Chapter 7

She felt like she was about to be interrogated, then realized that she was.

Suddenly she wanted to tell him everything. She needed desperately to tell someone all about herself. Right now she was just a speck in the Universe and no one but the crew of this ship knew she even existed.

"Now. Down to business." said Dylan, "First, I want you to tell me everything that happened before the blast. Even from before the slipfighter started pursuing you." he said. She was surprised that he hadn't even asked her what she had been doing in the conduit. She decided she'd just keep him occupied and tell him what he wanted, as she hadn't thought of an excuse yet. "Well, we had just picked up some new cargo at Serukan Drift, and we had just come out of slipstream when we were attacked. The jolt of the shot broke the slipstream drive and we were stranded..." "Wait," Dylan cut in, "Tell me what happened before that. How did you come to be on that ship? I've never heard of cargoships that employ 15 year olds." "Oh, I was born on the ship. My dad was a crewmember, and my mom was someone he had met at a stop at a drift. I've never met her, but it doesn't really bother me." Inside, Hannah was really thinking 'it does bother me!!' but she had no intention of telling that to Captain Hunt. She meant only to give him the minimum of facts. Actually, she realized, she need not have told him that she had never met her mother, but he was bound to ask in the end. Hannah continued, "I don't really get to deal with customers much yet. I mean, I didn't," she said, realising that she may never get to do that now.

"I see," said Dylan. An idea dawned on him "do you know what was in the hold that may have attracted the slipfighters attention?"

"No, I'm barely ever told what's in the hold. As far as I know we just transported food and supplies mostly," Dylan gave her a look that made her uneasy. He seemed to be searching her. She thought that perhaps she had given away more than she had intended, but her mind was set at ease when he said "I think that's all I need for now. You look tired. Go check in with Trance at med bay but don't go too far, I might need to ask you some more questions soon." he got up and ushered her out of the room, himself turning towards what she thought must be the way to the command deck.

She turned away and started on her way toward to the med bay, but soon came face to face with the man who had barged into her room. She gasped and stepped back.

"Why is it that every time you see me your heart rate quickens." he said. His voice was deep, but he said it with a kind of subtle humour about it, as though he was sharing a joke with himself. She briefly wondered how he could tell how fast her heart was beating. "Where are you off to?" he continued.

"Med bay," she said quickly. This man made her nervous. There was something not quite right about him.

He stared at her like he had stared when he came into her room. Perhaps even more unblinkingly penetrating if possible.

"The med deck is that way," he said, breaking the silence. He indicated towards the way I had just come from.

"Oh," I said dumbly. Suddenly I felt tired, and I stopped caring about what he thought I was doing. All I wanted was to get to bed. I staggered around and slogged my way over, barely noticing that he was holding me up. He supported me and redirected me when I missed the door to Med bay. I lay down on the table and briefly saw Trance before she moved out of my line of vision. Before I fell into the deep sleep that I had been lacking for days, I reminded myself to thank the man when I woke up. I sighed and gave into the blissful calm.

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