The Sequester was parked in an open clearing on the new planet. Surrounded by evergreen trees over a dozen meters tall on average. Beams of sunlight cascaded down over the treeline as clouds drifted lazily by.
Zephyr was sitting on a rock outside. Basking in the sunlight.
Dr. Bryant was watching drone data that he had surveying the world.
Danny was making a sandwich in the kitchen.
Mr. and Mrs. Carrington were in the captains cabin trying to explain everything to Camden.
Selene was knocking at a door in the barracks section of the Sequester. She'd learned from her own conversation with Camden that it was best to confront these kinds of things as soon as possible before allowing them to fester.
Raymond answered; "Yeah?"
"Have you been avoiding me?" she wore a faked look of casualness which poorly masked her more authentic unease.
He scoffed with a look as if to say; 'Are you serious?', then once he realized she was—he went over to sit on one of the lower bunks that lined the room.
There were three bunks per-stack and 4 stacks per-room. There wasn't really anything else in the room but Raymond's tablet which sat on the bed where he just sat.
Selene crossed her arms and leaned on the doorway. Expecting an answer.
"I just need some time."
He said after a long moment.
"For what? I told you I brought you along for your support, but lately you've just been hanging around. You don't talk to anyone. I thought you were spending time with Dr. Bryant but when I asked him he said you hardly said a word to him since we left Cyros."
Raymond looked at her with a surprised, disbelieving look.
"Support? God forbid Selene Carrington doesn't get her support." he said with accompanying air quotes.
Selene was taken aback by the sudden vibe change.
"..What?"
"Everything goes your way. You got your family. You can fucking fly. Why the hell do you need support? Why even bring me?"
She had to slow things down before saying something she regretted.
"I told you... And, things were different then. I was alone about to do something crazy. But- why are you acting like this? I thought things were getting better."
"Try seeing things from my perspective Selene... You know when my parents died in the harvester accident? Two years ago. And my older brother? He disappeared five years before that. Then my grandmother died a few months ago."
She sensed hurt and frustration from him then. It was like hot fishing hooks reaching out for her. She put up walls to block the feelings that were rising in him.
"Why are you taking it out on me?"
He stood up.
"Where's my support!? What do I get out of this?" he pointed at her then himself. He took a step closer.
"The other day I walk into a fucking horror show! With you acting like it's normal, like it never happened! The person I latched onto after everything. Treating those goddamn roaches like pets! They're not pets Selene—they're weapons!"
She had a fist curled up and held close to her chest by the end of it. It was as if she was cooking and suddenly a oil fire burned her eyebrows off.
"...You seemed fine. How was I supposed to know? You never talked about it—you never show any emotion. Is this how you process things? You just explode onto people? I might be selfish, but I gave you a choice. You're just expecting people to just know. Then taking it out on them when they don't."
Raymond rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, it's not like you can read my mind."
"Screw you.. I try not to get into the heads of people I know."
"Sure. Fine. I can be a bit unfair about how I process my emotions. Whatever. But how can you slaughter a ship full of people and just move on from it?"
Selene looked towards the pilots cabin along the way. Then she stepped inside the bunkroom and closed the door.
"I didn't just 'move on', alright? I locked myself in the captains cabin and fucking cried. All night. And I just randomly think about their faces—despite who they were. What they did. It doesn't help. And when I'm like that—all Zykra—killing comes so easily. Sometimes I worry that when I change I'll be stuck that way forever."
"Now who doesn't share?" he said quickly.
Selene sighed. This conversation was exhausting. She sat at a bunk and brushed her hair to the side with a hand.
"I should've talked to you that day. Right away. Clear the air like this. You and Dr. Bryant. He tried, you know? But I brushed him off and pretended like everything was normal. But I'm not some psycho. I was just afraid what I'd learn about if I talked about it... About myself."
Raymond let out a frustrated breath and lowered his shoulders. He gave her a sidelong glance all the while. He paced a few times in silence before he sat down on the bunk across from her.
"God, you're frustrating. You're good at backing me into a corner like this... You get why I'm a bit weirded out by it though, right? Sure, I can't blame you for taking some time to process things first. And it makes more sense now that I know you don't feel much when you're all Zykra'd out. I Still can't help but be shook up about it..."
"Sorry." she said. Unsure of what else she could say. It was a fucked up situation.
"Well, I accept your apology. And I'm sorry for ripping up your sketchbook that day."
Selene smirked; "Really? Now?"
He shrugged.
"I still think about it."
"But you still think about the other day too, huh?"
He nodded sullenly; "It's been hard to disconnect the person you are from the person you're capable of being. I know you're not a psycho. You're probably the kindest person I've ever met."
"You're just worried about the next time you walk in and find guts all over the place."
He pointed as if to say; 'that's it.'.
She considered a few things. For a few moments. And he did too.
"How about this." she scooted forward; "I can't promise it'll never happen again. Too much is at stake and I can't just expect never to get my hands dirty. I might have to kill people more innocent than human traffickers for the greater good."
"That's your pitch?"
"—I'm not done. From now on you're apart of the team. Talk to me even when I don't feel like it. I promise I won't cut you off or anything... It's like... I'm like a professional boxer, and you're my corner jockey. You tell me when I mess up, I'll make excuses, and we'll have an intellectually genuine discussion. Like now. Like what do you think about what I did on Cyros? Give it to me straight."
"Sheesh.. Well... you could've been less messy about it. I saw a guy split in half before I was halfway inside."
She gave a few side-nods at that. "Fair."
A few awkward moments.
"So do you think this could work?" she asked.
He rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Guess so."
"Good... Good. So we're friends again? No more weird looks?"
He nodded. "No more weird looks."
She stood up and stretched. "Alright then." she went to the door but then stopped.
"Also, by the way—just so you know: I'm like this with everyone. This heart-to-heart thing? It's platonic. I'm not accusing you, you've been great. But I've had guy friends who misinterpret this kind of thing as if I'm 'making a move'."
He smirked then.
"And if I chose to 'make a move'?"
She shrugged. "Don't do it because of supportive conversations. I can't really blame you for your feelings. I'm a badass. But know when to take a hint and drop it too. It can be annoying when some thirsty guy is nipping at my heels when I got more important things to think about. I won't call HR for playful flirting, but show some tact or I'll embarrass you."
"Fair."
Selene left the barracks then. She wondered if she should ask him to check out some potential hive locations with her, but he probably needed a moment to cool off.
As awkward as it was to end moments like those with a casual 'cya later', that was often the best way to handle it.
They'd have time later to continue things business as usual.
Now would just make things feel forced and weird.