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A silence between them held for perhaps ninety seconds before Torvax spoke again.

"The event was well-attended, Captain. There was conversation and Earth music. Laughter."

Reyna didn't respond.

"Significant laughter," Torvax added.

Reyna sat down ungracefully at her station again. "Thank you for the field report, Commander."

"And food."

"Food?"

"Borran." Then Reyna saw the faintest twitch at the corner of Torvax's mouth. Expression 7. This made her smile.

"I'm really glad to hear it went well, Torvax. Thank you for attending. For the both of us."

"It was my pleasure. I am glad Ms. Wickett enjoyed educating us about Earth."

At this, Reyna's smile grew. Even though she hadn't been there, it sounded like the event was a hit. Conversation and laughter, and Borran bringing food. The whole ship seemed to have gotten involved. That part made her feel a semblance of happiness, knowing Charlie received a welcoming and encouraging response from her crew.

At that, Torvax joined her to work on the docket to finish, and they worked through the night, completing it entirely at 0300. The library would be long empty by now. Even clean-up would be finished. And it was true she'd learned that it was a good time, for everyone involved. But her mind kept circling around how she'd missed all of it. She'd missed Charlie telling stories, sharing more of her music, even her crew laughing. She imagined Charlie was completely in her element, sharing what she loved with people who were interested and intrigued, and gave her their full and undivided attention.

Reyna signed the report, encrypted it, and sent it to Vondra's office from her console. She stood up from her desk, rubbing her eyes before pulling her Captain's jacket back on.

"Get some rest, Torvax," she said, watching him as he rose from where he sat. "That is an order."

"As you say." He straightened his uniform, for a reason she couldn't see, and walked to the door. But he paused before walking through, turning back to face her.

"Captain."

"Yeah, Torvax?"

"I do not believe it would be inappropriate to express to a crew member that you regret missing an event they organized. Such communication typically strengthens crew cohesion."

Reyna heard his words, saw his stoic face, believed his instinct was genuine, so much so that she was rendered speechless.

"That is my professional assessment," he said, turning back to the door and stepping out. "Goodnight, Captain." And then he was gone.

Reyna walked to her quarters alone, the echo of her boots hitting the corridor floors. The ship was quiet at this hour. She had completed her assignment, there was nowhere she needed to be.

She reached her quarters and let herself in, peeling the Captain's jacket off her again and laying it atop the chair near the nook of her room. She walked over to the cold case, opening it and retrieving a chilled bottle of Borran's mead he'd given her a few months back. She popped the top and drained half a glass into a tumbler before stoppering it again and returning it to its spot.

Reyna walked over to her viewport window. She sipped her drink as she looked out against the side of the ship, the viewport exposing the deep recesses of space, its never-ending blackness stretched as far as she could see. No planets, no moons, no other mass in sight.

She stared out and thought about Charlie, standing in the library, telling stories about Earth to a room full of people who wanted to listen. She thought about the smile Charlie had given her earlier that week when Reyna had told her she'd attend. She thought about the way Charlie said "will you be there?" and the way she heard it sound like something different than a question about an event. It had sounded like it meant as much to Charlie for Reyna to be there as Reyna felt compelled, wanting to be there. For Charlie.WithCharlie.

What is happening to me?

The thought had snuck in unannounced, catching Reyna off guard by how it was fully formed, clear and sharp. But what struck her most was how she didn’t have an answer for it.

She finished her drink and placed the tumbler next to the wash station. She went to her bedroom and changed before laying down in the dark to sleep.

But sleep did not come for a long time.

When her mind finally calmed enough and her body rebelled against exhaustion enough, sleep found her. But soon after finally finding it, it brought the bridge with it.

The bridge, empty. The consoles, dark. And her voice, calling out names and getting no answer. Calling again. And again. The silence starting to press in from every direction. And then the terrible certainty that she was the only one left.