Tabitha Chirrick - Overshadowed

Shy stared skyward and nodded slowly. “That’s not bad. I wish they gave us more cots, though.”

“We’ll manage.”

“Maybe. Some of us might have to share.”

Tayel grinned without meaning to and ducked her head. It would be easier to flirt when she wasn’t surrounded by destruction and depression. At least, she hoped so.

“I hope it’s not an inconvenience for us to come along,” Arcen said. He sorted a canned food product from one pile to another, and made a mark on his ledger.

Otto chuckled. “I think the extra hands are probably a fair trade for the inconvenience.”

“Most definitely,” Jace said. He smiled at Tayel. “More importantly, it’ll be nice having all of us together.”

Shy seemed careful to keep her head down throughout the exchange. Tayel had been overjoyed when, after returning to Kalanie Outpost the night before, Jace told her his family and Otto intended to join the cause — to help put a stop to the Rokkir’s atrocities. Shy’s reluctance had been silenced by Locke’s enthusiasm, and Tayel was still struggling to not look at the group as two separate entities: her, Jace, Shy, and Fehn, and then everyone else.

Otto sealed a box of spare parts he’d collected from the remains of the Delta shuttle. “I’m thinking it’ll be nice not to sleep behind a scrap metal barricade with one eye open.”

“Don’t count it out, yet,” Shy said. “Who knows what kind of shelter we’ll have once we get to Olgaia.”

“It’s warmer there at least,” Nita said. “So we can sleep behind a barricade in the tropics instead of the snow.”

Arcen chuckled as he sorted and registered another can.

“I’ll be happy to sleep anywhere at this point,” Jace said. “Will we get to rest a bit when we get there?”

Shy shrugged. “That depends on Locke and his contact, but I don’t think any of us are in a position to keep pushing like we have been.”

Tayel thought immediately of Fehn; no one had been pushed as hard as him. “Has anyone gone to see Fehn since this morning?” she asked.

“Locke was going to ask for help transitioning him onto the ship,” Shy said. “Hopefully some medical supplies too.”

“Fehn is the young man who can wield dark aether?” Arcen asked.

Jace nodded. “Yeah. He’s awesome.”

Otto looked up from the tower of supplies before him. “Speaking of Locke…”

Locke and an elderly Varg Tayel had never seen entered the armory, speaking in low tones. Even using a cane, it was obvious Locke slowed his pace to match his companion’s.

“A lot of damage has been done,” he said as they approached. “You could use me here, Paru, or at least some of the help I can send in my stead.”

“We came to an agreement last night,” the Varg said. “You have done much for us, but it is time for you to move on. Your own people seem in desperate need of their prince’s attention, and mine desperately need to rebuild what we have left.”

Locke’s mouth twisted like he was holding back a retort, a feat he managed as he and the Varg stopped before everyone else.

“Everyone,” Locke said, “this is Kalanie Outpost’s leader, Paru. He was my contact here on Modnik, the one who worked with me to discover the Rokkir invasion.”

Paru sniffed. “Evening, outworlders. I’m glad you met with some success during yesterday’s mission. Forgive our outpost’s hospitality coming to an end so soon. My people are eager to be rid of outworlders, no matter how useful.” He bowed his head to Locke apologetically.

“What’s going to happen to the rest of the Delta refugees?” Arcen asked.

“We are making plans with the Elshan government to come pick them up. Modnik has few space-faring vessels, so the council is generating resources to help.”

Locke scowled. “The council we both know is run by covert invaders.”

“So long as Delta’s refugees stay out of politics—”

“Or the military,” Shy snapped. “You can’t send those people there.”

Paru’s expression darkened. “Renowned princess, I am what’s left of the political hierarchy on this planet, and I must send these refugees elsewhere. So I will send them to wherever they will be taken.”

“Just getting them out of your fur, then,” Tayel muttered.

“Judge my decision if you wish, but we don’t have the resources to help. With Rokkir forces reportedly scouring the mothership’s crash site, this outpost has enough to worry about without the Deltians.”

Nita perked up. “Rokkir? None near here, I hope?”

“You would hear the war pack’s cry no later than the instant a shadow slithered into our city,” Paru assured her. “But considering Balcruf’s recounting of the fight with the Rokkir leader, I can only assume that if they wanted to destroy us utterly, they would have already done so. We’re likely safe for now.”

Even so, the idea of Ruxbane poking around the outpost rose goosebumps along Tayel’s arms.

“How is Balcruf?” Jace asked.

“He won’t be seeing you off, if that’s what you’re asking,” Paru said.

While the silence allowed everyone to develop their own interpretations of Paru’s answer, Tayel knew she understood his exact meaning. She remembered how Balcruf stared at her when faced with the disappearance of his people on the mothership. She remembered how defeated he’d looked and how curt he’d been after the fact. It was understandable, but understanding it didn’t make him hating her any easier. In his mind, had she gone with Ruxbane, he’d be celebrating with all the family and friends who he instead watched vanish.

Jace had called her paranoid when she told him about it that morning. Then again, he’d called her paranoid when she complained about a weird girl in Sinosian clothes stalking them around camp, so there. She was probably right.

“Anyway,” Shy said, breaking the silence. “How’s my ship?”

“It is ready,” Paru said. “Although we are unable to spare any fuel.”

“Figures. Most of the trip will be FTL travel, anyway.”

“ Thank you , Paru.” Locke looked pointedly at Shy. “The repairs are appreciated. I hope we’ll stay in touch.”

“Of course. It is to both our advantages,” Paru said. “Farewell, outworlders.” He turned, his tail swooshing across the thin layer of snow atop the floor, and walked away.

“What an ass,” Shy said.

Otto chuckled.

“It always pays to be a gracious guest, sister,” Locke said. “Anyhow, since we’re cleared for launch, I’m going to help the Varg get Fehn onboard. They’ve agreed to part with basic monitoring equipment and antibiotics.”

“That’s great,” Tayel said.

“Might consider a pre-flight check before we go,” Otto said. “Who’s our pilot?”

Shy rose her hand slightly. “I am. Pre-flight check is a good idea.”

“I can help if ya like.”

“Sure.”

“The rest of us can start bringing supplies onboard after we finish taking inventory,” Arcen offered. “Where are we parked?”

“I can take us there,” Tayel said. “We should probably ask for some kind of supply lift, though. There’s a lot of stuff.”

With the game plan set, everyone set about their duties. Tayel exchanged a quick smile with Shy before parting ways. It was still so weird — too weird — seeing these two groups mesh together like this, but it was nice, too. With Shy’s smile fresh in Tayel’s mind, and a new task to complete, she eagerly took up Nita’s offer to find a lift they could borrow. The prospect of leaving had put Tayel in a much better mood.

Over the next three hours, she helped pack the ship with supplies. Everything they’d counted and inventoried went onboard, stacked and netted in the hold or secured in the short hall between the hold and the bedrooms. Locke helped bring Fehn inside halfway through the process, and with him, the supplies, and everyone else onboard, the ship would be just a few kilograms under the maximum weight, according to Otto. It was a lucky break, he’d said. They almost had to throw Tayel out.