"Then you get two messages at once," she tells me, thumping her fist into my gut. "You'd better comm me back."
"I will, I will. Jeez. Sentorr, come get your mate," I call out. "She's all cranky."
My sister's stiff-necked mate moves to her side and puts a comforting hand on the back of her neck. It's amazing to watch her melt against him, given that he's not what I would have picked for her at all. Sentorr was military, just like me, but he still acts like he's serving. His hair is short and immaculately groomed, and his collar is so high and tight, his ship uniform so crisp I have images of him sending it through the cleaner every morning. Zoey, who's always been a little wild, adores him, though. She wraps her arms around his waist and tucks herself against his larger, lean frame. "She's allowed to worry about you," Sentorr says in that slightly disapproving, crisp voice of his. "She thinks you don't look after yourselves for some reason."
"Uh, because they don't?" Zoey retorts.
"Look who's talking," I send back. "I'm not the one that stayed up for three days straight once trying to chart out a more efficient fuel run between three stations."
Zoey only snorts.
Sentorr strokes her neck, and the gentle movement of his thumb against her skin almost makes me feel like I'm seeing something I shouldn't. "I take care of Zoey. I make certain she gets enough sleep. Don't worry about her."
My sister smiles and then flings herself out of her mate's grasp to envelop Jade in a bone-squeezing hug. "And you're going to take care of my dumbass brother, right?"
Jade hugs her back, grinning. "First of all, he's not dumb. And second of all, yes."
I grin at the sight. They're not the best of friends yet, Zoey and Jade. They're both incredibly stubborn and each one is protective of me. But as we spent time on the Jabberwock, Jade relaxed around my sister, and I think Zoey's come to like Jade and her ready defense of me. The moment someone implies that I'm dumb (even if it's me), Jade leaps to my defense.
I love it.
Zoey finishes hugging Jade and moves back to give me another hug. I embrace her again. "Comm me the moment you hear something about Mathiras or Kaspar, yeah?"
"Of course." Then my sister pops a wet finger in my ear and I bellow in outrage. I walked right into that one. I mock-vow revenge as they head back onto the Jabberwock, but truth is, I let my sister get away with everything, because she's just the littlest runt of our clan, and she's family.
I feel a lonely pang as the Jabberwock takes off, leaving us behind. It's always hard to see my sister go. Jade squeezes my hand, and I hold her tightly. "Dunno how there's a breeze in this damn cargo bay."
"So strange," Jade agrees with a murmur, wiping the wetness from my cheeks. "You'll see her again, love."
"Of course I will," I grumble. "Let's go annoy our host for a bit."
It's funny, because while the Jabberwock was here, Jerrok was on edge. He always is when there's a ship visiting, he's told me before, and I don't take it personally. After the Jabberwock leaves, however, it's Sophie who seems to be on edge. She's a little anxious as she shows us around the newly cleaned-up station.
"These rooms were filled with junk," she says as she indicates the rec room they've set up. "We're working on making things a little more homey and comfortable."
"It's lovely," Jade says warmly. She points at the shelving. "Is that a VHS tape?"
"Yes!" Sophie declares, laughing. "It's Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. I can't watch it, of course, but I remember the movie from when I was young and seeing it makes me smile. Jerrok's saving all the human stuff he can find for me." She glances over at the male, gives another nervous laugh, and then gestures that we should follow her. "Come on. I'll show you where you'll be sleeping."
Jade squeezes my hand, but I'm not sure what she means by it. Probably telling me to shut up, so I do.
Jerrok says nothing, just files out after us.
Sophie's anxious as she heads down the hall to another room and hesitates with her hand over the door panel. "Sleipnir's in here, but he won't hurt you. Just don't make any sudden moves and don't act threateningly toward me." She thinks for a moment, and then adds, "Or Jerrok."
"Threateningly?" I ask, baffled. To Sophie?
Jade just squeezes my hand again.
Sophie gives us a nervous smile and then opens the door. She crouches low, murmuring soft words, and then the beast lumbers out into the hall, moving past her. I'd forgotten how terrifying the carinoux is. He's all teeth and enormous, menacing body as he prowls toward us. "He's been very protective lately," Sophie says in a soft voice. "But we think he's adjusting to being on the station and so he's more comfortable. He won't attack unless he feels we're in danger."