The Fall

by Wedjatqi

ALLIANCE FIC – 2 weeks after the events of 'Interlude 4' and Atlantis continues to search for Janus' secret lab; Teyla, still feeling slightly unwell, is aboard the Sythus on its way to hunt down the elusive Skerti out beyond the Alliance border. And in the Training Facility, Oneakka continues his recovery while struggling with new developments regarding Seeal.

40. Act 2 - Arrivals and Departures

ACT 2 – TRUTH

Chapter 40 – Arrivals and Departures

Despite the Hunt Fleet's exceptional coordinated work in clearing the path through the outer ring of asteroids, it had taken far longer than the predicted seven hours to finally complete the path through to the broader open space of the wider asteroid field.

The innermost stretch of asteroids that had been their last barrier to breakthrough had turned out to be particularly challenging, with every single piece of the dense rock type requiring towing aside. Some additional small accidental collisions had resulted in further scattering of the uncooperative rocks, which had required multiple flights of Fighters and Transports to clear the path once again.

So it had taken almost twice the length of time they'd predicted before the Hunt Fleet had all now finally arrived into the open space between the larger asteroids.

Teyla watched as the view beyond the Sythus shifted sideways, the Sythus sliding into formation alongside The Valse, the Hunt Fleet finally able to break out of the narrow arrow formation it had had to maintain for almost two days now.

"Up ahead," Si noted from her left, but Teyla could already see the reflected glint shining through the forward lights of the Fleet ships. The region's single sun was already very distant and the dense asteroid field broke up its light almost entirely, still with the combined light sources, Teyla could now clearly see Nalla's Transport growing closer and then disappear under the Sythus' belly.

Finally, after days on Transport One, Nalla and her team were only moments away from docking back in the Sythus.

It had been far longer than planned, and the extended time it had taken the Hunt Fleet to finally be here to rendezvous with the Transport, had meant that Nalla had had to endure even longer carefully maintaining her cautious unmoving awareness of the unidentified presence. And as Teyla and Si had both kept up their hourly check-ins with Nalla, Teyla's concern had grown. The difference in Nalla's voice between the last check-in Teyla had undertaken before she'd retired to sleep, and when she had returned to Central Station this morning had been very concerning. Si had maintained the hourly calls, and said that Nalla had noted no change, but it was very clear that each passing hour was growing exponentially taxing for Nalla. Psychic strain could be very demanding at the best of times, and even a Pelydrian had their limits.

But now she was almost home, Nalla could finally rest and they could start properly investigating the asteroid field and hopefully locate the strange new presence that only Nalla so far could sense. And if it turned out to be the Skerti, then all the better for their mission's objective.

"Transport One is approaching the Bay, Honoured Elite," a Technician announced the good news and Teyla turned back to the tactical display table, seeing the announcements and deployments already underway within the Transport Bay to receive the returning Transport.

"The Sensor Platform Ship reports all satellite feeds are being received and our sensor range has already significantly widened now we are in this area," Halling noted from her right as he tapped across the busy screens on the display table.

Teyla watched the table's central area as the sensor map was updated and extended with the latest additions from the Sensor Platform Ship. The range had indeed been increased, but nothing of any great tactical significance had been identified yet.

"No lifesigns, engine outputs, or indications of atmosphere on any of the local asteroids within our sensor range so far," she summarised for the others stood around the display table.

"This further in asteroid is huge," Si noted, one dark hand appearing into her view, one finger pointing to the edge of the furthest extent of the newly updated sensor map.

"It appears to have captured smaller asteroids in its gravitational field," Jobrill noted.

"Almost like small moons around it," Si nodded.

"The presence of these larger asteroids with gravitational fields explains why this area is far less littered," Halling added.

Teyla frowned faintly at the sensor map, scanning her gaze over the surprisingly open areas ahead inside the field.

"This asteroid field is so massive, and likely so old, that most smaller pieces have probably been captured like that before," Jobrill nodded. "And perhaps implies the outer rings were formed from more recent collisions."

"Or the asteroid field itself has its own gravitational field of sorts," Halling considered. "That the millennia have drawn the smaller rocks out to its edges."

Teyla tapped through the views of the closer asteroids, live images of their surfaces filling one small screen. "There is certainly plenty of pockmark evidence of old collisions on these larger rocks," she noted.

"One wonders then," Jobrill added, "if this entire asteroid field has been recently shifted in position, why there are not more collisions between these larger rocks. Surely an event so massive to move an entire field like this would leave very obvious aftereffects."

"True," Teyla pondered the point, "or we are simply in an area of the asteroid field that the effects of whatever happened are less obvious. We may have inadvertently arrived in the tidiest of places."

"Possibly," Jobrill conceded.

"Or someone's tidied up," Si added ominously.

Teyla lifted her gaze to Si stood directly opposite her on the far side of the tactical display table and couldn't help smiling faintly at him and his point. "That would be some exercise to undertake, removing all small asteroids and pushing them to the outside of the field in the area."

"We just did something similar to get here," Si replied.

Teyla frowned down at the sensor map. Despite the deployed satellites and all the Hunt Fleet's ships combining their sensors, the map on the table did not show all that far into the asteroid field. Given Atlantis' map of the region, and the limited scans the Alliance had access to, the wider asteroid field was indeed mammoth. It could take years to explore the entire field in depth…

Years until she could see John again. Years in which she may have to raise their child alone onboard.

She blinked away that sudden worried, unfounded thought. As long as missions could be, the Sythus would never stay out here so long…unless it was unable to return…

"Honoured Elite, Transport One's hull has been scanned, found clean of anything foreign other than dust, and has been decontaminated. It is now settled into the Bay," a Technician announced.

"Excellent," Teyla replied, taking quick advantage of the distraction and call back to her next duty. She looked around the table at the others. "I will head down to the Bay now and meet with Nalla."

"She will resist going to the Healing Bay," Si put in, his voice lower so as not to carry too far to other ears.

Teyla looked up from having recorded her departure from Central Station on a display and gave him a faint smile as she nodded. "I will make sure she does."

As she turned away, Teyla glanced over the sensor map again, the open clean spaces between the large asteroids now feeling rather suspicious following Si' theory.

But that was not to be her focus right now, her mission was to get down to the Transport Bay, check on the Transport's status and ensure that Nalla properly rested following her ordeal.

Striding out of the back hatchway out of Central Station, Teyla drew in the early morning feel of the corridors. A crew shift change was underway resulting in a noticeable flow of people moving both ways along the corridor. Teyla joined into the flow heading towards the nearest transport that would take her down to the Bay level.

As the transport's door slid open it disgorged five crew members, all of them nodding politely as they spotted her within the crowd to use the transport. That had drawn attention to her and she was abruptly first to enter the transport. With a nod, she took the silent offer and headed into the small space, crew following her inside until it was at maximum occupancy.

Teyla shifted herself back and to one side, putting herself in the back corner to allow more space for the crew as the door slid shut. She had already selected the floor button for the Transport Bay's lower level and she saw two other lights glowing as the transport began to move downwards…and abruptly her stomach flipped in response.

Anxiety hit her in a clammy rush at the abrupt return of nausea. She flattened one hand against the transport wall to support herself, freezing in place, waiting for the rising bile… But it didn't arrive, no urge to vomit, but she felt as if the floor was dropping far too fast for reality under her boots, her stomach swirling.

Focusing everything on her breathing, Teyla held herself as still as possible as she ran her eyes quickly around those packed into the transport with her. Everyone was facing forward, no one was watching her…

The transport stopped, causing another little resulting flip of her stomach, but the sudden stillness felt really good.

The transport door slid open and three crewmen left and two entered. Teyla vaguely nodded her head at their polite nods before they turned and faced the door as it closed.

The floor dropped and the nausea swirled again as the transport moved.

Teyla closed her eyes for a moment, willing her body to calm.

She'd taken her regular morning medication dose, so why was this happening?

The transport stopped with what seemed to her an overly excessive jolt, but no one else reacted to the motion, simply carrying on their quiet conversations as the door slid open and the majority of the crew exited...they were at the Canteen level.

No one else entered so the door slid shut.

Teyla prepared herself for the transport's movement this time, but it made no difference to her stomach's flips as the floor felt like it dropped away.

The other medication!

She reached into her pocket, her fingers quickly finding the small metal tube that was the injector loaded with the fast-acting anti-nausea medication for emergency use. She could, in theory, inject herself through her clothing from her pocket, so no one would see…

Abruptly the transport stopped, and the dropping sensation with it. The door slid open and she realised they had reached the Transport Bay level. The two remaining crew in the transport with her were heading out through the door, leaving her as last to depart.

Her head felt faintly light, but the deck felt wonderfully stable under her boots as she stepped out of the transport. No one was waiting to enter the transport on this level, so she stood in place and just focused on breathing.

She turned the emergency injector in her pocket anxiously, waiting to see if she needed it.

But she was already starting to feel better, and, another breath later, she felt normal again.

It had just been the motion of the transport then? She hadn't felt like that on her earlier short trip up to Central Station though.

Perhaps it had been something to do with the transport having been so packed full?

She had taken her morning medication dose, though that had only been about an hour ago. Perhaps it had not properly filtered through her system?

Whatever the reason, she was feeling much better now and she released her tight grip on the injector and drew her hand out of her pocket.

Straightening up a little taller, she took another breath to calm her anxiety at the sudden nausea.

She was okay.

She started forward down the corridor, each step feeling stable and her stomach was behaving. Just a blip then.

She'd mention it to the Healer at her next appointment. Perhaps there was another medication she could take for that.

For now, as she turned into the main corridor that led to the Transport Bay, she had a mission to focus on.

The big wide entrance into the Transport Bay was open at the far end of the corridor and she could already see the landed Transport in view to the left. Technicians were flowing over it, running checks on every system and undertaking any repairs or maintenance requirements after the vessel's lengthy mission in the asteroid field.

As she drew closer, her stomach entirely happy now, she could already spot Nalla. She was stood outside the Transport, Inifee at her side, the two of them in discussion with the Bay's Lead. Even from here, Teyla could already see that Nalla was not feeling herself.

The Pelydrian had a very gracile figure, and always had strong yet sloped relaxed shoulders, her demeanour nearly always calm and collected. Yet, Teyla could already see that Nalla's shoulders were tense and raised, and she had one hand resting on a nearby console, clearly helping her stand upright.

As Teyla entered the Bay itself, Nalla glanced round, no doubt having sensed her arrival. Nalla's usual mid-tone purple complexion was a shockingly light lilac colour and there were dark indigo circles under her eyes. Teyla had never seen Nalla look so unwell outside of extreme injury.

Teyla latched her gaze with Nalla's, not even trying to hide her concern as the Pelydrian empath would have sensed it already.

Nalla glanced away and nodded to the Bay Lead and then took a step away from the console, standing up straighter as she faced Teyla.

"It is good to have you back, Nalla," Teyla smiled as she reached her.

"I am very grateful to be back," Nalla replied. Even her violet eyes looked tired, their usual healthy sheen seeming dull and dry. "Have you sensed anything of the presence yet?"

"No," Teyla shook her head, automatically drawing on her Gift to doublecheck that analysis, but there was no change. "Si and I have both regularly checked, but our Seeker range is far more limited that your gifts."

Nalla nodded, but her eyes shifted away, her disappointment clear.

"Do you sense it now?" Teyla asked, sinking back into her Gift again, reaching out as she would when seeking a Wraith, but she felt nothing…though, she was somewhat aware of Nalla now. It happened around Pelydrians when she used her Gift. She or Si could not read a Pelydrian's moods, as they could of each other when in the cold depth of the Gift, but she could tell that Nalla was there, like a distant sound just out of reach.

"I sense it always," Nalla glanced aside, looking over her left shoulder. The Bay's Lead was talking with Inifee, who also looked tired from the prolonged mission, but far less so than Nalla. "We could detect nothing on sensors that is even close to a life-sign," Nalla sighed as she returned her attention to Teyla.

"The Sensor Platform Ship has expanded the sensor range with your deployed satellites, but we have detected nothing either."

Nalla nodded, her pale brow deeply creasing.

"Nalla," Teyla reached out, touching a hand to Nalla's arm. "You need to rest."

"I will," Nalla nodded. "I just…" She let out a tired sigh that sounded inflicted with barely controlled emotions. She glanced aside and then back to Teyla, her voice lowering. "We both know that Wraith can take control of a weakened psychic state, especially when sleeping."

And if the Presence was indeed the Skerti, then it's mental skills were stronger than the Wraith's, as the Skerti Queen's autopsy and Halling's experiences had suggested.

Teyla nodded with understanding of what went unsaid, gently squeezing Nalla's arm.

She indeed knew the dangers involved when she had started out exploring her Seeker skills. Newly learning Seekers were especially vulnerable to Wraith taking control of them, not yet having learnt how to defend and to keep out a Wraith mind. It was a skill pressed upon all newly training Seekers, and it seemed that Pelydrians were also aware of such vulnerabilities with their own psychic abilities.

"You have to sleep though, Nalla," Teyla stressed, keeping her own voice low so as not to carry, yet given how busy the Bay was around them it was probably unlikely. "The longer you go without rest, the more vulnerably you become anyway."

Nalla nodded. "True."

"How about I sit in your quarters while you sleep?" Teyla offered. "I can be close by should anything happen?"

Nalla's exhausted eyes seemed to light up slightly at the suggestion. "If you do not mind."

"Of course not, Nalla. But you should visit the Healing Bay first."

"I am not injured by this," Nalla said quickly.

"I know, but you may need a nutrient injection or to be sure that this presence isn't destabilising your system in other ways?"

"That is true," Nalla nodded with a sigh. "I need to log in with Central Station and begin a report…"

"Going to the Healing Bay and then sleeping is far more important," Teyla replied quickly. "You have already provided regular updates for us via our hourly conversations, so there is no urgent need for your report. It can be done once you have rested."

Nalla nodded. "I would prefer to at least check-in with Central Station after I go to the Healing Bay."

"I can go with you," Teyla offered.

"No, you are here to ensure the Transport is checked and the database copied," Nalla rejected the offer, presumably wanting privacy in her Healing Bay visit. Teyla could especially understand that of late. "I will contact you when I am on my way to my quarters."

"Of course, I will be ready for your call," Teyla nodded.

"Thank you, Teyla," Nalla offered, the comment very clearly meant.

Teyla squeezed her arm and let go. "It is good to have you back, we have worried about you."

Nalla gave her a slightly strained smile and then glanced away and exchanged a nod with Inifee before she moved past Teyla and headed for the exit out of the Bay.

Teyla turned to watch Nalla leaving. She was walking unaided, but it was a walk of someone clearly exhausted and very much in need of her bed.

Teyla toyed with the idea of following Nalla anyway, to be sure she got up to Central Station and then to the Healing Bay…but then there were plenty of crew between those locations who would immediately notice if Nalla collapsed and be there to help her.

And Nalla was right, Teyla was here to also check on the Transport's return as well as that of Nalla and the rest of her team.

Nalla had disappeared out of the Bay, so Teyla turned away, only to find Inifee standing close by. His body language and expression indicated that he was attempting to draw her attention, so she moved the few steps towards him.

"Are you alright, Inifee?" She asked.

"I will be after some rest, thank you, Honoured Elite," he replied with his familiar bright smile despite his clear tiredness. "I just wanted to," he glanced away to the Bay's exit and then shifted a little closer. "I do not want to speak out of turn."

Teyla could not recall Inifee having ever gone even close to 'speaking out of turn'. "Please speak your mind freely, Inifee," she gave him the permission he clearly wanted.

"Honoured Elite Nalla, she said that she captured some rest on the mission, but I never saw her actually do that."

Teyla nodded. "I understand," she assured him. "I will make sure she sleeps, I promise."

"I just thought you should know."

She smiled at him. "I have no doubt that Nalla appreciates your concern for her wellbeing." After all, Nalla would have sensed as much.

Inifee smiled back, his unnecessary guilt reduced at commenting on Nalla's subtle lies about her resting while on the Transport.

"And you should rest yourself after visiting the Healing Bay for standard checks," Teyla reminded him.

"I will, Honoured Elite, thank you."

"Are the rest of your team also doing the same?" She checked.

"They have already left for the Healing Bay," Inifee informed her. "Those from the Sensor Platform Ship will be shuttled back to their vessel once they are cleared."

"Excellent, thank you, Inifee."

He smiled and moved away, following in Nalla's path for the exit.

All of the mission's team were being seen to then, so it was now time to check on the Transport ship itself. Teyla glanced around the busy Bay, locating the Bay Lead in discussion beside the returned Transport. She headed towards the female.

She'd ensure all was covered here, submit her report and then make sure to collect some food before she was called to Nalla's quarters. If Nalla managed a good lengthy sleep, then it would be important to have supplies…and a stunner, she considered.

Just in case Nalla's worst fears were realised.

Though, she also realised with a frown as she approached the Bay Lead, getting up to the Canteen and then to Nalla's quarters would require two more trips in the transport…

0000

It had taken a couple hours to admit to herself that she was clearly going to go to Pelydr, and then another half an hour to let Oneakka know.

It was an all-expenses paid, apology trip in the sunshine, so it was perfectly fine to accept the invitation.

And Oneakka hadn't actually been all that far from the truth that she'd not really taken any proper time off since starting here at the Facility. She'd taken off a few days here and there, well, actually just a couple of days really. But then most of her social time had been in the evenings when the Strays had still been around before the Sythus had left, and that hadn't required any booked leave away from the Project.

The truth though was that she'd not actually thought about booking off some extended time for a proper break.

That had felt a little telling as she'd set about responding to various text-links she'd received. She'd assured everyone she was fine, which was a theme that had lasted all morning.

She'd first made a link call to Jin to reschedule their planned second meet up in two days' time, and he'd told her that the fate of Saoka's station was the major news across the Alliance and that, apparently, everyone was talking about it. He'd seemed shocked and worried that she'd been on the station and, despite her clearly on the image feed talking to him, he'd fretted about her nearly being seriously hurt. She'd reassured him that she was fine, and they'd rebooked their meet up for next week instead. He'd signed off with insisting that she rest, which she'd had to promise to do three times before he'd seemed satisfied.

Amel had then visited, having retrieved the raven brooch from her Project workstation. Amel had wanted lots of details on what had happened and more assurances that she was okay. Seeal had promised she was fine, but had distracted Amel away from wanting details about the station by asking for updates from the Project. Apparently everyone in the team were sending their good wishes for her 'recovery' via Amel, which seemed a little unnecessary for a sprained ankle, but Seeal was still rather touched. Though she wasn't convinced by Amel's insistence that Angry Tech had asked to be included in the well wishes, putting it down to peer pressure on him from the rest of the Project Team at the time.

After Amel had left, Massa had turned up to 'check on her'. He'd seemed nice and sweet about it until he'd spotted her partly-packed bag. She'd told him she was going to Pelydr with Oneakka for a few days and his eyes had gotten the size of dining plates, and that annoying – and recently absent following his promise – sparkle in his eyes had returned. She'd quickly reminded him of his promise to her not to go reading insinuating things into her friendship with Oneakka, and she'd clearly explained that the offer of the trip to Pelydr was Oneakka's way of apologising for a massive argument they'd had. Massa had rather unconvincingly played the role of contrite friend after that, but had recalled that Halling had once gone to Pelydr with Oneakka for a few days after a significant injury.

Massa hadn't lost the annoying look in his eyes for the rest of his visit though and, after suggesting she may want to take some smaller-sized clothes "because it'll get hot there", she'd ordered him to leave. He'd chuckled his way out, but had promised to take Aki to visit the goats everyday while she was away. Once outside her door, he'd wished her a good trip more seriously, but then had again ruined it by grinning and telling her to "enjoy yourself" in a very insinuating way.

She'd triggered the door shut in his face.

She was going to have to find some way of getting back at him for that.

But that was for when she got back. For now, her last order of business was checking she had packed everything she needed.

Oneakka had replied to her earlier text-link with the Elite's summary of travel rules when visiting Pelydr, so she read them through again to be sure she'd covered everything. Without toiletries and taking only her sandals, which she'd wear on the trip there, her bag was looking rather light. Just three changes of clothes, a large towel, her toothbrush, and her reading pad with the novels Amel had recommended.

She couldn't even take her usual electronic pad. She frowned at the transparent box that had been delivered to her earlier. Everything she'd been wearing or carrying when she'd come back to the Facility from Saoka's planet had gone through decontamination overnight. Her clothes had been cleaned and neatly folded inside the box, her boots cleaned and polished, and Nanuet's Litan blaster had even been returned to her. She was going to have find a way to return that to him.

But her electronic pad had taken some significant damage during the 'landing' of the BreakAway. She picked it up out of the box and frowned at the badly cracked screen. If it was just the screen…she reached up to the lowest shelf above her table and pulled out her old trusty bundle of tools tucked between some research pads. Even now, foolish as it was, she still kept the small toolkit out of sight. They were hardly contraband, but they had been beyond valuable and essential for her life on Dream.

She unwrapped the small bundle, pulled out the right tool and used it to ease open the casing of the Alliance pad. Besides the damaged screen, there was just one cracked circuit board and some broken soldered connections. She could easily fix that herself and they were bound to sell basic tech supplies like that on Pelydr. She rolled up her tool bundle again, and carried it and the broken pad to her bag. It would give her something to do on Pelydr.

Not that she was overly sure what you usually did on a 'holiday'.

The closest she'd come to relaxing holidays had been her short stays in Zio's home above his tea shop. Even then, she'd had to wear a disguise to get in and out of his shop. Any time she'd left Dream, she'd used other names and disguises, and even on 'safe' worlds, there had always been the threat of someone unsavoury recognising her. Creass' Security Lead caught shopping or asleep on a beach would have led to her execution or being taken as a hostage. And she wouldn't have been able to lead the team to free the hostage, as she'd done a few times when one of Creass' enemies had found one of Dream's staff off-station.

No, relaxing hadn't really ever been part of her life before. Yes, Zio's home had been a safe place, but even then, she'd had to stay out of sight upstairs during the day as he worked downstairs in the shop. Plus, as the years had passed, the subtle pressure of him wanting her to become a tea-trader's wife had started to become uncomfortable. But she'd at least had a place to rest at Zio's during her brief stays, able to recharge her reserves, but she'd not slept all that deeply even then.

Her first true good night's sleep hadn't been until that first night in the Sythus' brig. How ironic it had been that the safest place she'd ever felt in her life at that point had been as a prisoner. But there, in that small brig, she'd not had to pretend to be anyone else and, despite her former unflattering opinion of the Elite, they had been known not to torture prisoners. So, she'd slept, and slept like never before in her life.

And pretty much every night since then, when she'd been on the Sythus or here in the Facility, she'd slept deeply, knowing she was safe.

Which, she realised with a sigh as she tucked the pad and tools into the end of her bag, was probably why she'd not taken any real time off since starting at the Facility. Because, given her former life, everyday had felt like a holiday since Oneakka and Halling had arrested her on Aldine.

Which was a sad fact, because since she'd met Oneakka and the other Elite, she'd been nearly killed multiple times, had almost been fed on by Wraith, had had to board an irradiated Wraith Hive that had been falling apart from the inside out, had been caught up in a riot and, of course, had been on Saoka's station crashing out of orbit. Hardly a 'safe' and relaxing life really.

Maybe everyone was right and she really did need a holiday.

Well, she'd packed everything for the holiday now…except nightclothes. The bottom half of that equation was easy as she added her most comfortable stretchy night trousers to the bag, but the top half…

She frowned down at Oneakka's old shirt in her hand.

Not taking it would show that she didn't wear it all the time…but then he'd know she'd purposefully not taken it because he'd mentioned it. So, if she did take it, then it would be showing him that she'd didn't care that he'd seen it, but would maybe give away that it was her favourite…. It was a quandary.

She rolled her eyes at her stupid self.

She'd never used to be this indecisive and why, in all the icy hells, did she think it mattered what bedclothes she wore!

It wasn't like Oneakka would know the truth.

She frowned harder at the top in her hand. It was just a nice big comfy shirt.

It wasn't her favourite because it had been his…was it?

Keeping tight control of 'the feelings' had gotten somewhat easier of late thanks to Oneakka's annoying unpredictable behaviour since the Sythus had left, leaving him behind to recover. If he'd asked her to go to Pelydr before the Sythus had left, she'd not have thought twice, but now…

Now the prospect that a few days in the warm sun would turn into three days of heated arguing and shouting…

It worried her more than she'd realised until this moment.

She'd come so close to following through on her threat to leave the Facility following their last and worst fight, but it had been just a weak bluff. She'd never have gone to work for Saoka, not really.

Leave the comfortable safe night sleeps behind her? That would be stupid.

But, the end of her friendship with Oneakka? She could feel her heart racing in her chest at the thought of it.

Life kept conspiring against her of late, she was almost certain of it. Just when it had seemed he would be around less, and the feelings could be ignored again, he had only gone and failed his medical review. Then he'd started causing more arguments, becoming even more unpredictable and she'd started turning the same.

Shouting matches in corridors? That wasn't dignified and it wasn't something she'd have ever done before. Not unless it was a security matter, and even then she'd rarely had to actually shout. But she had at Oneakka…because he'd been ruining something so good. Something that had felt honest and nice, and safe. Even if it required her pretending the feelings weren't there.

Stupid big, handsome Elite heroic oaf…

She had to be mad to go to Pelydr; just the two of them.

If they argued when surrounded by a Facility full of other people, what were their arguments going to be like when they were alone?!

Abruptly, her wallscreen bleeped behind her, announcing the arrival of a text-link.

Oneakka's old shirt still in her hand, she turned and peered at the screen's alert, only to see it was from Oneakka. They were due to meet up soon in the outermost lobby, so why the late message? Had he changed his mind on the offer to take her?

She quickly tapped the message open.

It was short, simply offering to meet her at her quarters to carry her bag for her.

She frowned at the message.

She'd already told him she didn't need help this morning, that she was fine. It was just a sprained ankle.

He was being overbearing again…or, perhaps, just being nice?

How often had she helped him during his recovery?

So she was probably just being overly sensitive following their fight.

For a brief moment, she considered letting him carry her bag to the Transport for her. If he was all about apologising, why not enjoy the full service?

But the old Pit Fighter in her instantly rejected the mere suggestion of the idea.

Never show weakness.

In the pit, you always had to look as strong as you could possibly be, even if you didn't feel it. And it had been the same on Dream. Don't show weakness, because those ready to take advantage were always there, and just a moment's lapse could lose you the fight or kill you.

Or let the feelings out.

Make her want things that weren't hers to want.

That would be downright foolish.

She tapped a quick response, telling him she was fine and would meet him in the lobby as planned.

The text-link sent, she watched the screen, waiting to see if he would respond…

Several long seconds passed and a response flashed up, but it wasn't another text-link; instead he'd sent her one of his emergency Portal address tests. She smiled at that, finding it oddly more reassuring than anything else he could have said. Though, she noticed that he'd given her longer than normal to complete it, so she made sure to tap in the answer especially quick. To prove she was fine and capable.

She turned back to the bag and contemplated the shirt in her hand again.

Well, the shirt had been a gift, and the holiday on Pelydr was his apology, so it was a theme.

She dropped the shirt into the bag and moved to close the clasp, then quickly tucked the shirt down further in the bag so it couldn't be seen if, for some unforeseeable and unlikely reason, her bag should break open and he'd see it.

She rolled her eyes at herself as she closed the bag.

This was probably going to be a huge mistake.

But if they did descend into shouting arguments again, she could just come home early.

Everything was packed, but she felt like she'd forgotten something standard, something important…

It took a minute to work out what was missing: weapons.

The instructions about visiting Pelydr had made it very clear that you couldn't take any weapons to their planet, but it felt oddly unnatural not to pack something. Even if it had just been her knife in her boot, she'd always carried one weapon – usually far more - whenever she'd previously packed up this bag.

She looked over her shoulder at the wallscreen, but no further message had come in from Oneakka or anyone else.

In fact, it was time that she left to go meet him. She'd given herself an earlier departure time than normal, as the ankle was obviously going to slow her down on the walk to the lobby and she didn't want to push it and end up limping to her meeting with Oneakka.

She slid her bare feet into her Bakhau sandals and secured them closed, being careful of her slightly swollen, bruised right ankle. That done, she checked the timer on the light over her plant, picked up her bag and headed for the door. Even if she only lasted a few hours with him on Pelydr, at least she'd get to see that infamous planet and enjoy some sunshine.

The extra time for the walk to the lobby had been a good move, as it wasn't just her ankle that had slowed her down. It seemed that every single muscle and sinew in her backside, legs and feet felt stiff and achy. She hadn't really noticed it that much just moving around her small quarters, but it was damn well obvious now. Still, she made it to the lobby with minutes still to spare.

As she entered the lobby, she immediately spotted Oneakka stood to one side talking with an Elite male, an overly large fabric bag by his feet.

She started across the wide room, making sure to walk at a casual, decidedly unlimping pace.

Both males noticed her within a few seconds. The other Elite was new to her. He had long dark hair, was considerably shorter than Oneakka and probably a good handful of years younger. He also had clearly seen some recent action given his partly swollen left eye and accompanying massive bruise across his forehead and cheek.

The male bowed his head to her and turned to leave.

Wow, that had been surprisingly polite and friendly from an Elite she'd never met before. She watched the unknown Elite leaving, with a noticeable limp, his attention on the corridor entrance ahead of him.

She switched her attention back to Oneakka to see that he had picked up his massive bag and was walking towards her.

He was dressed in one of his usual overly tight, short-sleeved shirts, though it was bright white, which was an unusual colour on him. As were the very loose-fitted deep green trousers he was wearing, the draping fabric moving freely around his legs down to…his sandaled feet. Oneakka wearing sandals?! She'd not seen that before. He was always either in military boots or barefoot in his quarters.

She guessed this was Oneakka in holiday mode.

The sandaled feet were almost to her, so she lifted her attention back up to his face.

He'd had the sides of his hair trimmed, the central mohawk standing a little higher as a result, and his jaw had the slight pinkish tone he had after shaving.

And his attention was on her feet with a faint assessing frown.

She made doubly sure she wasn't limping as they converged in the middle of the lobby.

"It's fine," she insisted before he could ask about her ankle.

His eyes lifted up to meet hers and he smiled. A strangely easy smile actually.

"Good," he stated as he set his bag down by his feet. "Your bag doesn't look too heavy either."

What was his obsession with her bag?

"No, unlike yours," she pointed out. "Did you bring the entire contents of your quarters with you?"

He smiled again, and she felt oddly uncomfortable. "I catch up on a lot of reading during my break on Pelydr."

She broke their eye contact and frowned down at his bag. She could indeed now see there were protrusions in the sides of his bag that looked like corners of physical books. "So just the entire contents of your bookshelves?" She asked as she looked back up into his eyes.

"No, just half," he joked.

He really was in a relaxed mood for his holiday.

"Did you read the travel information on Pelydr?" He asked.

"Of course," she confirmed. He'd sent it to her, so she had read it.

"So you're not carrying any weapons?" He asked pointedly, clearly suggesting that she would try to break Pelydrian rules.

She held in the urge to roll her eyes at him. "Who was that Elite you were talking to?" She distracted him onto another subject.

And it worked, because he glanced aside to where the other Elite had left. "Therfire," he replied. "He was the only Elite on Saoka's station when it went down. He helped hold BreakAway One against the Wraith siege."

"Does he know I was on one of the other BreakAways?" She checked.

"Of course."

"That explains it then," she nodded, glad she'd solved that mystery so quickly.

"Explains what?"

"Why he gave me such a friendly greeting?"

Oneakka frowned and glanced back to the corridor where Therfire had left. "Greeting?"

"Yes, a nod without the 'is she a spy?' assessing look Elite usually have when they first see me."

"And it was a 'friendly' nod?" Oneakka seemed to need more clarification.

"Yes, when Elite nod without glaring, that's 'friendly'. You may want to look into it," she found herself teasing him.

He smiled. "Maybe I will."

There was something different about him today. She'd thought she'd noticed it earlier in her quarters, but had put that down to him worrying about her. But the sense of something being different with him was still there now, in fact it felt more obvious. Except she wasn't actually sure what she was seeing that was different. Perhaps it was just his relaxed, holiday mode…?

"So," he continued, "going back to the no weaponry point, you're definitely not carrying anything?"

She should have known distracting him wouldn't last for long.

She gave him a warning glare. "I can follow instructions, Oneakka."

"Really?" He asked doubtfully, but it was with his bantering tone. "Not sure I can think of a single example that would prove that," he made a show of pretending to think on it.

"Have you seen me hack into any computers since I came here?"

"Not seen you, no," he teased.

She rolled her eyes. "No, I'm not carrying any weaponry, nothing at all. Happy?" She almost suggested he could frisk her to be sure, but quickly slammed on that traitorous little thrilling thought. "Are we going to stand here in the middle of the lobby or actually get going?"

He smiled again as he reached down and picked up his overly stuffed bag. "There's no set time to be anywhere for the next two weeks," he stated as he turned and they started down the lobby towards the exit.

As they entered the wide corridor that led to the Transport docks, she realised that he was walking far slower than normal, probably because of her ankle. She frowned at the pace, annoyed that it was actually a good speed for her.

"Have you been to Pelydr before?" Oneakka asked.

"Is this going to be another question about weaponry?"

"No," he shook his head. "It's just that things are a bit different on Pelydr and it's always good to warn people who haven't visited before."

She frowned at that statement. "Different how?"

"You've heard the stories about Pelydr?"

"Who hasn't? Even well beyond the Alliance border we heard about the mythical planet where people can read minds, talk to animals and levitate," she scoffed.

"It's all true," Oneakka stated firmly. "Well, not the levitating one," he added, but then glanced aside like he wasn't actually sure. "I don't think."

She peered at him. "Are you being serious?" Was this whole relaxed mode today including winding her up with stories?

He frowned at her. "You've met Nalla, you've seen what she can do."

"Yes, but that's just reading people's emotions," she shrugged.

"And Sitayi' prophecy helped us save Halling…" Oneakka pressed, seeming pretty serious about all this.

"Well we changed that, so it wasn't the future, was it," she pointed out.

"It was a possible future, and Sitayi' intervention helped us save him."

"Are you honestly telling me that Pelydrians can talk to animals?"

"Some of them, yes."

She peered at him a little closer.

"Every Pelydrian has at least one gift and it could be reading thoughts, seeing the future, having exceptional memories, or other skills like Nalla being an empath."

"They can really read people's minds?" Seeal checked, alarmed at the thought…though, it would be a really useful skill to have as a Security Lead.

"Some of them, yes," Oneakka nodded.

"But isn't that like really worrying?" She pressed. "You've got masses of high security Elite information in your head. That can't be right that they can just read your mind and know whatever they want."

Oneakka smiled at that for some reason. "They can only detect the thoughts you're having in the moment; they can't riffle through your memories like a book."

"Still, it's a major security issue."

"Pelydrians would never disclose anything they read from someone. Confidentiality is one of their primary rules on their planet. No Pelydrian would ever break that."

"So they say," Seeal pointed out.

"Trust me, Raven," Oneakka insisted as they entered the docks and headed towards the first available Transport and it's anxious looking Recruit Pilot stood ramrod-straight outside it. "No one is going to steal your secrets. No one commits a crime on Pelydr."

"How does that work exactly?"

"Pelydrians don't commit any crimes," Oneakka stated. "There literally hasn't been a single crime committed on their world for generations."

"And you trust that statistic?" She asked as Oneakka pulled up outside the Transport and turned to her.

"Yes," he nodded with what seemed very firm sincerity before gesturing to the ship. "You okay climbing up into the Transport?"

She looked round at the simple steps up into the small vessel and frowned back at him. "Are you able to climb down at the other end without wincing?"

He frowned at her. "I'm just being considerate."

"Yeah, and it's weird," she blurted. "You're being weird today, just so you know."

"How does being considerate equate to being weird?" He asked.

"With you it does," she found herself arguing. She wasn't sure why, but she was feeling oddly on the backfoot with him today. It was probably all the embarrassing collapsing into his arms and then him carrying her to safety yesterday.

"I can be considerate," he argued.

"Really?" She challenged him. "Not sure I can think of a single example of that," she joyfully used his earlier comment back at him.

He opened his mouth to answer all too quickly.

"That isn't," she quickly countered his answer, "in a battlefield situation or as an apology following an argument?"

His eyes shifted to the left as his brain worked on that, but he quickly looked back at her. "I offered you a safe place to stay in my Sythus quarters after that baby Slug Robot flooded the Hot Water Chamber you had insisted on using as quarters."

"I'm not convinced that wasn't just so you could keep an eye on me at the time," she shut that one down quickly.

"I designed your raven tattoo," he stated as his next piece of evidence.

That was a good point.

"Tattooed it for you too," he added.

She was suddenly a little too aware of the fact that they were still stood outside the Transport with the waiting Recruit Pilot barely two feet away, clearly trying to pretend he couldn't hear their conversation.

"Okay, yes that was a nice thing," she admitted. "But I'd earned that tattoo saving your backside on the Glisi world."

"I gave you Splodge," he countered quickly with a smile.

Damn it, that was a winning point if ever there was one, and the victorious sparkle in his eyes said he knew it.

"Okay, that was very nice and thoughtful of you," she admitted.

"See, I can be a very considerate male when I want to," he stated with another easy smile. "I'll even let you board the Transport first."

She frowned at him. There had been something new in that, in his tone or his expression…that sense of something feeling different about him again. But she couldn't put her finger on what it was, and she wasn't sure if she was missing some hidden motive in his actions.

He smiled at her and gestured to the Transport.

Maybe it was just him being considerate?

"Fine," she replied, but she could hear the suspicion in her voice as she kept her eyes on him until the last possible moment as she turned to the Transport and focused on climbing up into the ship. She made it inside easily, even if her legs were feeling all stiff again, but she made sure to hide that as she sat down on the back bench seat.

Oneakka followed her up inside the small ship, setting his massive bag down in front of the seat, her bag looking tiny compared to his on the ship's floor.

The side door of the Transport slid shut as Oneakka sat down next to her, the engines rumbling to life.

"So you're telling me," she asked him as the Transport lifted up away from the dock, "that there's seriously no crime at all on Pelydr?"

"None," Oneakka smiled across the rather limited room between them on the bench seat.

"But, even if the Pelydrians themselves never apparently commit a crime, not even a sudden lost temper or out of control jealousy-"

"They don't react like that," Oneakka interrupted. "They don't take things as personally as the rest of us do."

"If I accept that theory-"

"A fact, but go on."

"Then what about off-worlders?" She asked. "Surely off-worlders visit their planet all the time? Stay there, like we're going to do. Just because Pelydrians don't commit crimes, doesn't mean non-Pelydrians won't."

"That's where the seeing the future comes into play," Oneakka replied as he glanced out the transparent side of the Transport, the moonscape rushing by below them.

"So they intervene before the crime happens?" She frowned at that ridiculous thought.

"Exactly," Oneakka looked back at her, his amusement all too clear. "They don't let anyone onto their planet who will commit a crime."

"But then the crime never happens, so how can they see it if they prevent it?" She frowned at the crazy logic.

"They're Pelydrians," Oneakka shrugged. "You'll get used to the whole idea, I promise."

If they'd kept everyone off Dream who was likely to commit a crime…well, Creass wouldn't have made any money at all and the station would have been deserted.

"So that's why it's the safest planet in the Alliance?" She recalled his earlier summary of Pelydr this morning.

"No crime, no Wraith attacks, no violence at all. I find it very relaxing."

"Well, yeah," was all she could think to say to that.

He smiled and looked ahead out the front of the Transport.

She looked out the side of the ship, watching the bleak but still beautiful landscape of the Facility's moon go by.

A thought occurred to her in the silence.

"How do the Pelydrians feel about people who have slightly…shady pasts?" She asked carefully.

Oneakka looked round. "They're fine with you visiting Pelydr."

"You told them I'm going with you?"

"No," he shook his head.

"But they know because they can see the future?"

He smiled. "Now you're getting it."

"You're not worried I might try to test this foreseeing crime security measure?"

He gave her a look. "Now I am." But she could see that he was teasing her. "If they didn't want you to visit, they'd have contacted me ahead of time to stop you."

She pulled a face at him. "That is not logical."

"It's Pelydr," he shrugged again and looked ahead out the front of the Transport.

She glanced forward as well, seeing that they were already on the final approach towards the Portal. She watched as the Pilot brought them down and round to land at the end of the line of parked Transports.

The Pilot lowered the Transport to the ground with the lightest touch and the side hatch slid open. Oneakka was already moving, reaching forward to pick up his big bag and, before she could stop him, he had picked up hers as well and was heading out the side of the ship.

She quickly followed, pleased that she certainly didn't wince at all climbing down out of the Transport, even if she had to hold in a few groans at her stiff muscles.

As she stepped down onto the ground and turned towards Oneakka, she found that he was already holding out the strap of her bag for her to take.

"Thank you," she told him as she took it.

He really was being very considerate.

With his apology holiday and overly easy handsome smiles.

He gave her another smile, as if having heard the traitorous thought, then he turned away and started towards the waiting Portal.

She slung her bag's strap over her shoulder and lengthened her achy strides to catch up. He was still at the slower pace at least, so it didn't ask too much of her ankle to reach his side.

"Are there any other customs or things I need to know about on Pelydr?" She checked as they approached the outlined safe distance from the Portal.

Oneakka nodded to a Technician to the left and almost immediately the Portal began to dial. Clearly Oneakka had called ahead with their Portal address.

"Just be polite to everyone," Oneakka replied. "Considerate."

She looked round at his profile, his tattooed-side to her, but he was purposefully looking forward following his comment.

She found herself searching his profile for more clues about what was making him seem weird today.

Or maybe this was just the way he was when he felt truly apologetic?

Maybe she was just being overly sensitive and suspicious about the whole thing?

That was very possible.

The Portal burst to life, snapping her attention away from having been staring at Oneakka's profile at little too long.

Pelydr, yes, time to go to Pelydr.

To the left, the Technician gave a large nod, permission to proceed through the Portal, so Oneakka glanced at her and started forward.

She kept easy pace with him and then realised that she was smoothing down the creases in her top to make sure she was presentable for the miracle-causing, mind-reading aliens she was about to meet.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine on Pelydr," Oneakka stated as they walked towards the glowing Portal.

"I'm not worrying," she lied as she straightened her back. "I'm just a little concerned I might-"

"Start a riot?" He interrupted looking round with a grin before he looked ahead and stepped through the watery surface of the wormhole, stealing the opportunity for her to come back with some witty comment.

She couldn't even glare at him in the brief moment before she followed him through the Portal and stepped out into the sudden dry warmth of Pelydr.

A glorious bright, clear blue sky stretched ahead of her, the air filled with a sweet gentle aroma as the light breeze danced against her face and her hair.

Frozen at the magnificent view, she drew in a deep breath of the fragrant clean tasting air and just stared out across the vista. Gentle rolling parklands formed a gentle smooth valley, tall elegantly shaped trees dotting the park, while larger denser collections of trees outlined the view. In the far distance, she could see the glint of sunlight on water, possibly a lake or an inlet. Beyond it, through the warm hazy air, she could see the suggestion of more distant land, perhaps on the far side of water.

It was stunning.

Beside her, Oneakka shifted, drawing her attention to the area more immediately around her, and she realised that the Portal was stood at the top of some long sloping steps. Setting it higher than the parkland around it created this magnificent view down the valley, and she had to blink down and focus to stop staring at the view.

Oneakka was heading down the steps, down to where she could now see five Pelydrians stood at the bottom of the long sloping steps, clearly waiting for them. She got herself moving, immediately grateful for the gentle ankle-friendly gradient of the stairs.

When Oneakka was almost near the base of the steps, the five Pelydrians bowed deeply and the central male stood forward, holding a long strip of blue fabric in his hands. As Oneakka stepped down off the last step to join them on the grass, he too bowed. A proper deep bow, which wasn't something you saw an Elite do…well, ever.

As she neared the bottom of the steps, she heard the central Pelydrian talking.

"…great Honoured Son of Ugun, you are most welcome," the lead Pelydrian announced formally, but sounded really cheerful with it.

"Thank you, Honoured Elders," Oneakka replied, all of them still bowed forward.

Elders? The Pelydrians barely looked older than Halling.

As she reached the bottom stair and stepped down onto the soft, yet somehow also crunchy grass under her sandals, they were all straightening up.

She held back a pace away from Oneakka's right shoulder, unsure if she should keep well out of the way.

"We welcome the touch of Ugun feet upon our planet for these weeks," the central Pelydrian stated as he walked solemnly towards Oneakka, holding the narrow strip of blue fabric up higher. His long pale robes shifted in the breeze, the long metal charms hanging from his clothing gleaming as he moved. "This year's presentation was made for you by the alliance of historical tailors, they wish you many days and restful nights."

Oneakka bowed his head as the Pelydrian reached up and laid the middle of the fabric around the back of Oneakka's neck so that the two ends of the strip laid over Oneakka's shoulders, hanging down the front of his chest.

"I am honoured," Oneakka replied as he adjusted the fabric slightly, admiring it. "Please provide me with a way to contact them to thank them personally."

"Of course, Honoured Son of Ugun," the Pelydrian smiled and then the smile was abruptly turned on her.

She smiled back, but it felt awkward. Was this male reading her mind?

"And for all new guests to our world," the Pelydrian said as he turned slightly and one of the other Pelydrians handed him a purple electronic pad, which he then offered to her with both his hands. "We offer this that contains a wealth of information on our planet, our culture and our history."

"Thank you," Seeal replied as she took it, the metal casing warm from the sunshine.

"You are the first Glisi to step on our world," the Pelydrian added. "So you step into our history books as well."

What exactly did you say to that?

"Thank you, I'm honoured," she decided was a safe answer. Though how exactly did they know she was Glisi? If they only read current thoughts you were having, then how could they know that? She hadn't been thinking she was a Glisi, though she had briefly compared the landscape here to the Glisi snowy forest…

The Pelydrian smiled.

What did that smile mean?

"The weather should be excellent for your stay," the Pelydrian 'Elder' continued, looking back to Oneakka. "They are predicting two bouts of rain, though one will likely be overnight, the other will arrive in a few days. More detailed predictions of the periods of rainfall will be provided closer to the time."

"Thank you," Oneakka replied to the Elder.

If they were so good at seeing the future how come they didn't know precisely when the rain would fall?

"There is also a music festival next week," the Pelydrian's violet eyes were back on her again. "It is in the lowlands not too far from the Retreat so the music should reach you there, but you are welcome to attend the festival."

How did they know she loved music?

"Thank you," Oneakka repeated.

The Elder looked back to Oneakka with a soft smile. "If you need anything from any of the Circles, please let us know."

"Your welcome is plenty, Honoured Elders," Oneakka replied, being unusually formal and polite today to add to his considerateness.

Everyone started bowing again, so, not wanting to be left out, Seeal performed a small bow of her own.

Everyone straightened up and then, each Pelydrian bowed to Oneakka before turning to leave. Oneakka bowed to each in turn until they had all gone and it was just the two of them at the bottom of the steps. Well, and all the other people stood around this top area of the parkland space.

She glanced around, taking in more details. Everyone was stood in small groups, no one sitting down. Among the centre of some groups there was a tall table, but that was the single piece of furniture that she could see. And there had to be several dozen people, all in little groups just talking.

There seemed to be a good mix of off-worlders and Pelydrians among the groups, and no one appeared to be paying her and Oneakka any attention now that the welcome ceremony was over.

She'd seen enough Pelydrians in passing to know that there was some variation to the shades of their purple-skin, but it was now even more obvious while seeing so many of them together.

And she had no idea how many of them could be reading her thoughts right now…

"Ankle okay?" Oneakka asked drawing her attention back round.

"It's fine," she replied as she dropped her attention to the blue fabric he'd been given. Now she was closer she could see that it was actually a very stylised mix of shades of blue with silver and blue embroidery in two long lines down its length. "What's with the gift from the tailors?"

"It depicts the trade agreement between Pelydr and Ugun," Oneakka reported as he lifted one end of the strip. "Pelydr had close trading contacts with Ugun for literally hundreds of years before the Alliance."

"I see," she peered closer to the strip that he was holding, now recognising the style of the Ugun glyph system, not that she could read it. "That's Ugun, so is that Pelydrian script?" She indicated the long flowing lines alongside the glyphs.

"It is," he confirmed. "Each time I visit, they present me with a different version of the treaty to commemorate it. Last year several of their schools made a patchwork quilt for me depicting the treaty."

She looked up, surprised and amused to think of him being presented with something so…domestic.

"A patchwork quilt?" She asked, unable to hold back a smile. "You?"

"A quilt is a very useful thing to have," he stated.

"Of course," she nodded. "Have you used it?"

"It's in my quarters in case of cold nights."

Given that the Facility was temperature controlled, each room having its own thermostat, she guessed he meant in case the power went down.

He let go of the treaty banner/scarf, and reached down to pick up his big bag again.

"So they give you a different creation depicting the treaty every year you visit here for your annual holiday?"

"Yes," he nodded as he shifted, indicating the way they should start walking. "I've gotten a robe, a painting one year, the small woven throw on the back of my desk chair in my quarters is from here."

"You must have built up quite a collection by now then," she noted as they started walking across the grass.

"I have," he confirmed as she looked around the parkland.

They were passing through a lot of the small groups of talking people. As she passed close by one group, the single Pelydrian in the gathering looked round and nodded at Oneakka and then her. Actually, now she was noticing it, any Pelydrian nearby looked round and nodded at Oneakka…even if they had had their back to him. Was that because they were using their 'gifts' to tell he was here?

That she was here?

A few of them smiled at her as she and Oneakka continued on across the grass, and she found herself peering at the smiles suspiciously, looking for any indication that they were reading her mind. Not that she had any idea how she would ever be able to tell, which was a really alarming thought.

She looked the other way, seeing more people glancing at her…was that because they were listening to her current thoughts?

Suddenly it was very important that she not think about anything she shouldn't…like the emergency code to take control of Dream's central computer….no, no, think of something else.

Not about that incident on Dream with that assassin, or where Creass kept his hidden emergency funds-

She needed to get control of herself.

She looked over her shoulder back towards the Portal, belatedly noticing that there was a slim stone structure built up around the raised Portal. It made it look like the Portal was sitting in its own little marble house…or temple. There was more parkland behind the Portal and it's housing, filled with more little discussion groups. Was this some sort of meeting place then? Maybe people were talking trade or treaties?

Or sharing stolen thoughts?

Like all the names on the security rota she'd run for Creass, the recording devices in Dream's gambling rooms and-

She needed to stop it.

Think about goats, little Splodge, goat cuddles, yes that was safe to think about. Not that people were digging through her brain for intel about Creass' last location, the places she'd hidden her own saved currency, the codes she'd used that time to hack into-

Wow, it was like her own brain was a wild animal all of a sudden and was completely uncontrollable.

She needed to think about Splodge, Athosian tea, those berry biscuits Massa obsessed over, not the override code to Saoka's computer's backdoor she'd given to the Elite, and not how, despite their loose cut, those green trousers hugged Oneakka's backside a little too well.

She frowned at that random thought surfacing among all the others. Around her, she saw violet Pelydrian eyes glancing towards her; had they heard the trousers thought?

What did they know?

This entire planet was a security risk!

"Raven?" Oneakka's voice cut through the stampeding thoughts and she turned quickly towards his voice to see him stood several metres ahead of her. When had she stopped walking?

"Yes, yes, I'm here," she replied as she hurried towards him, glancing around her at every Pelydrian she could see, her ankle complaining loudly at the faster pace.

"You alright?" Oneakka asked as she reached him.

"Yes, yes," she insisted, grateful to be closer to him, looking back over her shoulder at that last Pelydrian who had looked at her, but he had turned back to his discussion group. "You said all Pelydrians have gifts, how many of them can read thoughts?"

"I think it's one of their most common gifts," Oneakka replied unhelpfully.

"Great," she muttered.

Think about Splodge and the other goatlings running around together.

"Raven," a warm hand touched against her arm and she almost flinched. "No one is listening to your thoughts, no one's interested."

She focused her attention on Oneakka and that seemingly insulting point. "I might have very interesting thoughts, you don't know."

He smiled at that, but his warm hand cupped her elbow. "I'm sure they are very interesting, but no Pelydrian is going to pry into your mind."

"How would you know if they did?" She asked. "Maybe their security is so good because they gather all the intelligence they need from people's heads."

The hand on her elbow tightened slightly. "Raven," he said in a deeper voice, the tone and softness of it suddenly new. "Take a breath in."

She frowned at him. "I'm not having a panic attack, Oneakka."

"Good, but breathe in anyway," Oneakka replied.

She found she was taking a deep breath in without thinking about it.

"And out again," Oneakka instructed.

She pushed out the breath. "I'm fine. I'm just in a place that's the biggest security risk imaginable."

"These people are peaceful and kind," Oneakka stressed. "They're not interested in stealing what you know. They're not interested in crime, the military, or anything like that."

She focused on that point. "Nalla is certainly interested in those things."

Oneakka angled his head faintly. "She's literally the only Pelydrian who has ever served in the military. Their only warrior in thousands of years of their history."

"But their 'gifts' would be a major advantage against the Wraith," she frowned.

"Absolutely," Oneakka smiled at that. "Which proves how dedicated they are to not using their gifts for anything they deem as violent."

"Unless they're Nalla?"

"Yes, she is the one single exception among her entire people."

"Really?" She pressed.

"Yes, not that it's something she likes talking about."

"If she's not happy about being a warrior, then why join the Elite?"

"Apparently it's her destiny," Oneakka pulled a face to show he was uncomfortable with that explanation.

"Because they could see her future," Seeal finished the obvious Pelydrian justification.

He nodded. "Exactly."

"This is a weird planet," she concluded.

"But the safest one there is," he countered. "No violence, no one's going to try to kill you, steal from you, or read your mind against your will."

She considered him closely. "You're absolutely sure about that?"

"I am, Raven," he nodded firmly. "I wouldn't bring you anywhere I didn't think was safe for you," he insisted seriously.

"Is this a new policy?" She had to smile. "Because I can think of various counter examples."

He smiled back. "I'm not including battlefield examples. And it's not my fault if you cause most of the problems wherever you go."

It was teasing banter, but she also got that he was doing it to try to allay her worries.

"You cause far more problems than I do," she countered, playing along with the banter despite feeling a tad embarrassed that she needed it. "You're sure these people can be trusted, Oneakka?" She asked.

"I'm sure," he nodded. "I trust them with my life, Raven."

Well that made more impact than anything else he could have said.

"Okay," she conceded a little reluctantly. "If you say my thoughts are safe here, then…"

He nodded that it was true.

"But I'll hold you to that promise," she added quickly.

"Fine," he let go of her elbow and held up both his hands, palms out. "I'll take full responsibility for any of your thoughts that get stolen."

She had to smile at that promise. "How exactly?"

He shrugged. "I'm an Elite," he stated his favourite explanation for any issue.

She played her part and rolled her eyes dramatically.

"So, if you've finished freaking out," he said with a teasing look as he reached down for his bag.

"I didn't 'freak out'," she argued with a swell of embarrassment. "I have honest concerns."

"Now that you're happy," he amended, but the teasing was still there as he hung the thick strap of his bag over his shoulder, "let's head to the marketplace."

"Fine," she agreed firmly, trying not to think about any Pelydrians reading her thoughts. "Which way?"

"This way," he headed to the left.

She followed him, forcing herself not to study each discussion group they passed.

Everyone did seem relaxed and there were no raised voices, no worrying body language actually. There was some heated debate in one small group, but it didn't look like it was going to escalate.

A peaceful, non-violent planet…

"Raven," Oneakka nudged at her left arm, drawing her attention back round.

They'd reached a well-worn path that headed off to the left between two stretches of trees. As they headed along the dry track, Pelydrians nodded to Oneakka as they passed the other way, but she made herself not stare at them suspiciously. Instead, she focused on the treeline and noticed that there were pieces of technology attached to the branches. They looked like solar cells, and as the path turned a little further, she saw a whole bank of chairs and tables set along the treeline, a wealth of solar cells above them. Various people were sat in the seats, display screens in front of them.

"It's where anyone can make links calls," Oneakka explained.

"So the Pelydrians have furniture, even if they don't have buildings?"

"Definitely," Oneakka replied as they passed by the links stations, the sun a nice hot warmth over the path. "They build their furniture around the trees that are their home."

As the path moved away from the trees, she peered in between the trunks, but couldn't see much inside other than what appeared to be some more links stations. She guessed these trees were too close to the Portal to be someone's home.

"To the right," Oneakka added from her side and she obediently headed towards the right hand path at the junction ahead. The new track was widening now, becoming a far busier dry roadway, and she could see the promised marketplace ahead.

And it was clearly a very popular market given the large number of people milling to and from it. Not everyone was on foot either she noticed, there were small wooden carts, hovering bike machines, and people stood on small four-wheeled devices that she wondered how you steered. She watched them all with interest as she and Oneakka strolled down the warm road and finally reached the marketplace.

Not that there seemed to be any official boundary to the market, as it was simply set in the middle of a large flat field. The market stalls were collections of wooden tables with fabric walls and roofs over them to protect the goods on sale from the weather. The place had the buzzing activity of a very profitable market, many relaxed voices overlapping, people laughing, and children screeching in play. She watched as a young Pelydrian boy ran past holding up a toy model of a starship in his hand as he made sound effect noises.

Okay, it really did seem a safe kind of place so far.

She watched the young boy run off to the left across a large open patch of grass next to the market. There were various people sat in groups across the grass, enjoying the sunshine, and on the far side she saw a line of parked Transports.

"Once we've done our shopping, we'll take one of those Transports up to the Retreat," Oneakka announced from her side, interrupting their companionable silence as she took in everything.

"Okay," she agreed, realising she had probably been seeming all to interested in security assessment. And definitely not freaking out anymore. "It seems very nice here."

In fact, the air around the market smelt really good, the aromas and flavours suggesting there were spices and food for sale in the market.

She glanced into the first stall they passed by. It was full of different varieties of flowers and a delicate mix of scents danced through the air. She'd never seen a plant stall doing such good business. There had to be about eight Pelydrians in there, all with arms full of long stemmed flowers, the plants' roots in small transparent bags of water.

"Do they eat flowers here?" She checked as she and Oneakka moved on past.

"Some," he answered. "But mainly they decorate their homes and workspaces with them."

"Which are all under trees?" She checked. "Aren't the trees decoration enough?"

The next stall was full of handmade cooking pots and utensils.

"They put the flowers out for the insects as well as for decoration," Oneakka explained. "You looking for anything particular while we're here? Because they'll probably have it somewhere in the market."

"Because it's Pelydr?" she joked looking round at him.

"See, you're getting it already," he smiled.

She looked back to the stalls. "Actually," she considered, "I was hoping to get some replacement items to fix my broken pad."

"There's usually a stall with electronics around here," Oneakka lengthened his stride to lead the way between some stalls to the next aisle. "Here we go," he indicated a stall ahead.

It was indeed selling electronics and by the bucketload. The three tables behind the Pelydrian seller were stacked full with items and the table immediately in front of him was coated in various pieces of tech.

"Good day to you Honoured Son of Ugun," the seller smiled as they neared. "What are you in search of today?"

"Nothing for me," Oneakka replied, "but my friend is looking for some repair supplies."

"Do you have any replacement electronic pad screens?" Seeal asked the Pelydrian. "The standard Alliance twelve size with the braced edges?"

"Ahh, a female with expert eyes," the seller said warmly and she looked up from his wares to see him reaching down under the table. Her old instincts tensed at someone she didn't know reaching into a concealed space, but she squashed down the defensive reaction and watched as he pulled out a box. "I believe I have just the kit you are looking for," he said as he rummaged in the box.

"I just need the screen and-" She paused as he held out a transparent case that held two spare circuit boards, an exact replacement screen and what looked like a small travelling soldering kit inside.

She took the case and peered at the Pelydrian. "This is exactly what I need," she said suspiciously.

The Pelydrian smiled at her. "Good."

"Do you put these kits together yourself?" She asked.

"Oh yes, I find they are often well sought after."

"And you knew I needed this particular kit today?"

She was almost certain she heard what sounded like a small snigger from Oneakka to her left, but she ignored it.

"I knew I was going to need to make up some new ones soon," the Pelydrian replied, still smiling.

"Because you can see the future?" Seeal pressed.

"Oh, I wish," the seller laughed. "No, I just know what I'll need to stock soon."

She frowned at that strange distinction. "And that's different?"

"First visit to Pelydr?" the seller asked.

"Maybe," she replied.

She definitely heard a chuckle from Oneakka beside her.

"How much for the miraculously perfect kit?" She asked.

"Six," the seller replied.

"Six?" She frowned. "Six Alliance?"

"Yes," the seller smiled.

She frowned down at the case in her hand. "But the screen alone is worth that price."

"You are a guest of the Son of Ugun and clearly a female who will likely visit my stall again, so that is the price."

She peered at the Pelydrian. "Okay," she agreed, still not sure she believed him. Pelydrians were difficult to read.

The seller held up one of the Alliance currency readers and she reached out and waved her wrist holding her Beacon over the device and it bleeped.

"Would you like confirmation of the sale to check the price?" The seller asked, seeming to be teasing her now.

"No, I trust you," she narrowed her eyes at the Pelydrian. "Thank you."

"You are most welcome," the seller grinned.

She moved away from the stall, still watching the Pelydrian, only to bump into someone. She looked round, shocked at her lack of awareness only to realise it was just Oneakka, stood with his arms lightly crossed and far too much amusement on his face.

"What were you sniggering about?" She demanded as she backed up a little to a more standard distance from him.

"Poor male, you interrogating him like you'd caught him selling stolen goods," Oneakka grinned.

"I was just asking questions," she corrected him as she pulled her bag round so she could pull open the clasp enough to push the repair kit inside. "He didn't mind."

"You didn't give him much choice."

"Stop exaggerating," she looked back to Oneakka, the sun shining across his face and his all to amused sparkling eyes. With so much sunlight, the stunning blue of his eyes was really noticeable, his pupils small against the brightness. "What else are we going to get then?" She looked away and started forward, letting him catch up with her for a change.

"We'll need food, but best to get anything else first," he replied, annoyingly quickly reaching her side.

"Okay," she agreed as they strolled along the stalls.

The sun really was wonderfully warm and she hadn't thought about anyone stealing her thoughts for a good couple of minutes now.

Actually it was a tad warmer than she'd expected and she was almost certain the tops she'd brought with her were going to be a little too warm in this heat. And she could probably do with a hat maybe…

"Are there any clothes stalls?" She asked.

"They're usually along the last line of stalls," Oneakka replied, one pale muscular forearm pointing to the right through her view.

"Okay," she headed in that direction, moving between some stalls that appeared to be selling large potatoes filled with varying coloured sauces. It all smelt amazing. If she'd not had Midday Meal before leaving the Facility, she'd have definitely had to have tried one of those. Maybe she'd get one when she came back this way in a few days to Portal back to the Facility.

The next stall smelt just as good, but appeared to be dedicated to battered sweet cakes with more good looking sauces over them.

"Get one if you want," Oneakka said behind her shoulder. "They're delicious."

"What are they?" She paused, glancing up at the signs hung from the cloth sides. There had to be about ten languages displayed.

"They're a type of fruit-filled cake, tastes kind of like a thick pancake with a gooey centre," Oneakka supplied as he moved ahead to the stall, the way opening up for him in his Elite presence way.

One of the two female Pelydrians behind the stall grinned at him. "Welcome back to Pelydr, Honoured Son of Ugun," she exclaimed brightly.

"Thank you," Oneakka bowed his head. "We'll have two of the kita fruit cakes with the sticky ginger leaf sauce," he ordered.

"It is good to see you," the female grinned as she efficiently scooped up a cake from a hot griddle, wrapping half the sweet treat in thick paper wrapping. "Are you staying for your usual two weeks with us?"

Seeal wasn't sure she'd seen females looking at Oneakka the way this female was doing, the flush of deeper indigo obvious across her cheeks as she smiled at him.

"Yes, my usual two weeks," Oneakka confirmed to the Pelydrian. "Business is good?"

Seeal shifted further forward to stand next to Oneakka, glancing sideways at his profile. Was he flirting with the female? She was pretty sure she'd never seen him do that before.

"Mother says the takings always improve," the Pelydrian chuckled, like it was a known joke between them, as she poured a small ladle of sticky sauce over the cake and handed it across to Oneakka.

"Will you send her my regards?" Oneakka asked as he took the cake and handed it to Seeal.

"Leonora's mother," Oneakka explained as she took the warm cake from him, "used to visit Ugun, knew one of my uncles."

"Oh," Seeal turned what she hoped was a polite smile on the female.

It took an annoying amount of effort to smile at the clearly pretty Pelydrian.

"He used to trade her grain that she used for the cake mix," Leonora supplied more detail as she poured sauce over a second cake and handed it to Oneakka.

"Thank you," Oneakka took the cake. "How much?"

Leonora gave him an exaggerated frown, setting her hands on her wide hips. "Do we have to do this every year, Honoured Son of Ugun?"

"Yes, every year," Oneakka replied firmly. "My uncle would never forgive me not paying your family for their goods. And I'm buying two cakes today."

Leonora's violet gaze slid to Seeal and Seeal saw the flash of focused female assessment.

Seeal sent an overly sweet smile at the female this time.

Let her read these thoughts.

"Very well, Honoured one," Leonora looked away, back to smiling at Oneakka as she picked up the payment device. "I'll charge you for hers, no arguments."

Oneakka made a noise in his throat that Seeal had only ever heard him use at her when she had annoyed him. "Alright, but next time I visit, I'll pay full price," he stated as he waved his wrist over the reader.

"We'll see," Leonora grinned at him. "I'll tell Mother that you are looking very well."

Seeal glanced away, barely stopping herself from rolling her eyes at the excessive flirtation the female was working now.

"If she's around the marketplace on my last day here, I'll come by to see her," Oneakka replied.

"I'll tell her, she'd love to see you," Leonora smiled.

"Thank you, Leonora," Oneakka smiled back, very normally, no flush to his pale cheeks at all, as he turned to leave.

Seeal held back a beat and smiled at Leonora herself. "Thank you."

The Pelydrian female nodded with a strained polite kind of smile.

Amused, Seeal turned and followed Oneakka.

He'd started along into the next aisle of stalls, already eating his cake.

She debated on whether to mention the flirting. Maybe Leonora had once been a casual lover of his? As apparently Pampata had been, not that he'd ever mentioned Pampata to her. So leaving it alone would probably be wise.

But then she wouldn't get any information…

"She seemed nice," She started as she reached his side.

"Her family and mine were trading partners for about three generations," Oneakka supplied as he chewed on a mouthful of the cake.

She looked down at the one in her hand, almost having forgotten she had one of her own. She sniffed at the sweet cake and carefully took a bite.

Oh, it was good. Tangy, sweet, and the cake was soft with that promised gooey centre.

It left quite a bit of sauce around her mouth though, so she had to lick it away from her lips.

"There's a napkin tucked in the side there," one of Oneakka's fingers pointed to the side of the treat.

She spotted the folded tissue and pulled it out of the wrapping. "Thank you. So, you visit her stall often?" She asked, putting just enough emphasis on the question.

He glanced at her and she could instantly tell that he'd picked up her point. "It's important to honour the trading relationship," he replied.

"Oh, I think she's interested in all kinds of trading with you," she found herself stating, both simultaneously proud of herself for sounding so casual about it, but also really annoyed with herself for pushing the discussion.

She didn't need to know.

"She's the type to flirt with all her customers," Oneakka dismissed around another mouthful of cake. That answer implied there had been no past casualness between him and Leonora, that he didn't return the interest.

She suddenly felt more confident on the subject.

"I think that was pretty focused flirting actually," she pressed as she wiped sticky sauce from her chin. She must look a right mess.

"It's just her way," Oneakka shrugged his closest shoulder. "I'm only interested in the cakes."

She sniggered at the possible misinterpretation of that comment. "Well, clearly she's not a mind reader or empath then or she wouldn't bother."

"Her gifts are advanced spatial awareness and an exceptional memory," he replied. "She doesn't have to measure any of the cakes' ingredients, she just remembers what measurements look like and never forgets the different recipes."

Seeal guessed those were really useful skills in her line of work. Or had she and her mother gone into that line of work because of their gifts? Was that how it worked on Pelydr?

"Though I think my uncle and her mother had a thing going on," Oneakka abruptly divulged.

She'd just bitten into her cake, so it was still in her mouth as she looked round at him. "What?!" She asked, shocked around the food, then finished her bite and chewed enough to add, "Her mother told you that?"

Oneakka was grinning. "All but said it," he told her as he licked some sauce off the side of his thumb. "It was before she met Leonora and her siblings' father."

"So, Uguns didn't leave their world, but they certainly spent time with visiting off-worlders then?" Seeal asked, keeping her tone teasing but felt a little cautious about talking Ugun.

"Oh I think there was a lot of that going on," Oneakka replied with feeling and not seeming sensitive about the topic, despite it being about his lost homeworld.

She wiped her mouth as they continued down the aisle of new stalls. "You mind me asking how you know that?" She asked carefully.

"Over the years, I've spoken to a lot of people who visited Ugun," he replied, though somewhat overly focused on the last of his cake now. Maybe she'd pushed it too much? "People told me about their friends and trading partners on Ugun," he continued. "There were some off-worlders who lived on Ugun too."

"Really?" She kept her tone careful and open to him continuing if he wanted.

"They could marry an Ugun as long as they kept to the rule never to again leave the planet," he continued. "I remember a lady who lived in our village was from another planet, though I don't think I ever knew where she had been from originally, but she married a male in our village. They were both older, had lost their former spouses to cullings, and she retired to Ugun to marry and live with him."

Until that fateful day presumably.

They walked on a couple of more paces in silence.

"And then there's the erotic poetry I found," he abruptly added.

She'd fortunately not taken another bite of her cake this time. "What?" She grinned round at him.

"I've gathered a massive collection of Ugun books, which were traded off-world a lot, often gifts from Uguns to off-worlders, and a lot of people gave me their books. I've ended up with a pretty complete range of Ugun literature."

"I take it the erotic books were gifts to off-worlder friends?" She asked.

"I believe so," he smiled round at her.

His pale cheekbones definitely had a flush to them now.

She felt a little flushed too, but that was probably because it was so warm here.

And she was pretty sure that they'd never gone anywhere near joking about anything even vaguely sexual in nature before. He'd never mentioned Pampata, so she'd guessed it was just an area of his life that he kept private, but he didn't seem inhibited now in telling her about erotic Ugun poetry.

So, maybe, it had had something to do with that line they kept clear between them?

"Good thing there were some Ugun dictionaries in my collection, because I had to look up some words," he reported.

She had to laugh at that. "Well, you were a young boy when you left Ugun, so you wouldn't have known those words."

"Oh, I knew a few," he replied with a masculine chuckle.

She suspected she could probably guess some of them. "Well, that just shows boys are the same on most worlds," she commented.

He chuckled as he rolled up his cake's empty paper wrapping and the napkin, and paused to drop them into a covered bin to one side. She quickly took another bite of her cake and pulled the last piece out of the wrapping so she could throw the paper away while near the bin. Oneakka reached out to take her wrapping, silently offering to dispose of it for her, so she handed it over with a nod since her mouth was full.

"So, what clothing are you looking for?" He asked as they carried on.

She'd not been paying attention to the stalls thanks to the yummy cake, but she glanced around now as she licked the last of the sauce from her fingertips. "I could do with a hat and maybe some cooler tops."

There was a stall off to the right that had nice floaty looking tops on display, the material dancing lightly in the breeze this side of the marketplace.

"Is it going to stay this warm?" She asked him as she wandered towards the stall.

"Too warm for you?" He asked, keeping at her side.

"No, it's really nice," she replied as she reached up to touch the red floaty top that was first on the end of the stall. A thought occurred and she glanced round at Oneakka.

He drew his gaze down from the top she was touching, sensing her attention.

"Does it snow here?" She checked.

"Snow?" He frowned at her, amused at the question. "Up on the highest mountains yes, but it won't snow at the Retreat at any time of the year."

"Good," she smiled as she reached up to take the top down; it was worth trying it on since it looked the right size for her. "It would be just my luck that it would snow."

She moved further into the wider market stall, moving along the different tops, assessing the colours and sizes.

"How would I work on my tan if it snowed?" Oneakka joked as he followed her along the display.

She grinned as she took down another top to try on and looked round at him. "Well, you are pretty close to the colour of snow."

He frowned at her. "That feels like an insult coming from you."

"Nothing wrong with the colour of snow," she told him as she reached down to the waist level display, lifting a nice long asymmetrical top and holding it against herself to see at how long it would hang. "It's that it's cold that's the problem." She'd try this top on too. She draped it over her arm and continued on.

"Well, I can assure you I'm not cold," Oneakka replied from her side.

She smiled at that as she wandered along the display. "Not with all that Ugun erotic poetry you have to read," she joked, definitely feeling a little flushed in her cheeks as she considered the next range of tops.

"True," he conceded with a chuckle, his holiday mode fully engaged.

Still smiling, she lifted a long light blue wrap-around skirt with little white and yellow flowers embroidered across it. It was lovely and could work around her shoulders as well as a skirt. She added it to the pile on her arm, frowning faintly at the choice. She was almost certain that she'd never worn anything with flowers on it before.

Still, it was nice, so she'd try it on and see.

"You see any hats in here?" She asked Oneakka as she turned on the spot.

"Over here," Oneakka headed away and she followed him to the display table stood in the middle of the large stall. The tall elegant Pelydrian seller came into view in the far corner and she bowed her head with a nice smile. Seeal bowed back to her, aware that she wasn't feeling quite as suspicious towards Pelydrians anymore.

Oneakka said they were honourable, so she'd go with that until it was proven otherwise.

"Here, this is a nice one," Oneakka lifted a white, wide-brimmed soft hat.

"Oh it is nice," she took it, pleased at how soft it was, it would fold up into a bag easily.

"There is a mirror over here or there are several in the changing area around here," the Pelydrian seller offered.

"Thank you," Seeal smiled back and moved towards her.

"You can leave your bag with me," Oneakka abruptly offered.

She had almost forgotten she was carrying it still. She transferred the clothes onto her other arm and slipped off the bag's strap and held it out to Oneakka. "Thank you."

He took it with a strange expression. "Told you, you'd let me carry it eventually."

She frowned at the comment. "I don't remember you saying that."

"Maybe it was just in my head then," he replied.

It was an odd sort of banter and she wasn't sure she got the whole joke, but his smile was nice and relaxed, his eyes sparkling as he took her bag.

And they hadn't argued at all so far on the trip.

In fact, it was actually turning out to be a nice day so far.

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TBC