If the Durbok kept his word, everyone could just go on living in peace and quiet on this remote planet on the edge of the quadrant.
After several trips back and forth to my shuttle, carrying my purchases, I settled into my operator’s chair feeling lighter than I had when I arrived. In my estimation, the Durbok was not a complete steaming pile of garbage and I had found something for Maive. It was not something purple, but if I’d learned anything about her, this would be a far more welcome gift than some useless bauble. As my shuttle lifted off toward home, I thought about what I had purchased for her and grinned.
Chapter
Ten
Expect uninvited guests
“Gilrox,sir. We have an intruder approaching the compound.”
I was getting tired of B2’s alarmist-sounding alerts. It had the same urgency as if a team of snipers was surrounding the house, and I told myself to update its programming.
“Who is it?” I had just put on clothes I’d chosen for the festival, after spending far too long trying to decide what to wear. I’d never dressed for a social occasion before. The process was more stressful than arming for a mission.
There was a pause. “It appears to be an underdeveloped Runam female.”
“You can just say child, B2,” I said, buttoning and unbuttoning the top of my shirt. “And how can you consider a child to be an intruder?”
B2 spun, causing a different optical lens to face me. “I am instructed to alert you to all life forms approaching within a one-kilometer radius. I have done so.”
I waved a hand and got up. “What direction is she coming from?”
“Northwest,” B2 replied.
I sighed. “Is she alone?”
“If she were accompanied by another, I would have alerted you so.”
I snorted out a chuckle. It seemed my little drone had a bit of spice. I kind of liked it. It reminded me of someone else who was more frequently on my mind than I would have liked. “I’ll see to it.”
Silli climbed up my leg and crawled up to my shoulder. Apparently, he was coming along whether I liked it or not. I strode out of my house to find a small child standing there looking unsure of what to do next. I recognized her as Aila, the little Runam girl I had encountered on my very first walk to the village. I gazed down at her, taking in dirty hands and face, a furrowed brow, and what looked like tear streaks on her cheeks.
“Hello,” I said. “Can I help you?”
Her lower lip trembled. “Lost,” she said in a small voice that had a quiver to it.
I knelt down and peered into her worried eyes. “Is something wrong? Did something happen to the village?” I didn’t realize that was something I could be worried about until I asked the question. Suddenly, my own expression became intense.
She shook her head. “I followed a metal bird.” Her gaze dropped, as if she were embarrassed. “And I lost my way.” She blinked up at me. “Can you take me home?”
“Of course I can.” I filed the metal bird comment away in my mind and brought her around to the deck. She looked exhausted and anxious, so I thought to give her a moment to calm down. “Sit here for a moment. I’ll get you a quick snack and a drink before we head back. How does that sound?”
She sat down and gave a small nod. “Yes, thank you. I’m really thirsty. And hungry.”
I rose and went inside, feeling horrendously out of my depth. I didn’t think I’d ever been alone with a youngling this small, except for the one time I had met her, but that had been outdoors, in passing. But here she was, at my house, in distress. Was I doing the right thing, getting her a bite to eat and a glass of water, before bringing her home?
I had no idea, but she’d been walking a long time on very small legs and she looked hot. It didn’t seem right to have her make the trek all the way back without a little rest first. I wished there was a way I could contact Maive and let her know that the child was here and safe. Perhaps a transmitter of some sort was in order. That way I could know if something was happening at the village, too, and?—
I wrang out a small wet cloth and retrieved a dried seaweed cake from my food storage unit. I was getting far too involved with these people. I was not here to be their babysitter. They had taken care of themselves long enough on their own.
I returned to find her looking less upset but still tense. I handed her the wet cloth and placed the seaweed snack and a small canister of water on the table beside the chair. She thanked me in a small voice and wiped her face and hands, then reached for the water. She took a long sip and sighed. She looked up at me, then her gaze shifted to my shoulder, where a little furry face quietly watched.
She blinked at Silli and a small smile crossed her features. “Who is that?”
“This is my little friend, Silli,” I said, happy to divert attention elsewhere. “I found him in a bad spot a while back and he’s been with me ever since.”
Her eyes lit with interest. “Is he friendly?”
