First Night

Posted on Sat Nov 3rd, 2018 @ 10:14am by
Edited on on Sun Nov 4th, 2018 @ 4:25am

479 words; about a 2 minute read

Mission: The Emerald Road
Location: Sandoval Quaters
Timeline: Before intercept

Lt. Sandoval entered her quarters for the first time. They were small with a single common room, bed room, and lavatory, but for the first time she had her own. She was a senior officer now, and that felt great.

They had packed light with the intention of replicating everything they would need once they got on board.

She set Aimee down on her tiny feet and ruffled the cinnamon hair with her left hand, "Okay kiddo, go and wash up. What do you want for dinner?"

Her daughter looked up with eyes so similar to her own. A pair of deep emerald irises, piercing and bright. "Chicken nuggets!"

Rebecca smiled, and shook her head, "It usually is. Now go and wash up." She swatted her daughter lightly on the butt.

She laughed and ran awkwardly to the other end of the quarters. She pulled the straps of the two totes over head and let them fall to the floor with a clunk.

Rebecca let out a very long sigh. It had been a long day. She stretched and rubbed her lower back. [i]You're too young to hurt like this Sandoval,[/i] she said crossly to herself.

Seconds later Aimee came bounding put of the lavatory like a fawn grin on her face, and water all down her pink shirt.

"Great... what did you get into?"

"Nothing mommy!" The six year-old said immediately.

"Now, why doesn't that make me feel at ease," she said in her best motherly voice.

Aimee seemed to think that was funny, and laughed. Rebecca shook her head and ordered the chicken nuggets, ketchup, and crinkle fries.

She placed it before her daughter who eagerly started eating with varying degrees of success in bringing the food to her mouth. Ketchup seemed particularly difficult as three large droplets were streaked down the front of her shirt.

Wiping away the excess with a paper towel she used another piece as a bib, "This why we can't have nice things."

"Silly mommy," Aimee said with a crooked grin. "We can just replicate new things."

"Yes, we can. For now, but it's wasteful."

"What's wasteful?"

Rebecca hesitated. Suddenly the only phrase that came to mind was, "squandering of resources." Which, of course she was certain that would elicit even more questions. "It's uh... well it means you are trashing things that you or others could and should still use."

"Oh... okay."

Crisis avoided she got her own meal and sat down with a cesar salad and cup of coffee.

Later, with dinner complete, dishes recycled, teeth brushed and PJs put on Rebecca put Aimee to bed with a story, that left the child snoring softly before the book was done.

She kissed her daughter's cheek, and turned out the light to their bedroom, and retreated to the common room for her book and another cup of black coffee.

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