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Snapshots - Chapter 4

Day Three

Time: CY10088 Oct 8 5165 0900
Location: Fenree spaceport, the Eureka Maru

Beka was humming to herself as she checked the Maru's control panel, ensuring all systems were functioning properly for a liftoff later that day. It was one of the drinking songs she had been singing the other night. The song seemed appropriate since she was also nursing a lollapalooza of a hangover. The prenuptial celebration aboard the Sassy Sue had lasted well into the evening hours, and she had drunk more liquor in one evening than she would normally drink in a month. But, her hangover was nothing compared to Harper's. Even with the medications Trance had given him, he could barely function. Beka suspected the main reason he was in the Maru's engineering spaces was not to conduct the pre-liftoff checks but because he could dim the lights. She would need Trance to check on him before liftoff. Taking off with a hungover engineer was one thing. Taking off with one who was busy puking his guts out was another thing entirely. Trance, of course, was in fine shape. Ever since the incident on Holyoke, the girl had never allowed herself to get more than a little tipsy.

"Why are you so happy, Beka?" asked Trance from her position at the environmental systems console. "Is it because you got to visit the Abernathys?"

"It's always nice to visit with them," agreed Beka, "but that's not the reason I'm in such a good mood."

"Then what is it?"

"I'm happy because nothing at all exciting happened this port visit—that's what I call a perfect port visit."

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