The conference room stayed quiet for a while after Marcus left.
The heavy door had closed behind him with a tallic sound, and the marines outside remained in place, standing guard with the sa careful posture as before. Nothing about the station felt calm exactly, but the room itself had at least beco less tense now that the questioning had stopped for a mont.
Tony had already taken more food out of the parcel system. So had Gaius. The large table in the center of the room was now covered with food from several different worlds.
Naruto was eating Sea King at, Gaius had brought it to the table for anyone else who wanted so. He took another bite, chewed for a mont, and swallowed before speaking."I really wanna try food from this world."
He said it with honest curiosity, not as a joke. He had been looking around at everything since arriving here, and the food was no different. To him, this whole place was new, strange, and interesting. If they were staying in a human station from another universe, then of course he wanted to know what their food tasted like too.
Mindy imdiately ruined the dream for him.
"Then unfortunately they might not have good food in this place."
She said it while taking a bite of bread.
Naruto blinked at her.
"What? Why?"
Saeko, sitting calmly with a cup of tea in her hand, gave a small chuckle.
"That is understandable," she said. "This is a military station. They are in a bad situation. There is no reason for the food to be luxurious."
Diana nodded beside her.
"Saeko is correct, Naruto."
Naruto lowered his gaze a little, and his shoulders drooped just a bit.
"I was just saying."
He did not sound truly upset. More disappointed than anything else. He had simply hoped he might get to try sothing new and good from this world. But the way they all spoke made it clear that this station probably would not have a proper al to show off.
Tony, Gaius, and Tanya kept eating normally.
Tony leaned back slightly with a drink in one hand, then paused.
He tapped the side of his ear once, his eyes shifting subtly as if listening to sothing none of the others could hear. After a second, he spoke.
"There are three extra caras on us right now."
Tanya, who was sipping coffee and eating a slice of chocolate cake at the sa ti, did not even look surprised.
"It is expected."
Tony smirked and glanced her way.
"No additional one. I ant beyond the obvious ones."
Tanya took another sip, completely calm.
Gaius only looked at them for a second before continuing to eat as if the surveillance did not matter at all. He did not show any hint of what he thought.
For a while, the group kept eating and talking lightly.
Naruto tried another piece of food and still looked unconvinced that his earlier wish had been crushed so quickly. Mindy laughed at him a little. Saeko drank her tea with quiet calm. Diana watched the room from ti to ti, still aware of the caras and the station outside. Tanya remained composed as always. Tony mostly relaxed while checking things on the laptop he had pulled from the parcel system.
Ti passed.
Marcus still had not co back.
After so ti, the group started to get bored.
Naruto was the first one to stand up.
"I want to go out and take a look."
Tony looked up from his laptop.
"Then go. Just don't go anywhere you are not allowed to."
That was enough for Naruto, but Mindy imdiately followed his movent.
"I'll go with Naruto."
Diana looked at Saeko and smiled a little.
"Can you go as well and watch over them?"
Saeko gave a soft chuckle.
"Sure. I'll go."
Mindy folded her arms and frowned a little.
"I'm not a child."
Saeko smiled again, a little more gently this ti.
"Yes, yes. You are not a child. I will just go with you guys."
Mindy sniffed lightly.
"That's more like it."
The three of them headed for the door.
As soon as it opened, the marine guarding outside looked at them.
He did not sound rude when he spoke. He was only doing his job.
"Where are you going?"
Naruto answered at once.
"Marcus hasn't returned, and I'm bored. I want to go take a look around."
Mindy nodded behind him, clearly sharing the sa thought.
The marine hesitated.
He had been told to watch them. Not let them wander freely.
"Please wait," he said. "I'll report it first."
Naruto frowned.
"Why? We're just going to look around."
Mindy and Saeko understood the marine a little better than Naruto did. The soldier was clearly caught between orders and the fact that they were not actually acting hostile.
Saeko gave a helpless little smile.
Naruto, for all his strength and courage, still had a way of sounding simple in monts like this.
Mindy sighed and smacked him lightly on the head.
"Don't mind him," she told the marine. "We'll wait here."
The marine looked grateful at once.
"This will be quick. Wait."
He stepped aside and used the communication built into his helt to report to soone higher up.
After about a minute, he ca back.
This ti his tone had changed.
"I will escort you guys," he said. "So I can introduce you to things."
Naruto brightened imdiately.
Mindy and Saeko followed him out of the room.
The automatic door slid shut behind them with a tallic hiss.
The hallway outside was busier than Naruto expected.
Marines moved through the station with rifles in hand. Workers pushed heavy cargo containers along the floor. Technicians hurried past carrying tools and data slates. Holographic displays flickered on the walls. Every few monts, announcents echoed through the station.
"Docking bay three now receiving evacuation transport."
"dical personnel requested in refugee sector C."
"Slipspace traffic lane seven temporarily restricted."
Naruto looked around with open curiosity as they walked beside the escorting marine.
"So this place is always this busy?"
The marine glanced back briefly.
"Not usually."
His voice carried a tired edge under the professionalism.
"We've been taking in refugees for weeks now."
Naruto nodded slowly.
That made sense.
The station was crowded for a reason.
Mindy walked beside him with her hands behind her head, looking around carefully.
She noticed different things than Naruto did.
Security caras.
Guard positions.
Blast doors.
Weapon racks.
Ergency controls.
A military station from another world still looked like a military station.
Saeko walked with calm elegance, even in the strange and futuristic surroundings. Her expression remained soft, but she was watching everything too.
More than once, passing marines glanced at the three of them.
Naruto stood out the most because of his orange clothing.
He did not seem to care much.
He was too busy looking around.
Then he suddenly stopped near a large observation window.
Outside the station, huge ships floated in space.
So were damaged.
So were surrounded by repair drones and engineering craft.
Workers moved constantly across the hulls.
Naruto stared for a mont at the blackened armor plating and the giant burn marks across the ships.
"The Covenant did that?" he asked quietly.
The marine nodded once.
"Most of those ships barely made it back."
Naruto looked silently at the ruined ships for another second before walking again.
Soon the hallway changed.
There was less military movent now.
More civilian voices.
The air felt different too.
Louder.
Hushed in a different way.
Then Naruto saw the refugee section properly.
Rows of temporary beds filled a massive open space inside the station.
Families sat together beside stacks of luggage and supply crates.
Children slept under blankets.
Exhausted adults spoke quietly nearby.
So people stared blankly at the wall.
Others watched station screens in silence.
dical staff moved among them constantly.
The whole place felt tired.
Not chaotic.
Not panicked.
Just deeply worn down.
Naruto slowed.
"…They really lost their hos, huh?"
The marine did not answer at first.
When he finally did, his voice was quieter.
"Yeah."
That one word said enough.
Mindy's joking mood faded.
Saeko's expression also beca more restrained.
They had all seen refugees before in one way or another.
But this was different.
This was a whole station filled with people who had lost everything to war.
A small child noticed Naruto staring and quickly hid behind her mother.
Naruto blinked awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.
"Am I that weird looking?"
Mindy answered imdiately.
"Yes."
Saeko covered a small laugh behind her hand.
Even the marine let out a tired chuckle.
The tension eased a little after that.
They continued walking until Naruto suddenly slled food.
His eyes lit up instantly.
"Food."
Mindy looked at him.
"You literally just ate."
Naruto crossed his arms.
"That was our food."
He leaned forward a little.
"I want to try this world's food too."
The marine led them farther until they reached a ss hall.
Naruto's excitent lasted about three seconds.
He looked at the tray in front of him and beca silent.
Gray protein blocks.
A bowl of soup that looked bland enough to make him sad just by looking at it.
Nutrient packs.
Dry bread.
Naruto stared at the tray.
"…This is the food?"
Mindy imdiately burst out laughing.
"I told you."
The marine looked a little embarrassed.
"It's military food."
Saeko sat down calmly with her own tray.
"Well," she said politely, "it is practical."
Naruto poked the gray protein block with one finger.
"It looks like a rock."
"It tastes worse," Mindy said helpfully.
Naruto ignored the warning and took a bite anyway.
A second later, his face changed completely.
Instant regret.
Saeko finally laughed properly.
Even the marine had to turn slightly to hide a smile.
Naruto swallowed and looked betrayed.
"What is wrong with this place?"
Mindy laughed harder.
"You said you wanted to try the food here."
"I didn't an like this."
For a few monts, the mood beca lighter again. The station was still full of war and loss, but at least the group could joke a little while sitting down with food.
Then the marine's helt comm activated quietly.
He straightened imdiately and listened.
A short pause followed.
Then he turned toward the three of them.
"Lieutenant Hale has returned."
His expression grew more serious again.
"And ONI wants everyone back in the conference room."
Naruto looked up from his tray.
Mindy stopped laughing.
Saeko set her cup down.
The short break was over.
~~~
Enjoying the story? Want to support future chapters and help this world grow?
Check out my Patreon here:
patreon/ZanderLee
Every bit of support keeps writing, thank you.
User Comments
0 comments from readers