Space travel…

It’s not for the weak of stomach. Or of bladder. At least not escape craft space travel.

I gripped the harness strapped over my chest in both hands. The falling . The fucking falling. A never-ending plunge. Hours and hours of it. The pressure of an unseen force pushing down, wanting to snap my head forward.

And still somehow, the scent of puke managed to fragrance the air.

This was very different to the motionless sensation of our previous travel.

Macca remained unconscious, though in keeping with her generous spirit, invaded the inside of my skull with a bombardment of facts I didn’t need to know while battling a cramping belly.

Escape pods travel much faster but for shorter distances than passenger vessels. Apparently . Escape travel is grueling, but a Crestonian would never disgrace themselves by purging—so she said.

If I’d trusted myself to speak and not accidentally join the puke parade, I’d tell that annoying little unconscious alien child where to insert her superior Crestonian knowledge.

I inhaled deep breaths through my nose, and counted through the nausea.

Everything slammed to a halt. My eyes flew open. Hair drifted above the head of the woman opposite me. Vomit floated in the air. My feet rose from the ground and only the harness kept me in the seat.

And it was so much better than falling.

“What’s happening?”

“We’re preparing to enter a planetary atmosphere.”

The rising sensation subsided, gravity returning to the spacecraft. Yet, my heart still clogged my throat.

“A habitable planetary atmosphere?” I glanced at Macca, whose eyes remained closed like a sleeping cherub.

“The raft is programed to evacuate to the closest habitable, non-hostile planet.”

Non-hostile. Hostile aliens hadn’t even occurred to me. Thank crap for small favors.

“We’ve arrived.”

The harness released. I eased up off the chair, stretching cramping legs. The sides of the spacecraft shuffled, then vanished.

A chorus of shrieks rang out.

“The walls are invisible—not gone.”

I cleared my throat. “It’s okay everyone, the walls are transparent. Like windows.”

But it didn’t feel like windows. It felt very freaking strange to walk across what appeared to be no floor with floating puddles of vomit.

Burnt red earth stretched out ahead of us.

The other passengers stood.

I turned around scanning the horizon. Not a tree or living thing punctured the starkness of bright red dessert. Rocky mountains rose in the distance.

“I think there might be a problem with the ships programing…”

“I found no errors.”

“Well, I don’t know what you call habitable, because this planet appears quite freaking hostile to me.” I swallowed over a closing throat.

“Who are you talking to?”

I glanced at the woman beside me. The same woman I’d dragged from the table.

“Her.” I pointed to Macca. “She’s a telepathic alien, and she’s the one giving instructions.”

“Human, you believe me to be a small child?”

If Macca’s level voice could betray emotion, in that moment it panged with indignation.

“Who else could you be?”

The space between my breasts pinched.

I jumped, and shoved my hand down my jumpsuit, and tore out the sphere.

The sphere glowed a bright, bright blue, then floated out of my hand.

“Holy crap, Macca, what the bloody hell are you?”

The sphere intensified in color. “You do not possess the capacity to understand me, human.”

Hmm, I’d expect slightly more humility from a supposedly superior sentient life form.

I looked at the sleeping child, and moved to crouch in front of her. The girl’s forehead was a little too wide to be considered human. “All of this was to save this Crestonian child, wasn’t it?”

Things turned over in my head. The reverence Macca had for Crestonians. I looked back to the orb. “You’re some kind of technology. A super computer?”

The orb flashed. “Computer is a primitive term for the unevolved.”

“I’m sure your existence is way beyond my comprehension.” I smiled and placed my hands on my waist. For the first time since I encountered Macca, things made some kind of sense.

“Attention humans.” All heads glanced up. Macca’s cool tone blasted over the loudspeakers.

Guess it wasn’t a private party anymore.

“This escape craft rations will sustain the hundred and sixteen humans on board for approximately thirty days.”

Mummers rang out.

“What are you doing, Macca?”

“Unfortunately, the solar cells require a minimum of forty human calendar days to amass the energy necessary to attempt a second evacuation.”

The murmurs ceased. Fear filled the air in the sway of bodies and silence of held breath, as that math sunk in.

“What do we do?” The woman beside me called out.

Dammit, bitch orb was going rogue…

“Be calm.” The orb rose higher.

Bet Macca’s preferred state was hovering at ceiling height, way, way above inferior humans.

“Your brave leader, Leila Heins, has been selected to venture out and secure the necessary supplies to sustain all passengers until the solar cells can be replenished.”

Shit…

My breath caught. Cheers rose around me.

Guess it’s a very bad fucking idea to piss off an alien super computer.

“What’s the matter, Macca, you not sun-proof?” I secured the utility belt on the space-suit and eyed the orb. As far as space suits go this one was not what the movies would have us believe. Form fitting and made of gray mesh, with a sleek completely transparent helmet that was a lot like wearing nothing.

Macca hovered in the cargo hold. “I am with you even when I am not with you now, human.”

Ouch . Way to take a jab at my discomfort over the implant.

“Thermal scans of the planet upon entry indicate there is a plentiful water source within the mountain range.”

I stared out the side of the ship. “You mean if I don’t die of heat stroke getting there?”

“Nonsense . We will deliver you closer. It should take less than a day to locate the water source. Once you have it, I shall dispatch a drone to you to transport water and any edible vegetation you discover.”

“And the drone can’t do this exploring?” I clipped the items Macca had dictated onto the belt, including one awesome looking gun thingy.

“These basic drones are only able to travel as programmed. They possess no ability to analyze or make decisions.”

“Unlike some machines…”

The ship lurched, rushing toward the mountains. Then came to a staggering halt. I crashed sideways into an invisible wall.

Pain streaked through my shoulder.

“Petty, Macca.” I dragged myself up and stood. “Very petty.”

“You are overly imaginative, human. I simply transported you closer to the mountains as promised.”

The ramp lowered. Heat engulfed me. Not a blast of air, this was like stepping too close to a fire. A stinging warmth.

“Move quickly, the suit cannot completely prevent dehydration at these temperatures.”

I checked the belt one last time, then headed down the ramp.

Sun blazed overhead, shimmering the ground.

The helmet darkened like transitional sunglasses and closed off the glare. I jogged toward the base of the mountains. Like her or not, I’d take Macca’s advice and get this done quickly as possible.

I circled the base, searching for a path, then started climbing in a place that seemed scalable. Sweat dripped off the bridge of my nose. I swiped at the drop, fingers butting into the clear helmet.

Oh, that was going to be annoying.

I leaned my chin to my collar and closed my lips over the straw inside the helmet, taking a small sip of sickly sweet electrolyte fluid.

Then continued.

No rest for the wicked…