maryjaneblankscifi

[maryjaneblankscifi]

1,000 word story per week

Week 1 Jan 10, 2020

“Corca & Aruh”

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           Corca approached her quarters hesitantly.  She knew what awaited her behind that door. She closed her eyes and took a long breath, trying to center herself.  She listened to the constant hum of the ship around her.  The warm embrace of her home and family.  She wanted to appreciate this moment, when she could still be grateful without being resentful.  She opened her eyes and walked through the threshold.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY CORCA!”  they all yelled in unison.  Her mother approached with a suspicious grin on her face, and a cupcake in her hands. Tiny decorations stood atop the cupcake, the number thirty.  They looked like gravestones atop the chocolate cake.  Her tiny cabin was cramped with her family and friends.  Fifteen people in a space meant for two.  He could see her Aunt, Uncle, and Cousins all huddled around her bed.  Her mother spoke without hesitation.

“Surprise!  Happy 30th birthday, my love!  I hope we can make your special day even more special!”  Her mother handed the cupcake over and embraced Corca in a tight choking hug. Her younger sister, Nef, tapped their mother on the shoulder.

“Okay mom, she has to breathe sometime.”

“Oh sorry dear, you know I get excited.  This is a big day after all.”

Those words sent a chill down Corca’s spine.  Nef smiled at her with a knowing smirk.

“Well, Corky, we’ve got another surprise for you, if you’re ready for it,” Nef’s smirk became more sinister.  Corca grimaced.

“Let’s just get this over with.”

“Oh come now.  Don't be so glum.  If you try you might even enjoy yourself.”

Her extended family moved to the sides of the room.  Staring at Corca in anticipation.  They formed a human arrow pointing to her bed.  At the center of this tableau was a young man, probably in his early twenties, sitting on her bed, looking around nervously.  His dark ochre-brown skin seemed red with embarrassment. Corca appreciated that he wanted to be here as little as she did.  Nef grabbed her hand.

“So, Corky, this is Aruh.  He’s just turned twenty-one, and he’s looking to get into the Hull Maintenance Corps. Aruh this is Corca, she’s a senior officer in the HMC.”

“I’ve only been there the longest, I’m not in charge,” Corca interjected.

“Oh, don’t sell yourself short.  I’m sure the two of you have a lot to talk about.  We’ll leave you to it.  Call me later.”

           In what felt like a flash Corca’s entire family left the quarters.  Nothing remained save for the chocolate cupcake and poor Aruh sitting on her bed. She plucked the gravestone numbers off the cupcake and took a huge bite.  Aruh watched with a strange awe.  Corca looked at the poor boy.  Nearly a decade her junior, he was still a child in her eyes.  She grabbed her pocket laser knife and cleanly sliced the cupcake in half.

           “Would you like some?”  Corca offered the untouched slice to Aruh.  He stared at it with eyes nearly bulging with terror.  He shook his head.  Corca stuffed another chunk into her mouth as she sat down on her desk chair.

“How’d your family get you here?  We got the same birthday or something?”

Aruh said nothing.

           “So what’s your deal?  I know why I’m not married.  But you’re young, you seem fit.  Why’s your family trying to hook you up?”

Aruh bowed his head.  He began gesturing in the ships native sign language.  “I’m deaf,” he signed.

           “So?  We’re all mandated to have two kids no matter what.  Who cares if you can’t hear?  You can fuck can’t you?”

           Aruh seemed a little stunned by her vulgarity.  He continued, “My parents are convinced that only a desperate family would take me.  No offense.”

           “It’s all right.  I’m a special case.  I’ve managed to avoid it a long time.  If they brought you here they must be desperate.”  Corca laughed a hardy laugh.  Aruh joined in.

           “I suppose you’re right.  So, what do we do now?”

           “Since we’ve got a rare bit of privacy let’s not squander it.”  Corca moved to sit next to Aruh on the bed.  He cringed and pushed himself to the opposite edge of the bed.

           Corca smiled, “It’s okay.  If you’re like me I know why you’re here.  I like women.  No that’s not quite right.  I love women. Always have.  My first crush was another girl in my study group when I was maybe ten or eleven.  We never spoke to each other, but I journaled about her often.”

           Aruh adjusted his body into a more comfortable position.  “That’s why you aren’t a parent?  How have you avoided your family this long?”

           “I guess we have different folks.  They never tried something like this before.  But ever since my last birthday my mom has been talking about it non-stop.  Why are your folks in such a rush for you to procreate?”

           “It’s my grandmother.”

           “Oh, I’m so sorry.  Is she sick?”

           “Actually, she’s quite healthy, that’s the worst part. She’s completely fine, but she’s now the fourth eldest aboard.  I knew she might not have long when was added to the Eldest Council, my parents are acting like she’ll go any day.  They keep telling me I need to ‘get a wife and create the new generation.”

           “So, what’s stopping you?  Men?”

           “I do like men, but I’ve always been too scared to pursue any.  I’m terrified of what the consequences might be.”

           “It can’t be that bad, they still need all of us to run the ship.”

           “I suppose.  But have you ever thought about how everyone on this ship is essentially one family?  We’re all related in both the literal and figurative senses.  Think about it.  This ship started its journey two hundred some odd years ago with one hundred families. As far as I know they’ve never picked up new passengers.”

           “I mean, I can’t argue with you, you’re completely right. But what’s your point?”

           “If they decided to disown me I would become a ship-wide pariah.  Like they did to that murderer a few years ago.  They exiled him into the lower decks, and now, does anyone even know where his body is?”

           “You poor child.”

           “I’m sorry?”

           “He wasn’t locked in the lower decks, he was spaced. Your folks didn’t tell you that part. They put him in an airlock without a space suit and let the vacuum of space freeze his blood and rip him apart.”

           “By the stars!”

           “They still have the recording.  They show it in training to scare off the squeamish.  The Hull Maintenance Corps is dirty business.  You need a strong constitution.”