Destiny Abounds (Starlight Saga Book 1) (29 page)

Merlo continued to frown consideringly at the tabletop for a long moment before finally lifting her eyes, silver-marked orbs swirling with thoughts and considerations, to meet the Kala's calm, practiced mask. "And if you can't? Then what? You blow her head off and call it a day?"

Sirrah winced fractionally, allowing the gesture to show Merlo how she felt about the collar in a better way than her words could manage to convey. Merlo leaned back just a bit, relaxing and seeming to release some of the aggression from her posture. Sirrah met Merlo’s gaze, flooding her expressive eyes with the genuine sorrow she felt. "Hopefully, it will never come to anything so dire. I..." she took a deep, steadying breath, "I would find it very hard to use such a device, even in self-defence. It is my hope that the threat of its existence is enough to keep her from doing anything too extreme. But the collar, as I said before, was not my choice; I could not rid her of it even if I chose to do so. Nor is it my means of controlling her."

Merlo sank heavily into the chair, puffing out a heavy breath. The momentum of the aggression she'd arrived with finally seemed to have run its course, to the Kala’s relief. "So you do control her? What do you mean by that?"

Sirrah folded her hands delicately in her lap after sliding a warm teacup across toward her guest. "Actually, I don't believe Prisoner 286
can
be controlled."

Merlo blinked in surprise that turned to confusion. "Then... what exactly are you trying to do with her? I don’t get it."

"Something I believe has a better chance to succeed than trying to stop an unstoppable force." Sirrah considered Merlo for a moment, searching for an analogy the girl would understand. “You’re a very good pilot, so I know you know how physics works: an object with a lot of momentum behind it can only be halted by something much more massive than itself.” She paused, sipping delicately from her own crystalline teacup. "I believe 286 is like that. The Legion could never stop her, only slow her temporarily. The best I could hope to do is to redirect her in such a way that she will do no harm to others by simply being herself."

Merlo seemed to consider that for a moment, dregs of her anger finally dissipating. "I guess... that's the best you can do." She still seemed uncertain, yet thoughtful.

Sirrah gave her a moment to contemplate before answering the unvoiced question. "I’m afraid it is."

"I'm sorry... for yelling at you and stuff." The young woman looked embarrassed. Sirrah, assessing her from over the top of her teacup, noted that the pilot was barely younger than herself.

“It’s fine, of course. I can hardly fault you for being upset at the perceived mistreatment of another person, especially someone you like. If anything, it speaks well of your character.” Sirrah lowered the teacup, revealing the friendly, encouraging smile it had been hiding. “I take no offense whatsoever.”

Merlo shifted in her seat, seeming uncomfortable and still a little sheepish nonetheless. “Um, I’m glad.” Now that her anger had fled the scene, it seemed to have taken her articulation with it. Sirrah was amused and interested; something about Merlo seemed out of place, almost as if it were Merlo herself who felt like she didn’t belong here, and whose unconscious actions reinforced it. Sirrah couldn’t quite put her finger on what was out of place though. Not yet.

Sirrah finished the last of her small cup of tea, set it down gently and reached across the decorated table to again nudge the other one toward Merlo in an offering. “If you’d like, I could show you some of the records of 286’s history, of what we know about her.”

Merlo was leaning forward towards the tea as if were a foreign object and blinked in surprise. “You can do that? It’s not like, a breach of her privacy, or anything?” Sirrah could see that the pilot’s suspicion was prone to finding footholds with which to return; Merlo obviously still didn’t quite trust or understand her intentions.

Sirrah responded with a light, charming laugh. “Of course not. The entirety of what I would share is information freely accessible to the Altairan public, as many such records are. Nothing more. I simply think it might help you to understand her better, if you like.”

Merlo nodded to her, lifting the teacup to her nose with both hands and sniffing it doubtfully. “Um, yeah. I’d like that. Thanks.”

11.1
- Merlo

After leaving Sirrah’s quarters, Merlo found herself in front of the Captain’s room before she halted, pulling up short of tapping the door panel. With everything she’d found out today, she felt torn, broiling internally with a dilemma. Prisoner 286 was unpredictable, violent, and a possible danger to those around her. Her well-honed sense of duty compelled her to go to Branwen and advise her that there was an unstable criminal on board her vessel.

Torn by indecision, she backed off, moving instead towards the kitchen. On the other hand, she considered, 286 seemed under control. Both her own control, and Sirrah’s. It had been the Kala’s opinion that 286 wasn’t a danger to the crew, or as she had stated, she would never have brought her aboard the
Destiny
.

The “Kala” was a professional, right? 286 didn’t even seem that dangerous, despite all the things Merlo had just read. Just because someone was capable of a rather surprising amount of devastation, it didn’t mean she was going to do anything here or now. Most of the incidents on the public record were the Prisoner’s reactions to capture attempts, though Sirrah assured her that not all of them were.

When it came down to it, she liked 286, despite everything that she knew should reasonably warn her off of those feelings. She didn’t want her to be kicked off of the ship, and now Merlo was pretty sure any attempt to do so would go badly, anyway. Thus, she was torn.

As Merlo reached the empty kitchen, she reconsidered. Maybe she shouldn’t say anything right now. She pulled open the refrigeration unit and hauled out the breads, meats, cheeses, and everything she needed. Perhaps telling the Captain now would just cause more trouble than telling Branwen after they made port. But then, would her Captain be mad at her for concealing the information? Which course of action was actually safer for the crew, the Captain, and even for 286’s own wellbeing?

Merlo sighed in frustration. Her head was starting to hurt; maybe food would help, if anything would. She started putting a nice, big sandwich together, and, after a moment’s thought, made an extra one for Prisoner 286.

11.2
- Mr. Leonard

Mr. Leonard cautiously peeked out into the hallway, just barely cracking the heavy, protective metal door to the engine room. He’d already checked the ship’s internal sensors, and there was no sign of the rather frightening new woman about in the public areas of the ship, but he knew that could change at any moment. That was the scary part, really; he didn’t want to be caught in the hall if she happened to come out of Sirrah’s quarters.

The fact that he couldn’t be sure and that the situation might change at any moment from a safe one into an uncomfortable one was unnerving. Regardless, he needed food, and he had been invited to watch a holovid with Zimi again, so he needed to leave the engine room. He just also needed to be careful about it, and be quick.

Dealing with passengers was not his forte, but for the most part, he managed. The problem was that this particular passenger truly unnerved him, far more than was typical. He wasn’t just worried for himself; he was also worried Prisoner 286 might be a danger to the rest of the crew. He knew who she was, of course; it wasn’t hard to find a likeness of Prisoner 286 plastered across a news feed from years back if you looked for it. She was pretty recognizable, after all. He just didn’t know why she was on the
Destiny
.

He knew she was here with Sirrah, and that she wasn’t currently a fugitive; he’d double and triple checked to make sure. Sirrah also didn’t seem to be her hostage. His confusion mostly lay in the Captain’s acceptance of her presence; 286 wasn’t
remotely
the type of person he felt Captain Branwen would normally allow on board. But he also trusted the Captain’s judgment. If she had a good reason for allowing the dangerous criminal on board, surely she was safe enough to be around for now? He also didn’t feel it was his place to question the Captain; the very thought of it added another layer of anxiety.

In the end, there really wasn’t anything for him to do unless he was far more certain of the level of threat she represented. He sighed. Finally creeping down the hall and peering into the kitchen, he almost startled upon realizing it was indeed occupied, but by one Kala Sirrah Nazai.

She looked up, no doubt having heard the squeak he made. She gave him what seemed a kind, reassuring smile, full of warmth. It actually made him feel a bit better, and he suddenly felt a bit ridiculous skulking by the door. It wasn’t very polite of him, after all.

Mr. Leonard straightened and swallowed down some of his nervousness. He stepped boldly into the room, attempting to return a smile in full force. “Good evening, Kala Sirrah. I hope I’m not intruding.”

She paused in making her food, a tasteful looking salad full of delightfully fresh ingredients she’d brought along with her from Altair, and gave him a light, amused laugh. “I was under the impression that the kitchen was a common space, so intrude away.”

He nodded back at her, feeling a little embarrassed and trying his best to work past it. He went to the fridge and started preparing some extra food. He hadn’t eaten for a little bit longer than he normally would. Maybe something to take to Miss Zimi as well? She might like that. Oh, and definitely more to take to his room for later. That was one of the main reasons he’d ventured out in the first place.

“Is everything all right?” Suddenly appearing beside him, Sirrah nearly startled him with the gentle question.

“Oh, yes, of course. Thank you.” He attempted to give her a reassuring smile. He thought it was actually a very happy occurrence that there was a Kala on board. He wished, now that the opportunity was upon him, that he could initiate an in-depth conversation with her. One of the reasons he was in space was to see new things, discover new experiences, and explore the clusters.

Overall, he didn’t feel he was very good at it yet.

To his surprise, she took the door to the refrigeration cabinet from him and held it open for him, still smiling graciously and genially. “Mr. Leonard, wasn’t it?”

“Um, yes. Yes, ma’am. Or Kala. Kala is proper, isn’t it?” He fidgeted, and decided to neatly hide it by delving into the cooling cabinet.

She laughed, a rich, soft sound blissfully free of mockery. “You may simply call me Sirrah, if you wish.”

He looked back at her, craning his neck a bit from where he’d crammed himself into cold storage. “Oh! Of course. Thank you, Miss Sirrah. I will certainly attempt to do that.” The conversation trailed off as he gathered ingredients and began mass food preparation. He really enjoyed crafting things and working with his hands, especially when making things for others to enjoy.

After a minute or so, he noticed Sirrah was still standing nearby, watching him construct meals. His movements faltered accordingly, losing their smooth precision and becoming hesitant and unsteady. “Is there something you need, Miss Sirrah? If there is, I would be happy to assist you. And just let me know if I’m in your way in some manner.” He smiled back at her.

“No, I’m quite all right.” She seemed as if she were considering something, and he knew that if he could see that, then she most likely wanted him too. “You don’t have to be afraid of her, you know.”

The accuracy of her observation startled him; he fumbled a bread knife into the sink with a loud clatter and winced. “I’m sorry?”

She directed a warm, soft smile toward him.”Prisoner 286. My companion. She won’t hurt you.”

He sighed, retrieving the knife and beginning to clean it. At least he hadn’t cut himself. That would have been rather awkward. “Is it so obvious, Miss Sirrah?”

“Perhaps to a member of the Kalaset, such as myself.” She drifted closer once again, but not quite close enough to make him any less comfortable. She leaned the small of her petite back against the counter and played her hands over a tiny lace fan as she continued. “We are trained to see such things where others cannot, after all.”

Mr. Leonard knew that, of course, but being reminded of how easily she might could see through his emotions and everything did little to soothe him overall. “My apologies, Miss Sirrah. I don’t wish to be a nuisance on your trip, after all.”

This time she did reach out and put a calming, gentle hand on the sleeve of his indigo dress shirt. He even managed not to pull away, though he did stare down anxiously at it for a moment. “If anyone should apologize, it is I, for bringing someone into your home that frightens you.” She paused, looking into his eyes. “Please believe that it was never my intention to disturb the peace of your ship.”

“Of course, Miss Sirrah. I understand.” Blaming her had never really occurred to him.

She seemed to study him for a moment, and he attempted to return his attention to creating a few meals until she was done. “Well, Mr. Leonard, allow me to reassure you that she won’t do you any harm. She may be a criminal, and she may have a frightening reputation, but while she is with me, I am responsible for her actions. I would not have brought her here were I not certain of her being safe to be around. I would simply ask you to trust me, if you can.” She said it gently, but with the poise and certainty of a Kala, which reinforced her request subtly.