Mission Zero

--Day 7--

Next breakfast rolled around in no time, and everyone was antsy. Sora had a call waiting for her almost as soon as breakfast ended, and she rushed to the pillow room as everyone was doing their own thing to prepare for the long haul.

Sora got to talk to her lover, and was teary-eyed when she came out. They didn’t look joyful in the slightest though- something upsetting happened. She went to Maxi afterwards, who was ominously petting Anubis.

“She broke up with me!” Sora cried, sitting beside them for comfort.

“Couldn’t handle the distance?” Maxi guessed randomly, placing a reassuring hand on Sora’s back halfheartedly. They didn’t look particularly interested.

“Yes! That’s exactly what happened..” Sora whimpered.

Anubis shifted to Sora’s lap to be more comforting.

“Ah, let them be. They don’t know what they’re losing.” Anubis reassured, being genuine.

Same couldn’t be said for Benny and Denise, after they got a call with their respective parents.

“They’re glad I’m being the chef I wanted to be.” Denise smiled, looking melancholy- it was obvious she missed them, but was happy regardless.

“They want lots of pictures from me! When will we get to talk to home again?” Benny questioned excitedly. “Ooh I hope I’ll be allowed to bring my camera onto the planets!”

Amber got a call from her brother, and came out looking like a new mission had been bestowed on her- must’ve lit a fire under her ass.

“I won’t disappoint~” She called back into the room before the call ended and held her head up with confidence.

Maxi got a call soon after, and it was evident that there were a lot of people, judging by the sheer amount of noise coming from the room. They were laughing as they left the room, and seemed to be at peace as they looked at Zinnia, who was next.

“My siblings.” Maxi explained. “All eleven of them.. Aaah it’s good to see everyone getting along, and that Morris is actually taking on the family’s business.” They sort of rambled as they walked away, leaving Zinnia almost clueless.

Zinnia walked into the room and was greeted by her uncle.

“Heeeeey there’s the girl with the biggest balls on ship!” Her uncle hollered playfully, making Zinnia laugh.

“Pfffft- Oh Uncle Zeke, they don’t know that yet.” She winked, making her uncle roar with laughter.

“It’s your fault for passing so well! Hah! Look at you n’ your girly s**t. You’re gonna pound some alien ass, right?”

“I can always count on you to support me..” Zinnia commented with a smile, watching as her uncle practically gushed at her with love. “I’ll do ya one better; I’ll bring back an alien ass for ya and you can put it up on your mantle to gaze upon~”

“You know damn well that I would, too!”

Zinnia left the room in good spirits as Anubis guided her to a room that was lined with the pull-out sleeping tubes.

Nobody else awake had a call for them..

“Alright, now that I have everyone here, I’ll run down the procedures real fast.” Aaron started, standing at a tube to explain. “You will be asleep before the tube even closes itself- But, here’s what we’re doin. Everyone, change into these doohickies-” He held up something that resembled a wetsuit. It was thin and extremely elastic- it’d be form fitting but comfortable. “I know it might be a little awkward, but don’t be shy~ I don’t know what their purpose is, but just trust that it’s necessary.”

“One, it’s so that you don’t tangle yourself in your own clothing- and two, it’s design is just better for while we’re practically dead in these things- it’ll keeps you from getting bedsores n' whatnot.” Jamie piped up from where she was standing, hesitantly changing along with the others.

In one corner of the room, Chad could be seen making Envy face a wall while changing and grumbling to him all the while.

“Be nice! This is the last time for a few years that we’ll really be seeing each other!” River pouted, specifically calling out anyone who was being a grudgy-mc-grudge-grudge.

Aaron got himself situated and pulled a tube out from it’s drawer-thing- the whole place was sort of organized like an old-school morgue, but it was best not to think about that.

“Alright, now that we’re all suited up- Sit on your bed like so.” He sat down on the platform after the tubing retracted itself, and then laid down. “And lay down. You’ll feel a sting in your neck for a moment- that’s the tranquilizer n’ s**t that they use to keep us young and asleep. Make sure you lay on your back, and just relax.” He sat back up so that he wouldn’t get the sting- it took a couple seconds to administer itself. He watched as the others followed his orders though, laying down last as he looked to Anubis. “Guide the ship safely.” He smiled before finally being put to sleep.

Anubis took control from here, using the ship’s systems to close up the tubes and slide them into their cubbies before leaving to the main deck.

“To the nearest habitable planet we go, fastest speed.” Anubis ordered the ship as they laid in front of the giant window. It’d be a long ride.