“And the other?” Shock asks.
“CSS wants to see if this is temporary. If everyone goes back to Calisan when they think the proverbial coast is clear, then CSS hopes they can question all of them, instead of just a few.”
Arc looks sharply toward Kissu and Chrys and when I see why, I also stiffen. The zurgle locks its mouth around her arm and stands.
“What are you?—?”
Before she can finish the question, Kissu drags her across the floor, and she looks up at us from her back with an incredulous smile as Kissu drops her at Arc’s feet and then turns, padding over to the water bowl.
“He brought you to me for safekeeping.” Arc helps her up and then glances at me. “Kissu says thanks for the water.”
“How did he know it was me?”
There’s a pause before Arc snorts. “The bowl smells like you.”
When he’s done, we let Kissu prowl through the outpost. Arc looks at us blearily.
“You’re home just in time for us to leave,” I tell him.
He knew already.
“I’ll make sure he goes straight to bed,” Chrys promises, her hand on his chest, already pushing him toward the back hall.
He looks tired enough he’ll probably do anything she tells him to without question.
“Do they know about Kissu?” I ask before they can get too far away.
“Drift, Kimba, and Kilo do. But Kilo should be at home, sleeping.” Yawning, he says, “He’ll probably do his big reveal thing when he thinks it will cause the most stir.”
“Undoubtedly.”
I listen as they head to the bedroom, Chrys asking if he’s ordered food for Kissu and if litter boxes are a thing here.
Kissu will be fine. Chrys will be fine. Arc will be fine. Shock and I are the ones about to hope that monsters call us out into the Zone before we actually get to Drift’s.
SHOCK
They’re looking for Arc.
Risk and I pass through the other gathered brothers and their mates and all of them are confused when our third does not arrive.
There’s a murmur underneath the other conversations that can’t even be drowned out by the burbling of two weeuns babbling goey words at each other from Andrea and Cindy’s laps.
Even the brothers on the other side of the caldera, watching from the screen behind the in-person crowd, look for him.
I ignore them, going directly to Kimba.
“Is she ready yet?” she asks quietly. I know Trench will hear her, but as long as she’s vague, I’m not worried.
“No.” That's all I’ll say here and now. “Arc stayed at the outpost. He said you’d understand, given how long his special assignment was.”
She nods. “He and Kilo dropped by on their way back. We’re aware of what happened.”
When I turn back, Trench watches me with more intensity than anyone else. Hopefully the report on Calisan will be enough to keep him from asking other questions.
Our nearly late arrival means almost everyone is already in a conversation and I can join Risk in our normal seats without much scrutiny. We’re just slightly separated from everyone else here. Almost like we had always left space for Chrys to fill.
“I wish Fault was here.” Risk takes a deep breath and crosses his arms. “He wouldn’t be looking at us like we’ve lost something.”
