Chapter Text
They would be reaching Ceti Alpha V soon, and the final preparations were underway. Maya’s role faded into the background, and so she kept to herself and stayed in her quarters while the crew worked to make their final preparations: tactical strategies, preparing supplies and so on. Maya still had a little more work of her own in the form of practicing moving and functioning in an EV suit.
She and Joanna McCoy stood in the training hall, all geared up save for their helmets.
“You know, I’m not entirely sure this is necessary.” Maya began with a heavy sigh. “I had a few semesters at the Academy, this isn’t my first time in an EV suit.”
“Well, that was a few years ago, best to knock off the cobwebs.” Joanna answered with a shrug. “Shouldn’t take long, it’s not like we’re going to into space. The planet still has normal gravity and an atmosphere—just a thin one, so it’s more of a precaution against radiation and sandstorms than anything. This is more of a formality to make sure you’re comfortable moving around, know how to use the equipment safely, and won’t have a claustrophobic panic attack when you’re sealed inside. We can go get a drink after…a strong one.”
“I am concerned about the atmosphere,”. Maya admitted. “I struggled with shortness of breath and orthostatic hypotension for years while I was recovering from the virus. Do you think the low oxygen could bring the symptoms back?”
“It’s possible.” Joanna smirked and held up her helmet. “But that’s what this is for.”
Joanna and Maya both put on their helmets, and once they were sealed in place, Joanna asked, “Can you hear me?” Her voice echoed over the communicator inside Maya’s helmet.
“I can.”
“Good. Try just walking around to start.”
They weren’t going to be doing any precise maneuvers, so Maya and Joanna took the time to practice basic movements: walking, running crouching. The EV suits were light enough that none of it felt awkward or uncomfortable, except of course for anything involving the hands. Inside the gloves, Maya’s fingers felt thick and she couldn’t judge the strength of her grip.
“Any advice for the gloves?” She asked.
“Just keep practicing,” Joanna answered. “And don’t be nervous to grip a little stronger, nothing you’ll be working with is that delicate.”
The two women spent nearly an hour at their practice, most of it spent on fine motor control such as carrying objects and using tools.
“I think that’s about enough.” Joanna took off her helmet and gave her head a little shake. “Nice work. I’ll meet you for that drink in a bit. I need to clean up first, this thing always makes me feel so sweaty.”
Joanna was already waiting the lounge with a glass of red wine when Maya arrived. She had managed to claim a table by the window, an impressive feat at this time when the lounge was packed full, when one duty rotation has just ended. Joanna waved to Maya. “Come on and have a seat, I’ll get you a drink.”
“An IPA,” Maya replied as they crossed paths.
“Wait, humans actually drink those?”
“Yes, some of us do.” Maya teased. “Now stop questioning my taste so I can go and guard our table.”
A few minutes later, Joanna returned with a tall glass of beer. “I still can’t believe you actually like that bitter stuff.”
“Everything that grew on Ceti Alpha V was bitter.” Maya took her first sip, a thin line of foam from her beer clinging to her upper lip. “I find anything else to be cloying.”
“About that…”. Joanna glanced around her and leaned in. She lowered her voice when she continued. “Are you going to be alright?”
“If earlier I feared I ruined the Captain’s opinion of me, now I’m certain. I’ll be fine, I’m used to having awful luck with women.”
Joanna straightened up. “Sorry to hear it, but that wasn’t what I was talking about. I meant…”. She glanced out the window at the stars racing by. “…going home.”
“I didn’t have a home until I moved to Bellingham.”
“Well, that’s fair.” Joanna had a sip of wine, a tiny sip that barely looked as though there was any less liquid in her glass. “But you know what I mean, the place where you had a rough history, seeing people who were unkind to you.”
“Well.” Maya picked up her glass and took another long sip. “I try not to think about it, but I find a great deal of comfort in knowing that most of those people are dead.”
“If that was true, you’d still be on Earth.”
Maya slammed down her glass harder than she meant to, which made the beer slosh inside the glass and foam vigorously before settling down. “You’re right. You’re right, but I can’t make sense of any of it, and I don’t know how I feel or how I should feel.”
“Don’t worry about how you think you feel, no one’s every right about that.”
“Well, then it’s everything, everything terrible. Fear, grief, anger, and a sense of vindictive satisfaction that I’m completely ashamed of. But what’s worrying me more is that I think I accidentally assaulted the Captain.”
Joanna leaned in and placed both hands flat on the table. “Wait…what?”
“I’m not even sure. I brushed her hand by mistake.”
“I wouldn’t worry. She’s spent so much time around humans, I’m sure she knows you didn’t mean anything by it.”
“I’m not as sure about that. There was the way she looked at me, and she’s been avoiding me ever since. Out of no where she’s saying she doesn’t have time to play chess anymore.”
“Maya.” Joanna’s tine was gentle yet firm. “No one is going to be more direct than a Vulcan. If she had a problem, she would tell you, and if she saying she doesn’t have time, she’s not lying to avoid you,”
“I wish that was more comfort, but I’ll try to keep that in mind.” She looked out the window and sighed. “Everything would have been simpler if I had stayed in Bellingham where I could blissfully ignore anything further afield that the Cascades.”
“Well, in my opinion as a medical professional, I recommend you take a deep breath, finish you beer, then go have a nice lie down.”
Maya smiled. “I can do that.”