1: moderation in action, thought, or feeling : RESTRAINT
2a: habitual moderation in the indulgence of the appetites or passions
b: moderation in or abstinence from the use of alcoholic beverages
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/temperance
The clatter of cutlery and echoing indistinct conversations of the mess hall rang through my head like a maglev train ploughing through a wall. Leaning into my coffee cup I tried sipping the beverage to avoid lifting it, in an effort to reduce the noise and vibration. This was to no avail, after three cups of coffee I was out of ideas and starting to shake from the caffeine influx. My brain was wide awake and alert but my body had other plans, aching in parts, numb in others.
The continental breakfast was a welcome change from my usual freeze dried, additive ridden meals. However this added to my confusion as I never understood why it was called so, nothing about it was remotely continent themed? I comforted my self with the assumption it was an old Earth creation as I knocked back a small tumbler of orange juice.
It was time to begin my adventure homeward, so I headed back to the room to collect my things. As each stride caused my brain to pound around the confines of my cranium I swore to myself that I’d never let hard liquor pass my lips again.
Fumbling around my pockets for the room key, voices bled through from my memory. “Do you have a key card? Do you know where your key is?”. The front desk had advised that the key cards needed to be kept separate from any communications devices as they would wipe the data clean off them. I pressed the card against the door panel, nothing. Rubbing the card on my sleeve, I tried again.
The girl at reception was very apologetic as she refreshed the data on my room card, advising that due to being all the way out at the centre of the galaxy they are usually last to take up any new improvements to the hospitality industry.
Having collected my things I dragged myself to pick up provisions. With the amount of ammonia atmospheres I tend to encounter, I decided to try some fragranced filter plugins for my Artemis suit. I think these are just a gimmick for the new commander, but it was worth a go even if it was just to provide some variance to my exploration. I picked up the galaxy’s best seller, apparently “Alpine Fresh” and the middle aged pilots go to, “New Cockpit”. I also grabbed a fresh bottle of rum.
Exiting the lift to the hanger bay I was accosted by a mechanic, “We have been calling your accommodation suit since yesterday!”, I was taken back by the urgency as he started to explain that I had requested they touch up the livery on the Hiraeth the last time I was docked here, but I took off before they could complete the job. They no longer had Icarus Red and it would have been weeks before more supply of the paint arrived from Colonia, so they painted her Iridescent Scorch. I am glad this was explained to me, although it did not make too much sense at the time in my still slightly inebriated state.
I shambled aboard, unpacked my things and attempted to get into my flight suit. Completing the zip closure felt I had achieved something. I setup the discman back in its place on the command console and immediately turned my attention to the music selection. To mix things up a bit I took four discs from the wallet, shuffled them and placed the top disc into the player.
With the mystery music ready to go I settled in the crash couch, pulled the navigation panel around and plugged in the coordinates to the hell scape planet of my biological failure. As I awaited permission to depart I started to look for DSSA carriers between there and Colonia to break the journey up.
“You are cleared for take off commander” a voice cracked through the coms. Releasing the landing gear the Hiraeth started to drift away from the landing pad. I pointed her towards the mail slot, eased the throttle forward and hit play on the discman… What the…
The Javi Times 