Port Anywhere by J.S. Frankel

Author:J.S. Frankel [Frankel, J.S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: YA Young Adult Fiction
Publisher: Totally Entwined Group
Published: 2022-04-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Problems

For the next forty-eight hours, no visitors came our way, our interstellar com-link remained quiet and Lynni and I spent most of the time getting to know each other better.

Holding her, being with someone who cared for me and made me feel as though my life had a purpose instead of simply drifting upon the interstellar tides—that was the difference between night and day, even if eternal night lay only a few meters away through the unbreakable glass.

Naturally, culture played into things, and it was a revelation to learn about Lynni’s world. Her language was complex, but I managed to nail down a few expressions. It was a nice way to get to know someone.

In turn, she monopolized my holo-computer to learn about Earth life and its culture, specifically, that of the United States. It had been central to my upbringing, so she studied it. Language, customs and other things as mundane as flags fascinated her.

“I did not know your people prized flags so much,” she said. “To wave them at sports matches, to use them in politics—it is all so different.”

Ancient history, but, yes, we’d done that. “Your people don’t?”

She shook her head. “We do not. Our culture is one, although I am somewhat outside that culture.”

Fangs and claws—Lynni was talking about them. “Well, you’ve got a place here,” I replied, which caused her to melt into my arms, and our love began anew…almost.

“You have someone special in your life,” Nerfer said to me on the bridge when I went up to relieve him. “I don’t mind handling the helm for a while. Ship’s on automatic most of the time, anyway, and if a message comes in, I can answer it.”

I didn’t know what to say at first. He’d never been that generous before, and his comment made me see him in a new light. It also made me realize how much of a selfish asshat I’d been. “Uh, Nerfer, you don’t have to. I mean, being a captain means being on the bridge, just in case—”

“If there’s an emergency, I’ll call you. Rick, go spend time with your girl. I’m fine here.”

What else could I say except thank you? He waved me off with a gruff, “You’re young only once. Have fun.”

Fun meant a lot of things, but practicality ruled and living accommodations came first. “This is your parents’ room, is it not?” Lynni enquired as she examined my room. “You should honor them by keeping it clean.”

One look at the rumpled clothes and messed-up sheets showed that she was right. Lynni didn’t wait for my approval. She simply set about cleaning up the place. As she placed everything just so, her gaze lingered over a picture that sat on the nightstand. She picked it up. It was a picture of my parents—their wedding picture.

My mother wore a white wedding dress, my father, a tuxedo. It was the only time I’d ever seen them wear those clothes. Their usual garb was an army uniform, a drab grayish-green affair that hung loosely from their frames.

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