Pan exited her portal but left it active, for anyone who might want to slip through and wish her good-bye.

The portal’s magic jingled a quiet song, growing softer as she walked away. Pan glanced back and saw no one taking it. She turned away and set her sights on the Halfmoon.

Pan took one step and then another. She broke into a measured stride, when she felt a tug on her arm. Pan turned and saw Sotir.

“Good luck,” he said and kissed her in full view of the bay. “Don’t worry, no one was looking.”

“Wooo!” came a cheer from the Halfmoon’s direction.

Pan whirled to see Meladee. Meladee gave her the thumbs up, and Pan’s mouth fell open.

“No one’s looking?” she asked.

Sotir tried not to smile. “Sorry. Miscalculation. Be careful. I love you.”

Pan faced him again. In a dazed tone, she returned, “I love you too.”

Sotir gave her one last look and then slunk through the portal. He must have passed Kat, Chara, and Irini on his way through because they hopped into the Fauchard’s bay next. Irini led.

“Let us wish you well.” Chara gave Pan a hug.

That hug was followed by one from Kat.

Then, Pan got tackled by Irini.

“We wanted to see you off.” Irini looked side to side. “Where’s Aria?”

Pan waved a dismissive hand. “I already said goodbye to Aria.”

Which was a lie. Pan hadn’t. In fact, she hadn’t seen Aria all day. Pan considered her lie a bullet point on her friend resume. Aria could do without tough goodbyes, especially at this time.

Camellia entered the Fauchard’s bay. She saw the ships and the yellow lines, and though they were small, the most eye-catching features of the bay were Meladee and Eva. They stood by the Halfmoon as if they hadn’t had a year-long break from their adventuring.

Camellia smiled. She waved, but she waited by the doors. She had Florian to wish a fond farewell. Then, she would be off, doing one of the most odious tasks ever granted to her.

She faced the door again, just in time to meet Florian’s eyes.

“If I could, I would go in your stead.” Florian glanced at the ship. Then, he looked back to Camellia’s face. “Feeling more cheerful about it?”

Camellia shook her head. “Well, I’m glad that Rooks picked me, but I’m still worried about destroying their house. So, I’m not cheerful. I just saw Eva and Meladee. They raise my spirits.”

“Mine too. I guarantee that burning their house will be better than the alternative. I want to go home,” Florian said. “If we make it within the two weeks, I’ll have only been gone a month. Camellia, I just want to start our lives together.”

“It is too much,” Camellia agreed, with a nod. “Too much adventure for us so soon and just after the last. I’ll do what it takes to get us home, even if it means compromising my morals a little.”

“I’m sorry. I really would do it, if you wanted.”

“But, you’re not telepathic, and you and your two friends aren’t experts at surviving barren wastelands.” Camellia gave a long sigh. “That’s me, Eva, and Meladee. If I’d known then what I do now, I might not have ventured into the frozen, Ul’thetos covered land of Lurren.”

“Yes, you would have.” Florian gave her a goodbye kiss.

Then, as she turned away, he watched her go.

Pan saw the three Iruedians, waiting by the Halfmoon. Apparently, they were great at surviving with limited resources. Pan also carried that valiant accomplishment. She’d survived the wilderness of Scaldigir, and then, she survived the greater galaxy with a crummy education.

“Team bomb!” Meladee shouted as Pan started up the gangway.

“Excited?” Pan asked.

“Terrified, but I heard that excited and terrified come from the same hormones. So, if you just interpret the emotion differently, you feel different.” Meladee waved goodbye to her man, one last time. She had a tight nervous smile on her face.

“Working?” Pan asked.

“No, cause it’s bullshit,” Meladee said.

Pan grinned. She entered the Halfmoon to find not only Eva and Camellia but Aria as well. “Uh, hi? You’re waiting for goodbyes in the ship?” Pan asked.

Eva made a face. “She wants to come.”

Pan stared at Aria. “Okay…why?”

Aria made a come-hither motion. Pan followed, and they went to a corner, occupied by a few ancient crates.

“Just get them to let me come along. Camellia’s amenable, but Eva less so,” Aria said.

“Why?”

“I have a doctor’s appointment, and I don’t want to go. I want to forget about it for a few days.” Aria’s eyes darted from Pan to the other women in the Halfmoon’s small cargo bay.

Pan looked back too. “Doctors can help you with your problem.”

“No, they can’t. They just say the same things over and over. They don’t know how to help me. It’s torture. Please, Pan.”

As Pan studied Aria, she bit her lip. She could bring Aria along and put her in danger. It would earn her the fury of Gavain and probably the chiding of Sotir, not to mention everyone else on the Ischyros. But, Aria was suffering, and it was plain for Pan to see. Here was something Pan could do to make it right. Aria knew what she needed, and Pan just needed to make it happen.

“Alright,” Pan said.

Camellia didn’t have any more points to offer in Aria’s favor. If they got caught, an aura reader could help the cause. But, if they got caught…they should back up and try again.

So, Aria wasn’t useful for the trip.

Camellia thought back to Aria ‘s aura reading on the Bacchan vessel. Camellia had really appreciated the information Aria fed her. Camellia also appreciated that dark things lurked in Aria’s mind. The dark things reminded Camellia of her own, though the flavor was different.

Helping Iruedim had helped Camellia. Helping their party might help Aria.

Eva stood near Camellia, arms crossed, annoyed. Camellia felt sheepish. She let it show in her rounded shoulders and hands tucked close to her waist.

Pan strode over and crossed her own arms. “She comes.”

“That’s two votes for.” Camellia looked Eva in the eyes and waited for some objection.

“I vote against,” Eva added. “And the captain of the Ischyros also voted against. We’ll count him, of course?” Eva raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, of course. He’s cast an absentee vote,” Camellia agreed.

“Meladee breaks the tie.” Eva waved to Meladee to come closer, a brisk motion. “Meladee.”

Meladee closed the hatch and sealed out the light from the Fauchard’s cargo bay.

“Does she stay behind, or does she come?” Eva pointed at Aria.

Meladee looked at Camellia. Camellia shrugged, wanting to say something in Aria’s favor. Instead, she put her faith in Meladee.

Meladee caught Pan’s eyes next. Camellia looked too and saw that there was fire there, a dare or a challenge.

Meladee cocked her head. “She can come. What’s one more?”

A little of Eva’s patience died just then. Camellia could see her android friend slump.

Meladee headed to the ladder. Pan headed to Aria.

Camellia whispered, “Sorry, I can’t explain why, but I think it’s good for Aria to be part of this.”

“Alright.” Eva started for the ladder. “You’re asking less of me than when you suggested we let Ah’nee’thit go.”

Camellia wondered – how was Ah’nee’thit? She hoped he was getting on well.

Irini sat in the little lounge reserved for guests and high-ranking officers of the Ischyros. She kicked her legs atop a stool that seemed designed for men of six feet or taller. Nevermind that seventy-five percent of the officers fit that description. A quarter of the crew struggled to use the lounge seats, and that included Irini.

Chara assured Irini that she wasn’t getting much taller. Five-five seemed to be where she would stop. She’d been left behind by her male peers. Though, she’d reached a slightly above average height for a Scaldin woman.

Left behind. It was the phrase of the day.

She hadn’t been left behind on Aria’s adventure to find Pan, but as soon as the mentors got their hands on her, the jobs got a lot less interesting. It had been her expectations, she supposed. Her first job was an adventure. The jobs that followed were not.

Aria and Pan knew most jobs were boring. They seemed not to mind. Irini minded.

After they got sucked into the wormhole, Irini hoped she would get her first exciting job in a year. Instead, she got protected.

The lounge door swung open on its hinges, and Alban strode in.

Gavain hurried after. He stopped in the doorway. “Oh, thank the Mother Tree. Irini, I need your help. I can’t find Aria.”

Irini hopped off the stool.

“Do I need to get Chara or Kat to be with you?” Alban asked.

Irini made a face. “No. I’m not even leaving the ship. What happened to Aria?” She hurried to Gavain’s side.

“She missed…” Gavain paused, frantic for breath. “She missed an appointment. I thought she would return to our quarters, but she never did. I’ve looked everywhere.”

“Okay.” Irini nodded. “You want me to use my thread?”

“Yes. Be quick about it,” Alban said.

Irini shot him a glance. She could be quick about it. She knew Aria well. Aria came into her imagination, and Irini asked the thread: Where is Aria?

Her thread shimmered onto her finger and trailed out the door. Irini ran where it led. She heard the men’s boots pound behind her.

The thread glistened in the air and twisted down a hall. Irini took the turn tight. The men’s steps kept pace.

The thread took another turn, heading in the direction of the hull.

Irini wondered what Aria would be doing at the ship’s edge. The thread went into a wall and beyond. Through a window, Irini saw space.

Irini stopped at the wall and stared, agape. Slowly, she turned. “Aria’s not on the ship.”

“Oh, Mother Tree no.” Gavain slumped. He rubbed his forehead.

“She went with Pan,” Alban said.

“Call them back.” Gavain straightened. “She’s not supposed to be out there.”

Alban glared. “I can’t call them back. What part of com silence don’t you understand? And, I don’t need to remind you that we’re on a strict timetable. Otherwise, I’d have let you bother Sotir in your search.”

Irini frowned. She turned to the window. So, Gavain had wanted Sotir’s help first. Irini came in second. She looked at the glass and caught her glowering reflection, framed by a fuzzy rendition of white hair.

“So, we’re just going to let her be on this mission?” Gavain stayed focused on Alban.

Alban stayed focused on Gavain.

They’d finished with Irini.

The words hung there.

Finally, Alban said, “We have no choice. When she gets back, I can put her in the brig if you like. She’s disobeyed orders.”

Gavain hissed, “That’s the last thing she needs. I’m thinking she should stay in the infirmary, till we get home.”

Alban shrugged. “Certainly. It’s a kind of brig.”

Irini felt her brow knit. What was she missing? It had something to do with Aria’s mood, and Pan referred to it as adult stuff. Appointments, probably with doctors, suggested sickness. Irini felt concern move her expression.

“It’s going to be alright, Irini.” The assurance came from Alban.

Irini whipped to face him. Gavain also wore concern and a hint of bitterness. Alban remained calm.

Irini couldn’t catch Gavain’s eyes, but she locked sights with Alban. “What is going on? Did you think we’d find her on the ship? Or, did you already suspect that she’d left?”

“We thought she was on the ship,” Alban said. “We’re just as surprised as you to find her gone.”

Gavain bowed his head. “She’ll be alright with Pan. Pan cares about her.” Anger entered his eyes. “Pan let her come, but that’s a different problem.”

Alban said, “Pan can have the brig for an hour – if you like.”

“So, where did you think she’d gone?” Irini asked.

Alban waved a dismissive hand. “Irini, it’s best that you drop the subject.” He raised his eyebrows and gave her a pointed look.

For some reason, they thought Aria had been harmed aboard ship. Irini could think of only one reason to assume that – a deadly disease that could take Aria at any time.

“I just…”

Alban made a cutting motion through the air. “Irini, no.”