Far and beyond

Unfinished chapter

Steph and Mike were waiting for the train at the station. They had been friends for a long time but there were no friendly feelings shared between them after what had just happened. They had their differences in the past but they were usually to overcome them with a simple conversation and this time it felt different. It felt like this was personal to both men. And it felt like neither of them was willing to give way. Both of them were committed to their truth and their truth only. It was only when the train arrived that they finally started talking to each other again. It was like that in these days. They had moments where they felt like best friends and other moments where they didn't talk to one another and felt like enemies. It was a confusing day for both of them. Steph still worried for Monsa, even more because of what Mike said to him. He wasn't thinking about aliens or anything in that sort, he was worried about her being out there in the mountain. He worried about her being in the cold. He worried about the snow and an avalanche. He worried about their vehicles breaking down. He worried about everything but aliens. He couldn't add that to his list. There was no room for them. He didn't want to believe in it.

The train neared the station. They got on it. They got off at the capital. Steph felt his stomach rumbling. A mixture of no food apart from a quick bite before the mission and gin still flowing in his veins made it hard for him to feel energized. He walked slowly from the train to the elevator and then from the elevator to the cantina. Mike didn't join him. He went straight to the office upstairs to file the report. Steph was looking at the days menu. Suddenly he remembered why he always tries to avoid the cantina. It was filled with food that was supposed to be healthy and nutrient filled. It had words like "protein balance" and "fiber saturation" in the descriptions for the meals. The only problem was that it was all powders mixed with water and tasted like s**t. Tasted like something a dog wouldn't eat. And dogs ate everything. He should know, there isn't a single thing Margarita doesn't put in her mouth. He ordered some random orange thing that was supposed to mimic chicken curry. He knew it wouldn't. He also ordered a beer. The menu recommended water with magnesium instead but Steph insisted. It was not the day for fancy water. He wanted something stronger but beer was the only alcohol available. A few minutes passed and a robot in a shape of a box came by. A drawer opened and Steph took his food. Another drawer opened for the beer. He opened the beer and took a sip. It was s**t. The taste wasn't that of beer. At least not how he remembered beer to taste. It was not cold. It was not even carbonized properly. It felt like warm water with a hint of beer flowing down his throat. It would have to do for now. He took a bite of the food. It was as bad as he had expected. It was bland and tasteless. Just powder and water. Curry chicken my ass. Still, he ate it all. And then had another beer. He needed time alone. With his thoughts. He spent at least an hour alone at the table. He glanced around. It was packed. People were eating and talking. Everyone seemed to be smiling. What made them so happy he wondered. They lived on a rock with one big city that was overcrowded and dirty. Every other place on this world was porpoise built. Weather it was close to a mine or farms or some other bullshit. Capital was the only real city. And still, it was not a very good one. They were there drinking warm beer and eating s**t food. Did they not know how beautiful life could be? Was this all they had seen? The poor souls. They must think that what they are living now is as good as life gets. It was more common now that people were born on other worlds than Earth. In the beginning everyone was born on Earth and then moved somewhere. Everyone was born on a planet that was a paradise. A planet that had good food and cold beer. A planet that you could live on. With friends. With family. But now... they are born in a shithole and move to another shithole. They live their life without knowing what life really is. They are made happy by the very worst of things. Oh, if they only knew. If they had only tasted real chicken curry, and if they had drank Belgian beer.  Belgian lager. Oh how he missed it. And if they had eaten stake! Oh, stake. Buttery and thick. Or even anything. Anything that wasn't a powder mixed with water and heated. How their lives would change... he wondered. He looked at the time. It was late. He needed to file the report and go home. He was tired, he needed sleep. He went up into his office and logged into one of the computers there. He wondered how to start. Where to start. He wondered what Mike had wrote. Had he mentioned aliens? As he was wrestling with his thoughts he heard a door open. He turned around to see Viktoria standing behind him. 

- Could you come into my office please? - she said calmly. 

- What is this about? Why?

- It is because I asked you to and it is about what I tell you to. Now, if you will. I will wait for you there. - Viktoria walked away when she finished her sentence. She signaled with that the end of this conversation.

- What about my report? Shouldn't I finish it first? Ah, screw it... - Steph noticed that Viktoria left so he logged out leaving the page empty and stood up. He left the room not five minutes after he entered it achieving nothing.