Designing Lorri

I was very confident about making it to round 2. My last story was a jackpot: a genre and required action I was all to comfortable with. This time, I once again got Sci-Fi with the required action “opening an envelop”, and the required word, “climb”, and as usual, only 250 words. This is not my favorite as I was for some reason stumped by envelope, but not only was I crunched for time by only having 24 hours to write it, I am also bogged down with my freelance work. Oh well, “c’est la vie” they say.

Here it is, my submission for Round 2.

Treachery of the Stars

Captain Kasian’s end wasn’t as dramatic or loud as one may think: no sirens, no bright red lights, no screaming. He was alone aboard the USS Titania 6000 as it plummeted into a spiraling black hole. 

Climbing aboard the bridge, Kasian peered into the vortex of his reality through massive windows like lenses of truth. He ran his fingers over the control panel knowing that nothing would change his course.

“That ship has sailed,” He chuckled to himself. 

Sinking back into his broad captain’s chair, he drew a crumpled envelope from his pocket. The smell of lavender and vanilla danced in his nostrils as Kasian opened the letter for one last time; the sweet scent only sickened him as he read the words, reliving his last day at the colony.

He had just returned from a mission, still garbed in a greasy uniform and the smell of mechanical fluids. Swinging open the door with eagerness, he expected to be greeted with open arms and a kiss on the neck. Instead, Kasian found only an empty home and a note. Written in over accentuated script, just like her handwriting always had been, was her sanctimonious reason. Evidently, being the wife of the captain of the finest Starfleet wasn’t good enough if he was never home.

In his final voyage, Kasian shed no tears for his faithless wife. He didn’t call her name. He only muttered the last words of her letter as his world crashed in,

“This time, don’t come back.”