Intergalactic Prison

Kama directed me to the lounge, which turned out to be a massive room fashioned after those ancient hunting resort lodges on Earth. It was completely bizarre to find something like this up in the dark! The walls, the pillars, they all looked and felt like real logs! There was even a fireplace, though (thankfully, it was already very warm) no fire, and a traditional bar that looked like a giant, polished hunk of tree!

I sat down in a cushy sofa and waited for Andy, musing to myself. Were we going to be hunted by some psychotic persecutor? I didn’t see any animal trophy heads on the walls; did our sociopathic captor prefer human trophies?

“(Y/N), would you like a drink while Andy performs his cleansing rituals?”

I wanted a clear head, but I thought a single drink might not be a bad idea to take the edge off. There wouldn't have been much point in refusing out of fear of being poisoned. I’d get dehydrated and die after a couple of days. “Sure. I’ll have a jack and coke, light on the jack.”

I heard the sounds of liquid being poured behind me. “Your drink is at the bar. When Andy arrives, I thought you both might want a few moments to converse, perhaps over a meal, prior to a full briefing. Was that deduction correct?”

On the one hand, I was anxious to know everything right away. But at the mention of food, I suddenly realized I was totally famished. I rose and got my drink at the bar. “Most likely; I’ll have to check with, um, Andy.”

I sipped at my drink and tried to stay calm, collected. I wanted to make a good impression. Wait- why? Why did I want to make a good impression on Andy? I didn’t think it was just because he was decent-looking. Hmmm… I had to know him. Strange that he didn’t seem to recognize me, then. I’d have to do some careful, investigative questioning. I wondered if Andy had memory loss as well?

Just as I was thinking that my drink was so good, I might actually go for another, Andy showed up. God! I dropped my drink right on the floor, shattering the glass. Holy bananas, I had never seen anything so beautiful!

Well, presumably… But I was almost certain I could have said that with confidence, regardless of whatever my past might have held!

Andy looked at me, alarmed and confused. I looked from him to the glass, now in pieces on the ground, still weirdly struck dumb by how insanely handsome Andy was after getting cleaned up.

Like a miracle, Kama piped up. “Apologies, (Y/N)! I gave you a drink in a glass I had just rinsed, to rid of dust, and hadn’t thought to dry! It must have made it slippery! If you stand back, I will send out a maintenance droid to vacuum the pieces. They are exceedingly clumsy; do watch your feet.”

Had Kama just saved my ass? “Thank you.” Um, for more than the droid, I thought, as I backed away from the glass pieces.

“My pleasure, (Y/N). Please, have a seat. I will prepare you a new drink with a rinsed and dried glass. Andy would you like a drink? (Y/N) was considering having something to eat prior to the information session. Would you like food prepared?”

I smiled at Andy nervously, but when I heard his stomach make a, ‘wee-urgh-OOO-waaah,’ noise, we both laughed. “Food sounds fine, Kama. I’ll just have water to drink.”

We turned to go have a seat, when a strange, little droid came barreling out of nowhere, knocking into Andy as it hit his left leg on the way to the mess of glass shards; squealing and bleeping a garbled apology. I lunged quickly and grabbed both of Andy’s arms, hauling with all my strength to keep him upright! Muffins, he was tall and heavy!

After one last heave, I got the massive, tall man back on his own two feet. I puffed, feeling victorious, and we both looked at each other and laughed. “Thank-“

The cheeky little droid rammed into Andy’s right leg! It squealed angrily at him, irritated that he hadn’t gotten a clue and moved. This time, I was faster and closer, and I was able to stabilize Andy with less effort. As soon as Andy was standing again, I grabbed his wrist and got him to follow me quickly over to the area where we could both sit.

Andy’s eyes were big and disbelieving as he sat across from me. “Are all service bots on spaceships rude like that?”

Notes

A hunting lodge, eh? A cranky service bot and rumbling tummies... I wonder what's in store for our poor protagonists?