What Do You Want From Your Future?

Posted on Sat Jan 10th, 2026 @ 8:17pm by Warrant Officer Iryna Voznyuk

Mission: Royal Mail
Timeline: Day 452
Tags: 2026 SOLO post
603 words - 1.2 OF Standard Post Measure

Iryna ran around the E deck again and again until her thighs burned and her chest struggled to draw breath, which was unlike her. That was what finally made her stop. She bent forward, hands braced on her knees, lungs aching as she dragged in air, knowing she was done. Her body could not take any more of the pace she had been setting, not tonight.

She had been pushing herself harder than usual, trying to stay on top of her fitness routine even as the ship grew busier by the day. With more people coming on board, privacy was becoming a rare luxury, especially on the lower decks. Still, she refused to let that be an excuse. She was determined to stick to her personal rule: if she could not punch as hard as a man, she would run faster and farther than anyone else ever could. Especially now, in this new universe they had found themselves in, where the unknown seemed to lurk around every corner. Not everything could be solved with words or a gun. Sometimes survival meant endurance. Sometimes you just needed to run until you were safe.

She hated being on a higher security alert. It meant longer shifts, more tension, and far less downtime than she needed. Sleep was precious to her; without it, the careful composure she maintained began to fray. Straightening slowly, she glanced up and down the deck to make sure no one had seen her in such an unguarded state. Thankfully, this close to midnight and the next shift change, she was still alone. With a quiet breath, she shook her head and made her way back towards her quarters and the shower she needed before reporting for duty.

Even as she stepped inside and crossed the room, she could not leave the earlier interaction with the other ship’s executive officer behind. She had been eating alone when the woman had approached her table, casual and calm, yet unmistakably observant. The conversation had been brief, but it lingered far longer than Iryna liked. She found herself replaying the blue-skinned woman’s words again and again.

What exactly do you want from your future?

And what did she want from her future?

It was such a simple question, but it carried a weight she suspected the woman had never intended. Iryna could not remember anyone asking her that outright before—except, perhaps, Nate during a rare moment of reflection—and even then she was fairly sure she had avoided answering. Stripping quickly, she stepped into the shower, not wanting to risk being late if she lingered any longer.
As hot water poured over her, she leaned her forehead against the tile and let the question roll around in her head. The truth was, she did not know what she wanted. She only knew that Atlantis was the first place where she had been challenged in the right way—not just as a MACO, but as a woman in that role. It demanded more of her, expected more of her, and somehow made her rise to meet it.

She was thriving in ways she had not since childhood. The work, the people, the constant uncertainty—it was all changing her, softening edges she had once relied on for survival. She hoped the change was not wasted on her, and that she was worthy of it. Worthy of being here. Worthy of being surrounded by people who cared so deeply about everything and everyone.

Still, even as the steam filled the room, the question refused to fade.

What exactly did she want from her future?