I turn to Adiron. "Any chance that Straik is going to have a change of heart and turn around?"
His mouth twists in a wry smile. "Doubtful. But even if he does, his ship can just scoop up the pods mid-flight. There's no reason to delay for that."
"Well," I say, and pull my hands from Alice and Helen's grips before they realize that they're getting clammy with sweat. I'm nervous and terrified and determined and resigned and just a little bit defeated. "Let's get this show on the road, then."
32
ADIRON
Jade is a good leader, I realize, as I watch her take care of the others. Alice and Helen both cry, their small packed bags on their shoulders as they say their goodbyes to Jade. She's utterly calm and downright motherly at times, wiping away their tears and giving them gentle pep talks. She hugs both of them for a long, long time, and then waves as Alice steps into the pod with Kaspar, her smile bright. She gives her a thumbs up and I just nod at my brother. He'll be good. It'll take a lot more than a piss-poor corsair like Straik to take us down. I'm not worried. "See you in a month."
Then the pod closes, and activates, and it's Helen and Mathiras's turn.
The qura'aki is practically bouncing with a mixture of excitement and tentative sadness—like she wants to be excited but thinks she should be sad. Jade whispers in her ear, gives her a squeeze, and then smiles at Mathiras.
My brother looks at me. "You sure you're going to be okay here on this ship?"
"I'm going to have an amazing time," I reassure him. In a way, I'm kind of looking forward to it. Now I have Jade's undivided attention for an entire month. Surely that's enough time for her to fall in love with me. "You got everything you need?"
He nods. "We'll be in touch." Mathiras looks over at Jade. "And Helen will be in good hands. I promise you that I'll keep her safe and treat her like my own sister."
"Wait, what?" Helen says as she steps into the pod. There's a hint of a frown on her face.
"I'll see you soon," Jade calls, blowing kisses to a confused Helen as Mathiras steps into the hatch. The escape pod—a room-sized bubble tricked out with all the life support that a pair will need for months—hisses as the door shuts and panels light up. I see Mathiras get to work, strapping Helen into her seat and then moving into his own. Jade keeps waving, remaining in place, and Helen offers her a timid wave before the pod windows go black and then the pod itself detaches from the wall and heads down the chute to eject into space.
The moment the second pod is out of sight, Jade sags, like all the strength has left her body. It's quiet in the ship, and I can only imagine how she feels. First Ruth, now Helen and Alice. I put a hand on her shoulder and rub. Maybe she could use a snack. I like to eat when I'm depressed, because it always makes me feel better. "Do you want to…"
My words die in my throat as she turns and buries her face against my chest. A low sob escapes her, and her arms go around my waist.
Oh.
I hold her tight as she cries into my uniform, rubbing her back and murmuring positive-sounding stuff to her. Things like “you made the right decision” and “everything's going to be fine” when who the kef knows what's going to happen now. Danger and taking risks is just a part of my life, but I guess it hasn't been a part of Jade's.
It makes me want to protect her even more.
"Hey now," I murmur, resisting the urge to bury my face in her fluffy hair and just drink in her scent. "Are you crying because you're stuck with me for the next month? I promise I'll be a good roommate. I might even pick up after myself."
She sob-laughs. "Liar. I saw your quarters. You're a pig."
"That's an earth animal, right? Are they handsome?"
Jade gives another teary laugh, sniffing. "Oh, the handsomest." She pulls back—much to my dismay—and gives me a faint smile. "You're trying to distract me, aren't you?"
"Me?" I pretend to be shocked. "I would never."
She rolls her eyes, but the smile plays at her lips. Jade swipes at her nose, staring glumly at the empty chambers where the two pods were. "Remind me that this is for the best?"
"It's absolutely for the best," I tell her. I move back to her side and put a hand on her shoulder. I want her to get used to me touching her, because I absolutely intend on touching her in the next while…as long as she lets me, that is. And when she covers my hand with her own, I fight the urge to grab her and kiss the kef out of her like they do in the human vids that Zoey loved. Most mesakkah are horrified by mouth-on-mouth stuff, but I think it'd be keffing grand. I'm certainly ready to tangle tongues with Jade and see what it's like. "If you're worried about Kaspar or Mathiras, I can assure you that they really are good guys. Neither one will touch the girls."