Aboard the Repaired Ship

— We are ready, Captain, said Nate. The ship can depart. I've started repairing the damage from our battle with the pirates; the repairs will be completed during our journey. We will have enough provisions for the trip if you ration yourself. Otherwise, you will need to use cryogenic sleep if we run out.

— Thank you, Nate, replied Jaxon, finishing the quick modifications he had made. With the help of the robots, it had only taken him a few hours to convert his apartment into two living quarters.

Jaxonhad transformed the apartment into two comfortable living spaces. Each quarter had a wall-integrated bed, a small kitchen equipped with a stove and refrigerator, and a workspace. The walls were covered with soundproof materials to ensure some privacy. Paula and Jaxon each had their own quarters, providing personal space despite the cramped conditions of the ship.

Jaxonhad also cleaned and inspected the cryogenic chambers. Paula approached him as he was finishing cleaning the windows of the last chamber.

— I don't really want to spend my time in a chamber, she said.

Jaxon looked up at her.

— I plan to use this time to train physically and study the data Nate collected about the weapon and the teleportation chambers. Plus, we need to be ready for what's waiting for us on Deimos.

The ship had also been remodeled to include a scientific center. This area was dedicated to studying the components of the teleportation chambers and the weapons they had recovered. The scientific center included several workstations with advanced computers, electron microscopes, and laboratory equipment for analysis and experimentation. Shelves filled with technical manuals and specimens completed the setup, allowing Jaxon and Paula to deepen their knowledge and prepare for their mission precisely. Nate had planned this center's layout by repurposing other unused parts of the ship due to the reduced crew or 3D printing some machines, and the robots had completed the construction in two hours.

The ship took off smoothly from the Moon, leaving behind the barren lunar landscape and heading into the vast blackness of space. The journey to Deimos was long, but with automatic repairs and continuous improvements, Nate kept the ship in perfect working condition.

During the trip, Paula trained daily in the improvised gym, while Jaxon spent hours analyzing sensor data and working on simulations. They also took time to discuss their findings, sharing theories and planning for their mission.

Life aboard the ship became pleasant, as Nate had done an excellent job with the repairs. The reconstructed walls grew increasingly sturdy over time, layer by layer. The cracks and crevices disappeared so thoroughly that it was impossible to tell where the damage had been.

The initial quick setup of Jaxon's and Paula's quarters had gradually been improved and refined. Each of them organized their belongings and recreated an environment reflecting their personalities. Nate could modestly order 3D prints of objects and books if Paula or Jaxon wanted to make their surroundings more lively. For instance, Paula had three small statues printed similar to those at her home, reminding her of her origins. She had spent time with Nate describing these statues, and he had tried to recreate them as best as he could. Jaxon, on the other hand, installed flower boxes to grow seeds he had brought along when the ship launched. Although not optimal, he managed to grow some simple plants under artificial light.

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The first petals had now appeared. The flower box was filled with many small yellow flowers with very thin stems and multicolored petals. Jaxon put away his gardening tools and took off his gloves.

He headed to the control room, flexing his fingers, sore from the scissors' handling.

As he walked down the corridor, he heard faint thudding sounds, like a saber biting into a trunk. He peeked through the door of Paula's room, from where the sounds were coming. Paula was sculpting a strange humanoid shape from a piece of synthetic wood.

— I plan to make them myself now, she said softly without turning her head. The printed statues don't really have any soul.

Behind her stood two creatures, one shaped like a horse and another elongated like a sort of earless giraffe. Pale blue lights gave a creamy tint to the walls, with rotating lamps casting shadows that danced on the corners of the furniture and objects. The statues created fascinating shadow dances on the walls with the rotation of the lamps.

Finally, Paula cleaned her small axe with a swipe and carefully put it away in a large brown tool kit. She wiped her forehead.

— I'm ready for Nate's report, she said as she left her quarters and walked past Jason.

The control room had been streamlined by removing the numerous chairs and enhancing just two stations. Typically, an entire team would be crammed in, but now only two large, comfortable chairs surrounded the central holographic table. All essentials were arranged around each station: food, beverages, bunks, personal screens, and private space.

With this minimal crew, maneuvers were necessarily more limited, and some even impossible. Frequent stops were required since many functions were delegated to Nate and the robots, draining a lot of energy.

— I prefer it this way, Jaxon had told Paula when she asked about navigating the ship now that he was alone. Nate has deactivated almost all unnecessary functions of the ship outside my quarters and the control room. I'm even considering reducing the ship's size to keep only the essentials.

Paula then knew Jaxon wanted to continue a solo career. Since his accident, he had rejected everything, as if it had triggered a latent desire.

— Everything is running perfectly, Nate reported methodically. We are halfway there, and the ship is fully repaired in every detail. I have also completed all requested modifications. We will arrive in about 54 days.

A red dot blinked, moving imperceptibly along a straight line towards a symbol shaped like an ellipsoid: Deimos.