Snippet #963137

[Backpost]

For the first time since Wes and Nuri started talking, he found himself disagreeing with her. He grinned; he liked the idea of having a lot in common with a gorgeous French model - he still couldn't get over that he was even speaking to her - but for the most part they had agreed on everything up to this point. Every conversation could be spiced up with a little conflict.

"But you have to draw the line somewhere," he said. "The program has done a good job at accommodating us within their limits, but they have rules to abide by. In joining this program, I think it's necessary that we waive our rights to some of the amenities we had back on Earth. We all knew our lives were going to change forever when we agreed to live on a spaceship the rest of our lives, and it's not like the DPE has kept that fact a secret from us. I'd say a good majority of us want to be here, and we know what we're getting into; we are risking a sort of dehumanization by choosing this lifestyle, but I'd call it an occupational hazard that we-"

"Lights out in thirty minutes. Lights out in thirty minutes."

Wes paused. The sudden interruption from the intercom had thrown him off his game. He tried to remember what point he had been trying to make, but he couldn't latch onto the thought. That was probably for the best; he had started rambling a bit anyway. "Well, anyway, we can talk about this stuff some other time...maybe tomorrow?"

Rising from his seat, he picked up his tray from the table and reached his hand out for Nuri's. "Here, I'll take your plate."