Captain Sharp, Eric, and Jeff woke up within half an hour or each other. Kira had slipped back into her regular clothing in preparation for Tarn coming around. To spare as much awkwardness as possible, she’d given him a robe to wear after he had emerged from his own chamber. She’d needed to help him get out and put it on, something she remembered with considerable distaste. Another two days of nursing him back to health was only slightly lower on her scale of things she hoped to never need to do again.
Getting the other three up and active was a little easier with Tarn helping her. So much so that she was able to focus on helping Eric with his first meal, the same shake she had made herself what seemed like a lifetime ago.
“ It’s pretty good,” she told him, sliding it in front of where he sat at a table. He offered her what she assumed was an attempt at a smile. She smiled in return, remembering all too well how he was feeling.
“ Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m glad you guys are wiped out,” Kira whispered after she’d sat next to him and put her arm around him. She could feel how cool his body was even through the robe he wore. “It’s not some mothering instinct or anything; I just wouldn’t be able to live with myself if you guys didn’t feel as bad as I did when I woke up first.”
Eric glanced at her at first, then looked back at the cup in front of him. He lifted it carefully, his hands shaking slightly, and took a sip of it. Kira felt her cheeks threatening to split she was grinning so widely. Eric had raised it again and was drinking as rapidly as his body and the hot liquid would allow.
“ Careful,” she admonished, gently pulling the cup from him. “Your stomach won’t be able to handle it all at once.” Kira remembered her first few sips of water and shuddered.
A moment later Eric was drinking again, stopping himself after a few swallows and pacing himself. He glanced at her and tried to smile again, but the obvious pain in the expression brought tears to Kira’s eyes. She hugged him close, remembering only at the last minute not to squeeze too hard.
“ I didn’t realize how alone I’ve been these last couple of weeks,” she whispered to him.
He stared at her, his eyes clear from fatigue and pain for a brief moment. Kira nodded. “Yes, I’ve been awake for just over thirteen days. Tarn’s been up for three. We recovered faster because of the genetic modifications we’ve had. I’m still not sure what all is in me, and I may never know, but I’m not complaining! Without it there’s no way I could have pulled myself out of my cold sleep tube.”
Eric pulled away and stared at her, his lips open clearly showing the cracks in the dried out skin. Kira wanted to kiss him, but restrained herself, knowing it would only hurt him more than it would comfort him. “Trust me and get some rest. Don’t speak, it only hurts. A few days and you’ll be back to normal, especially with nurse Kira tending to you. And don’t get me started about the sponge bath I’m looking forward to giving you after you’re feeling better!”
She saw his smile turn to a wince. Eric turned back to the drink to finish it, then let Kira help him up. She led him to the crew quarters and tucked him into his cot, taking special care not to rush him. He fell asleep almost instantly, giving her a few moments to stare at him. Even looking starved and pathetic she still felt something stirring inside her chest for him. She knelt down next to him and gently kissed him on the temple.
“ I think I love you,” she whispered, then quickly stood up and glanced around. Jeff was already asleep a few cots away and the Captain had yet to make his way in. She smiled once more at Eric’s sleeping body, then turned and hurried back to the bridge.
“ Captain!” Kira blurted out in surprise. Sharp was sitting on his chair, with Tarn standing close enough for Kira to surmise that he had just helped the stubborn man into it.
“ Status?” Sharp croaked, grimacing as he did so.
“ Sir, you should get some rest, we’re a week away from our destination and-“
“ What destination?”
Kira winced at the resemblance between sandpaper on rocks and the Captain’s voice. “There’s a planet, Sir. Sensors are picking up readings I haven’t seen anywhere before, aside from Earth, that is.”
“ Earth?” He croaked.
“ Captain, please! Get some rest!”
He glared at her, getting his message across without words. Kira shook her head and sat down. “Fine, but the longer you fight recovery, the longer Tarn’s going to try to figure out a way to run this ship.”
Her ploy worked, making Sharp’s gaze jump over to Tarn. Tarn jerked as well, then sent a scowl Kira’s eye. “Captain! I never once-“
“ Sir, there’s nothing in this system large enough to slingshot us back towards the Core worlds,” Kira interrupted. “Our speed is too great. Given our remaining pusher’s status and our fuel level, we won’t be able to slow down nearly enough. We need a gas giant. The star is nearly identical to Earth’s, only younger. If we had more fuel we could establish an orbit around it and head back, but with what we have we’d have to veer in too close to it and the Mule’s not built for that level of heat and radiation. We still might make it, but the odds are bad and a single solar flare would end it.”
Sharp grunted, then motioned for Tarn to help him stand. He gained his feet, sweat breaking out on his brow as he did so. Kira felt herself aching for him, knowing the agony he had to be enduring and the incredible willpower it must have taken for him to function that way. “Get some rest Captain, I’ll figure something out for you by the time you’re ready.”
He stared at her a long moment. Kira steeled herself, knowing that she had to show him she was confident. She was confident, at least in the area of knowing that she had an idea. It was dangerous, but not as dangerous as trying to use the star’s gravity well. It was also probably a permanent solution, but one that she felt she could live with.
Kira stayed on the bridge, rerunning her calculations and rechecking her sensor readings. The planet was still eight days away, plenty of time for the rest of the crew to be back to feeling like human beings again.