The ship had been adrift for one whole cycle now, six years back on earth, the engines down since a major meteor shower had torn through their shields. Spaced in the Kuiper belt with power running low was enough to make anyone pucker.

Jack sighed heavily.

The only thing they had was…

“MARGARITAS! Sam, you spoil me,” Greg took his drink and had a huge sip leaning heavily on his girlfriend Tammy.

“Sam, anything in the news?” Tom asked, his back against the window staring out at the rocks passing by.

Sam’s display drone popped up, his happy emoticon face turning towards Jack.

“Hey there Jack, you can tell Tom we are still very much out of radio range, but our distress beacon is transmitting at maximum range.”

It was strange, but Sam was kind of a jerk to almost everyone, and not just to Tom. In fact he never directly spoke to any of the others, she assumed that though, because Sam only ever talked to her.

He didn’t even talk to Captain Sho.

It was funny, but it was probably why Jack liked Sam. He may have just been the combat A.I. for the small ships she had managed to get to before the station collapsed, but, she was beginning to think he may have a crush on her.

“Lookin’ good Jack, should I get your PJ’s ready for bed?”

The others all clamoured to ask more of Sam, all except Tom who just stared out the window.

Mrs. Penny was the loudest, “I do wish you would hurry and find something for us, I’m dreadfully bored!”

Sam’s drone turned to where Mrs. Penny sat by the charge station in her usual seat in the commissary. ” And I wish Mrs. Penny didn’t leave as many messes as she cleaned. She’s a derelict crone.”

Sam really did have a mean streak, Jack wanted to laugh as Mrs. Penny began to shout.

Mean, but funny.

Jack suppressed her chuckle that threatened to escape, keeping her expression neutral.

“Well, if there’s nothing new to report I’m going to turn in for a few hours.” She was tired after spending all day flipping from repairing the hull, and on the bridge with Captain Sho shooting down the rocks he missed. After all that Sam’s mention of pajamas sounded like a good idea.

The others would be fine without her for a little while.

The gang all said their good nights and Jack headed to her room, Sam’s happy emoticon floating along beside her.

“The shower in your room is back up by the way Jack. Sorry about how long it took but the service mechs are operating at half speed for the next few days till we pass the edge of the asteroid belt i have little power left I’m afraid.” His emoticon was such a comfort to see, it was much nicer than his default big red eye setting. “No worries Jack, six days and we will clear the debris field and the belt, then we should be able to catch better sunlight from Neptune’s artificial sun; if my calculations are correct.”

Jack smiled and punched in the code to lock her room door behind her. “Thanks, Sam. Also, I’m going to take you up on that shower, so, no peaking,” she teased.

“I’d never peak, Jack.”

The water was warm and felt so good on her skin, she had gone without for several days and hated how unclean she felt. It was like a little bit of heaven. Soap and shampoo worked to a heavy lather and soon she was fresh and feeling like herself again.

“So good!”

Sam’s emoticon popped up outside on the shower wall display, “Sorry Jack, but your water ration for the day is almost up, it will reset in… Eight hours. You’re lookin’ good though.”

“Thanks.” She was just rinsing off now anyway. However, his comment made her think. Sam could see her, in a way, the AI could see all those on board right now, where they were, and what they were doing. It made her wonder what she looked like to Sam.

The air came on as the water switched off, blowing her short brown pixie cut dry and her skin.

As Jack returned to the room she looked up at the bunk on the other side of the room where her roommate Drew was.

Drew was always in bed, she was shy and depressed being adrift, and though sometimes she snuck into bed with Jack, it seemed tonight though she was content to stare at the wall. “Saaaaaam, pleeeeeease?” The light above Drew was still on, “Sam, can you get the light?”

“Jack, could you inform Drew I have no control over such subsystems…”

“Sorry Drew, you’ll have to press the switch.” She used a lighthearted tone with her because Jack felt bad for her, she knew she wanted to get back to the station and civilization. So any little bit of cheer or comfort she could offer she usually did, but after an hour it was clear Drew was just going to leave it on all night. Jack ended up and turned it off herself, petting her bunkmate on the head, her soft curly purple hair bouncing under Jack’s fingers.

Drew rolled over, “Thanks Jack… and, sorry…”

Jack was about to respond but Sam suddenly piped up.

“Hey there Jack, your alarm is set for 0800, need anything else before I tend to overwatch?”

“I’m good Sam, thank you.” She then retreated to her bunk below and settled in for a long sleep.

A piece of soft music came on as she turned out her lights a rhythmic tone designed to hide the silence of the ship, to make deep space travellers like them feel more at ease.

“Sweet dreams Jack…”