This time Gis looked around as if making sure no one could overhear him before speaking. “No shaded souls want to work here. That means there isn’t enough staff to open shops or even do many inspections. There should be at least a thousand shaded souls, but there’re less than two hundred of us. There are almost as many clear souls as shaded!”
Myrum didn’t understand any of it except that there weren’t enough staff. Thankfully everyone else asked the questions he couldn’t form.
Amina spoke first. “What does it mean to be a shaded soul as opposed to a clear soul?”
“Why don’t they want to work here? Is it dangerous?” Helmen asked.
“You fell hard when Nirot pushed you down. Did you hurt your knees or anything?” Desur asked.
Teshor stepped close and pointed to the fluffy mass of fur at the bottom of Gis’s mane. “How do you keep that clean? It’s so white.” Everyone turned to look at Teshor, who must’ve realized she’d asked an odd question because her next words sounded defensive. “What? It’s really white!”
Gis was perfectly quiet for a moment then started making a hiccuping sound. Myrum remembered what that sound was—laughing!
“What’s that?” Jossulum asked.
“It means Gis is amused,” Myrum said.
“Yay, you’re back!” Amina said with a little cheer.
He sounded a questioning rumble. “I didn’t leave.”
“Maybe your body didn’t go anywhere, but your mind wasn’t entirely with us for a little while,” Amina said. “But you handled it and now you’re back. I love progress!”
Her happiness at his minor victory felt unwarranted. “You’re easily pleased.”
“She’s really not,” Teshor said.
“Amina’s almost as bad as Helmen,” Jossulum added.
Amina and Helmen made annoyed sounds at the same time, and the rest of the crew all snorted with Ugarian laughter.
Ignoring her crew’s amusement, Helmen turned to face Myrum. “Were you having difficulties just now?”
“Yes.”
She must not have expected his simple answer because it took a moment for her to speak again. “But you didn’t roar or attack anyone.”
“No, of course not,” he said. “There weren't any threats. Amina was right here, and I was surrounded by friends.”
“Aww, he thinks we’re his friends,” Jossulum said. “I guess he hasn’t realized we’ve been feeding him all the old reconsitutor packs.”
Teshor held up an information square with a credit account open on the display. “Hey, my new friend, can I borrow some credits? I promise to pay you back.”
Being treated like this was novel, and Myrum found he enjoyed it. This crew teased each other constantly, but now they were doing it to him. It made him feel included.
Gis moved a little, and the teasing stopped as everyone realized they’d had this conversation in front of a stranger.
“Can I make a humble suggestion?” Gis said, keeping his eyes on his shoes. His hands were clasped tightly in front of him, but at least his shoulders were less slumped over.
“Please speak freely,” Myrum said. “We don’t believe in the inequality of souls. You’re as worthy as me.”
Gis looked up and spoke quickly. “I wouldn’t let anyone hear all of you speaking so freely with each other. Myrum is in an esteemed position right now because Talins are helping the Core and he’s an honored guest of Planetary Expansionist Lorse. He’s powerful, even among the clear. I’m sure everyone on this station thinks Myrum and Planetary Expansionist Lorse are going to form some kind of alliance that will bring more Talin military to help the Core defeat the Annexers. If they think he’s here for any other reason, then they’ll extend the inspection for as long as it takes to check every aspect of his visit.”
“Again, what does clear and shaded mean?” Amina asked.
“Before you answer that, I want to thank you for giving us this information,” Myrum said. “You didn’t need to, and you might have even won favor by telling your superior what you heard.”
Gis relaxed more. “It was clear you were appalled by how Nicot treated me and tried to defend my sharp words.” He looked at Desur. “I’m sorry. I’ve been on duty for three cycles and I’dhoped to sleep soon, but then your ship arrived. Everyone knows this place should be doing better, but no one wants to admit the real problem. I find it irritating every time I have to repeat the official lie. I put my frustrations on you.”
