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“And we are going a lot farther still.”

“Are you with anyone? A husband or--”

“I’m alone.”

She smiled even though there was still a brief press of pain at the thought of her lost husband. But it was fainter today than it had ever been. She would never forget Adebiyi. He was her heart. But he would want only joy for her. Especially now.

“I am, too.” A near flutter of those thick, dark eyelashes from Matias.

Was he flirting with her? A woman old enough to be his mother? But, then again, her daughter told her that she looked a lot younger than her contemporaries. But Daraja had never chased youth or sought to preserve it when she had it. Age wrote one’s experience across the book of life that was one’s body. Age wasn’t something to be feared, but embraced.

“I thought you said you had left everything behind except Chili? Is that a wife or husband or--”

“What? Oh, no! Chili is a pot belly pig! She’s right here. Sleeping.” He pulled up a soft arched container that was between his feet.

She peered inside the bars on the front and saw a pink pig about the side of her hand curled into a soft, blue blanket. Chili snorted softly and her little sproingy tail quivered as if she was dreaming about something exciting.

“She is not for food, I take it?” Daraja asked. “She would hardly make a mouthful.”

“What? No! She is my sweet Chili!” He looked horrified. “My boon companion!”

She shouldn’t have found that funny, but she did. Especially when he cradled the container against his broad chest.

“You asked to bring Chili with you?” She lifted an eyebrow at him.

“Of course! It was a requirement for me to accept the offer!” Matias eyed her suspiciously. “Didn’t you ask to bring anyone?”

“No.”

She paused as she considered that fact. She hadn’t even considered it. Part of her hadn’t believed it would be allowed, but another part of her did not wish to take them with her. Both her children were parents themselves. The thought of asking them to leave their families, or even bring their children with them, to come with her into space seemed absurd. And that was before she’d read about the Khul. After finding out about them, she wanted neither her children nor her grandchildren anywhere near the Osiris.

“It is interesting to me that you would condition accepting this opportunity on being allowed to bring a pet with you,” she said carefully.

“You don’t think my interest in this mission is serious?” He guessed, but didn’t look offended by that. “I think they allowed me to bring her as a… challenge? Plus, the human crew will need familiar creatures to offer them comfort and Chili is a great comfort.”

She smiled. “I will take your word for that. Pigs are very smart. But I am surprised you did not ask to bring a dog and cat as well. They are more familiar pets.”

“Yes, but not as good as Chili. But I’ve already been informed that there will be some of them on the ship!” He beamed. “And just think of the animals we will discover on new worlds! I imagine we will come into a Tribble situation.”

Daraja chuckled, realizing he was referring to the Trouble With Tribbles episode of the original Star Trek. If they did encounter purring balls of fur that multiplied like mad, that might be the least of their worries.

“We’re in.” Matias pointed to the window.

The dropship had entered the hanger. She quickly turned back to watch as they passed by dozens of ships--Paladin class, she recalled from her reading--that were set up and ready for pilots. Some of them would be human, but there would be other species. There hadn’t been anything yet on those other species that she was to help. She would need to learn their biology, their chemistry, so much. She pressed her fingers against the window as the dropship landed.

“We’re here, Chili! Our new home away from home,” Matias cooed to the pig.

She let out a snort, which was echoed by Chili. The pig was awake and looking out at her from a sweet face and friendly eyes. She stuck a finger through the bars, which Chili sniffed and let out a happy snort.

“I think Chili is going to be a grand addition to the crew.” Daraja grinned at the pig who eagerly oinked.

The gangway in the back of the ship opened up and the people eagerly turned and rose from their seats, filing out one at a time even as Daraja guessed they all wanted to run out. She held herself in place by gripping the seats. Matias offered to let her go first, to squirm around him and Chili, but she shook her head and gestured for the two of them to precede her. She almost let the next row go as well, because as excited as she was to be here, she was suddenly unable to move.

“Coming?” Matias offered her his pig-free hand.

She smiled and took it. He helped her into the aisle and they walked forward, out of the dropship and down the gangway. The hangar was larger than a football field, American football or otherwise. The ceiling arched far above their heads. Daraja felt dwarfed in this space. The other ships it held intrigued her, but she was more interested in getting to the Med Bay. She wanted to see the alien tech that was there. She wanted to start to understand it. To make it hers so that she could serve her patients right away.

They formed a half moon cluster around three figures. One was a very handsome young man with a rather winning smile who she remembered was Jace Parker, the Pilot, not a Pilot, but the leader of the entire endeavor. He seemed terribly young to have such responsibility on his shoulders, but wisdom didn’t only come with age.