14th AUGUST 7080, CITY OF BLUEPOINT, OMARIL

It was an overcast, muggy day in Bluepoint. But, as Brewster O'Keeffe knew, muggy and overcast was sandal season on Omaril, and the planet was indeed well into summer. From the café table at which the mutt sat, looking out over the waterfront near the city spaceport, he couldn't help but stare at the sky.

What had happened on the Laika still came back to him sometimes. He'd wake up screaming, only to smile sheepishly at Kelly when he realized he'd woken her up as well. She understood, but she had to work as well, and it was putting an unspoken strain on their relationship.

Brewster put it aside as the bubbly chatter from the rest of the table brought him back to calm reality, and he turned back to it, taking a sip from the strong coffee that was the only thing keeping him upright, and looking up at the faces he needed right now. "Brewster, are you gonna order soon?" Henriette demanded from opposite him. "Because all you've had today is that latte from the TuGeaux down the street."

He grinned. His teammates had surprised him at his apartment door, and with it being his vacation time and all, he'd decided to give Kelly some space and go out with them for a few days. "Let's see. Where did I put my menu?"

"I think Whit ate it," Jen laughed from beside him. The flighty Jackal laughed harder when Whitney, sitting next to her, rapped her on the head with a breadstick. "Seriously, hurry up. She's mad when she's hungry."

Whitney chittered petulantly. "This planet smells like wet Dog," she complained, looking out over the water.

Brewster sighed theatrically and recovered his screen-sheet menu from where he'd left it. "Think I'll go with the mulligatawny soup."

"Woah, big spender," Donny snorted from across the table.

"Nothing wrong with being healthy," Milan chided the Cat.

"Okay, Donny," Brewster grunted, "we'll play it your way. Rib rack and a well-braised steak." He eyed his colleague mock-hungrily. "And throw yourself on the plate as well."

Donny twitched his whiskers. "Do I get to slather myself in barbecue sauce first?"

"Can I eat him now?" Whitney asked eagerly. "That sounds lovely."

"Tear off a hunk for me too," Jen chirped.

"Oh, this is just great," Donny said casually. "I go on vacation and end up being a flippin' entrée. Well, might as well do it right. Order some mayonnaise. It'll go well with my eyeballs."

Brewster laughed. "No, seriously. Just the first two."

"Oh, finally!" Henriette moaned loudly. "Okay, that's all of us." She gave everyone a stern glare. "Change any part of your order now, and I will eat you."

"Here's a server," Milan announced, motioning to a harried-looking female in café employee attire. Brewster looked up as she walked over, notepad in paw. She was a petite, quite pretty Arctic Fox, with a small nose and shortish brown hair. She smiled wearily as she noticed Milan's signalling finger waggle. "Hi. I'm Lizzie, and I will be your server this morning," she said with a bright smile. "You lot ready to order?"

Brewster blinked, momentarily flat-footed by a sudden flash of recollection. He found himself thinking of that synthetic... Madison, was it? He wondered what had happened to her; she had been carted off by a bunch of OSA techs when they'd reached base. "Uh, yeah."

"Sorry about the wait," the waitress went on, still grinning. "We've had a real rush this past week." She pointed at her muzzle. "This smile hasn't left my face in three days."

Brewster nodded. "Sorry, it's just... you remind me of someone."

"I get that a lot," Lizzie the waitress muttered, crossing something out on her notepad. "What's on the docket, then?"

Everyone gave their orders and the waitress noted them down. "Anything else?"

"Six Polestar Malts," Brewster added.

The waitress jotted that down, glancing at him from one eye. "You got it, Brewski." She winked at him, and left.

Stunned expressions circled the table. "Was... was that...?" Whitney breathed, hoiking a thumb in the direction in which the waitress had left.

Brewster grinned. "I think we can make room for one more."