Assessing Survival by Viola Grace

she slid into place with a sigh.
    She winked at him. “Wake me if I fall asleep before I eat again.”
    The Alguth chuckled and welcomed her to their table.
    She nodded her thanks and attacked her meal.
    Five minutes of silence ruled over the table, and when she finished her cutlet, potatoes and vegetables with the fruit cup she had slammed down like a shot of whisky, the men at the table were looking at her warily.
    “Apologies for the hurry, but I only have a few more hours before the data burst comes in, and it might contain those designs I am waiting for.”
    Niko bracketed her legs with his. “What are you going to do for a few hours?”
    “Put on my suit and head outside. I want to get a feel for where we are.”
    Niko frowned. “Are you sure you should be doing that? You are in charge of the base.”
    She grimaced. “Consider it my time off, Mom.”
    He blinked, and a slow smirk crossed his features. “That is something I have never been called.”
    She grinned. “I have an entire arsenal of names for you. I plan to bring them out one at a time.”
    The Alguth men smiled. Apparently, this didn’t alarm them.
    She looked at the empty tray, sighed and got to her feet. “Well, gentlemen. I will see you later.”
    Liakon rose. “Do you need someone to accompany you?”
    Niko stood as well. “I will go with her. You and your men are not yet cleared to leave the base.”
    Stitch grinned. “Well, if you are coming along, you had better move it. It only takes me six minutes to get suited. Meet you at the exterior hatch.”
    He blinked at the challenge. “So, you will leave without me?”
    “Damned straight.”
    She turned and brought her tray to the drop point. Niko was right behind her.
    Long strides had him passing her as she walked down the hall toward her quarters. She didn’t rush. She simply unhooked her bra as she walked.
    When she was inside her quarters, she stripped and pulled her boots off. The inner liner was hanging in the closet, and it slipped on easily. It was soft and fleecy. She enjoyed using it as pajamas when she needed them.
    The outer suit was a tougher skin, and she hopped into it with a wiggle that she thought she had forgotten. Stitch wedged her arms into the sleeves and pulled the suit forward, arching to settle it into place.
    A zip, a gel seal to close it and the boots on and she was ready to grab her helmet and go play outside.
    She tucked her helmet under her arm and headed for the exterior access, checking on her helmet and the pressure system as she walked.
    The breather system provided her with a tank, and she hooked it to her helmet.
    Niko skidded into the room and stopped. “How did you get into that suit so fast?”
    “Practice. The fashions were a little snug in the capital. I had to get used to using gravity to get me in.”
    He grinned. “That sounds intriguing. I should try it.”
    She laughed. “Right. Well, if you are ready, we should get out there.”
    He called for a charged tank and grabbed his helmet. “Ready when you are.”
    She put her helmet on, clicked it into place, checked the pressure and read the display. “Can you hear me?”
    “Affirmative.”
    “Any idea which way we should go?”
    “Pick a direction. It is all good.”
    It was less of a direction than she had wanted, but she led the way into the first of the three airlocks.
    Each door had a code lock, and she entered her passcode on every pad.
    “How do you remember all that?” Niko was right behind her.
    “Practice.”
    They cleared the final lock, and the press of wind made her step back a little. Niko’s hands came up to support her.
    “Is something wrong?”
    She chuckled through their com line. “I just haven’t felt the touch of wind in a few years. I forgot how it felt.”
    She stepped out through the door, and when Niko was through, he closed it. She heard the hiss, but she was too busy staring at the huge planet that they were orbiting and looking at the expanse of greenery with