In the medical bay, Anya sat alone. She tapped at her clipboard with her pen, anxiously biting her lower lip. She had been reading and rereading Swansea's evaluation for the past twenty minutes. Not for analysis, but for procrastination. He was the last crew member Anya interviewed before she had to move on to the final evaluation. The meeting she had been silently dreading all day. She would unfortunately have to come face to face with the co-pilot of the Tulpar, Captain Curly's right hand man and supposed friend,
Jimmy.
Even if trying to get Swansea to open up was like nails on a chalkboard, it was still preferable to dealing with Jimmy.
Everytime Jimmy would ask her: What was the point of these? Does anyone even read them? Did corporate even care?
And everytime Anya's answers would remain the same: To prevent any credits from being docked from their pay. Probably not. Definitely not.
She felt an itch in her throat just thinking about it. Something about his demeanor set off an allergic reaction in her. He hadn't done anything in particular to warrant it. There was no single, definite act he committed that caused her skin to crawl at the sound of his name. Rather, an amalgamation of microscopic instances of disrespect that piled up and burned like a boiling cyst.
There were things he'd mutter under his breath as if she couldn't hear him. Every snide remark and passive aggressive comment were ignored by Anya to the best of her abilities.
When Anya first started her career, she knew she'd have to be tough. Tougher than her usual self, at least. No one wanted to deal with the emotional liability of a woman. Especially not men with a job like this.
Don't whine. Don't complain. Support the crew above all else. She was a caretaker first and a crew member second.
Then there was the way Jimmy would speak over her at team meetings. Blatantly stealing her ideas by rephrasing what she had just suggested. Denigrating whatever input she offered simply because she was a woman. Anya knew it was because she was a woman, but didn't dare point it out lest she be labeled an instigator. Curly didn't see a problem with Jimmy's behavior and never bothered to reprimand him. So Anya followed suit and ignored the itch just like he did.
Unfortunately, ignoring Jimmy's actions weren't as easy when said actions were directly affecting you.
There were times when they would cross paths down the ship corridors. He'd refuse to accommodate her by stepping out of the way. Oftentimes just grunting "Watch it." to her as he shoved past her. The palm of his hand finding Anya's breast every time as he would push past her.
He was just being rude. He was just being inconsiderate. Nothing to run crying to Curly about.
At the very beginning of the journey, every member of the Tulpar crew underwent a physical. Jimmy stood shirtless in front of her, an obvious erection tucked into the left leg of his boxers. Anya desperately kept her eyes focused on the floor, but no matter where she turned, he was intruding on her peripheral vision.
Jimmy was given a cup from Anya. All she asked for was a urine sample.
He made a joke about "needing a magazine" to "fill it properly."
Anya didn't laugh.
Then there was the time when he 'accidentally' walked into the showers when she was using them. He pretended to cover his gaze, peeking through parted fingers.
"Whoa. Sorry, Anya." Jimmy slowly backed away, taking his sweet time.
Thinking about it made her want to vomit.
She told Curly the next morning. The conversation was just as uncomfortable as the experience.
"So that's why I think that we should have scheduled shower times. So it won't happen again." Anya explained. "We can't have crew members just walking in and out."
"Sorry Anya, but I don't think restricting our allotted time any further is the answer." Curly brushed her off almost immediately. "It was just one mistake. It's not like it's going to happen again."
"He was in there much longer than he had to be." Anya spoke despite the lump in her throat threatening to gag her. "He was staring at me, Captain."
Curly sighed and placed his palm to his forehead. "Alright, I'll have a with talk him about it."
"No!" She panicked on immediate instinct. "Please, don't!" Anya brought her hands up and waved them frantically. "I don't want him to know I told you anything!"
"You aren't making this easy for me, Anya." Curly frowned. "Can't you just make sure that the shower doors are locked next time?"
"The showers don't have locks." Anya looked to the floor defeated.
"Oh. Right. I forgot." Curly laughed uncomfortably and reached his hand behind his head. "Sorry Anya. The Tulpar is a pretty old ship. When it was first manufactured they didn't have many female crew members."
"I see. So locks on the bathrooms were never a priority."
"Exactly." Curly nodded. "And Jimmy said he was sorry, right?" Curly placed his arm around her shoulder. "Look, I know he's rough around the edges. But you have to cut him some slack. He's had a troubled life back on Earth."
"That might be the case..." Anya said. "But I can't help but feel like he's especially 'rough' with me, though."
"Honestly? I think it might be because he likes you." Curly released his arm from Anya and chuckled to himself. "He's shy around women. So he puts up a front to seem tough. Really, he's just overcompensating."
"Likes me, huh?" Anya scoffed. "He sure does have an odd way of showing it."
"I never said he was normal." Curly ruffled Anya's head of already messy black hair. "I've known him my entire life. He just needs some patience, which I know you have plenty of." He smiled brightly, which helped ease Anya's stress just a little.
"By the way, before I forget." Anya turned to look at the captain. "I can't find my ID badge anywhere. I know I can't log my hours without it, so I'm worried..."
"I'll be on the lookout for it. And don't worry, just log all your hours manually and I can figure something out when we find your badge."
Anya nodded. "Thank you, Captain."
"Anytime, Anya."
Back in the present, Anya placed her head in her hands as she sulked at her desk. She still hadn't found her ID badge. She had given up hope of trying to find it. For some reason, she had a feeling Jimmy had something to do with its disappearance. But Anya knew it was just paranoia to think like that.
She wished he wasn't such a constant stressor for her mental health. But Jimmy's presence in this claustrophobic ship proved to test the nurse's resolve.
Anya wearily looked up to the analog clock ticking away. It was almost 'night' time, and she knew she couldn't delay the inevitable any longer. Sighing, she stood up from her chair and made her way to the cockpit. Hopefully it would be both captains in there.
She nodded at Daisuke as the two of them crossed paths. He flashed her a smile and it temporarily filled her with enough courage to finish her duties. But soon enough they were on opposite sides of the Tulpar, and Anya was once again alone in the corridor. Her steps slowed down as she advanced towards the cockpit, bracing herself for what was to come.
Anya rang the intercom and was greeted by a gruff voice.
"What is it?"
Anya frowned. It was Jimmy speaking.
"Anya. I'm talking to you. Did you hear me?"
"It's time for your routine psych evaluation." Anya finally answered. "Can you come meet me in the medical bay?"
Static emitted from the intercom for a while before Jimmy finally answered. "Just come in. We'll do it here."
