Most of the time Aurora treated the ship as her baby, something precious that deserved her never-ending patience and exacting care. At times, however, it reminded her of the actual children she had encountered. In a word, irritating. She had spent the better part of the morning surrounded by metal clangs and metallic groans that signaled the Huria's complaints with the new converter she had installed.
Storming into the common room, Aurora made a marked contrast to Eppie's pristine, serene appearance. Her hair was tied back in an off-centered pony tail, the hair that had escaped from the band beginning to curl around her flushed face in messy tendrils. Without a word to Eppie, she marched over to the container holding the chilled drinks, her feet making a remarkable amount of noise considering her height and weight, almost drowning out the soft music. She grabbed a cold beverage in her hand, pressing it to her cheek for a moment before opening it and taking a long gulp. Almost immediately, she felt her nerves begin to settle.
With a sigh, she reached to massage her tired neck, walking a few steps and then falling heavily into the chair across the table. "Pretty," she said at length, pointing to the intricate designs beginning to take form on Eppie's feet. "Don't know how you stay put long enough, though."