Hello readers! Not dead (yet). Sadly, being an art major is a lot harder than I was anticipating. I'm working my ass off. But such is college.
So here is chapter 3. Sadly, I wasn't able to squeeze the planet in to this chapter. I'm going to try and set a goal of updating every month and a half (with some exceptions). I know that sucks, but I gotta prioritize. Thanks for hanging with me! This is a fun, new fandom.

Mr. Gregor Samsa

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The longer Wikus was on the ship, the more he realized how important Oliver's job was. Time seemed endless. Weeks could have passed and he wouldn't have known it. He asked Oliver at least once every three hours the current travel time. He was sure the young poleepkwan would get sick of his constant pestering, but he was always happy to oblige. It seemed that Oliver was just as fond of Wikus as he had been back on Earth.

Earth: that distant shadow constantly veiling Wikus's mind with uncertainty and regret. He could not deny the excitement he felt at the idea of space travel. Men on Earth merely dreamed of such things. Yet there he was, traveling through a wormhole, of all things. He still had trouble wrapping his mind around that alone.

Wikus spent most of his free time mingling with some of the low-level poleepkwans. Their conversation wasn't always the most stimulating since they didn't have the ability for education poleepkwans like Christopher and Oliver had, but it kept Wikus's mind from wandering into dark corners. He learned a fair amount more about their culture through simple conversation. There was a constant mentioning of a Great Famine, which Wikus assumed was why they left their own planet, to harvest from others. It was all rather vague, and Wikus had trouble getting a straight answer out of anyone. He would have to ask Christopher eventually.

Christopher. Wikus felt like talking to the other poleepkwans was really just a way to waste time until Christopher's assigned command shift ended. He then found himself in the other poleepkwan's presence constantly. Wikus couldn't exactly pinpoint what caused him to follow Christopher around like a lost puppy. Perhaps it was the fact that he was the only thing that kept Wikus alive back on Earth. He symbolized everything Wikus was attracted to: power and authority managed with a cool kind of collectiveness. Majestic was one work to sum it all up.

Most of the time, Wikus felt like a schoolgirl with a crush. It was ridiculous, to say the least. He blamed alien hormones, but after a while it became a lame excuse. He swore Oliver gave him knowing glances every time he followed Christopher out of a room. If that wasn't awkward enough, Christopher seemed to be catching on as well. He would initiate small amounts of physical contact, enough to really get Wikus's heart racing, before excusing himself to go tend to some obscure job around the ship, leaving Wikus with a raised pulse and a sheepish grin.

"How much longer you estimate we'll be on this piece of shit?" Wikus asked Christopher over one of their "evening" meals.

"It's good to see you're starting to feel like yourself again." Christopher commented coolly, regarding the return of expletives. Wikus smirked as best he could before returning to his food. The way poleepkwans ate would make cavemen blush and Wikus loved it.

"In all seriousness. Cabin fever is really starting to take a toll," he continued on.

"You insist on using these Earth idioms… they mean nothing to me." Christopher quipped.

"I'm feeling a bit cramped."

"Anxious to see the planet?" Christopher enquired, gazing up from his meal.

"Well… of course. I mean, the way these poleepkwans talk about it, I'm expecting forty virgins at the gate!"

"Once again, I don't understand these obscure human references.'" Christopher explained patiently, though his tone implied enjoyment at teasing Wikus about his cultural references. Wikus merely rolled his eyes. It was going to be far more difficult assimilating into a completely new culture than he previously anticipated. The nagging voice at the back of his head told him he should have never left Earth, but he pushed it aside.

"You never answered my question." Wikus pressed. Christopher quickly finished off the rest of his meal before looking up again.

"Maybe you should ask Oliver." He suggested calmly.

"I ask him at least ten times a day! Can't I just get an answer out of you?" Wikus whined hopefully. Christopher exhaled loudly, clicking in Wikus's general direction.

"We should arrive within the next solar day." He finally complied, amusement flashing across his face as he watched Wikus's jaw drop.

"Seriously!? How long have we been on this ship?" he stuttered.

"Roughly five and a half Earth days, four solar days." Was the prompt reply. Christopher was always so efficient. Direct. Commanding. Wikus felt his eyes glaze over.

"When we do arrive," Christopher began softly, bringing Wikus back to reality. "You are more than welcome to stay in my personal residence until you collect yourself." He seemed to squeeze out. Wikus felt his antennae go numb.

"I would…. very much appreciate that." He replied, also feeling slightly awkward at the tension that still hung in the air. Christopher shifted.

"In all seriousness, Wikus, I owe you my life as well as my son's." he once again reminded. Wikus scratched a small fleck of dirt off his forearm.

"You keep acting like I'm some kind of hero. The only reason I did any of that was….was just to save my own neck." Wikus admitted solemnly, drooping his head in shame. "I'm a coward, Chris. I always have and I always will be." He tapered off. Christopher clicked in annoyance.

"Very well. You are a coward that helped to save an entire race from oppression." And with that, Christopher rose from the table.

Wikus winced. Maybe he should cut back on the self-pitying bullshit.

"Sorry!" he called out, sounding more pitiful than he meant to. "I don't mean to irritate you." Christopher's antennae swiveled thoughtfully at the sentence.

"You are an amazing creature, Wikus." He remarked quietly before stepping out of the room. Wikus laughed internally at the used of the word "creature" before attempting to calm the butterflies in his chest.


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