I slipped away from the table during the confusion of the Governor's landing. I didn’t want to meet him. I wanted to talk to Tayvis. I was surprised he hadn’t followed me out of the kitchen hut. I headed around the far end of the camp, looking for him.
Paltronis sat outside a hut. She looked upset over something.
“This isn’t my hut,” I said confused.
“I’ve been reassigned. That bruccadi Trey Hofsinger put Tayvis on report.” From the way she spat the unfamiliar word I gathered it was a pretty bad insult. “He’s restricted to quarters. You want to see him? No one specifically told me he couldn’t have visitors,” she said, scratching her ear.
I hesitated, suddenly very shy and unsure. Did I want to see him? Did I even know what I wanted to say to him?
Paltronis stood, leaning close and talking very softly. “I’ve never seen him look at someone the way he looks at you. Go on.” She nudged me towards the door.
I stepped inside the hut and stopped. Tayvis was lying on the bunk. He looked over at me.
“This is a change,” I said, trying nervously to joke. “I’m the one that’s usually under arrest.”
He stood, looking as awkward as I felt. “All I did was shoot a bushy.”
“I’m glad you did, if you’re talking about the big black things with lots of teeth out in the woods.” I twisted my hands together, looking away. “I’m sorry about what I said before. I tried to send you a message. Ever since Tebros.”
“I know. You told me about it.”
“Did I? Things were really blurry for a while. I don’t know what I dreamed and what really happened.” I folded my arms, looking anywhere but at him. I didn’t want him to see what I’d dreamed. “Did I dream you that night in the woods?”
He quirked his lip. “Depends on the dream.”
“What’s Lowell going to do to you?”
“Lowell can’t touch me. I resigned. It’s up to Planetary Survey to decide what to do with me.” He moved towards me and stopped a step away, uncertain. “And what about you?”
“I’ll survive,” I said, rubbing my arms. I was cold, though the day outside was hot.
Paltronis stuck her head in. “Your escort’s here,” she said to Tayvis. “You don’t have to do this,” she added, coming into the hut. “Just go to Lowell. You don’t belong in Planetary Survey, Tayvis.” She looked over at me. “Tell him, Dace.”
“Tell him what? To go back to working for Lowell? I don’t think he’d believe me.”
Two big Enforcers, not Lowell’s, showed up in front of the hut. “We’re here for Ensign Third Class Tayvis,” one of them said.
Paltronis winced. “Is it really worth it, Tayvis?”
“Someday I’ll tell you about it.” He touched my arm. “Be careful, Dace.”
“I’ll remember what you said. In the woods.”
He smiled. I hugged him, feeling very self-conscious. He wrapped his arms around me, carefully gentle.
The Enforcer cleared his throat, waving force cuffs in one hand. Tayvis let go of me then stepped out of the hut, walking away between the Enforcers. His tan uniform stood out against their black. I wondered if I’d spend my whole life watching him walk away from me.
Paltronis looked sad. “Stupid stubborn men,” she muttered. She turned to me. “We’re breaking camp soon. Lowell wanted to talk to you before you left.”
“Do you like working for him?” I asked her.
“I don’t go undercover. I don’t know if I would like him if I did.” She stepped out of the hut. “Lowell’s coming this way.”
I stood just outside the door of the hut feeling lost, displaced. I was barefoot, wearing a uniform that wasn’t mine. I wanted to go home. I had a home to go to, that thought warmed me. I looked for Tayvis, and watched him climb into a flitter. It rose over the trees and flew away.
“I’ll do what I can,” Lowell said to me.
Other flitters followed, including the Governor's. The camp bustled with people carrying guns and packages to the waiting flitters.
“As long as it fits in your plans,” I said, and tried not to sound bitter.
“I do what I have to,” Lowell said.
We both watched another flitter lift off.
“Your ship is at what passes for a port on this world,” Lowell said.
“I guessed as much. Jasyn wouldn’t be here otherwise. You owe her, Lowell.”
“For her cooking or the trouble she caused? You must be rubbing off on her.”
I turned away. His joke fell flat.
“There is something you can do for her,” I said.
“And what would that be?”
“Have you ever planned a wedding? Because I don’t have any idea where to even start.”
He laughed, a sound of genuine pleasure. “It’s not one of my usual duties, but I think I can manage. How soon and where?”
“Soon and I don’t know.”
“Give me a few weeks. In the meantime, would you contract to haul some cargo and men for me? Standard contract and pay. I’m a bit short on ships and Querran’s are not going where I want.”
“What did Jasyn say?”
“She already agreed.”
“Then I guess I can do that.”
“I’ll send you an itinerary. When you’re ready to leave we have room on one of the flitters.” He pulled a small card from his pocket and wrote on it. “If you ever need my help, Dace, use this. Go to any Patrol base. Use the code and you’ll get immediate help.”
“With what strings attached, Lowell?” I eyed the card suspiciously.
“None.”
“And why would you do that for me?”
“Because, contrary to popular opinion, I do have a heart.” He took my hand and folded the card into it. “Life would be too dull without you somewhere around.”