The Dusty Maiden’s props had just stopped spinning when Niles stepped off the barge and onto the main docks of Norbridge. “Well, no pirate activity so far,” he said playfully to nobody in particular.

“Niles,” Jon said, “Please make haste, sir.”

Jon’s request seemed subdued. Good idea, Niles thought. Not the best idea to boss a barge captain around, especially one who doesn’t like the Guardian Order. Though it was possible Jon was simply being respectful. “I’ll try not to take too long. And when I get back I’d like to hear more ideas about what we’re going to do.”

“I already have an idea,” Jon said. “I’ve had it all along.”

Niles raised an eyebrow. “Then what was all that fuss about coming to Norbridge?”

“It’s a last resort. That’s why.”

“Fine,” he said. “You can tell me when I get back.” Then he turned around and starting making his way over the docks, hoping Andrea would come back with him. He needed her. She was the best pilot he’d ever had. It didn’t feel right not having her onboard, especially with the way they left things.

He wanted to talk to her and hear her laugh, and if nothing else, even fight with her some more. But maybe she would refuse him when he asked her to come back aboard the barge.

Nothing to do but wait and see, he thought, stopping to gaze off the bridge. There were a lot of barges in the air. A few were Guardian patrols, but most were, without a doubt, cargo haulers. They were probably bringing in water shipments and other supplies like leather or food.

He decided to move on. He would be back hauling water shipments to the cities in no time at all, provided they were able to stop a second invasion.

Is that all? he asked himself, surprised at his calm.

Niles smiled and shook his head as he started to traverse up a steep road in the direction of Andrea’s house. At least he remembered this was the road to her house. He’d only visited a handful of times. Usually Andrea would be the first person to get off the barge while Niles handled the delivery manifest and payment. After that they would usually meet up somewhere in the city to have a quiet cup of coffee or something to eat.

Why didn’t I see it before? he wondered. Why would I, the captain, and my female pilot, spend time like that together? He didn’t spend time like that with Walter or any other member of the crew. Just her.

Having not had her around for a while, now made things extremely clear to him. Niles was a sand-brained idiot. Of course they have something between them. Neither he nor Andrea had ever made any direct overtures towards each other during their time together on the Dusty Maiden. He could always see the signs though. They were not that hard to miss.

Why am I thinking about this now? he asked himself, looking up at Andrea’s door. It was just the way he had remembered it—small but not overly small and painting in a bright red. It was nice and he remembered it seeming very much like a home when he’d visited those few times, not just some temporary dwelling that could easily be abandoned.

He moved up to the door, knocked and then waited several moments. Andrea must have peeked outside to see who it was because she opened the door very slowly, not seeming surprised to see Niles standing there.

Neither of them said a world.

The silence seemed to go on forever as they stared back into each other’s eyes. Then Niles decided he would break the silence. “Hi.”

Andrea stepped under the lintel and slapped him across the face. “Damn you, Niles. So you come back only when it suits you, is that it?”

Niles stroked his burning cheek. “Actually Jon and Emma were pretty upset when I decided to come and get you instead of going after the Breabooth.”

She seemed suddenly interested. “Is that so?” she asked skeptically as she leaned on her hip. But after a moment, she seemed to get curious. “So the Guardian aboard Analaya didn’t have what we needed?”

Niles felt his mental awareness, as well as his hopes, go up as he realized she said “we” in her question. “No,” he said. “And it looks like we’re going to have to go with Jon’s alternate plan since we wasted our second chance coming back to get you.” Andrea seemed about to respond when he added, “How’s your family?”

“They—they’re fine, Niles,” she said suspiciously.

He smiled faintly. “I’m glad to hear that. What about the pirate situation?”

“Well...” Andrea said as she leaned against the lintel, her arms crossed, “The rumors are partially true. The number of pirate barges reported in the area were wrong.”

“So only a few score then?”

Niles thought Andrea was trying to hold back from laughing when she said, “Actually, more accurate reports put them at around just under a dozen.”

“Oh,” Niles said. He tried to keep his tone as serious as possible. Under a dozen pirates. It was hard not be sarcastic in a humorous “I told you so” kind of way.

Andrea didn’t respond though. She only stared back at Niles, her face a mask of seriousness. Then he was sure he saw her mouth twitch, the ends of her lips curving up into a smile.

“Is something funny?”

Andrea covered her mouth to keep from laughing, but it didn’t work. “All right!” she said. “You were right. But I had to make sure.”

Niles crunched his eyebrows, and in a very serious tone he said, “This is no laughing matter...” But then he broke and started to laugh.

They were laughing together now, and then suddenly Andrea threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. They had never embraced like that before. It felt very good. Positive energy seemed to be flowing through his whole body as if it were brought on by some magical force.

Yeah, he thought. I’m a fool.

After the mirth had subsided and they stopped embracing each other, Andrea said, “So why did you come back?”

Her question was one of those opportune moments Niles had never seemed to move in on. It wasn’t a direct overture, but it beckoned an answer that wasn’t supposed to be the obvious “I need my pilot back.” Instead Niles said, “I want you back on the barge, Andrea.” Though he said it with a tone which they both understood.

Andrea smiled. “All right.”

They stood there smiling at each other for a moment. “Would you like me to re-locate your family?”

Andrea laughed and punched him in the arm. “Shut up, Niles.”

“No,” he said, “I’m serious.”

“I’ll go get my things and say goodbye,” she said. Then she retreated into the house where Niles couldn’t see her anymore.