11

First, she showed herself naked to Hood.

The ship’s shower consisted of a sealed cell. Inside, a person could activate a small nozzle that emitted a range of flows of water. Most of the crew preferred a small stream of water, which they rubbed onto their body like a lotion, relying on surface tension to wet themselves. Some of the crew, however, enjoyed filling the sealed chamber with a fine mist of droplets, which made them feel oddly like swimming in water they could breathe. When they finished, vacuums sucked the water droplets and vapor out of the cell. The protocol was that the user then withdraw their clothing from a waterproof bag and put it on before exiting the cell, which opened onto the central corridor of the ship.

Greenstockings simply refrained from clothing herself when she left the shower. Hood was in the hallway, and his reaction was obvious.

‘I forgot to seal my wetbag,’ she said. ‘Everything’s soaked.’

Hood immediately turned away, saying, ‘I’m sorry. I mean, don’t worry about it. It’s no big deal.’

When she didn’t move, and didn’t do anything to cover her nakedness, he couldn’t help turning to look at her again.

‘Could I borrow your shirt?’ she asked.

‘My shirt?’ he said.

She smiled and said, ‘I’m going to have to wear something until my clothes are dry.’

‘Oh, of course. Yes,’ he said. It did not occur to him that she undoubtedly had other clothes in her chamber. He apologized once again while he pulled the shirt over his head. She took it from him and wiggled into it, with somewhat more movement of her body than it should have required.

‘Thanks,’ she said as she floated by him to her chamber.

The next day, she tapped gently on the door to Hood’s sleeping chamber, where he had secluded himself. When he did not answer, as she knew he wouldn’t, she tapped again, and leaned her head close to the door.

‘I know what you’re doing, Robbie,’ she whispered.

Still, he did not respond.

‘I’d like to watch, if you don’t mind,’ she said.

Hood gasped, and after a moment, said, ‘Well, I think the show just ended.’

‘Better luck next time,’ Greenstockings said. ‘I still need to give you your shirt.’