Kevin turned and didn’t seem to recognize Jason for a second. That is when Jason finally realized how dirty he actually is. His normally hi-vis green suit is covered head to toe in grease, ash and metal shavings. His engineer suit looks more gray than green. Not only that but he didn’t have his signature toolbag, a gift Kevin had given him when he started his new job.
“Jason? Hey, are you just getting off of work?” Kevin asks.
Jason approaches while keeping his voice as calm as he can manage. “You haven’t heard? There was a massive accident at the Trevser Starport.” He recalls the article he read on the monorail. “Everything is delayed by at least a day or two. Several people including me got sucked out of the hanger after a massive depressurization. I lost my tool bag too.”
Kevin stiffens at the news he turns to look Jason in the face. He couldn’t see Jason's face with his vizor closed but the intensity of his concern is obvious. Jason remembers that look all too well, anytime he or Wynn were in trouble he would drop anything to help them. He always has the same look, like he is willing to go through hell and back to protect them. Wynn calls it his dad look, and she isn’t wrong there is something comforting and parental about it.
Jason took a breath, his voice colorless despite his attempts to sound unfazed. “As far as I know only a few people were not recoverable, no one I knew thank God, which is honestly a miracle.” His voice now quivering as he breaks eye contact. “But hey, I know you were leaving today. I think you should contact the Housing Authority and the Movers Association. I am pretty sure they know about what is going on but they will still kick you out even if you don’t have anywhere to go while the dock is being repaired.”
“I am not worried about the damn Housing Authority, are you okay? Did you get checked out.” Kevin says as he looks Jason up and down. He then places a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “We can head to a hospital. I will cover the expenses.”
“Thanks but I am fine. I was already looked over, I just got a couple bruises.” Jason’s thoughts took him back to the moment he saw the woman out in space for reasons he can’t explain. The experience is so clear in his mind it is as if he is there seeing her float towards him. “I saw something unnatural out there.” Jason said so low that the air refused to carry the sound beyond his lips.
“I didn’t hear that.” Kevin responds.
Jason braces himself and takes a breath. “I said we will talk later. I have to take a shower and you have a date with the Housing Authority and Moving Association.”
Kevin obviously wants to continue the conversation but relents as he takes a breath. His eyes sharp on his brother as he squeezes his shoulder before letting go. He wipes the greasy residue onto his dingy gray shirt.
“Thanks for the heads up.” Kevin looks him up and down. “If you say you are alright that’s fine, but I will be checking on you later.”
“No problem, Wynn will probably kill me if I went and died.” Jason says as a sudden tiredness hits him.
The mechanic presses a button on his suit which causes a depressurising hiss on his right arm. He can here the click as the exoskeleton detached from his sleeve and gloves. As soon as the hissing stops he turns a latch on the suit and takes off the filthy glove. He reaches out his hand which Kevin instantly grabs. Then the two brothers split going in opposite directions.
Jason and Wynn’s apartment is a studio considered quite spacious for two people. It is one hundred square feet of pure chaos, clothing, tools and a pile of takeout containers cover every square foot not occupied by their bunkbed. On the opposite end of the room to the bed are their chests which contain all of their more organized worldly belongings. The chests are wardrobe sized metal containers standing seven feet tall and can open into a multitude of configurations. They were a birthday gift from Jessica and shipped all the way from Mars, apparently they are a marsano thing as neither sibling had ever seen them before. Jason’s chest is the standard gunmetal gray while Wynn’s was a light blue, her favorite color.
Jason walks over to his chest it connects to his sensory augmentation and opens up revealing several arms that start removing the exoskeleton from his suit storing each piece in its own compartment. It only takes a minute before all of the pieces of the exoskeleton are removed and stored. Without a second thought Jason takes off the rest of the heavy suit. He yawns and walks over to his bed, falling in and passing out.
Apartments in the upper levels are expensive but more importantly exclusive. Kevin managed to win his spot in the upper levels in some lottery. It is only because he was a resident that he could recommend to the Housing Authority that Jason and Wynn also be allowed to rent a room there as well. Even so, something even more expensive than the rooms are the Lockers. They are not actual lockers but instead a private kitchen and bathroom. If you can not afford a locker then you would have to use the cheaper communal spaces and hope your stuff didn’t get stolen.
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Even if Kevin, Wynn and Jason all put their money together they would not be able to afford the monthly cost of their rooms and a Locker. So to all of their surprise Jessica purchased a Locker Kevin and them to share for his birthday a few years back. At first they all begged her to refund it and keep the money but she refused and over time it became a normal part of life.
Jason stepped out of the shower in the Locker quickly getting dressed. It was weird not seeing any of Kevin’s things. The Locker was actually larger than his apartment with enough space for a full kitchen, changing area, laundry area and dining room. He looks over at the stacks of his and Wynn’s clean clothing all pressed and folded by the Locker’s laundry assistant which is a series of multi-jointed robot arms.
If he could Jason would live down here however rules against living in them are strictly enforced. The Lockers were actually in the most secure part of the apartment complex; it also had the cleanest air. Android guards monitored the hallways and you had to be in the VIP system to even get here.
Jason sat at the stainless steel table with a towel still on his shoulders. On his wrist and ankles is a blue gem in a silver setting. This is the connection node to his sensory augmentation. There is also one on the back of his neck all of which are connected directly into his nervous system. As he activates the system he looks at his TKLiveSpace account to see if Kevin posted any updates for his fans. He would never tell Kevin that he follows his gaming account DoubleTap but it is a good way to stay up to date on him.
There was nothing new to see, not from him or from Jessica which was odd especially since their fans were having a field day with the announcement that the two were moving to a space colony. He closed the page and and sent a message to Kevin just to see if he found a shuttle or if he is waiting a few days.
“I should get something to eat.” He says to himself as he looks over to the kitchen.
The kitchen was still as new and pristine as always since none of the siblings knew how to cook and the Lockers were cleaned each day by the androids. He absently ordered food from a restaurant in the city and made plans to pick it up. He then looks at his messages again and sees that Kevin hasn’t responded or even looked at the message. He tries to call him and the phone rings for a while.
“The network you have tried to reach is unavailable.” An automated voice says.
“Well that was weird, not even his voice mail?” Jason says to himself. “Must be sleep or something.”
Jason stands up, laying the towel on the table and grabbing his half mask filter. He scrolls through his contact and lands on Kiran Bowman, a long time friend that he kind of has a crush on. Although if he makes a move and she doesn’t like him the same way it could ruin their friendship and who wants that? Yeah, Wynn says he should go for it but what does she know anyway? He takes in a breath and calls.
“Jason, hey. Sorry I meant to call but I was out of the com range all day.” Kiran’s voice says. “I saw your message on TK but you didn’t respond when I messaged you. You weren’t hurt, right?”
Jason quickly opened his account and sure enough she had responded along with several other people including his teammates from work.
“I am good, I didn’t see the messages, I was sleep up until a few minutes ago.” Jason says mentally kicking himself for not responding. “I was actually getting ready to go to get something to eat at the spot you free?”
“Damn, you mean Arun’s Grill? I can't. I am still at work unless you feel like wait’n three more hours.” Kiran says.
Jason looks at the clock and it was a little past 1300h of course she would still be at work.
“Three hours you say, sure. I look forward to whatever you are going to buy me.” Jason states.
“Wh-wait, what I am going to buy you?” Kiran says her voice having shot up an octave.
“I just survived a harrowing experience. I may never be the same and you want me to pay for my own food?” Jason says with an overly acted whimper.
“You just said you are fine.” Kiran says accusingly.
“So you don’t care about me at all. I guess I will just go starve to death. It was nice knowing you.” He says with an exaggerated cough. “Also I paid last time and you said you got me on the next one.”
“Fine, I got the food if you cover the drinks.” Kiran relents.
“Great it's a date… on the calendar.” Jason quickly corrects himself.
“Oh, is it now?” Kiran responds playfully. “Let's push it back an hour then so I can make sure I am ready for our date… on the calendar. See ya then.”
The line hangs up and Jason sits in the chair mouth agape.
“Is this a date? A real date or is she messing with me.” Jason says to himself. “It was a joke obviously, but what if it is an actual date.” He shoots up to his feet. “I got to change.”
He looks down at what he is wearing and suddenly his choice of leisurely wear is boring and bland. Definitely not worthy of a date but he isn’t sure what he has that would be. At times like this he wishes Wynn was there because she is the best when it comes to fashion. Outside of work he normally just dresses in gray sweatpants and white shirts. He decides to ask Kevin, he has a fiancee so he has to know what to wear on a date. The call fails again so he sends him a message and decides to see if he is still in his room.
He can’t help but walk with a slightly higher pep in his step as he walks out of the locker towards the elevator. It seems like everything that happened that morning was a distant memory. While there definitely were some hiccups it looks like everything is starting to look up. All he has to do is not starve to death in the next four hours which is unlikely and he is potentially going on a date with the girl he has had a crush on since they moved to the Sol Relay several years ago.