Nocturnal travel was safer for her than for others. Her skimmer’s programming transported her to the residency compound without any need for human input or guidance. Like those of the other Commonwealth residents, her home was suspended from strong strilk cables attached to an intricate support network of composite pylons. In addition to windows in the roof and walls, there were two in the floor: one in the living room and another in Andrea’s. Standing on one of the transparencies, one could look straight down at other residences or to the water far below. A terrestrial spider would have felt right at home with the layout.
Jack was waiting for her. She reflected on how things had changed. When they had first settled in on Fluva, she had often arrived home before him, since he’d needed to spend a lot of overtime familiarizing himself with the lab. Now she was the one trundling home after dark.
Though perfunctory, their kiss was enough to lift her spirits, if not her energy level.
“I’ve made you some supper. You haven’t eaten?”
She shook her head, mustered a weary smile. “Are you kidding?” In the small combination kitchen/dining room, she settled in behind the table and dug into the meal he had prepared. She was almost too tired to eat. Skimmers and supervisors, she reminded herself: all need fuel.
Sitting down across the table, he watched her for a while, leaving her alone until she’d downed some of the food. “Another bad day?”
“Here, lately, they’re all bad.” While it might be an odd shade of indigo, faux pasta made from a local fungus slid easily down her welcoming throat. “Today was special, though.”