Chapter Thirty-Four: The Lonely Astronaut & The Space Cowboy
Somewhere in a remote corner of the Simverse, a rocketship floated aimlessly. She had no name, the Lonely Astronaut had not blessed her with one, but she had a soul and that soul felt the depression of her owner and drank the tears of the Lonely Astronaut. Kessy was
her name.
She trained daily. Thoughts reflecting back to another time when her boss had gone space mazey – it’s all well and good when you have co-workers to set you straight again, travelling through space alone was far more dangerous. Ship wanted to tell her: you’re not alone, you have me and you have a family waiting for you. But everyone knows Ships don’t talk and if you said they did, well they’d lock you up and throw away the key.
Ship picked up a weak signal from a foreign object that looked and sounded exactly like her. A Sim rocketship. She alerted Kessy.
Distress signal, blah blah, lost in space. Help! Is that you woman?Kessy typed back a quick reply:
Come aboard my Ship, strange Sim. *laser gun emoji*
Ship sent a clamp to grab hold of the other rocketship, her systems were on full alert for suspicious viruses but she could detect nothing, just one Sim – male, old beyond his years and walking with a swagger that matched her owner’s. Moments later he entered through the main door.
Woah, nice digs. Better than that dumpster I hitched a ride on.
Just hold on, ‘buddy’, need to make sure you’re all right.
Eh, your Ship scanned me already.
I’d like to double check. It’ll hurt for just a second. *snickers*
The Space Cowboy’s ears rang and his jaws tingled, he felt the tiny vibrations of minute feet scurrying down his neck and then Ship zapped them all. Too close to zapping distance made him cranky.
What the heck?
Ghimps. They like hiding in Sims ears and causing havoc with machinery when we’re sleeping. Probably meddled with your ship and stranded you out here.
Now that’s out of the way, welcome aboard, matey.
Hrgha! Is that how you greet new Sims?
Nah, that was just for fun. Kessy snorted then a flash of guilt put a stop to her smile.
As I was saying, you’ve got a rad looking place here. Mind if I crash for a while?Kessy didn’t reply, she was trying to think where she knew this Sim from. And his use of ‘rad’ was odd.
What does rad mean? She asked herself mentally.
No can do. This place isn’t big enough for the both of us. And you’re kind of messing with my solitude.
Are you sure you’re not space mazey? Who even believes in ghimps anymore?
You witnessed ghimps for yourself, are you telling me seeing isn’t believing?They argued for a while, one adamant about the existence of space critters and the other furrowing her brows in anger –
One of us is right and that person is me. Ship intercepted by playing a few cheerful pings – she wanted Kessy to praise her quick actions though her initial scan of the Space Cowboy had failed to find ghimps. Let’s not dwell on that, she told herself.
Colt Brooks? Kessy asked the Space Cowboy.
Yeah? Oh, oh I know that look.
Before she could stop herself, Kessy burst into laughter. She remembered now. Her Watcher had shared a story many moons ago. Another Simverse, another immortal dynasty where her beloved Aunt Nancy had fought and won (twice!) against a storm of a man named Colt Brooks.
Ah, beaten by a girl. My baby takes after her aunty.
How is it possible for you to recall that and you fail to remember my achievements?
Ah, jeez, that was so funny. I had to re-read it a couple of times. Well, congrats on immortality old man, you truly
deserve it.
He didn’t thank her; he muttered angrily about the ‘woman’ and hung his head in shame.
Let’s get you back home, this ‘verse can’t handle two Watchers let alone two Founders. The smile was gone to be replaced by a sigh and downturned lips.
Why do you keep doing that? After getting a quizzical look he went on,
You smile and giggle and then stop dead, like there’s something rotten under your nose?
That’s nothing to do with you; I’m not spilling the beans to a stranger.
Whatever you say. So, how do I get home?
Um. Not the same way you came, I’m afraid. Wormholes are fine for getting into but re-creating one is a pain in the jugular, especially in space.Ship brought up a few articles on parallel universes and tried and tested methods on travelling between them. Kessy ignored those and when Ship became insistent she should definitely look at those, Kessy gritted her teeth.
Are you trying
to kill him?Colt’s ears picked up her words.
Hey!
Nothing to worry about. This Ship’s got quite a character to her. Thinks She’s funny.He didn’t seem to believe her, and nervously looked over his shoulder in case the very clamp that pulled him to safety would now tear him to pieces.
Found it! Kessy slid her chair aside so Colt could read her screen. He couldn’t make sense of the strange version of Simlish spoken in this ‘verse and asked her to translate.
There’s a wormhole generator in my version of the Forgotten Grotto. You just have to hop a ride through Sixam and bam, you’re homeward bound.
I’ll take your word for it. Anything goes wrong and I’ll tear you a new—
Oi, no need to be rude. I did just save your life.Another argument ensued, both parties boasting about their hard earned immortality and then boredom that would be a part of them for several more generations. Ship ignored them this time and set a course for home via a route that wouldn’t take them past Willow Creek at Kessy’s request. How in the ‘verse I’m supposed to hide my huge bulk, I don’t know, Ship muttered – to the two Sims in her care it sounded like the whirring of an overloaded hard drive trying to boot up
Humans 3 – mods and all.
Don’t even think of saying anything, buddy. Johnny’s my husband. He’s gone now.
I wasn’t going to. Married to Zesty. *snort*
Just for that I won’t tell you where Red’s buried.
My Red? She’s alive?
Nah, been gone a while. Felt sorry she had to babysit a bunch of Nina-brats so we held a ceremony for her. But if you’re not going to play nice...
I don’t do this. Ever. And don’t go telling anyone but... *quietly*
...sorry about Johnny.Kessy grinned triumphantly. She lay down for a quick nap, soon falling asleep to the sound of BlicBlock.
