No one stops us from leaving. The moment Lee disappears behind the protective doors, the hangar opens. The star fire has passed, so we’re out in the dead of space in a matter of minutes, the larger ship fading.
After taking a glance over Lalia’s shoulder to ensure Zane’s still holding up, I shut the door to the washroom and sit against the sink, crunched on the floor in the sparse space.
I’d punch something if either of my hands didn’t hurt. Instead, I take a deep breath until even my lungs can’t go anymore, and let it out slowly. My ribs ache. I’m gonna have to deal with my injuries, but I don’t want to. And I don’t want any of the humans looking in on me. At least it’s quiet, Lalia’s soft murmur on the other side of the door. Every once in a while, Bat’s rough voice joins hers.
Someone knocks softly.
“I’m fine, Yvonne,” I mutter.
“It’s me,” comes Anya’s voice, hesitant.
Oh. I suppose this is one small ship with six occupants now. I crack the door open. “Do you need in here? I’ll move.”
“No,” she says, but squeezes her way in, shutting the door and sitting with her back to the wall my boots are tucked against. She hasn’t put her arm back on, but she might want my help with it. I’d think so, but she doesn’t have it with her.
When the silence starts to bug me, I ask. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
Okay then. “Good.”
“Does it hurt when you get injured?”
Not the question I was expecting. “Yes. But not as much as it would hurt a human. My body kinda…dials it down. A bit.”
Her eyes roam over me. “Yvonne is helping with Zane. She told me not to look.”
I swallow before my throat threatens to close up. “I think he’s okay. Lots of injuries look worse than they actually are.”
She nods. “Captain said that once.”
Well. The hell do I say to that?
Nothing. I nod and stare at the ceiling. Close my eyes until their aching fades to a manageable level. Turn down my hearing aids so the damaged portals on my right temple aren’t as aggravated. I can fix them myself, or at least I should be able to, but Bat will be pissed at me if I don’t let him handle the delicate work. I’ll just clean off, take care of the stuff not involving my augmentations.
If I can find the energy to move.
Anya shifts, and I think she’s leaving before there’s a thump on the cabinet beside me, and she leans lightly against my side, head against my arm. I glance at her but can’t see her expression.
“Everything’s fine,” I tell her, awkwardly, not knowing what else to do. I didn’t exactly expect her to come sit with me.
“Captain said that once, too.”
I grimace. Can’t imagine him saying such a thing, but I suppose he was putting on a kinder exterior for the youngest princess of the galaxy. Pretending to be a little human.
“Sounds a lot better when you say it, though.”
I might scoff if the idea didn’t sound painful. Makes me feel better, though. Which is stupid, but I’m over being upset about it, at least for now. “Thanks.”
“You look deep in thought.”
I blink, raising my head off my hand from where I was staring at the console. Yvonne stands in the doorway to my bunk room. Behind her, Lalia is laying on the floor beside the bed, not wanting to be far from Zane. I checked on him a while ago, but he’s fast asleep and not feverish. There’s nothing much I can do for him other than worry, and I’m doing that just fine.
Anya eventually crashed on the chair behind me, and Bat is asleep on my lap.
My implants aren’t fixed, but they’ll be fine until morning. After a shower, too many bandages, and probably one too many pain pills than necessary, I’m feeling…manageable.
“Finding somewhere we can land. I don’t trust this,” I gesture to the cracked viewport. “And quite frankly, I’m not sure I have the medical supplies for Zane. We stocked up on Falla, but not for all this.”
She nods, seating herself on the edge of the console, her leg brushing mine. “Find anywhere?”
“Maybe. Still looking.”
“Have you considered sleep?”
I nearly smile. “After I find coordinates.”
“Right, right.” She watches me scroll through the star charts in a way which would probably freak me out if I wasn’t so used to it. “Thanks.”
I pick one of the smaller, more out-of-the-way planets between here and Zar, less than a day’s flight, and check out the planet info. “For what?”
“I think you helped both Anya and me at approximately half a dozen separate instances today.”
“Oh.” I don’t know what else I’m supposed to say.
She raises her eyebrows, smiling a little. “Did you not notice?”
“I was fairly busy panicking. I’ll take your word for it.”
She snorts. “You panic much more calmly than most people.”
I squint at her. “I do remember yelling quite a bit.”
“I’ll give you that.”
The planet I’m inspecting seems like it should do. I haven’t heard of it, but it’s close enough, out of the way, and no one seems to be tracking us or anywhere in the vicinity. We need to land somewhere, and there’s no better place I feel safe. I give the ship the coordinates and ensure it’ll alert us if any other ships come within even a pinprick of sight.
“How are you doing?” Yvonne asks.
I get to my feet, shifting Bat into my arm gently, limping heavily now there’s no more adrenaline in my veins. But I’ve got enough painkillers in my system I’m sure I can fall asleep just fine. Somewhere.
“How do I look?”
“You really want me to answer that?”
“Not at all.”
With a soft smile, she gets up and steps to me before I can consider it, reaching for my shoulder.
“What?” I ask. I changed into clean clothes, but I’m not sure some of my worse injuries aren’t bleeding through the gauze.
“Oh, relax,” she whispers and wraps her arms around my neck. I go still, tempted to ask what she’s doing but knowing the answer is fairly obvious. Obvious, but nonsensical. Bat is going to get squished between us. I expect her to let go, and wait for it. Nearly a minute passes before I figure she may not. I’m not nearly as uncomfortable as I should be, but this isn’t exactly the first time we’ve been in close contact. I’m getting accustomed to her, enough I pat her back instead of picking her up and peeling her off me.
“You,” she mutters into my shoulder, “are terrible at hugging.”
For no good reason, that seems a little insulting. “No, I’m not. I’m just trying to figure out what you want.”
“I want,” she says. “A hug.”
“Oh.”
Well, I guess she isn’t going to let go. I put my arm around her, not the one holding Bat. He won’t be happy with this if he wakes up. “Is this satisfactory?”
She sighs and says nothing else. I must be tired. After the day I’ve had, it makes sense enough. All she feels is warm and easy to lean on, and I definitely shouldn’t be letting this happen. I’m not certain why, but I’m sure I shouldn’t.
Eventually, she unwinds her arms, smiling awkwardly and wandering to her sister. “I’ll squeeze in with Anya. You take the other chair.”
It’s not quite big enough for them. “I’m not sure you’re going to fit—”
“Either I share it with her, or with you, pick one.”
My face feels hot. “Well, you definitely won’t fit with me.”
She smiles a little. Feeling helpless, I take a final shuffle around the ship, checking on everything. There isn’t any damage to the ship other than the viewport. I still have my weapons, most of them at least.
Lalia is crashed on pillows on the floor. I find her an extra blanket and manage to drape it over her without waking her. Zane looks a little small in even my small bed. There are bandages on his face. Bat worked on him with Lalia for a long time, enough so when I asked if they needed help, I was told to go take care of my own injuries. I touch his forehead. Out like a light. Still not feverish.
By the time I mosey my way back, Yvonne is tucked in with Anya under blankets, her little sister half on top of her. I really am going to need to get some extra bedding given the way this month is going. Some camping mattresses for the floor, at least.
I find one of the remaining blankets and settle into the chair with Bat under my arm, his head on my shoulder. His soft breath brushes my neck. With the lights out and all the space between the stars, I just turn my eyes off. No heat signatures to bother them from the humans. I leave the hearing aids on just a bit, the undamaged left one more than the right.
Yvonne’s hand finds mine across the gap between the chairs. Her fingers fold within mine. Everything is quiet and dark, and I curl my fingers back into hers.
No one stops us from leaving. The moment Lee disappears behind the protective doors, the hangar opens. The star fire has passed, so we’re out in the dead of space in a matter of minutes, the larger ship fading.
After taking a glance over Lalia’s shoulder to ensure Zane’s still holding up, I shut the door to the washroom and sit against the sink, crunched on the floor in the sparse space.
I’d punch something if either of my hands didn’t hurt. Instead, I take a deep breath until even my lungs can’t go anymore, and let it out slowly. My ribs ache. I’m gonna have to deal with my injuries, but I don’t want to. And I don’t want any of the humans looking in on me. At least it’s quiet, Lalia’s soft murmur on the other side of the door. Every once in a while, Bat’s rough voice joins hers.
Someone knocks softly.
“I’m fine, Yvonne,” I mutter.
“It’s me,” comes Anya’s voice, hesitant.
Oh. I suppose this is one small ship with six occupants now. I crack the door open. “Do you need in here? I’ll move.”
“No,” she says, but squeezes her way in, shutting the door and sitting with her back to the wall my boots are tucked against. She hasn’t put her arm back on, but she might want my help with it. I’d think so, but she doesn’t have it with her.
When the silence starts to bug me, I ask. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
Okay then. “Good.”
“Does it hurt when you get injured?”
Not the question I was expecting. “Yes. But not as much as it would hurt a human. My body kinda…dials it down. A bit.”
Her eyes roam over me. “Yvonne is helping with Zane. She told me not to look.”
I swallow before my throat threatens to close up. “I think he’s okay. Lots of injuries look worse than they actually are.”
She nods. “Captain said that once.”
Well. The hell do I say to that?
Nothing. I nod and stare at the ceiling. Close my eyes until their aching fades to a manageable level. Turn down my hearing aids so the damaged portals on my right temple aren’t as aggravated. I can fix them myself, or at least I should be able to, but Bat will be pissed at me if I don’t let him handle the delicate work. I’ll just clean off, take care of the stuff not involving my augmentations.
If I can find the energy to move.
Anya shifts, and I think she’s leaving before there’s a thump on the cabinet beside me, and she leans lightly against my side, head against my arm. I glance at her but can’t see her expression.
“Everything’s fine,” I tell her, awkwardly, not knowing what else to do. I didn’t exactly expect her to come sit with me.
“Captain said that once, too.”
I grimace. Can’t imagine him saying such a thing, but I suppose he was putting on a kinder exterior for the youngest princess of the galaxy. Pretending to be a little human.
“Sounds a lot better when you say it, though.”
I might scoff if the idea didn’t sound painful. Makes me feel better, though. Which is stupid, but I’m over being upset about it, at least for now. “Thanks.”
“You look deep in thought.”
I blink, raising my head off my hand from where I was staring at the console. Yvonne stands in the doorway to my bunk room. Behind her, Lalia is laying on the floor beside the bed, not wanting to be far from Zane. I checked on him a while ago, but he’s fast asleep and not feverish. There’s nothing much I can do for him other than worry, and I’m doing that just fine.
Anya eventually crashed on the chair behind me, and Bat is asleep on my lap.
My implants aren’t fixed, but they’ll be fine until morning. After a shower, too many bandages, and probably one too many pain pills than necessary, I’m feeling…manageable.
“Finding somewhere we can land. I don’t trust this,” I gesture to the cracked viewport. “And quite frankly, I’m not sure I have the medical supplies for Zane. We stocked up on Falla, but not for all this.”
She nods, seating herself on the edge of the console, her leg brushing mine. “Find anywhere?”
“Maybe. Still looking.”
“Have you considered sleep?”
I nearly smile. “After I find coordinates.”
“Right, right.” She watches me scroll through the star charts in a way which would probably freak me out if I wasn’t so used to it. “Thanks.”
I pick one of the smaller, more out-of-the-way planets between here and Zar, less than a day’s flight, and check out the planet info. “For what?”
“I think you helped both Anya and me at approximately half a dozen separate instances today.”
“Oh.” I don’t know what else I’m supposed to say.
She raises her eyebrows, smiling a little. “Did you not notice?”
“I was fairly busy panicking. I’ll take your word for it.”
She snorts. “You panic much more calmly than most people.”
I squint at her. “I do remember yelling quite a bit.”
“I’ll give you that.”
The planet I’m inspecting seems like it should do. I haven’t heard of it, but it’s close enough, out of the way, and no one seems to be tracking us or anywhere in the vicinity. We need to land somewhere, and there’s no better place I feel safe. I give the ship the coordinates and ensure it’ll alert us if any other ships come within even a pinprick of sight.
“How are you doing?” Yvonne asks.
I get to my feet, shifting Bat into my arm gently, limping heavily now there’s no more adrenaline in my veins. But I’ve got enough painkillers in my system I’m sure I can fall asleep just fine. Somewhere.
“How do I look?”
“You really want me to answer that?”
“Not at all.”
With a soft smile, she gets up and steps to me before I can consider it, reaching for my shoulder.
“What?” I ask. I changed into clean clothes, but I’m not sure some of my worse injuries aren’t bleeding through the gauze.
“Oh, relax,” she whispers and wraps her arms around my neck. I go still, tempted to ask what she’s doing but knowing the answer is fairly obvious. Obvious, but nonsensical. Bat is going to get squished between us. I expect her to let go, and wait for it. Nearly a minute passes before I figure she may not. I’m not nearly as uncomfortable as I should be, but this isn’t exactly the first time we’ve been in close contact. I’m getting accustomed to her, enough I pat her back instead of picking her up and peeling her off me.
“You,” she mutters into my shoulder, “are terrible at hugging.”
For no good reason, that seems a little insulting. “No, I’m not. I’m just trying to figure out what you want.”
“I want,” she says. “A hug.”
“Oh.”
Well, I guess she isn’t going to let go. I put my arm around her, not the one holding Bat. He won’t be happy with this if he wakes up. “Is this satisfactory?”
She sighs and says nothing else. I must be tired. After the day I’ve had, it makes sense enough. All she feels is warm and easy to lean on, and I definitely shouldn’t be letting this happen. I’m not certain why, but I’m sure I shouldn’t.
Eventually, she unwinds her arms, smiling awkwardly and wandering to her sister. “I’ll squeeze in with Anya. You take the other chair.”
It’s not quite big enough for them. “I’m not sure you’re going to fit—”
“Either I share it with her, or with you, pick one.”
My face feels hot. “Well, you definitely won’t fit with me.”
She smiles a little. Feeling helpless, I take a final shuffle around the ship, checking on everything. There isn’t any damage to the ship other than the viewport. I still have my weapons, most of them at least.
Lalia is crashed on pillows on the floor. I find her an extra blanket and manage to drape it over her without waking her. Zane looks a little small in even my small bed. There are bandages on his face. Bat worked on him with Lalia for a long time, enough so when I asked if they needed help, I was told to go take care of my own injuries. I touch his forehead. Out like a light. Still not feverish.
By the time I mosey my way back, Yvonne is tucked in with Anya under blankets, her little sister half on top of her. I really am going to need to get some extra bedding given the way this month is going. Some camping mattresses for the floor, at least.
I find one of the remaining blankets and settle into the chair with Bat under my arm, his head on my shoulder. His soft breath brushes my neck. With the lights out and all the space between the stars, I just turn my eyes off. No heat signatures to bother them from the humans. I leave the hearing aids on just a bit, the undamaged left one more than the right.
Yvonne’s hand finds mine across the gap between the chairs. Her fingers fold within mine. Everything is quiet and dark, and I curl my fingers back into hers.
