Finally, Apollonia thought, as she rounded the curve of the hall towards her cabin.

She was going to sleep for days. She absolutely was going to call in sick tomorrow, and not Kiseleva or even the Captain would be able to overrule her!

But there was a group of people waiting for her.

She recognized Y first, towering above the others. This body was similarly costumed, wearing large fake eyebrows and moustache, round glasses, and a cigar attached where a mouth would be.

Brooks was there, as well as Jaya. Finally, seeming perfectly cheerful despite being the only non-ranking officer, was Ann from Watchito's. Apollonia had forgotten that she'd even invited the woman the other day.

"Well look who finally decided to show up," Y said, his voice startlingly different from its norm.

"Huh?" she asked.

"We are pleased you could make it," Y said, now in his normal voice.

Brooks smiled. "Urle sends his regards - he has to be on duty now and his girls have to be in bed. Otherwise he'd have liked to see Shark Hole 7."

Apollonia felt her exhaustion fading. "You guys are all still here to watch the movie?"

"Of course," Jaya said. "We said we would come, didn't we?"

"Yeah, but it was going to start hours ago . . ."

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"We were happy to wait until later. Are you still wishing to host it? I'd understand if you were tired," Brooks said.

"No, no, this is great! But, um . . ." She had been going to get extra chairs and snacks on her way back from the parade, but now . . . "I don't have anything to eat. Or even enough places to sit."

"You need not worry about that," Jaya said.

Apollonia felt her tablet ding, and looked.

"Delivery of five chairs and snacks for ten. Regards, Zeela Cann.

P.S. - I hear Shark Hole 7 is one of the best in the series. Sorry I can't make it!"

"Damn," Apollonia said, fighting down the sting of tears for the second time in the last few minutes. "I can't believe this came together."

"Well, let's go watch," Brooks said.

Apollonia opened the door, grinning at the sight of the theater-style seats arrayed around the main screen wall. There were packages of a dozen kinds of chips and cookies, even chilled containers of ice cream.

"She went all out . . ."

Jaya brushed past her, sitting in the largest, plushest chair. "I call dibs," she said.

"I think that's the Captain's chair," Ann said.

"Or the hostess," Y noted.

"It is too late, for I have called dibs," Jaya stated simply.

"I'll cede the chair," Apollonia said.

Brooks instead went over to the snacks and picked out a taiyaki, breaking it in half. "A whole one is too rich, care to share it?" he said, offering the other half. Apollonia took it.

"Ooh, spumoni!" Ann said, taking a container of ice cream.

Y took the end chair, folding up like a giant insect to fit. "Let's get this show on the road," he said, using his funny accent again. "Before I get any older."

Apollonia took her own seat, between Jaya and Y. She tapped on her tablet, and the room dimmed. The wall began to glow, as the film started.

"In the beginning . . ." it began, the sound booming. "There were only black holes . . ."

"That's not right," Jaya said.

"Debatable," Y replied. "Perhaps they mean the singularity that caused the Big Bang as a sort of black hole?"

"Yes, but there was only one," Jaya said.

"Shh!" Apollonia said. "It's nonsense. Just let it . . . flow over you."

"And in the black holes . . . there were sharks."

"Fine," Jaya said.

"These sharks were the scourge of the known universe," the movie continued.

"But if they were all there was, what were they terrorizing?" Brooks asked.

"Shh! Watch!" Apollonia said.

The introduction continued, and she leaned over to Y. "How old are you, anyway?" she whispered.

"Me?" Y said. "That's a good question." He leaned in closer, his voice turning nearly imperceptible. "In human years I am twenty years old."

"What, really?" Apollonia said loudly in shock.

"Absolutely" Y replied.

Jaya and Brooks were staring at her. "Shh!" they said in unison.

"That's my line," she muttered.

Ann was still watching the screen.

"I'm just enjoying the movie," she said with a sigh.

"Oh, what a nice time this is," Y said happily.