Chapter 2
As Arius jogged through the deserted metal corridors his boots clanging down at every step he was thinking about what he needed to do today.
As the man in charge of this station his duties were numerous but often just for show, for instance today was no exception, he was due down in the maintenance levels around twelve to 'inspect' everything even though most of the time he had no idea what he was being shown.
He trusted his crew to do their jobs right therefore he did not see the need to constantly check up on them, interfering in their days for pointless and irrelevant checks, but in the end he didn't have much choice if he wanted to keep this station.
Fortunately for him the crew shared his views on the checks and usually made them very brief but always just enough to be able to fill out the inspection report that he would inevitably have to fill out later.
As he was deep in thought his pace had quickened without him realising and he soon found himself face to metal with the doors into the ship's mess hall.
He slammed into the very hard, very cold, door and cursed rubbing his nose which had begun to bleed, as the door opened in front of him and he stepped into the large metal box he noticed everyone looking at him.
It took him a second to realise that they all had probably heard the loud crash he had made as he ran into the door and wondered what it was.
"Get on with your breakfast you've not got long left" a womans voice shouted at the assembled crew
As they all returned to their meals and began chatting again the same woman brought Arius a tray with 'breakfast' on it.
Two bits of something that somewhat resembled bread that had been lightly toasted and had had some spread quickly slapped onto it, and a glass of some translucent green liquid.
"I'm starting to think i'd have been better going to the vending machine" Arius aid accepting the tray and eyeing the meal with skepticism "but thanks anyway Lira"
"I figured you'd be coming down to find to find your sleeping partner, and no before you ask i haven't seen the major all morning" Lira replied sitting down at one of the tables with her tray
"I sort of figured you wouldn't have" Arius sighed taking a place on the bench next to his female companion
She was fairly short, only about five and a half feet tall she was one of the shorter crew members but it also meant she was quick, and she kept herself in good shape to make sure that it stayed that way.
Although she spent more time than most other female crew on her appearance she always had a somewhat disheveled look about her, as if she had gotten ready in a rush, but everyone was used to that by now.
She bore several scars from her work and would proudly show them off and tell newcomers the story behind each and every one, the large one down her right arm where she had been attacked while working for the police, the collection of smaller ones on her wrists from where she was held and tortured by terrorists, or, most notably of all, her missing breast, which she had cut off herself when she discovered an alien parasite had made its home in there.
The last one always made Arius cringe to think about it, he wasn't a fan of big macho things like that, preferring to see a doctor before deciding to do anything major to his body.
But it was undeniable that because of her experiences she was the best head of security Arius had ever worked with, dedicated to her job and willing to do anything to make sure it was done right he had learned not to question some of her more...drastic, methods.
As he finished his meal he stood up, bid the captain farewell, and left, through a door on the opposite wall to the one he came in by. This door led out to the main crew quarters where he hoped to find his elusive companion.