for several reasons; firstly he was on duty on the shift immediately afterwards, Alan had kept his promise literally; secondly he didn’t want Alan to have a reason to discipline him and thirdly and most importantly, he didn’t want to break his promise to Vanessa.
Then a week after the N-party all ten of them were squeezed into the bridge while Alan programmed the final jump and then they were closing in on Hades through normal space, not that anything was really visible apart from a brightish spot in the sky.