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it
from a trader. Then one German explorer added hund. They kind of look like a
cross between a dog , a monkey, an alligator,” he said
wearily. His blue eyes looked tired.

 
    “I
heard about them…” Michelle replied as worry consumed her. She wondered if it
was best to tell Aaron and Kate the truth that the original explorers of the
planet all perished or if she should be optimistic.

 
    “Wait, Michelle. How
did you know?” Kate interjected. “How did both of you know?”

 
    “I found this notebook
and Michelle saw me reading it,” Aaron said quickly to cover for Michelle.

 
    Kate arched an eyebrow.

 
    “We’ll all get through
this, we’ll get through it together,” Michelle added as she tried to make her
voice sound as hopeful as she could.

 
    ***

 
    The next morning
Michelle and Kate made their way to the cafeteria. Michelle took her tray and
watched as Kate took hers. They exchanged nervous glances as they found a quiet
spot away from the different clicks and groups.

 
    Michelle’s stomach
rumbled with hunger. She hesitated for a moment but then began to drink her
thick protein shake.

 
    Kate watched with a
worry look and didn’t touch her own food.

 
    “You have to eat,”
Michelle said softly to her friend.

 
    Kate shook her head.

 
    “What good will not eating do ?” Michelle asked keeping her voice low so
the others wouldn’t hear their conversation.

 
    “I might remember,”
Kate said with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

 
    Michelle shook her
head.

 
    “Doesn’t matter
if you remember anything, if you’re dead. Let’s focus on living before we focus remembering,” Michelle replied calmly as
she took a bite of her gray oatmeal.

 
    Kate gave her a sour
look.

 
    Michelle held out her
hand in a gesture for Kate to eat.

 
    Kate sighed and finally
took her protein shake. She slowly brought the bottle to her mouth and took a
few sips.

 
    Michelle wasn’t sure
when she had last been so thankful for something. She didn’t know what she
would do without Kate if she were to fall sick and she surely would if she
didn’t continue to eat.

Chapter Eleven

 
    Serik configured the
controls of his ship as he set a route to Planet 8932. He needed to stop and
refuel if he was going to make this long haul.  

 
    Serik sighed. He hated
to admit it but he was lonely. It had been many years since he had started his
journey through the vast universe. He had mostly done it alone. The years
before he had been spent in the Baat explorations. Those years were hard on him,
he thought back to the battles with unknown enemies, charting the unknown, and
just trying to survive.   

 
    What had it all been
for?

 
    He shook the thoughts
and feelings away and turned his attention to the beeping viewscreen.

 
    “Will you accept the
incoming call?” the somewhat feminine robotic voice of Sally called out. Although
Sally was not real, he had affectionately named his ship.

 
    Serik moved closer to
the screen to examine it. “Yeah, Sally, I’ll accept he called out.”

 
    “ Yo ,
Serik!” a loud voice echoed through the cockpit.

 
    “What’s up, Bock?” he
said into the viewscreen that revealed his old buddy from Baat.  

 
    “Hey man, I just
thought I’d let you know there is a bounty out in your area,” Bock encouraged.

 
    “Really? Where and how much?” Serik
replied eagerly.

 
    “Well, it’s um… it’s on
Redex,” Bock mumbled.

 
    “Smart guy, no one ever
goes to Redex,” Serik muttered.

 
    “Yeah,” Bock replied.

 
    “Bock, man, come on. Redex? That’s a shithole…” Serik continued.

 
    “It’s a Cabaka terrorist,
they are wanting to pay 500,000 intergalactic
currency,” Bock interjected.

 
    “You say, 500,000?” Serik’s
eyes got large.

 
    Bock nodded. “Yeah,
that’s right. I know you’re the guy for the job. I bet you could do it. You can
just give me a little cut for telling you