Disclaimer: I in no way shape or form own the characters or settings mentioned in this story. They remain the property of the late great Douglas Noel Adams, may he be hitchhiking the galaxy in peace.
Arthur looked out one of the many elegantly and excitingly sweeping windows on the starship Heart of Gold's bridge. His eyes raked the cosmos that reeled and turned away around the ship, and himself, looking desperately for something familiar to cling to. Even the stars that once held the shapes and pictures of human history were distorted and grotesquely unfamiliar. His mind reeled along with the shimmering void, trying desperately to cling to something that would fit comfortably within his realms of normal.
"Wretched isn't it?" Marvin stated more than asked as he walked dejectedly behind Arthur. Arthur thought on this. Wretched? No, not really. Unsightly? No it was actually strikingly beautiful. Grotesque? Again no, it was just life. Normal? No, in the most grotesque, wretched, and unsightly manner.
"Yes, it can be," answered Arthur in a hollow voice. Arthur thought briefly on when his voice had become hollow. He figured it was from lack of tea. He took one last heart wrenching glance across the writhing cosmos and walked off the bridge.
Arthur meandered down the corridors of the starship Heart of Gold and eventually found his way into the personal cabins. He slumped himself into his cabin and looked around the room. The cheery voice of the door died on Arthur's ears as he saw what was slumped in his bed.
"Ford, what on Earth, are you doing in my cabin?" Arthur instantly inquired of Ford, who was lounging his Arthur's bed with a pair of reading glasses and a copy of The Guide in his hands. Ford looked up with an expression of mild surprise and question.
"Oh Arthur, I've been waiting for you. Where have you been?" Ford answered Arthur, as though he wasn't invading the man's bed. He added, "By the way, you might want to abandon the phrase 'what on Earth' try saying 'what on Danerak'. It's a very nice place you know…," but was cut off by Arthur.
"Right, right fine. What are you doing in my bed?" Arthur asked exasperated.
"Reading the guide," responded Ford very casually and conversationally.
"Yes Ford I see that, but," Arthur replied, "why are you reading it in my bed?"
"Like I said I was waiting for you," Ford said as if it was the most obvious thing on Danerak.
"Waiting for me to do what Ford?" Arthur finally gave in and asked placidly.
"I've got some things for you," Ford responded casually, "I thought you might like them." Ford pulled out a thin black book from the blankets next to him. He turned it over and offered it to Arthur. Arthur took the book as someone might take a newt. He held it a moment and blinked twice in bemusement. Carefully as though it might suddenly come to life and want to consume some of his fleshy bits, Arthur lifted the cover. What was under it could not have shocked him more.
Staring back at him on the first page were several images of Earth, England Arthur thought, to be specific. They were of no grand quality and not of particularly spectacular subjects, but they were brilliant all the same. An unreadable expression on his face Arthur turned the page. On this one there were several more photos of various places on the Earth one including Ford smiling with a drink in his hand at some bar. Arthur looked particularly closely at this one. The picture of Ford continued to smile and stare back at Arthur from its laminated prison. Arthur was taken aback slightly; the Ford in the picture looked so normal so like it fit, so very familiar. Arthur looked up at the real Ford lounging on his bed who had at some unknown time gone back to reading The Guide. Arthur boggled at the real Ford for a moment and realized just how familiar his friend was. For the first time since he found out one of his closest friends was not in fact human, Ford didn't look so alien to him, instead he looked so very familiar. Not normal but that was all right, Ford never had been.
"Ford?" Arthur ventured, "Where …where did you get these?"
"Oh do you like them?" Ford responded smoothly, "I took some photos when I first came for The Guide, it was only supposed to be a short write up with a few images."
"Ford…I …I," Arthur stuttered, "thank you."
"Oh well you're welcome," Ford said as he closed The Guide and got off of Arthur's bed, "I'll see you Arthur," Ford said as he left Arthur's cabin giving Arthur one of his smiles that made sane men head for trees, but to Arthur it just seemed to fit. Arthur nodded in response and looked back at the pictures. He would never really have his home back and Ford wasn't really human or normal, but it was familiar.
A/N: Thanks for reading, review if you want or have time it will be appreciated!