The small freighter flew through hyperspace. The blue swirling mass that they saw out the viewport flew by as the ship traveled. The autopilot was engaged and the ships occupants sat calmly around a small table each with a bowl of rehydrated eopie stew and glasses of purified recycled water.
The man, youthful of face despite the hardness of his vibrant eyes, watched the two others, young children both, as they ate. He found himself worried about them more as his jobs became more dangerous. He wanted them to have safe futures, futures far away from the life he lived. He calmly scooped a mouthful of stew into his mouth as the eldest child, Benwick, flicked a sweet pea at his sister, Nieve. Fenn's hand flashed out intercepting the pea as Nieve looked up. The boy looked at Fenn as Nieve stuck out her tongue and was promptly struck on her little cheek with a pea by Fenn.
What had begun as a quiet meal quickly descended into a battle between three galactic super powers. Peas and cut carrots flew through the air as the siblings joined forces against Fenn, striking him from two sides. Green peas stuck in his reddish brown hair and orange carrot smushed on his tanned cheek as he ducked behind his bowl.
"I surrender!" he said loudly putting up his hands.
"Do you really surrender, Fenn?" Nieve said in her small sweet voice.
"Yes, yes, I surrender." he said as he stood and backed away from the table.
"We won again, Fenn." Benwick said with a grin, "That's us ten you zero."
"You are truly master pea shooters, Benwick." Fenn said with as close to a smile as he ever showed. He quickly gathered the bowls and put them in the autowasher before activating the cleaning droid.
"Time for your school work guys." he said as the tutor droid hovered in.
"Master Benwick, Mistress Nieve, time for lessons." the tutor droid from hegemonic automaton declared a moment later.
"Okay, Fenn." the two said in unison as they went to the small room he had converted to a class for them.
"I'll be in the cargo bay guys." he said as he wiped carrot from his face with a cloth before tossing it into the laundry bin. "Let me know when you're done your work I'll make snacks before your free time."
"Yes, Fenn." Benwick said happily thinking of snacks, while little Nieve ran over and wrapped her small arms around Fenn's waist. "I love you, Fenn." she said as she squeezed.
"I love you too Sweetheart." he said as remorse gripped his heart, "Now get going. BC-18 is waiting."
"OK, Fenn."
He stood for a long time looking at the hatch they went down and thinking of how different their lives may have been if he hadn't taken their parents from them before they were old enough to have remembered them. A sip of water was all he had after a moment then he went off to his own studies.
The man, youthful of face despite the hardness of his vibrant eyes, watched the two others, young children both, as they ate. He found himself worried about them more as his jobs became more dangerous. He wanted them to have safe futures, futures far away from the life he lived. He calmly scooped a mouthful of stew into his mouth as the eldest child, Benwick, flicked a sweet pea at his sister, Nieve. Fenn's hand flashed out intercepting the pea as Nieve looked up. The boy looked at Fenn as Nieve stuck out her tongue and was promptly struck on her little cheek with a pea by Fenn.
What had begun as a quiet meal quickly descended into a battle between three galactic super powers. Peas and cut carrots flew through the air as the siblings joined forces against Fenn, striking him from two sides. Green peas stuck in his reddish brown hair and orange carrot smushed on his tanned cheek as he ducked behind his bowl.
"I surrender!" he said loudly putting up his hands.
"Do you really surrender, Fenn?" Nieve said in her small sweet voice.
"Yes, yes, I surrender." he said as he stood and backed away from the table.
"We won again, Fenn." Benwick said with a grin, "That's us ten you zero."
"You are truly master pea shooters, Benwick." Fenn said with as close to a smile as he ever showed. He quickly gathered the bowls and put them in the autowasher before activating the cleaning droid.
"Time for your school work guys." he said as the tutor droid hovered in.
"Master Benwick, Mistress Nieve, time for lessons." the tutor droid from hegemonic automaton declared a moment later.
"Okay, Fenn." the two said in unison as they went to the small room he had converted to a class for them.
"I'll be in the cargo bay guys." he said as he wiped carrot from his face with a cloth before tossing it into the laundry bin. "Let me know when you're done your work I'll make snacks before your free time."
"Yes, Fenn." Benwick said happily thinking of snacks, while little Nieve ran over and wrapped her small arms around Fenn's waist. "I love you, Fenn." she said as she squeezed.
"I love you too Sweetheart." he said as remorse gripped his heart, "Now get going. BC-18 is waiting."
"OK, Fenn."
He stood for a long time looking at the hatch they went down and thinking of how different their lives may have been if he hadn't taken their parents from them before they were old enough to have remembered them. A sip of water was all he had after a moment then he went off to his own studies.
