Huis walked over to Shephatiah, who may or may not have been paying attention to his antics with God Love Omega and Professor Darnell. She was now splayed out on a lounge, scrolling through a holographic display, completely indifferent to his presence.

Or so he thought.

Without looking up, Shephatiah said, “Oh, like, hey Huis. You comin’ to check if I dropped any more handbags in space yet, lol?”

Huis, smiling through gritted teeth, responded, “No, ma’am, this is about the show. I feel like we have already resolved the matter of your contraband.”

Shephatiah half-yawned, half-rolled her eyes. “What show? This is, like, a fake-engagement thing or some kinda game show, right?”

Huis, sitting down across from her, made his voice serious. “No, this isn’t a game, alright? This is real. You’re a Disastronaut now. You’re part of a team, and there’s a mystery to solve on that comet. This isn’t just some bullshit holiday.”

Shephatiah, confused and dismissive, raised an eyebrow. “So, what, I’m supposed to play space detective like that Olavi cunt? Solve a mystery? Is that, like, for real?” She chuckled mockingly, clearly not taking him seriously.

Huis was trying to figure out how to explain the gravity of the situation when Emily casually strolled over to them, having overheard part of the conversation. She decided to chime in, hands in her pockets, with a grin on her face.

“He’s got a point, you know. It’s not just lounging about. There’s work to be done,” Emily said in a calm, but pointed tone.

Shephatiah gave Emily a look, pushing down her onyx spectacles slightly, clearly unimpressed.

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Huis, grateful for backup, added, “Exactly! See, Emily gets it. We’re going to the comet to figure out what happened. We need everyone on board for this.”

Shephatiah remained unmoved. “Oh, baby, you mean the dumbest fucking thing I’ve ever heard? Seriously. I’m not here to solve some dusty bullshit-ass mystery. Why should I give a flying fuck about some dumb comet?”

Huis jumped in again, trying to keep his cool. “This isn’t a joke, Shephatiah. This is real. There’s actual danger, and if you don’t take this seriously, you’re gonna be dead weight.”

Emily sensed the growing tension and tried to diffuse the situation. “I mean, yeah, but... Huis, she didn’t exactly sign up for this, did she?”

Huis turned to Emily, clearly puzzled. “What do you mean?”

Emily shrugged. “Come on, mate. Be fair. She’s not a space explorer. This is a bit much to just throw at her.”

Huis, growing more frustrated, shot back, “But that’s the point! This is what she signed up for!”

Shephatiah stood up abruptly, mad as a hornet, her tone biting. “I’m not here to play your stupid little games, Huis. I’m not a space detective, I’m not an astronaut. I’m just here. And I don’t give a fuck about your show.”

Emily raised her hands in an attempt to calm things down. “Cor blimey, Shephatiah, no one’s asking you to be an expert. Just… you know, be part of it. That’s all.”

Shephatiah turned her glare to Emily. “Oh, you can bugger off too. I’m not here to sing and dance for you fuckers, and I’m sure as hell not here to be put in actual fucking danger. I’m done.”

Huis, desperate to regain control of the situation, blurted out, “Shephatiah, I have your father’s word that you would be compliant.”

Shephatiah, seething, began marching for the exit. “You can all get fucked. I’m out.”

She strode out of the room, leaving Huis and Emily standing there, stunned by her sudden outburst.

Emily sighed, a touch of humor in her voice despite the chaos. “Well, that went down like a lead balloon.”

Huis, rubbing his temples in frustration, half-annoyed and half-pondering, added, “Do I leave that in the episode or not?”

Huis knew she would cooperate. He bet that it wouldn’t even be an hour until she got bored and came back, high as the moon.