After a few minutes of companionable silence, Davix stands and pulls on his clothes. Krish and Zann have already dressed, and they glance at me expectantly. I clamber to my feet and turn to head back towards the base, when a hand on my shoulder stops me. I turn around to see Davix looking down at me intently. He presses the tips of his fingers to his chin and then swings his hand down and out towards me.
“He says ‘thank you,” Zann offers. Davix then adds a few more rapid motions and Zann translates. “It has been a long time since Davix had the opportunity to swim like this. He is grateful.”
“Thank you,” I say to myself, as I imitate the motion that Davix used. He nods abruptly to me before turning and walking away, but I am oddly pleased with myself and can’t help the small smile that turns up my lips.
Although I’ve seen just how fast this trio can move when they want to, our journey back to Kapoor Base is leisurely. We pass through the park again, though it is now far more noisy and crowded than it was earlier in the day. Although we could still make the mess hall for dinner, we stop at another food cart along the way and procure skewers of seasoned meat and vegetables that we eat as we walk. By the time we make the check point atthe base, the artificial sunlight is dwindling rapidly. “Come on,” I say to Zann. “I’ve got one more thing you should see.”
Davix, Krish, and Zann follow me as I weave through hallways. I take the time to point out a few signs along the way, in case they want to come back without me. Eventually, we make our way to a single lift at the end of a dead-end corridor. I press the button and the doors open immediately. I motion them inside and then step in myself. It’s not until the doors close that I realize how small the space feels with the three of them in here with me. Ignoring their proximity, I push the button and chuckle as they all startle when it starts to move. “Sorry. I should have warned you. This lift is faster than most because it only goes to one other location.”
A moment later, the lift dings and the doors open onto the observation deck. There are a handful of soldiers chatting quietly near the railing, and I give them a quick salute as we move to the opposite side. “From here, you can see most the station,” I say, gesturing out to the cityscape around us. The deck offers a 360-degree view of the rest of Azuris station, and while it’s an interesting view, it’s not why I brought them here. “But the real view is up there,” I say. The station’s light cycle hasn’t fully transitioned to night yet, but you can already see stars emerging in the darkening sky. “Based on what we learned from Lianov’s records, Gyria is that way,” I say, pointing my finger towards their far distant home planet. Zann is silent, but Krish makes an interested sound as he stares in the direction I indicated.
“Do you think you can find your way back to your quarters from here?” I ask after a moment. Zann and Davix nod. “I should go check in with Curran then,” I say. “Enjoy the rest of your night.”
“I enjoyed spending time with you,” Krish says softly. “I hope we can do it again.”
“Yeah.” I reply, “me too.”
Chapter Twenty-Five: Krish
We stay on the elevated platform until the soldiers leave and most of the lights of the station go dark. It is a strange feeling to look into the sky and know that our home planet is somewhere far beyond what I can see. I expect to feel sadness or longing, but instead all I feel is a sense of being disconnected. It feels like a lifetime ago that my brood brothers and I were hunting serrex before our capture. It is hard to reconcile that quiet life in the wilderness with the noise and activity of the base.
Zann is uncharacteristically quiet as we make our way back to our chambers. I strip my clothes and crawl into the nest, curling against Davix. I am about to close my eyes when I hear Zann speak.
“There is something I must discuss with you,” Zann says, he crawls into the nest and sits facing Davix and me. Despite his statement, he is silent for a moment. “Corrina says that there is a chance that we could return to Gyria if we wish,” he finally murmurs. “It would take time before she could arrange it, but she thinks she can get us home.”
I stare at him in surprise. “When did she tell you this?” I ask, wondering if Zann has been keeping things from us. Though he is our leader, he has always sought our thoughts and opinions before.
“Only yesterday,” Zann replies. “I told her that I would speak with you about it.”
“What is there to speak about?” Davix signs, sitting up in the nest. “Why wouldn’t we go home?”
“If we go back to Gyria, we will not ever be able to return here. To Kapoor Base. To our new friends,” Zann explains.
I frown. I have grown used to the company of others, and I am not immediately eager to return to a life where my only companions are my brood brothers. Besides, we have barely even begun to explore the large station and there are many places I wish to visit and things I wish to do. “When do we have to leave?” I ask.
Zann glances at me and then Davix. “I asked what would happen if we wanted to stay. Corrina thinks there is a way for us to do that. If it is what we all want.”
“You want to stay here?” Davix signs.
“I think I do not want to return to Gyria. The idea of not seeing Corrina again makes me,” Zann pauses as if searching for the right word, “unsettled.”
I nod. Not seeing Corrina for the few days when we were ‘laying low’ as Curran suggested filled me with a strange emptiness. Itbrought me joy to spend time with her today in a way that is different from spending time with Wenschel or Ryder. I want to do more of it.
I glance at Davix, who appears to be deep in thought. “It is frustrating to be here,” he finally signs, “with so many others when I cannot communicate.”
“Corrina wants to learn our hand language,” Zann offers. “Perhaps others will want to learn as well. Wenschel is very curious about many things.”
I wait for Davix to respond, but his hands drop into his lap and stay there. “We should at least learn more about what it means if we are able to stay,” I finally say. “Unless we have to decide right away.”
Zann shakes his head. “Corrina says there is no rush to decide. But I will see if I, if we, can speak to her more about this.”
Davix nods his head and lies back down in the nest, closing his eyes. I curl against him, resting my head against his chest, and Zann curls up with his head on my stomach. The feel of their bodies in our nest is comfortable and familiar, but as I drift off to sleep I cannot help but think that it would be pleasant to have Corrina here with us as well.
We do not have a chance to see Corrina until the midday meal the following day. She is sitting at a table with Curran, frowning as he speaks to her in a low, anxious voice. “I’m just saying you shouldn’t take risks,” he is saying.
“And I am telling you that I am not going to hide away in my office because some asshole is,” Corrina stops speaking suddenly as she notices my presence. “Hello, Krish,” she says, and Curran glances up in surprise.
I set my tray down on the table and sit next to her. Davix and Zann join us a moment later. “I am sorry if we interrupted your conversation,” I say, but Corrina waves her hand dismissively.
