Orpheus

19

Owen took small steps as he brushed past the supplies in Sector 5.

'Idiot!' he reproached himself. 'Wide-mouthed, insolent idiot! You just had to just, go ahead and open your bloody mouth, didn't you?'

He didn't have any particular destination in mind; all he felt was that he was screwed up. Big time.

'Oh, and telling her all about Pa and Joe was a brilliant idea; jeez! Way to gather sympathy Owen; 'cause if  you can't get 'em by the looks, get 'em by makin' 'em feel sorry for you.'

Owen's pace slacked a bit at the last thought.

'Wow. Did I just bloody admit to myself I wanna be in a relationship with Riley?'

Owen scoffed at himself, yet he didn't deny it. He never actually thought that his infatuation with Riley was this deep.

'Outstanding move! Here you are, in fuckin' space, humanity's 'last hope', subconsciously trying to get a girl. You seriously have your priorities straight.'

His thought train was interrupted as he passed through the grey metallic doors into Sector 6. Sector 6 and 7 were the oddballs when it came to the sectors; whilst most housed supplies, or rooms, these functioned as mini hangers for two small shuttles. 

Owen stood there, staring at the black and chrome ship on his right, the white lights on the ceiling right above sheening off the smooth metal surface. Behind it, through the large triangular windows, Owen could see the stars gleaming in the infinite; small rays of hope in the dark. Bellow, unnoticed by him, was a thick black line cutting across the length of the floor. That was where the floor would open; dropping the spacecraft into space like missiles from a warplane.

Owen didn't really know why, but he was drawn to the ship; he was, after all, a pilot. The spacecraft had caught his eye, and was now the center of his attention.

'Sleek body, nice design- Woah, those thrusters are HUGE! I mean look at those circular rims... By god, isn't she a beauty?' He absentmindedly raised his hand and slowly brushed his palm against the side of the craft. 

'Smooth, like a fish in the water...' 

For a few moments, Owen had completely forgotten his perturbations; he just couldn't help but take a few steps back and take in the sight of the ship.

'Oookaay... we have to name you; what shall we be naming you...?'

Owen needed to scratch his cheek only for a few seconds before his brain threw a name at him.

'Dorothy; that sounds al'right.' He smiled. 'I don't know why I'm naming you, or why I find this amusing, but that's what I'll call you: Dorothy.'

He gave a small smile, then entered the craft on an impulse; examining something he knew well would be more comforting than braving uncharted waters of the heart.

'People are complicated, but this, this simplicity is bliss.'