Overheard Conversation

Month 9 Day 16

2209 Hours

Smitty

Smitty impatiently took his tray of food to a corner table and sat down, tried to divide his attention between the magazine on his datapad and his food. And then at some point, somebody’s conversation intruded, pulling his thoughts from both of his own subjects.

“Well, the good news is that your life can get back to normal, now, I suppose.”

“What do you mean by normal?”

“The same as Matt’s was; a date with a different girl every night. Or nearly every night. I’d still like to have some time with you.”

“Where is this coming from? We just spent 2 weeks together, and you didn’t have any complaints.”

“I’m not complaining,” Colleen denied. “Look, I knew my arrival here would put a kink in your love life. Figured I’d be lucky to get your attention one evening every 2 weeks, and I was ready for that. Especially after I saw you had somebody special in your life.”

“If you’re talking about Ivy, that’s over. And has been for a while.”

“Well, I don’t approve of it being over. You 2 are good for each other.”

“Not anymore.”

She hesitated. “I’m sorry about that. I know it doesn’t really help, but I truly never intended to get in the way of your love life. I simply wanted...” Her voice broke and Smitty dared to turn his head for a quick glance in their direction. She looked on the verge of tears, and Bugalu was reaching across the table for her hand.

“I know,” the helmsman told her softly. “I don’t blame you for Ivy. It just happened. If anything, I blame LaPour. He managed to convince her he was more serious than I am. Was.”

“Well, I blame me. But I was here, and I couldn’t undo that in less than 6 months. And then I had problems from the moment I stepped on this ship. Couldn’t even pass probation...”

“You did pass probation.” Bugalu pointed out.

“Yes, yes, at the last minute and by cheating. But-“

Smitty knew a sudden coldness in his stomach at the admission. How did she-

“How did you cheat?”

“By using Kolla’s knowledge to fill in my own gaps so I could write my version of that paper.”

“That’s not cheating. That’s being part of a team. Of having a partner.”

“It’s not the way I was supposed to pass probation. But... never mind, it sufficed and I passed. And now MacGreg says he’s figured out a cure for my sleep problems, so you don’t need to spend all your evenings and days off with me.”

“Then who would keep you out of trouble?”

“I think I’ve gotten better at doing that myself, Bugs. I haven’t punched anybody since I came aboard, unless you count that time I slapped a guy. Which evidently doesn’t count, because I didn’t wind up in the brig.”

Jones! I’ll skin him alive-

“Who did you slap?”

“Stop changing the subject!”

“Mac, it sounds like you’re breaking up with me.”

“Don’t be silly!”

“It’s what it sounds like. I mean, if anybody were listening.”

“Bugs, all I’m saying is that I ruined your love life at the Academy, and I never intended to repeat that when I came here. I’ve managed to make my own friends, I have my own off-duty activities to keep me busy, so you might as well get back to your own life! Like I was saying, it looked like you had a good thing with Ivy when I got here, but that’s all messed up, now.”

“You didn’t cause that,” he refuted. “LaPour did. Or maybe I did. Space, I don’t know what happened, so I don’t know who to blame, if anyone, but it’s not your fault.”

“You just said you don’t know that,” Colleen reasoned with him. “Even though we both told her we aren’t lovers, maybe she didn’t believe us, and obviously, when you started spending all your time with me, you didn’t have any time left for her. So it’s possible-“

“Wait a minute,” Bugalu broke in, and things were quiet between them for a time. “Now I understand! You don’t want me interfering with your life!” He gave a short bark of laughter. “You don’t have time for me anymore, because you’re too busy working on your Yukosk dictionary, the text book and that translation job for Smythe.”

“And getting ready to teach Yukosk classes,” she added softly.

“Right,” he agreed, and chuckled again. “That’s what you should have told me, Mac. All of that is for the good of your career, and I won’t get in the way of that. Nor will I stand between you and your friends. But I’m not willing to just pretend we’re strangers. So, you figure out how much time you can spare for me. We can talk about it at supper tomorrow. My supper, your breakfast. And don’t forget movie nights!”

Colleen hesitated for a long moment. “I was afraid it sounded... selfish.”

“Because most of your family would never consider what you wanted as important. But I do. And I was beginning to feel selfish for enjoying spending so much time together. I mean, other than you having problems. But I think there’s something you’ve forgotten in your planning every second of your spare time.”

“What’s that?”

“You’ve passed probation. On this ship, that means you are now cleared for learning engineering, to cross-train. There’s no rule that you have to follow somebody else’s time table. Check out some books from the library and get started. In fact, let’s go do that now.”

“I... I can learn by myself?”

“Why not? It’s what you’re used to. Come on.”

A long moment later, Smitty wiped sweat from his brow with his napkin and looked around, but Colleen and Bugalu were gone. Some members of the A shift were drifting in for their breakfast, and a few B shifters came in looking for a bedtime snack.

So, they spend 2 weeks together on shore leave, and now their relationship is cooling off. Could that mean she’s ready to start a new relationship? Stop it, Smitty, she isn’t for you.