The human keeps falling asleep at their work station. But why? -- Anon Guest
It had happened again. Human Yu was sitting at hir station, eyes gently closed, but otherwise stable in hir seat. Hir head was slowly tilting forwards and down and ze would soon jolt awake with a snort.
The crew of the Phlogiston knew that Rescue Humans had their issues, but this was one the Alliance hadn't encountered before.
Therefore, it was greatly concerning.
Companion Keidd gently raised her voice. "Yu...? Yoo-hoo, Yu. You are sleeping."
Ze still startled awake in a defensive position. "Huh? Oh. Yeah." A couple of breaths in which ze whispered, "I am safe here. I am valued. I am wanted. I am worthy." Ze whispered it three times before ze seemed to catch up with current events. "I didn't want to be asleep on the job." Slowly. Cautiously, ze lowered hir hands.
"We know," soothed Keidd. "We seek to look after you as you look after us. If you are not safe and well, how can you keep us safe and well?"
The logic worked, and Yu leaned back in hir chair. "I still can't sleep easily. You've done so much for me already, I was afraid to ask for anything else. I don't know if I'm too needy or..." ze trailed off into trepidatious silence.
Keidd maintained her air of patient calm. "Your welfare is an important part of the ship's function. If you need, we will provide. There is no such thing as too needy." She had explained it before, and would doubtless explain it again. "You have also done so much for us. You are worthy."
Yu wrung hir hands. "The white noise helps. So does the weighted blanket and the Worry Doll. I think... I might try the sleeping hormones tonight. May I... call? If I need help?"
"Any time. I will not be upset with you." It would be rough, but solving their Human's little fears would help hir protect them from the big ones.
[Photo by Nathan Bang on Unsplash]
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