The hum of the Kestrel's engines provided a comforting white noise as the ship drifted through the inky blackness of space. The crew’s living quarters were cramped, but Rhys felt himself nearly vibrating with the excitement of having a full crew aboard. The racks, stacked two high on either side of the narrow room, were neatly arranged, and each was quickly adorned with personal items and small comforts as they all settled in. Amid the dim light of the ship's interior, the air was filled with a sense of camaraderie and quiet anticipation.

Rhys lay on his lower bunk, flipping through a well-worn manual on starship mechanics. His fingers traced the faded pages, the ship's steady vibration helping him focus the relentless march of his thoughts. Across the narrow aisle from him, Tally was stretched out on her rack, her fingers deftly navigating a datapad that was one of her only belongings, and the only one of any real value as far as he could tell. He was spending almost as much time fighting back the urge to steal glances in her direction as he was actually reading, with mixed success at both.

Silas, occupying the top bunk above Rhys, leaned over the edge, peering down with a soft smile that Rhys could hear in his voice. "So, Rhys, what’s our plan for Astraea?"

Rhys set his manual aside and rubbed his eyes. "Well, Silas, if what I hear about it is true then we’re in for some fun. Vast deserts, rocky mountain ranges, hostile locals and life forms that will take a bite out of you as soon as look at you. To top it all off, we’ll be outside the empire so we can count on exactly zero backup. Anna’s got her work cut out for her deciphering the next set of coordinates, that’s for sure."

Anna, who was perched on the top rack opposite Silas, looked up from her own datapad, her brow furrowed in concentration. "No rest for the wicked, I guess. But I have to admit, the thought of uncovering more ancient tech is pretty exciting. Did you know that the oldest ruins on Astraea are over ten thousand years old?"

Rex, who had been quietly cleaning and organizing some of their equipment in his own rack, joined the conversation. His mechanical hands moved with surprising dexterity, assembling a blaster that was now clean as a whistle. "Princess, ancient ruins, and the fate of the empire. We’ve come a long way from dusty cantinas and odd jobs, wouldn’t you say?"

Tally nodded, her eyes still fixed on her datapad. "We might get lucky and have everybody live through this."

At this, everyone cast looks in her direction that ran the gauntlet between shocked, confused, and mildly irritated. She seemed to pick up on the suddenly heavy silence as her eyes flicked around to everyone’s faces.

“What?” she asked.

Rhys swung his legs over the edge of his bunk, choosing to change the subject immediately. "You know, you really shouldn’t wear your street clothes to bed, Tally. You have pajamas, right?"

“What are those?” She asked, quite genuinely.

“Uh…” Rhys faltered. He glanced at Anna, who’s eyebrows were in danger of jumping up to the ceiling. “Don’t you own…any other clothes?”

She glanced quickly back down at the data pad, her lips pursed and her cheeks flushing a slight pink. Rhys looked from Tally to Anna, who was giving him a wide eyed ‘what the hell?’ sort of look. Rhys quickly cleared his throat and got up out of his rack.

“Tally, why don’t you come with me and we’ll find you some fresh clothes?”

She didn’t respond, but got up and gathered her things. Her eyes never left the floor as she followed him. For a few moments they walked in silence. Rhys' heart began to beat faster. Had he offended her? Was she embarrassed? He began hoping desperately that he was doing the correct thing by offering her his help.

"Here we are," Rhys said, stopping in front of a heavy metal door. He punched in a code, and the door slid open with a soft hiss. "The captain's cabin." The room was compact but comfortable, with a closet on the far side. He flicked on the lights, illuminating the cozy space.

Tally hesitated at the threshold, her eyes flicking up to meet Rhys’s gaze for a fleeting moment before dropping back down. Rhys could sense her wariness, the way she was always on high alert, ready for anything.

"It's not used often?" she asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and caution.

"Not really," Rhys replied, stepping aside to let her enter first. "I usually bunk with the rest of the crew, but I thought you might appreciate the privacy."

She gave a small nod and stepped inside, her posture still guarded. Rhys watched her as she took in the cabin—a larger space than the crew quarters, with a neatly made bed, a small desk, and a private bathroom. Shelves lined the walls, filled with various trinkets and mementos from past missions.

Tally stepped inside, her eyes scanning the room with curiosity. "This is nice,"

"Yeah, it’s a bit of an upgrade from the bunks," Rhys replied, leaning against the doorframe. "You can take a shower if you want," he offered, "There are some clothes in the closet. They might be a bit big, but they'll do until we can find you something better."

She opened it and began rummaging through the clothes stored there. As Tally began to pull out a few pieces of clothing, she wasted no time in starting to undress, her movements quick and efficient. Rhys blinked in surprise, his face flushing as he realized she was completely nonchalant about changing right in front of him.

"Uh, Tally—" he started, but she was already pulling off her shirt. Rhys quickly spun around, his eyes fixed firmly on the wall. "I'll, uh, give you some privacy," he stammered, feeling a bit flustered.

Tally paused for a moment, glancing at him with a puzzled expression. "Oh, right. Sorry," she said, not quite understanding his embarrassment but sensing it nonetheless.

"No worries," Rhys mumbled, backing out of the cabin. "Just... take your time. I'll be outside if you need anything."

As he turned to leave, Tally's voice stopped him. "Rhys?"

He paused, resisting the reflex to turn and look back at her. "Yeah?"

"Why are you being so... nice to me?"

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Rhys scratched the back of his neck, a slight smirk tugging at his lips. He found her so disarming. "Because I want to be. And because you deserve it. No one should have to go through what you did."

Tally was silent for a few moments, then Rhys heard her turn back to the closet. He took that as his cue to leave, pulling the door shut behind him with a soft click. He made his way to the common area, a mix of thoughts swirling in his mind. He picked up a piece of equipment, trying to focus on tinkering, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Tally. Her guarded demeanor, her blunt questions—there was something about her that pulled at him. She had been through hell, yet here she was, fighting to find her place in a world that had been anything but kind to her.

A long while later, Tally emerged from the cabin, looking noticeably more relaxed. She had found a pair of cargo pants and a loose shirt in the closet, which fit her well enough. Rhys couldn't help but notice how the simple change seemed to make her appear more at ease.

"Feeling better?" he asked, setting down his tools.

"Yeah," Tally replied, her tone softer now. "Thanks for this. It... it means a lot."

Rhys stood up, his intense gaze softening as he looked at her. "Anytime, Tally. We’re a team now, and we look out for each other."

Tally shifted on her feet, her eyes darting away again. "I’m not used to this," she admitted. "The kindness. The... normalcy."

Rhys chuckled, a warm sound that eased some of the tension she carried. "You'll get used to it. We’ve all got each other’s backs here. And you’re part of that now."

She glanced up at him, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Okay."

"Okay," Rhys echoed, his smile widening. "Now, how about some food? I think Rex might be willing to whip up something decent for a change."

Rex must have read his mind. The crew was already gathered in the galley, and the warm, inviting aroma of food filled the space. Rex stood at the stove, deftly handling a skillet with one of his mechanical hands, while Silas and Anna sat at the table, engaged in quiet conversation. They greeted Tally with smiles and friendly banter, making her turn pink again.

"Smells good, Rex," Rhys said, taking a seat next to Silas.

Silas glanced at Rex, his eyebrows raised in mild amusement. "I didn't know you could cook, Rex."

Rex turned to speak over his shoulder, "Just because I don't eat doesn't mean I can't cook. Besides, as a full member of this crew, I take my turn in the kitchen. Keeps me from getting rusty."

Anna smiled, her posture as graceful and composed as ever. "It's quite impressive, Rex. You handle the kitchen tools faster than some professional chefs I've seen."

"Well, thank you, Anna," Rex replied with a mock bow, his sarcasm softened by a touch of genuine pride.

The crew continued to chat as Rex worked, the atmosphere in the galley calm and quiet. Rhys leaned back in his chair, letting the conversations wash over him. Silas and Anna were discussing classical literature, their voices carrying a familiar rhythm of formality. Rhys got the feeling they were being more proper than they really should have been, but didn’t feel the need to say so.

"I must say, Silas," Anna was saying, "your knowledge of ancient Earth literature is quite extensive. Have you read 'Pride and Prejudice'?"

"Yes, I have," Silas replied with a polite nod. "Jane Austen's work is a fascinating glimpse into the social dynamics of her time. Have you read 'The Great Gatsby'? It's a pretty poignant reflection on the old American Dream."

Anna's eyes lit up. "Yes, F. Scott Fitzgerald's prose is fantastic. It's one of my favorites."

Rhys listened with half an ear, his thoughts drifting back to Tally. He wondered how she was doing, if she was starting to feel a bit more at home. He hoped so.

"Food's ready," Rex announced, bringing over a large pot and setting it in the middle of the table. "Tonight's special is a hearty stew. It’s the best thing for morale, really. Hope you're all hungry!"

As they served themselves, the conversation flowed easily. Silas asked Rhys about the ship's last maintenance check, and Anna shared a story about a particularly challenging puzzle she had solved recently. Rex sat backwards on a chair and chimed in with witty remarks.

For a while after, they ate in comfortable silence, the only sounds being the clinking of utensils and the hum of the ship’s engines. Rhys felt a sense of contentment settle over him. Despite the challenges ahead, moments like these made it all seem worthwhile to him.

As the evening wound down, Rhys felt the day's fatigue weighing heavily on him. He looked around the galley, noting the satisfied smiles and relaxed postures of his crew. It had been a good day, all things considered.

"Alright, everyone," Rhys said, pushing himself up from the table. "Let's call it a night. We’ve got an early start tomorrow."

The crew nodded, gathering their things and shuffling toward the berthing area. Rhys led the way, his steps echoing softly in the narrow corridor. The ship hummed with the gentle, constant vibration of the engines—a comforting reminder that they were always moving, always journeying forward.

Rhys climbed into his own bunk, and pulled the thin blanket over himself. The familiar scent of the ship, a mix of metal and recycled air, surrounded him. The white lights overhead had been switched for much dimmer red lights, the closest thing to night time on most ships. He could hear the rustle of the others getting comfortable, the occasional creak of the bunks as someone shifted position.

Silas’s voice broke the silence first, a soft chuckle preceding his words. “I still can’t get over Rex cooking dinner. It was actually pretty good.”

“Yeah, who knew?” Anna’s voice came from above, calm and measured as always. “I must say, Rex, you have hidden talents.”

“Just doing my part,” Rex replied with a hint of pride in his voice. “No reason to let the organic ones have all the fun. Besides, I’ve picked up a few tricks over the years.”

"Do you think we’ll find anything useful on the next planet?" Silas said to no one in particular, his tone thoughtful.

“Who knows?” Rhys replied. “Every place has its secrets. We just have to be ready for whatever comes our way.”

“Speaking of being ready,” Anna said, “I’ve been meaning to ask about our supplies. Do we need to stock up on anything specific?”

“We should be good for now,” Rhys answered. “But it wouldn’t hurt to check the inventory in the morning. Better safe than sorry.”

There was a comfortable lull in the conversation, the crew slowly drifting into their own thoughts. After a while, he could hear the deep breathing that told him Silas and Anna had both fallen asleep. He rolled over onto his side and could see out into the berthing through a gap in the privacy curtain that hung from the top of his rack. To his surprise, he saw a pair of golden eyes staring back at him from across the narrow passageway that ran through the length of the room, separating both sides. Tally had left the curtains drawn open at the head of her bed so she could still clearly see out.

“Hey, Rhys,” Tally called out to him. Her voice was soft now, almost hesitant. “Thanks again for today. For showing me the captain’s cabin and all. It... it meant a lot.”

Tally was silent for a moment, and Rhys could almost picture her curled up in her rack, arms wrapped around her knees. "It's just different, you know? Before, people didn't talk to me unless they had to, and it was never... nice."

Rhys's heart ached at the thought of what she'd been through. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. But you're part of our crew now. We look out for each other."

"I know," she said softly. "It's just, it's hard to get used to. I'm not used to people caring."

"You'll get used to it. And if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask. We're all here for you."

Tally was quiet again, and Rhys wondered if she was struggling with how to respond. "Thanks, Rhys."

He smiled in the dark, feeling a warmth spread through him. "Anytime, Tally. Get some rest. We've got a big day tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Rhys," she whispered, her voice soft, almost fragile.

"Goodnight, Tally," he replied, closing his eyes and letting the steady hum of the ship and the soft breathing of his crew lull him into sleep. As he drifted off, he felt a deep sense of contentment. For now, here on the ship, the night was his.