Or maybe that was him chewing.
She wasn’t sure.
He took another bite and grimaced again. And sort of laughed.
Veta did the same. Yep. Still tasted like shit. One would think if they could travel across the stars, that they’d be able to make rations that tasted better than sandy bark. “So, these walls don’t let scanners through, huh? Do you know why?”
He shook his head. “I am not an expert.”
She stroked the nearest piece of the cold stone. “I would think if the material didn’t allow scanners to pass through it, it would be in high demand for trade.” She immediately thought of a bunch of reasons someone would want rock and stone that didn’t let scanners read through it.
Many of them were illegal.
Many more were borderline.
It wouldn’t surprise her if the Emperor was extremely interested in the material.
No, she knew the man.
He would really want this. Assuming he knew it was here.
Who was she kidding? Of course, he knew. Hekneweverything. He was even more resourceful than she was.
“It would. If one could figure out how to activate it,” Wrathin said.
“That’s the trick, I would imagine,” she said. She tipped her head to the side, appraising him.
A hunch came to her, about the Rhimodians and the rock. “You don’t promote what the rock can do, do you?”
“It would be considered highly illegal in the Galactic Alliance.”
Veta smirked. “And let’s not offend the precious Galactic Alliance.”
“I assume from your tone that the Terran Empire is not a member of the Galactic Alliance.”
“Oh, the Empire has representatives in the Alliance. Just like every other good little government. Our monarchy, however, does not like being told what to do.”
“That is not unexpected,” he said.
She blinked. “Did you just make fun of me?”
He didn’t say anything. Just that little smile of his.
“Well, maybe I won’t share my water tabs with you,” she pulled the bag away.
“Good thing I retrieved water from the springs.” He held up a small bag in his hand that she hadn’t noticed.
She blinked. “Water, like real water?”
He smiled. “Do you want real water?”
She reached out for the bag. It would be a thousand times better than her little water pills full of concentrated water. While the pills would get her by, they were not water.
Real water.
“Please?”
He hesitated. “I do not know. Those rations were terrible. I am not sure if I want to give up my water for it.”
