Les nodded, picked up one grape at a time from the dish, listened, and remained silent, thinking about something of his own.
"I understand," he said finally. "I was lucky to get off so lightly. Next time I'll remember that traditions are traditions, but the situation is the situation..."
"I've talked your ear off, haven't I?" Sher asked, smiling. "I wanted you to stop thinking 'what the hell'," she teased the young man with a laugh. "And you already understand everything and are far, far away from me. And I'm rambling..." without thinking, she nudged his shoulder with hers. She nudged and was taken aback. This involuntary movement was from another life, and from her other age.
"Are you talking about the tradition of always protecting women?" she asked after a pause.
"And about that too," this time a faint smile appeared under his long bangs. "It's just... You see, I used to remind myself that this is a different society, different people, different traditions, and so on. Those women from 'Gemstone' – I didn't stand up for them. Of course, I couldn't have done anything alone against everyone, but I didn't even try. And Day... She treated me very well. And I couldn't just stand aside."
"I understand, Les... Day is very warm, she has a generous soul, capable of warming everyone, a golden heart... Sometimes she reminds me of my mother," Sher said the last words very quietly. "And protecting her is the act of a true, mature man. But Nick would never send a woman into danger, believe me... Not a single woman, Les."
"I think he'll be here soon," Rayno glanced at the door. "I don't want him to see me here. I'll go. Thanks for the fruit, and... for not being angry."
The thin, long-haired figure slipped towards the exit.
"Wait a minute," the girl who had jumped up quickly put something in a napkin, through which it still shone a rich orange, "gnaw on this later... Have you found a cabin? Because Muha was supposed to disembark... or fly off?" she got confused in defining the Toydarian's action. "In short, he was supposed to leave us. And thank you for coming, and for talking."
Of course, she omitted the fact that it was easy and simple with him. And that she, if only for a few minutes, returned to Coruscant, to her youth with its uncompromisingness, friendship, loyalty... And the belief that all this was forever.
"I still have so many questions for you, and so much curiosity about your society, and just... And put the cold compress on your stomach, and call if it starts to hurt," it turned out that the most important things had to be said at the door. "It was nice meeting you, Les," the phrase again turned out to be somewhat tedious and official. There was still too much of the imperial lieutenant and the подчеркнуто-polite Ani from Nar Shaddaa in it. But what was said was sincere. Les liked her.
"Thank you, ma'am. I'll take his cabin for now."
Through his bangs, purple eyes flashed – Les nodded goodbye. The door closed behind him.
"Well, here we go again, 'ma'am...'" Sher thought with slight disappointment. "Although... At sixteen, people like me seemed like old people to me too," the girl chuckled, clearing the table. Looking around the cabin, her gaze fell on the chair with men's work clothes that had "betrayed" her. Nick's uniform seemed to still hold his warmth. Sher buried her face in it for a second.
Waking up, Rick listened for a long time to the sensations of his body, which, judging by all appearances, was satisfied with life for once. Looking at his watch, he rubbed his neck, pressed the call for the navigator, waited for it to connect, and hung up, heading to the bathroom for the obligatory water procedures.
When he returned, Nick was already sitting in the cabin, straight and trim, as if he had swallowed a standard meter. Something strange emanated from him – echoes of evil amusement, lurking in the depths of shadow...
"Ballast jettisoned," the navigator reported. "Muha sent off. Ship refueled. We're flying to Florrn."
Looking at the navigator, the captain thoughtfully scratched his beard, then sighed:
"Why Florrn?" deciding to start with clarifying questions, he threw.
"Because that's where I expect to pick up the outpost," Nick explained. "Jethro will be waiting in orbit."
"It would have been better to meet elsewhere," the guy sighed. "Florrn is on the arc to Daca, there's a chance of encountering outsiders. How was the Toydarian feeling?"
"Worse than expected after intervention by the gifted," the navigator replied. "But much better than it could have been. I've arranged for a medic escort."
"We don't have healers on board," Rick shrugged indifferently; he could patch up wounds, but he didn't consider himself a full-fledged healer, nor did he see any aptitude for it. "But we have a doctor, we'll thank her for her work. How did the ballast behave and where exactly was it dumped?"
"Dropped off at the station with their eyes tied and without weapons," the navigator replied phlegmatically, diligently burying the echoes of the past, which had so inconveniently reminded him of itself. "Les escorted them out. I covered."
"Good," the counter nodded. "Is there anything else I should know?"
Nick hesitated with his answer.
"I'm recovering," he finally said. "And becoming dangerous. It's become harder for me to hold back. I'm managing for now, but... I didn't dare to escort the prisoners out myself."
"Hold back from what?" the guy didn't see the connection. Nick was weak, but that didn't negate his self-control, and now it shouldn't have changed. It was something else.
"From not starting to fight back when they tried to resist," Nick could rival the immobility of his face with ancient statues. "Les tried to stop me from going to Day. I hit him."
"I haven't noticed such bloodthirstiness in you," Rick shook his head. "Tell me in detail what this teenager did."
"I was going to send Day to escort them out," Nick began. "I went to get her, I needed to show her the airlock and tell her how to act. They surely had the holo-target, the voice recording too, so she wasn't risking anything. They would have verified that she was an agent. I would have provided her cover. Les was just coming from her. He started demanding explanations why Day, who had gone to rest, needed to be bothered... I explained. I heard in response: 'Over my dead body.' If Sher hadn't appeared... I'm afraid I would have provided that dead body."
"Nick, it's not good to kill minors," Rick said disapprovingly, "even when you really, really want to. Especially since this subject has provided invaluable services to the team twice. And no one has canceled the stun mode on the blaster, right?"
"This subject is very, very well prepared," the navigator replied. "He can take a hit... I held back. Because of Sher. I can't be sure I'll hold back if she's not around in such a situation."
He finally turned his head, looked with darkened eyes.
"If I do lose control... One shot in stun mode won't be enough for me. Keep that in mind."
"The gifted are a special level of danger, Nick," the guy sighed. "And I have other countermeasures prepared for them. Les in open combat poses no serious threat to you or me. Despite his training. As for 'losing control'... No decision that cannot be reversed, when I am on the ship, is to be made without me. I will consider it mutiny and react accordingly. Is that clear?"
"That's why I warned you," Nick turned away again. "I haven't forgotten what discipline is. Although I obey not because I have nothing to oppose you with."
He stood up.
"The incident is closed," Rick said, drawing a line, took the blaster from the table and put it in his holster. "You need more time to work on yourself, so I think we'll double your duty until Florrn and back."
"Sher won't forgive you," the hard face faltered for the first time during the conversation – a shadow of a smile crossed it. "I will insist that a doctor look after me."
"I don't see anything wrong with that," the guy grinned, examining his wrist and then, after a pause, putting it in his pocket. "She'll train her in the ship's systems at the same time."
The navigator nodded. And left the cabin.
Les left, and it was as if he took with him the sunny bridge to the last year of her childhood before the Academy. The oppressive anxiety returned with triple force, and the most effective thing was to urgently occupy herself with something useful, otherwise she would only think about why Nick wasn't coming. On Nar Shaddaa, she survived by overloading herself with work. There was simply no time for the questions "why? why? and when will it end?" So... Sher quickly opened the datapad, dictating the tasks set for him. The work plan turned out to be extensive:
"First: must reach Shai. Clever girl. She's holding on. With her whole being. Didn't come to lunch. Prognosis is good. Must introduce her to Day... Visit Day, check her condition, who knows what might surface after what she's been through. Strong trees fall immediately. Okay, next... Veymi, Larius, Bus – they haven't left their mark on her medscanner yet. This needs to be corrected, and medical records need to be created for everyone. Handwritten? Yes, if only on my pastel paper, Captain," she chuckled resignedly. "I have a feeling – not in this life. Ah, and one more thing! Take a lock of hair from everyone, even from Mr. Solki, and from Bus – his fur. Feed them to the replicator, save the result, so as not to waste time if something extraordinary happens. Test the said apparatus on myself," she paused, listening, whether footsteps would be heard at the door. "...and the most important and painful thing – the medbay. It's a long way to Bothawui, and the medbay might be needed now. And it would have been needed..."
"We undocked a long time ago, and Nick isn't here..."
"Last: don't write," she said to the datapad with a sigh. "But write this... Ask Rick for permission to equip the medbay ourselves. What Mr. Istro Mell sent..."
The door opened silently. A tall, slender figure froze on the threshold.
"Am I interrupting?" the navigator asked quietly.
"Nick! Finally..." the girl jumped to meet him, and only his words made her freeze in astonishment. "You?! For me?"
But in the next moment, her warm hands closed behind the navigator's back in a tender embrace, and her eyes persistently sought his gaze.
"Nick, what are you saying?"
"You were busy," the navigator explained, touching her eyelids with his lips. "I would have waited."
He was noticeably tense, but relaxed, pulling Sher close to him.
"Are you upset?"
"I wasn't busy, it was easier for me to wait for you, Nick," she said, burying her face in his shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut with all her might against the piercing feeling of their inseparable fates. "I was scared..."
"Of what?" he scooped her into his arms and stepped towards the chair. "That I'll kill that young impudent fellow?"
"It was very easy to believe that, Nick. Very," she said quietly. "I was afraid that your Dark teacher would defeat you within you, and... And you would do it..." she exhaled with difficulty: "What's happening? I don't understand why this became possible..." she asked agitatedly, touching her Nick's shorn head with her warm palm.
"Because I'm getting stronger," the navigator sighed, sitting down in the chair with her and letting her settle comfortably on his lap. "The growth of gifted individuals' capabilities occurs when you push yourself to the limit and a little bit more. I thought the least about expanding my abilities when I was spending myself without regret... But the result is logical. I could control what I had. What I have now, I will have to learn to control anew. And I already know at least one way to keep myself under control..."
"I felt like you were being watched, I can't explain how. And why is growth only possible at her expense?" she didn't want to say the word, as if the Darkness could respond to its name. Sher pressed her forehead against his temple, her eyes were not visible, and only her inaudible breath, barely touching the navigator's cheek, indicated how she was waiting for his answer. "And what method are you talking about?"
"At the expense of how much you exert yourself," Nick corrected her, running his fingers through her light hair. "Whether Light, Dark, or Gray – we are all the same in this. If you want to get more than you have, give everything you have... I forgot about that then, and didn't remember it until today. You are my way, Sher..."
He turned his head slightly to the side, looking into her eyes.
"I can't afford to lose you..."
She choked on tenderness that tore at her heart. This happy pain of love.
"Nick, my dear... How can I help you?" she managed to whisper, impulsively pressing him to her heart. "You will never lose me if it depends on me... If you want to leave, I'll let you go. But even so, I'll be nearby..."
"You are already helping," he either shook his head or rubbed it – a gray predator, voluntarily putting on a collar and shoving its muzzle into a muzzle to gain the right to warmth and affection. "You are already helping, Sher..."
"Forgive me. I didn't know how to stop you. One is a teenager who is not afraid of losing his life, and you... Such a difficult struggle with yourself..." she whispered, hugging him and rocking him, so big, strong, and inherently dangerous, in the cradle of her arms. "I should have been with you..."
"This teenager is well prepared enough to go on an excursion into the jungle," Nick shook his head again. "I underestimated him... I've already surrendered myself to Cap and been punished – I have to sit in the cockpit and think about my behavior every other watch. You'll have an excellent opportunity to be close," a smile could be heard in his voice.
"Every other?" this was an unpleasant surprise. "Cap – what..." she wanted to protest, but immediately stopped herself. "... An excursion into the jungle? And you... too?"
"Me – first and foremost," the navigator replied seriously. "I think we'll go as a group of four – Cap, me, Larius, and Les. And you will cover the ship, prepare the medbay for casualties, well, and someone will have to work as a beam operator..."
"So, you're taking the child... And leaving the doctor, especially a military one, here, in safety," she chuckled grimly. "Nick, please, take me with you!" Sher almost begged. "Just remember how you felt on Bakran! I'll prepare the medbay before landing! I don't know how prepared Les is, but at that age, there's no fear of death, you understand, I myself jumped from the roof of an old factory at 15, and I was supposed to be caught on a speeder..." she hurried to say, afraid that Nick would interrupt her with a firm "no," "...and Officer Yanvar didn't offer me a job in security for nothing!" she blurted out her last argument.
"Sher," the navigator gently took her face in his palms. "This is the jungle. Les, the 'child,' is not entirely human, and his reaction is somewhat superior to human, though it doesn't reach the reaction of a gifted individual... There were Imperials there. Well-prepared. Well-armed. And they fled, abandoning everything to save those who survived. How long do you think you'll last there, without even the training of a stormtrooper? And how much attention and strength will we have to spend to protect you? There won't be time to help us there, Sher... But stopping bleeding, closing a wound – at least for a while – that's quite within our capabilities. And then, on board, you'll have enough work to pull all the splinters out of us, treat all the scratches, and eradicate all the microflora we bring back from there..."
Yes, probably. Her place was in the medbay. And there she wouldn't just be ballast – she would be a hindrance. She would weaken the group. Someone might get hurt because of her. She understood the full justice of Nick's words, but everything within her protested and rebelled against such righteousness: he was going where it was dangerous! And she was staying here! And from the powerlessness to change this, from the eternal fear for his life, from the impossibility of helping him there, tears silently streamed from her eyes.
"Shhh..." now he was rocking her, like a little girl, pressing his cheek to her light crown. "Everything will be fine, you'll see. I promise I'll only let you bite me, all that little creature stuff will be avoided."
Now she was sobbing, dropping hot and bitter drops onto his chest. Sher hid her face in the flow of her linen hair.
"And when... " her shoulders still trembled, "when do we fly there?" she stammered and turned her head away. "Don't look at me... I'm hideous..."
"In a few days," the navigator smiled, turning her face back to him, and with his lips, he wiped the tears from her eyelashes. "You are beautiful. And don't argue."
On her thoroughly soaked face, with swollen, red eyes, a very distant semblance of a smile flickered:
"Especially now," she sighed, sobbing one last time, wiping her tears with a napkin and pressing her tear-hot cheek and lips to his cheek again. "I hope no one will get anything more serious than a splinter during this time... I won't leave you, Nick..."