Page 9 of Broken Bonds

As I make my way to the kitchen, I try to force thoughts of Samantha from my mind. There are other, more important things for me to think about. Like the Phoenix Cluster, and everything I’ve learned while studying it. I’ve been able to determine just how phoenixes absorb and redistribute energy, which is vastly different from humans. Whereas humans temporarily store energy and then shed it, usually through their cells, phoenixes recycle and redistribute it throughout their lifetimes. With each shedding, a human loses vitality, which leads to aging. Since phoenixes don’t shed their energy nearly as often as humans, our aging process is significantly slower, and our ability to restore that energy is what allows us to regenerate and maintain our bodies even after injury, and sometimes death.

Because our bodies hold onto so much energy instead of shedding it, our internal temperatures are significantly higher as well. We are capable of self-combustion and rebirth, so to speak, because that energy maintains the integrity of our physical beings. Humans burn and die because their bodies aren’t built to hold onto so much heat and energy. Phoenixes burn and thrive because we are built like steel traps for that energy.

Now that I have a better understanding of how our bodies work, I can more easily control and manipulate the natural instincts and bonds that phoenixes are so often enslaved to.

I’m so caught up in my thoughts about my research that, as I enter the kitchen, I don’t immediately realize that it’s occupied. I come to a jolting stop, however, when my eyes land on Samantha. She’s sitting at the small table, staring at her laptop resting in front of her. A bowl of cereal is next to the machine. I watch, transfixed as she focuses in on whatever she’s reading. Her nose scrunches up in concentration, and damn it, it’s adorable.

Damn it, she’s supposed to be asleep. If she looks up and spots me, no doubt she’ll tell me to shove it and get lost after the way I treated her earlier. I decide to try and sneak away, ignoring my stomach’s rumbling.

Unfortunately, I don’t even make it two steps before her head snaps up and bright green eyes lock with mine. She looks surprised to see me at first, and then, to my shock, a friendly smile curls her lips.

“Hey, Dr. Pyrrhos, working late too?”

I blink and scratch my chin awkwardly, caught off guard by her pleasant demeanor. Does nothing upset this woman?

“Um…yes, I was,” I finally tell her. “I was just finishing up and thought I’d grab something to eat before bed…”

“Oh, don’t mind me,” she says, waving her hand toward the fridge. “I fell asleep for a while then woke up. I’m struggling to fall back to sleep…jet lag, I suppose. Thought I’d go over some articles and peer reviews I’ve been meaning to look at for my research.”

Her eyes lock back in on her computer screen while she’s talking to me, and I see that I’m not really the most interesting thing in the room to her at that moment. That’s fine. Ideal, actually. I don’t really feel like talking anyway.

Without a word, I cross over to the small fridge and open it. I root around for some leftovers from the night before and move to pop them into the microwave. I steal a glance at her as I heat up my food, but she’s clearly lost in whatever she’s reading. That crinkle in her nose is back. She also presses a finger to her lips and gently bites down on it as she reads. I feel a jolt of something at the sight. Something that I do not need to have to deal with right now.

Gritting my teeth, I look away from her and stare at the countdown clock on the microwave until it dings. I pull out my meal and go to sit across from her at the table. She doesn’t look back up at me and I eat in silence for several long moments. Usually, I have no problem with silence. It’s soothing, and far preferable to ceaseless chatter and pointless conversation.

As I sit there, though, and watch her work, I start to get antsy. I’m too curious about her and what’s going through her impressive mind to maintain the silence for long.

“What are you working on, exactly?” I ask her at length.

She glances up at me. Slowly, she smirks.

“I thought I was meant to mind my own business, and you were going to mind yours?”

Throwing my own words back in my face. It stings, but it’s fair.

“Point taken,” I concede.

She goes back to her reading, and I push the preheated chicken and rice around on my plate as I struggle to come up with something else to say. Damn, I really am out of practice when it comes to making conversation.

At length, she shows me mercy and lifts her head back up to ask, “What brought you to Antarctica in the first placed? Don’t try to convince me it’s your plants.”

I grin, amused despite myself. Usually when someone asks about my reasons for being here, I get defensive and do everything I can to shut the conversation down. For some reason though, in this moment, with her, I actually want to tell her. I can’t tell her everything, obviously, but I can give her a few crumbs at least. Just to have something to talk about.

“Have you heard of the Phoenix Cluster?” I ask her.

She arches a brow. “Sure. It’s a galaxy cluster that was discovered by the Amendsen-Scott South Pole station telescope. It’s creating stars at breakneck speed, unlike anything that’s been observed before.”

I blink at her, impressed. “Yes, exactly.”

“You’re studying it?” She closes her laptop and gives me her full attention. I feel an odd sense of pride at that, like I’ve just passed some secret test of some kind.

“I am,” I nod. “I am studying how the cluster uses and redirects energy, and applying that research to life here on earth.”

Her eyes widen with realization. “Oh! That’s what you meant by energy redistribution. That makes so much more sense now.”

I grin. Her eyes are big and bright, and I love that she understands what I’m talking about and can keep up with me. I hadn’t realized until that moment just how much I actually miss conversation with another person, so long as it’s intellectually stimulating and interesting.

We continue to talk for quite some time about the cluster and my research, or at least the parts of my work I’m willing to share with her. I’m blown away by her aptitude for the subject, and am fascinated by how eager she is to gain knowledge. She asks me questions that are insightful and poignant, and I find I’m all too happy to answer them.

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