Page 7 of A Long Way Home

An unhinged laugh escapes me as I picture myself opening the nearest window, and the whole crew is dragged out into the vacuum of space.

Clayton gives a brief, awkward laugh.

Chancing a glance over my shoulder, I see Yuri console Müller with a pat on the shoulder whilst they watch me. Müller’s mouth drops open to speak. Nipping whatever that was about to be straight in the bud, I cut him off with a curt shake of my head and turn back to Clayton.

Behind me, I hear a “Pfft. Women. Am I right?” and I can already picture the accompanying wink with Yuri’s words. I don’t even attempt to hide my eye roll.

“This isn’t going to cause problems,” Clayton cocks his head, one brow raising at my silence, quickly transitioning into Commanding Officer mode. “Is it?”

A sigh leaves me, and I shake my head, “No, Sir.”

He places one hairy, burly hand on my shoulder, leaning in closer as he lowers his voice, “You okay, Kiddo?”

“I’ll be… Müller is…” I huff out a breath, clenching my fists by my side as a new resolve spreads through me. “It won’t cause any issues.”

I won’t allow it to.

“I’m out of here on the next shuttle down. Twenty-four hours and it’s Cheerio. I’ll be back on Earth.”…and he’ll be stuck up here for at least a couple months, if not longer. One can hope.

“Good, we don’t need conflict between the crew,” he gives my shoulder a squeeze. “We’ll ready the descent module and get you back on solid ground in no time. Leave Matty to me. I see about keeping him busy.”

I sigh a breath of relief. “Thanks. I’ll stay out the way.”

He purses his lips, nodding slowly, “Take five, then Chelenko needs some help.”

I nod again, slowly coming to a realisation that the next twenty-four hours are going to be the painfully slowest of my life. But first, I need to focus on the now.

Chelenko needs help.

Right, he needs help like I need a hole in the head, and he enjoys company about as much as I would enjoy said hole in the head. But he usually keeps out of the way of the others – the way he likes it – so that is where I’m being sent.

Out of the way.

ALEX

CHAPTER THREE

I need a stiff drink if I’m going to have the vim to tackle the next twenty-four hours, but new crewmates linger in the main module, separating me from my liquid courage.

Out of his spacesuit, I recognise the other German. “Reiter,” I reluctantly acknowledge his existence.

He frowns, slight eye twitch flaring up as he glances in my direction.

He hates me.

Artur Reiter is an old friend of Müllers from his undergrad days. Thick as thieves. He could give Chelenko a run for his money on the highly strung front. In the past, I tolerated him for Müller’s sake, and Reiter barely tolerated me in return.

Reiter had expectations. What a woman should be. What a wife should be. Not that he would know what a woman is meant to be – the only woman in his life was his mother.

The hard line between his brows deepened, the same mask he wore when he refused to speak English with me.

Always annoyed I couldn’t assimilate into German life fast enough. He was too busy looking down his nose at me to get to knowme.Judgy prick.

I clear my throat, eyes flicking between Reiter and the corridor behind him. Narrowed eyes pierce me as he moves aside. I make sure to give him a wide berth as I pass.

I know Reiter, but I don’t recognise any of the others.

“Mes petites chéries,” Pesquet checks over her plants as Yuri hangs off her every word.

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