“Are we done?”she asked, cupping her neck, finding the small metal circle, then running her fingers over it.“I didn’t feel a thing.”
“But now you can hear only me,” he said, tapping his device.
She squeaked.“I can.”
He chuckled.“Time for food.Which tribe this morning?”
“Yours,” she said, lacing her fingers through his.
Between tasting strips of calpli, vibuy, and banaari, she sipped a steaming jar of russmar tisane.He left the onis for last, not sure she’d like such a potent flavor.
“Licorice?”she squealed and scooped in another mouthful of the purple moss, staining her lips and tongue.
He laughed.“Not my favorite.”
“Why?”she mumbled, a piece on the way to her mouth.
“It overpowers, I suppose,” he said, having not analyzed his dislike of the moss before.
“I guess,” she said, cradling her jar.“I have to be in the mood to enjoy it.”She leaned back on a sigh.“That was delicious, Nenn.”
He grinned.“Have any preferences yet?”
She tapped her nose—whatever that meant.“Too soon to tell.”
Ulvus harumphed when he stomped into the galley.“Feeding your pet?”
Her eyes widened then narrowed.“Well, that smacks of jealousy.”
Ulvus gaped.
She gasped.“Am I speaking—” She faced Nenn.“Qaldreth?”
“Of course,” he said, adoring her expressive features.
“I said Ulvus was jealous, too.”Vaen chuckled, weaving around Ulvus to reach the replicate.
Into the silence, Ulvus snapped, “You gave her a language implant?This will not go down well with—”
“The udaps and the Ivoyans,” Vaen said.“We have heard your opinion on welcoming the killers onto our ship.”
“Each race has good and bad people.”She flashed a smile when Nenn took the empty jar of tisane from her.“Hell, in my family, I can, without a doubt, state that’s true.I wouldn’t say my brother is pure evil, but he has no consideration for others.”Her gaze was distant with sadness lingering in the white depths of her eyes.
Vaen arched a brow at Nenn, who gave him a subtle headshake.
“Another tisane?”Nenn offered, inching closer to Tiny.
“I thought I was done untilhewalked in.Now I’m staying put.So, yes, please.”She folded her arms across her chest.
“Prior to Nenn kidnapping you, what did you have for your morning meal, Tiny?”Vaen asked, settling opposite them.He cradled his jar of water.
“Mm, on theMula Pesada, bacon, eggs, toast, coffee.”She closed her eyes and hummed.When she gazed in Nenn’s direction, her eyes sparkled.“Bacon are thin strips of meat fried in sunflower oil.Eggs are from chickens.So versatile.Scrambled, boiled, fried, poached.Some people eat them raw.”She scrunched up her nose.“Toast is a slice of bread roasted on both sides, and you slather butter all over it.Then coffee.Oh my word, do I miss that.Nothing compares.”She bowed her shoulders.“On Lunar Base, I lived off protein bars or ramen.Back home with my parents, more protein bars, other reconstituted meals, and my mom’s lasagna with fake meat, pasta, dairy.I don’t know it any other way.”
“Morning,” Juunn said, striding into the galley.He didn’t glance over his shoulder while he ordered his meal.
“Juunn,” Nenn whispered in her ear.
“Morning,” she said, with a weak smile.“I’ve been practicing, I promise.”
