13 Souls Like Mirrors:
"So you see, Captain, why Aika's room should go to me." Osman concluded.
"You've made some good points." Vyse conceded. "But I think that since Enrique and Moegi want the baby to be born here we should give them Aika's room for now."
"Captain, I must protest!" Osman argued.
"It's just for six months, Osman." Vyse cut in. "Enrique and Moegi won't be here permanently."
"You are too cruel, Captain." Osman exclaimed. "I was willing to forgive and forget that you forgot about my kabal skewers, even though I have been living off of little more than water this past week, but now you slight me again!"
Vyse looked at the large woman. Somehow he doubted that she had only had water in the last couple of days. He had no idea how everyone decided that Aika's room was up for grabs simultaneously. First Brabham had pulled him aside to ask about it, then he found Marco trying to sneak his belongings into the room and now Osman. Vyse had found a temporary solution in housing Enrique and Moegi in the room. To avoid any possible disputes in their family, the couple wanted their child born on neutral ground that belonged neither to the Yafutoman or Valuan Empire.
"Talk to Khazim about kabal skewers." Vyse suggested. "I think he has some."
"If you say so, Captain." Osman waddled off in a huff.
Vyse breathed a sigh of relief.
"Hey, Captain. Could I speak with you for a minute?" Don tapped Vyse on his shoulder.
Vyse spun around to face him. "If this is about Aika's room, then I've already decided on giving it to Enrique and Moegi for the time being."
"No, it's not about that at all." Don whispered. With a bandaged hand, he stroked an ugly yellowing bruise along his jaw line.
"Don!" Vyse exclaimed. "What happened to your face?"
Don blinked. "I trimmed my goatee, if that's what you mean."
"No. I mean the bruise, what happened?" Vyse asked.
"Oh that." Don shrugged, embarrassed. "I got drunk last night, only when I passed out, I fell face first into a hardwood floor. I don't recommend it, Captain."
"Do you want me to find Fina? She could—"
"Don't bother, Captain." Don interrupted gently. "All my important wounds have already been tended to."
The way Don fondly touched the handkerchief that bound his hand confused Vyse.
"So what did you want to talk about?" Vyse asked.
"I want to leave." Don said simply. "Not permanently, mind you. But I'm not happy right here, right now. I'd like permission to just float around on my new ship for a while."
"Don, you don't have to ask me." Vyse replied.
"Yes I do." Don insisted. "I'd also like to take the crew I had with me before. Marco acts tough, but he's really just a kid. I think he needs a break after all that's happened."
Vyse laughed and patted Don on the back. "Absolutely." he agreed. "You gather your crew up. I'll see to stocking your ship. You should be ready to head out with a six months supply of necessities tomorrow."
"You don't know how much this means to me, Captain." Don said gravely.
"Go get your crew." Vyse replied.
"Oh, Captain?" Don looked over his shoulder back at Vyse.
"Yeah?"
"Since I'll be gone before Kirala leaves her shop tonight, will you tell her I'm sorry?" Don asked.
"You need to apologize to Kirala?" Vyse raised an eyebrow at the older man.
"I suppose I don't need to." Don stroked his bruised jaw. "But I want to. She deserves as much."
"Sure, I can do that." Vyse assured. He scratched the back of his head.
"Thanks, Captain." Don grinned.
As Don walked off happily, Vyse watched the older man closely. Don had been behaving oddly. He smelled fresh, like soap and not day old loqua. Something curious was happening.
Nearby, a crowd had gathered, but shockingly, it was neither around Vyse nor for requests of Aika's room. It was around Kalifa's tent, so Vyse went to investigate.
The fortune teller was in the throes of her work. Her magenta headpiece flailed and she waved her arms maniacally over a nervous Moegi. Enrique sat beside his wife and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
The fortune teller's crystal over which Kalifa was huddled glowed vibrantly and the Maramban native jerked her head up. Despite the fact that Kalifa wore opaque blue glasses, Vyse was positive that her gaze horrified both the Emperor and his wife.
"There will be two." Kalifa predicted. "With souls like mirrors and faces like night and day."
Vyse walked up to Fina and tapped her on the shoulder. "What's going on?" he asked.
"Kalifa is telling the fortune of Moegi's unborn child." Fina replied. "Unborn children, as it turns out."
"Kalifa thinks that Moegi's carrying twins?" Vyse exclaimed.
Fina nodded.
Kalifa stopped abruptly. She screeched melodramatically and thrust a finger in Vyse's direction.
"You!" she wailed at Vyse.
"Me?" Vyse asked. He could feel the hair pricking up on the back of his neck.
Moegi took that as her cue to creep slowly away from the fortune teller. Enrique gathered his unnerved wife in his arms and they fell back into the rest of the crowd.
Kalifa moaned and her body convulsed. Her blue crystal seemed to burn bright white before her.
"You." she repeated. "You are wrong."
Fina gasped. Vyse took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. That seemed to calm the Silvite, so he turned all his attention to the Maramban.
"What do you mean, Kalifa?" Vyse asked. "How am I wrong?"
Kalifa turned her gaze to her crystal. The fortune teller studied it intently, her lips pursed with unutterable syllables. With a great display of bravado, she threw her arm against the crystal and sent it spiraling into the ground.
As soon as the crystal hit the hard soil the spell appeared to be broken. Kalifa fell to her hands and knees, exhausted. The rise and fall of the woman's chest became more regular with each raspy breath.
Fina nudged her way through the crowd and was finally able to meet Kalifa. With a hand, Fina wiped the sweat from the other woman's brow before she helped Kalifa to her feet. Kalifa adjusted her blue glasses with a shaky hand.
"Kalifa, what happened?" Vyse asked as he rushed to her side.
"I will be fine." she said. "I just need some rest."
"But you said that I was wrong." Vyse said softly. "What does that mean?"
"Sometimes it's better to discover things on your own." Kalifa sounded weary.
Vyse took Kalifa by the arm and led her into her tent. Kalifa graciously allowed the young Captain to set her on one of the numerous pillows that littered the tent floor.
"Now, please, explain to me what that was all about." Vyse requested.
"I do not want to." Kalifa shook her head.
"This is regarding my life." Vyse argued. "If it's as bad as you make it sound, then I think that I at least deserve to know what you saw."
"Sometimes the only way we can grow is to first make mistakes." Kalifa murmured. "It may be painful, but you will learn from it. I'm afraid if I reveal a piece of your future, you may be able to avoid the valuable lesson."
"Please, tell me." Vyse pleaded.
Kalifa sighed and Vyse shot her a grin.
"Very well." Kalifa said. "You may want to take a seat."