Chapter 20 - Playing Tag

The bridge was quiet, save for the usual hum of the ship's systems. I sat slouched in my chair, one hand idly tapping on my console as I flicked through various screens. Diagnostics, status reports, navigation logs. Everything’s green. As usual. A week left before we reached Alpha Centauri, and this monotony was grinding on me, and everyone else, I bet.

Across from me, Emily sat at her workstation. Whatever she was working on held her attention way better than the meaningless busywork I had been cycling through. I stole a glance at her, momentarily envious of how absorbed she looked. What could she possibly be doing that was more interesting than this shit? I swear she could make watching paint dry look exciting.

My console beeped softly, pulling my attention back, thank god. A small red icon blinked on the screen, and I straightened in my seat, a spark of curiosity and excitement jolting me out of my boredom. “Finally,” I muttered, pulling up the notification. Something, anything, to break the endless nothing.

It didn’t take long to locate the issue, I was getting good at navigating the console now. The gravity generator in the hangar bay had been deactivated. My excitement dulled slightly, but it still lingered. At least it wasn’t another uneventful status update. I tapped the comms line to engineering.

“Ryan, you seeing this? Gravity generator’s off in the hangar,” I asked. He probably had something to do with it.

Ryan’s voice crackled over the line, carrying its usual hint of irritation. “Yeah, I noticed. Chris and Joey are down there. Probably got lazy and turned it off to slide boxes around.” Fucking idiots, they’re always doing stupid shit like that.

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. “Figures.” I stared at the intercom button for a moment, contemplating calling the hangar directly to give them a piece of my mind. But then I stopped myself. What’s the point? A little walk never hurt anyone. Maybe stretch my legs, get out of this chair for a while.

Standing, I stretched, rolling my shoulders to shake off the stiffness from sitting too long. “I’m heading down to the hangar,” I said, glancing over at Emily. “Chris and Joey are fooling around.” I wanted to see if she was paying attention.

Emily didn’t look up, but the corner of her mouth twitched in what might have been a smile. “Don’t hurt them.” She always said that.

I stepped into the corridor leading to the hangar, the faint hum of the ship's systems echoing around me. As I approached the door, the soft vibration underfoot ceased, a clear sign of the gravity generator’s localized deactivation. I paused for a moment, staring at the red indicator light above the door. Lazy bastards. I can’t wait to see what stupid shit they’ve been doing.

The door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing Joey and Chris tumbling through the air, laughing like kids in a playground. Joey was upside down, reaching out to tag Chris, who twisted away with a sharp push off the storage racks. What the hell were these two doing?

I leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, taking in the scene. My initial irritation wavered as I watched their antics. They weren't screwing anything up, I thought. They’re just… being them. Dumbasses. And probably all sweaty and gross after turning off the gravity in the hangar. I could only imagine what those two got up to when they thought no one was watching. Probably better not to think about it too much.

Joey twisted mid-air, narrowly dodging Chris’s outstretched hand. “You’re too slow, old man!” he shouted, his voice echoing in the cavernous hangar.

“Old man?” Chris shot back, a grin splitting his face. “You’re older than I am!”

I shook my head, rolling my eyes. So they were playing tag. In zero-g. Like a couple of ten-year-olds. I couldn't help but smile. It was ridiculous, but it was also kind of... endearing. They needed to blow off some steam, I guess. And who was I to judge?

I decided to leave them to their games. No need to interrupt their fun, and frankly, I could use a distraction of my own. I turned and headed towards engineering. If anyone was going to have some interesting gossip, it would be Ryan.

The engineering bay was a hive of activity, a stark contrast to the quiet of the bridge. The space was filled with complex consoles, conduits, exposed wiring, and various components, all bathed in the warm, yellow glow of the overhead lights. The place was both organized and chaotic at the same time. It was familiar, yet always slightly overwhelming.

I spotted Ryan near the main reactor, hunched over a console, his brow furrowed in concentration as he fiddled with a component, muttering to himself. It looked like a vital piece of equipment, maybe something to do with the power coupling. He was trying to fix something, which was never a good sign. Soft music, some kind of electronic beat, was playing in the background, barely audible over the din of the machinery. I walked over, bumping his shoulder with mine playfully as I leaned against a nearby railing.

"Everything alright, Ryan?" I asked.

He looked up, startled, then a relieved smile spread across his face. "Luca! Just the man I wanted to see. This fucking thing is giving me a headache." He gestured to the component in his hands, a mess of wires and circuits. "Think you could give me a hand?"

"What's wrong with it?" I asked, peering at the device. Engineering wasn't exactly my forte, but my Starship Systems Familiarity skill gave me a basic understanding of the core components. It looked like a power regulator, crucial for maintaining stable energy flow throughout the ship. "Is that the primary regulator for the auxiliary reactor?"

"Yeah," Ryan said, sounding slightly surprised. "You actually know what this is." He held it up, turning it over in his hands. "It's been acting up lately. Keeps throwing error codes, and I can't isolate the problem. If this thing goes down, we could lose backup power, and that's a whole can of worms we don't want to open."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's always something, you know? If it's not the reactor, it's the thrusters. Or the life support. Or the fucking recycler. It never ends." He fiddled with a small, intricate tool, his movements precise and practiced.

"Need a wrench?" I offered, spotting the tool tray beside him. I should have dumped more XP into these engineering skills. I feel pretty useless right now. But at least I could fetch tools. I grabbed the wrench he needed and smacked his arm playfully with it before handing it over.

Ryan glanced up, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Sure, Captain," he said, taking the wrench I offered. "Maybe you're not as useless as you look."

"Har har," I said, rolling my eyes. I watched as he tightened a bolt on the regulator. I gave him a friendly shove with my hip, almost knocking him off balance. "So, about those error codes," I said, trying to sound helpful. "Have you checked the diagnostic logs? Maybe there's a pattern we can identify."

"Already did," Ryan said, not looking up from his work. "Nothing conclusive. It's like the system is glitching, but I can't pinpoint the source." He grunted as he applied more pressure to the wrench. "This is going to be a long night."

"Want me to grab some of those energy readouts from the bridge for cross-referencing? Might help us isolate the problem area," I asked.

Ryan paused, considering for a moment. "Nah," he said, shaking his head. "I've got a program running a diagnostic sweep. It'll take a while, but it's more thorough than anything we could do manually. Besides," he added, with a smirk, "wouldn't want to deprive the bridge of their fearless leader for too long."

I watched Ryan work and a familiar wave of self-doubt washed over me. Here he was, wrestling with a vital piece of the ship's machinery, keeping us all alive, and what was I doing? Playing chaperone, offering unsolicited advice, and basically just... existing. My so-called "familiarity" with starship systems felt like a joke compared to Ryan's actual expertise. He was the one who had dedicated countless hours to mastering the intricacies of engineering, while I had dabbled, picking up a few basic skills here and there. Sure, I was the captain, but what did that even mean in this situation?

I could plot a course and give orders, but when it came down to it, I was utterly useless when facing a real problem. Danny, lost in his scientific pursuits, was probably making breakthroughs that could change the course of human history. Zoe, with her navigational skills, was the only thing keeping us from getting hopelessly lost in the vast expanse of space. Even Chris and Joey, for all their goofing around, had their roles, their skills, their areas of expertise. And me? I was just... here. A glorified figurehead, good for morale maybe, but ultimately, just taking up space. I should have pushed myself harder, learned more, done more. Maybe then I wouldn't feel like such a goddamn dead weight. I noticed Ryan chewing on his lower lip as he worked, a habit he'd had since we were kids whenever he was concentrating hard. It was funny how some things never changed.

I made a face at him. "So, what were those two idiots doing in the hangar? They're messing around, right?"

Ryan chuckled, his eyes still fixed on the component in his hands. "Yeah, they were blowing off some steam. You know how they get. They're not exactly subtle."

"I guess not," I said, grinning. "Still, playing tag in zero-g? That's a new one, even for them." I punched his arm lightly.

"They're energetic," Ryan said, a smirk playing on his lips. "Gotta burn off that sexual tension somehow. I just hope they cleaned up after themselves. Don't need any, uh, 'residue' floating around the hangar."

"Ugh," I said, making a face. "Thanks for that image. So, are they like, officially together now? Or is it just a casual thing?"

Ryan shrugged. "Who knows? They're not exactly broadcasting their relationship status. But they're definitely into each other."

"Huh," I said, leaning back against the railing. "Good for them, I guess." I paused, then added, "So, what about you and Zoe?"

Ryan froze, his hand hovering over the component. "What about us?" he asked, his voice carefully neutral.

"Come on, man," I said, nudging him with my elbow. "You used to be all about her. Now she's with Danny."

"She's moved on, Luca," Ryan said, his voice flat. "And honestly, can you blame her? They're both into the same nerdy stuff."

"You don't know that," I said, although I could see his point. "Have you asked Emily? She'd probably know, and she would tell you."

Ryan shook his head. "No way. I'm not asking her about that. Besides," he added, a hint of bitterness in his voice, "she's got her own thing going on with you, doesn't she?"

"Yeah, well," I said, rubbing the back of my neck, "about that. We're just... having fun. I mean, we've been kissing and stuff, ever since we left Sol, but it's not like we've talked about where it's going." I smiled wistfully, remembering.

Ryan looked at me, a complex mix of emotions in his eyes. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You always did have a way with her, Luca. Since we were kids. I guess some things never change.”

“You know, you really need a haircut. That hair of yours is getting out of control," I said, ruffling his hair, messing it up even more.

Ryan smacked my hand away, laughing. "Hey, watch it! I like my hair."

"It's not like that," I said, feeling a pang of guilt. But I kept my hand on his head, petting his hair now "You know I've always... well, you know."

Ryan nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, I know. We both have. It's Emily, after all. Hard not to fall for her." He paused, then added, "Just... be good to her, okay? She deserves that." He punched my arm, a little harder than necessary.

"Hey," I said, rubbing my arm. "What was that for?"

"Nothing," he said, but his smile had a slightly forced quality to it. "Just making sure you're paying attention."

"I will," I said, my voice firm. "I'd never hurt her, Ryan. You know that."

"I know," he said, clapping me on the shoulder. "Just saying. She's special."

"So," I said, changing the subject, "What about Zoe? You gonna just let her and Danny have all the fun?"

Ryan shrugged, turning back to the component. "What can I do? She's made her choice. She's obviously into Danny. And it's not like I can just waltz in there and tell her how I feel. I'm not like you, Luca. I can't just... put myself out there like that."

"Bullshit," I said, rolling my eyes. Though, let's be honest, I hadn't exactly 'put myself out there' with Emily either. She was the one who made all the moves. If it were up to me, we'd probably still be exchanging awkward glances across the room. Still, I wasn't about to admit that to Ryan. "You're just scared. And for what? Rejection? So what if she says no? At least you'll know."

"Easy for you to say," Ryan muttered, his eyes fixed on the reactor component. "You've got Emily wrapped around your finger. You don't have to worry about this stuff."

"It's not like that," I said, but even I knew it was a weak argument. And it wasn't like I'd actually done anything to get Emily's attention. She was the one who'd initiated things, not me. I was just along for the ride. "And besides," I added, trying a different tactic, "I don't think Zoe's the type to stay exclusive. You should at least try and see what happens. Before it's too late."

Ryan was silent for a moment, his fingers tracing the outline of the component. Then, he sighed. "I don't know, Luca. It's just... complicated. What if I make things worse? What if she laughs at me?"

"She won't," I said, firmly. Even though I knew that wasn't necessarily true. Zoe could be unpredictable. But Ryan needed to hear this. "And even if she does, so what? At least you'll have tried. Look, I know you, Ryan. You'll regret it more if you don't at least try. Besides, she'd be lucky to have you. Or Emily for that matter. You're a good guy, Ryan. You're smart, you're funny, and you're way better looking than me."

Ryan snorted, shaking his head. "Yeah, right. Says the guy who's got Emily practically eating out of his hand."

"I'm serious, man," I said, my voice earnest. I punched his arm lightly. "You're a catch. Don't sell yourself short." I meant it. Ryan could be a monumental asshole sometimes, well, most of the time, but he was also one of the most loyal, capable guys I knew. He deserved someone who appreciated that. Someone like Zoe, or... well, maybe not Emily. That was different. But still, the point stood.

"Maybe," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. He looked up at me, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. "But what if-"

"No," I interrupted, shaking my head. "No more what-ifs. Just do it. Talk to her. You never know what might happen." Unless you're me, apparently. Then you just get dragged along for the ride, whether you like it or not. Not that I was complaining, exactly.

"Besides," I added, grinning. "You wouldn't want Danny to make a move on her first, would you?"

Ryan's head snapped up, his eyes narrowed. "He wouldn't."

"Wouldn't he?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "They were pretty cozy last night."

Ryan scowled, his jaw tightening. Then, he let out a bark of laughter, shaking his head. "You know," he said, "sometimes I forget how observant you can be, Luca. Especially when it comes to... certain things." He bumped his hip against mine, a playful gesture that was also a challenge.

"What can I say?" I said, shrugging. "I have a high perception."

"Yeah, well," Ryan said, looking down to the component in his hands. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I should talk to her. It's... frustrating, if I'm being honest." He grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "If we ever make it back to Earth, remind me to buy more pillows for the lounge. You know, for... strategic coverage."

"You're an idiot," I said, laughing. I shoved him again, a little harder this time, and he stumbled, catching himself on the console. But I knew what he meant. Zoe was... distracting. In the best way possible.

"Maybe," Ryan said, his grin widening. "But at least I'm an idiot with a plan." He turned back to the reactor component, his expression focused once more. "Now, about this damn thing..."