11. Kyler

Why had I taken off my helmet? Well, I wasn't crazy and I was aware of the risks involved. The first reason, the most logical one that followed the protocol, was that the sensor readings indicated the air was clean. In fact, it was purer than the artificial oxygen in the space station, which aroused an insatiable curiosity in me to feel it on my skin, to let it fill my lungs. I wanted to know what it was like to breathe on a new planet, something we had only read about in exploration manuals.

The second reason, the most irrational one that wasn't in any procedure book, was the sky. A bluish-green sky, with clouds that seemed to be drawn in impossible patterns. I had never seen anything like it in my life. The stars that used to shine in the vastness of space had gone out under this strange atmosphere, and for the first time, I was experiencing a sky without them. The helmet limited my vision, and damn it, I wasn't going to waste this unique moment. It's not every day that an explorer can contemplate something so impressive, and I didn't want a piece of glass to separate me from that experience.

If Brandon would look up for a second from those stupid rocks he was studying, he could get intoxicated by the beauty of the environment. But, of course, his obsession with geology seemed more important than enjoying this new world. To hell with it, I thought. If he wanted to focus on his rocks, let him. I would dedicate myself to adventure.

The trees looked nothing like the vegetables we grew on the space station. They were robust, with bark full of complex textures and colors that seemed to change depending on the angle from which you looked at them. I was tempted to touch them, to break off a couple of branches to take back to the ship and analyze. Maybe they could be used to make biomass or even as a type of food.

The stones were different too. It seemed that moisture had created a type of shiny moss on them. I decided to keep one; Brandon would love to study it, for sure. As I picked it up, I noticed small insects living under the rock. I had read that in ancient times some cultures ate insects. I wondered how they did it; those bugs looked repulsive, with their multiple legs and slimy bodies. Still, I took out my knife and carefully separated them into different bags to analyze later.

After collecting several samples, including some branches, I decided to return to the ship. It was no surprise to find Brandon still collecting more rocks. He had started to stack them in small columns, as if building some kind of geological fort.

"Looks like you're building a rock fortress," I commented, trying to snap him out of his scientific trance. There was no reaction. The idiot was still immersed in his work, completely ignoring me.

I deliberately coughed, pretending to be sick. That worked. Brandon looked at me quickly; although his face was covered by the helmet, I could feel his anger. He was probably upset about my disobedience and my inclination to do whatever I wanted, but I had broken his concentration, and that was satisfaction enough for me.

"We'd better go to the ship to analyze you," Brandon said, in a serious tone.

I smiled inwardly, enjoying my little prank. But, as expected, Brandon didn't forget to collect all the bags with the samples he had collected. Although he seemed worried about me, his mind was clearly divided between the samples and my well-being.

Back on the ship, we took off our suits. I couldn't help but notice, once again, that Brandon had stayed in his underwear before putting on the suit. It wasn't the first time I had seen him half-naked, and his physique reminded me of a classical sculpture, like the god Apollo. I quickly looked away before he noticed I was staring at him.

Brandon walked to the kitchen and took out a huge syringe. The needle must have been at least five centimeters long. Damn it. Why had I lied about coughing? Now I would have to keep up the charade a bit longer.

I stretched out my arm, staring at him as he prepared the syringe. Brandon, as always, was totally focused on his task, without a trace of nervousness.

"You're very good at this. Is it because your mom is a biologist?" I asked, feeling the needle enter my skin.

"It's the first time I've done it," he answered without looking up, "but I saw my mother do it many times."

"You can do everything well except piloting. Wow, you're strange," I joked, although there was a hint of truth in my words.

"I must do everything well. You should focus. If your blood is contaminated, we won't be able to leave this planet."

"You should trust your abilities more," I replied with a smile.

"Shut up," he concluded, pulling the syringe out of my arm with precision.

Brandon deposited my blood in the ship's scanner, a small plaque that was installed near the kitchen. The ship's artificial intelligence quickly processed the data.

"Blood type O positive, normal glucose level... No inconsistencies found in the blood," announced the robotic voice.

"Damn it, Brandon! You should have felt how the air hit your face. It's an indescribable sensation, a purity I had never experienced. And the sky... I could spend the whole day looking at it."

"I won't follow in your footsteps," Brandon said, not even looking up from the analysis. "I'll continue taking precautions. We still don't know if exposure could have long-term side effects."

I sighed. Brandon was always so rational, so methodical.

"Come on, Brandon. We're here..."

"For resources, as we agreed," he interrupted me, cleaning the plaque and placing one of the rocks in the scanner.

The rock contained dolomite, along with traces of calcium, iron, and carbon. We could benefit from these elements to manufacture more essential resources. Brandon began storing the stones in a plastic box. He took a syringe containing nanobots from the kitchen and poured small drops onto the rocks before closing the box.

"How many rocks will we need to get back home?" I asked. "I'll go get them."

Brandon shook his head and shrugged. "I have no idea how much energy the nanobots can generate. We'll have to wait. Besides, we need to fix the ship before thinking about returning."

"I'll follow your orders, like in space. You can trust me," I said, trying to connect with him somehow.

Brandon didn't respond. He focused on the analyses, now inspecting the grass and then the soil we had collected. I wanted to say something else, but I stopped when I noticed his eyes pausing for a moment on the samples I had collected. He avoided the insects, but his interest in the rocks and branches was palpable.

"Hey," I said, trying to get his attention. Brandon remained thoughtful for a moment before taking the samples.

"These are interesting rocks," he commented. "Some might contain phosphorus or form moss with moisture."

"What about the insects? We could eat them," I joked. Brandon thought about it seriously before answering.

"We could find out if they have proteins. If they're not poisonous, maybe we can cook them."

I laughed at his response. "You're disgusting, you know?" I joked. "Are you really a rich kid?"

"I'm not spoiled, if that's what you mean. And I don't refuse the experience of trying new things," he responded in his usual serious tone.

"Come on, Brandon. You're afraid to take off your helmet, but you don't mind eating an insect from outside. Maybe they're contaminated too."

"I don't understand your point. If you don't want to eat insects, why did you bring them?"

"I don't know," I replied, shrugging. "I guess I just wanted you to see that there's more outside than just rocks."

Brandon glanced at me, but his hands kept working meticulously with the rocks. "The rocks will help us generate resources. Fuel, metals... They're important."

I sighed again. There was no way to have a normal conversation with him. If he wanted to keep stacking stones, let him. If he wanted to eat insects, too. I burst out laughing, and to my surprise, Brandon joined in my laughter.

Maybe he had been making fun of me all along, but why? I had thought he was someone perfect, always serious and calculating, someone who never made mistakes. But seeing his smile, I realized I didn't know him at all.

Despite having spent so much time together on the ship, there were things about Brandon that remained a mystery to me. Perhaps I had idealized him, or maybe I had projected an image of him that wasn't entirely true. As I watched him work, with that strange mixture of concentration and slight amusement on his face, I wondered how many times I had assumed things about him without stopping to really get to know him.

The laughter subsided, but the atmosphere between us felt lighter. Brandon was still engrossed in his analysis, but somehow, he seemed less distant, less rigid. Perhaps this planet was beginning to influence him too, softening a bit that facade of seriousness he always carried with him.

"We'll go look for food later," Brandon said suddenly, without looking up from the samples. "According to the analysis, there's a water source nearby. We need to make sure it's not contaminated before drinking or using it for anything else."

His tone surprised me. It was professional, but there was something more, as if he was sharing an idea rather than giving an order. I observed him again, trying to see through that facade. For an instant, I realized I liked seeing him smile. That seriousness of his, so habitual, disappeared at times, revealing a side of him that he rarely showed.

"And what do I do with the insects?" I asked, returning to the topic that seemed to have sparked a bit of humor between us.

Brandon let out a small sigh and looked at me, as if considering the best answer. "We could look for alternatives," he said. "Herbs, plants with proteins... I'm sure we could find something more appetizing. Or if we're lucky, we might identify some species of animal that's safe to eat."

I laughed again, this time with less irony and more naturalness.

Brandon raised an eyebrow, clearly amused, but said nothing.