Once Upon A Night’s Sky

“So here you are, this is your cabin,” Charlie spoke a tired smile spread across his lips.

Robert took in the wording stencilled against the metallic door, Section 4 Cabin 23. It wouldn’t take him long to remember this but the route to the cabin itself may have been a different matter all together. Robert would have to make sure to leave extra time in the morning to counter for the journey. It was enviable that he should get lost at some point.

“You will share this cabin for the duration of your time here. Together you are reasonable for its well being” Charlie continued, holding up a small plastic card from his trouser pocket as he turned back towards their door.

Intrigued Robert shuffled to the side as to get a better view of the door itself. He recognised the lock instantly, they had, had the exact same locking system at the air fields back home. It was an uncomplicated, yet an effect system of security.

“Inside there should be a envelope which holds a key card like this for each of you,” Charlie announced flashing the key card once more over his right shoulder as the door before him opened.

“It will get you in and out off your cabin and room as well as acting as your identity card upon this British space station. So try not to lose it within the first week it causes nothing but trouble” he winked as he walked through the now parting doors.

Robert couldn’t help but smile as he followed Liam through the doors, Charlie brought a sense of light heartedness to this place. He really was the perfect choice to greet new recruits.

Walking through the small doorway Robert passed into what seemed to be quite a large communal area. Stepping down on the right was a set of worn, yet comfy looking sofas with a TV Placed symmetrically before then. Up to the left was a kitchen area fitted with the essential appliances and a rectangular table sat for three placed in the far corner. Lastly stood grandly across from the entrance was a large circular bay window.

Robert was not alone as he was at once drawn towards this magnificent object. Liam, Leah and surprisingly Christian were soon by his side as he walked towards its prominent view.

“Each country has its own station upon the moon right?” Robert found himself asking as he placed a hand tenderly upon the clear glass.

From here the view of earth was nearly as ore inspiring as it had been upon the space shuttle. Robert could easily see himself sending hours upon this bay staring into the dark depths of space. Windows, Robert felt were magical things. They never failed to spark thought within him.

“Yeah we hardly interact with each other physical for training and things but every weekend the doors are open and you can visit each others leisure facilities.” Charlie answered as he headed towards the kitchen his eyes searching the surfaces of the countertops.

“So whose station is closes to ours?” Christian asked turning back towards the room, a smirk forming upon his lips once again. Robert noted it was already becoming Christian’s trade mark.

He wasn’t sure if he disliked the boy already or that Christian was just playing on his already torn nerves. Today hadn’t exactly been a stress free day. In all he was trying his best not to judge the boy but Christian wasn’t making things easy.

“Spain’s station is probably the closes. They hold some brilliant parties, especially during festival season” Charlie smiled fondly “But if you’re willing to get up that much earlier to travel the distance the Italian’s have some amazing restaurants”

Roberts’s heart clenched, Michelle had always loved Italian food. The mixture of herb, tomatoes and pasta had always appealed to her senses. Then again Michelle had always wanted to experience the festival season. Given the choice he knew she would have wanted to visit both the Spanish and Italian station. Even if her letter hadn’t mentioned so Robert hoped she had. It helped him to think that at some point she could have been enjoying herself upon this station.

“Have you been to visit any other stations?” Liam asked walking from Roberts’s side towards Charlie who was now picking up an item tucked inside an empty fruit bowl within the kitchen.

“I visited the Americans on business once,” Charlie answered honestly as he walked back towards the room. “I don’t think I could ever describe to you the grand scale of their station in words without seeing it for yourself. It’s a pretty impressive sight”

Yet as Robert continued to look out the bay window he couldn’t help but feel no matter what building you were in the view from the inside out would always be impressive. How could something so sinister be placed before something so beautiful? Then Robert guessed that was life. It was something so beautiful and yet at the same time it was something so sinister. The two were combined in everyday life why shouldn’t they be here, the most sinister place Robert knew.

Tearing his gaze away from the window he turned back towards the room to find Charlie stood squarely within the centre waving a heavy looking envelope within his hands.

“Rooms” he stated as he jumped down the step into the sitting area tearing into the envelope with hardly any elegance. “Remember these key cards will get you through the front door and your room only,” he pressed as Robert made his way closer towards the group forming around Charlie.

“Right room one is Christian” Charlie declared as he tossed two key cards towards Christian who caught them with ease. “Sharing with James,”

“We have to share” James shouted in outcry even before Christian’s lips could begin to mouth the same words. Charlie laughed easily as Christian shot a look towards James.

“Your get used to it mate” Charlie promised as James shared a look of doubt with Christian before turning silently away from each other once more. Robert instantly felt sorry for James. Yet at the same time he was relieved he would not be the one sharing courters with Christian, he didn’t think he could take that on top of Ava.

He had tried to keep Ava behind him for most of the journey, it was much easier to concentrate when she wasn’t within his provisional vision. If he was honest Robert had pushed the thought Ava to the back of his mind and for the most part it had worked. Yet as Robert looked around the size of this cabin he knew Ava was going to become a daily problem. She was temptation and Robert truly didn’t know how he was going to cope with that.

“Second bedroom is Liam and Robert” Liam outstretched his hand as he caught both his and Robert’s keys.

“And the third room is Ava and Leah” Charlie announced as Ava caught the pair’s keys, turning to give Leah a small smile.

Ava may have looked like Michelle but in reality she did not act like her in the slightest. Michelle would have walked over to Leah, nothing but smiles as she talked to the girl animatedly instead of standing timidly at her side as Ava did now. The shy girl Robert found himself watching now was a perfect version of a young timid Michelle, the Michelle he had fallen in love with.

Together he and Michelle had grown into more confident versions of themselves and his love for her had only grown with them. Yet lately Robert found himself dreaming more about the past then the future and it was for these reasons alone that he feared Ava so much. It was as if his past was coming back to haunt and tempt him all at once.

Trying to shake his thoughts from Ava, Robert turned towards Dawn, noting he wasn’t the only one who had noticed she had yet to be given a room.

“All rooms are down there” Charlie stated pointing to a small walkway leading from the corner of the sitting area. “Rooms one and two are off to the left, three and four are towards the right, and lastly the shared bathroom is straight at the end of the corridor. Your things should have already been placed within your room.” He finished leaving everyone looking at him in silence.

“Hop to it then, go unpack, if you don’t do it now you never will, take that from experience” he laughed, the sound of his hands clapping together putting emphasis on the need for motion. “Dawn if you follow me I’ll show you to your room”

Robert watched as what was left of Dawn’s small smile vanished. Inclining her head politely the young girl moved towards Charlie as he began to lead her down the short corridor. Robert soon followed suit, trailing behind James and Liam as they to made their way towards their rooms.

Unable to keep his interest at bay Robert slowed as to watch Charlie lead the girls off to the right. His height giving him a gaining advantage Robert was able to catch a glimpse of a large door situated at the end of the corridor. Even if he hadn’t been able to read the number written across the front he had known at once it was dawn’s room.

Letting out a low whistle Robert shook his head messing his blonde locks with his right hand as followed Liam towards their room. He guessed being the prime ministers daughter had some perks up here after all.

As he continued to wonder down their corridor Robert realised that room one was exactly opposite his own. Moving to the side Robert watched as Christian barged past James’ form, which had been previously standing curiously within their door way, before dropping his body heavily onto his chosen bed.

Hearing James curse lowly under his breath as he passed Robert was once again relieved he was not rooming with Christian.

“Any preferences on which bed you want?” Liam asked as Robert walked hesitantly into their room.

The room itself consisted of two of everything. Two single beds placed on opposite sides of the room, one with a window view and the other against the far wall. There were two wardrobes of a medium size press against the third wall decorated with torn posters of the pervious tenants. Lastly there were two desks pressed back to back in the centre of the rectangular room, helping to create the illusion of two separate rooms. It wasn’t exactly much but it fulfilled to every need Robert supposed.

“I wouldn’t mind the one with the window view,” Robert shrugged causing Liam to smile.

“I hoped you would say that,” Liam admitted as he picked up his bag from the floor and placed it on the bed closes to the door “The window would only distract me,” he laughed quietly as Robert moved towards the furthest bed. The distraction was the single reason Robert had wanted it in the first place, though he never voiced this opinion.

“It’s quite surreal being here isn’t it?” Liam dwelled as Robert watched him began to search through his belongings. Robert sat unmoved. “Nothing can really prepare you for being here can it? I’m not sure what I expected but it wasn’t quite this,”

Though Robert had Michelle’s letter, she had never described their cabin. Instead she had spent pages writing about her training, about her first flight. Robert knew both the worst and best were yet to come. Instead of voicing this to Liam Robert just gave him a small smile as he settled into his own bed.

“I don’t think anyone can ever expect what it will be like here” Robert finally answered after a moment of silence.

“I guess not” Liam agreed as Robert looked out towards the window taking in the view once more “The training is meant to be intense though”

Robert smiled softly to himself as he remember the exact words Michelle had written to him

“Were not playing pilots and drinking coffee anymore Rob, this is the real thing, and I love it.”

Robert had always taken comfort in those words,

“Intense is one way of describing it, i suppose” he agreed