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Back to Act 2 Prologue – Forward to Part 020
The Rose entered Port Ganda with the aid of a harbor master. She flew two flags: one of a pirate attack, and one of lost crew member. The harbor master saw to it there were no ships in her way, and no one entered or left the harbor when the Rose came in. The coroner waited on the docks, and took Nina to be held until the Molyneux’s official envoy could carry her back to Buan Chuimhne. The Rose was docked, and Cait stood the crew down.
There were no traditions of honor guards in the Civilian Navy, but Tre, Billy, and Xiphos all took turns sitting with Nina while the Rose made the remainder of the journey to Ganda.
None of the crew left the Rose, with the exception of Tre. Ganda had become his second home. Ganda was where the Oracle herself made her home, her temple overlooking Port Ganda high in the mountain above the city. He left when they arrived in the port. Everyone else disappeared to their bunks.
Cait closed her own door, taking in the silence of her bunk. The light in her bunk was low, as she always kept it, except for the small reading lamp over her bed. She left it off. She opened her vent, letting cool, fresh air inside. In the far corner of her bunk, covered by a red cloth, was an alter to Nibiru, Goddess of the Ocean Tribes. Cait lit some incense. She knelt before the shrine, and very careful, she bowed, touching her head to the floor, making sure her movements were precise, exact. She kept her head down exactly eight seconds, and then lifted up. Averting her eyes away from the tiny statue of Nibiru inside, she said, “Great Goddess of the Oceans, I thank you for its creation and the bounty you have seen fit to provide myself and my crew…”
Cait hesitated, her jaw trembling. She held it shut until she was sure she could control it. “I will not question why you chose to take Nina at the time you did, but she passed under your watch, and I ask that you please guide her safely to the shores of Mingulay. And please watch over the safety of my crew. I know it is presumptuous of me to say, but you have already taken enough from me.”
She took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. “If this is not where you want me to be, please let me know.”
She bowed again, touching her head to the floor and counting the full eight seconds. From a basket on the floor, Cait took an orange and placed it in front of shrine. She left her bunk to find her crew.
Cait found the guest quarters empty. She opened the dome, letting in real sunlight, hoping to make the shadows leave.
The crew quarters were silent, and both Billy and Xiphos had closed and locked their doors. Cait retrieved a bucket from under the sink, tossed a soap tablet in, and began to fill it with hot water. She tossed a brush inside, and started towards the cargo bay.
Toby pinged down the steps, stopping in front of her. Neither expected each other, and both jumped back, Cait sloshing water on the floor.
“Sir!” Toby said. He scrambled to the table to unload his arms, and went back to help Cait clean up the water. “Sorrysorrysorry!”
“Tobias,” Cait said, her voice soft, tired. “It is nothing.”
Toby nodded. He went back to the table.
“How are you, Tobias?”
Toby looked up at Cait through his headfur. It seemed to always be styled, but today it drooped down in front of his eyes. Dark streaks tracked down his cheeks, his eyes tired and red. He shrugged.
Cait sat down at the table, setting her bucket aside for the moment. Toby went about setting everything up he had carried down. There were little trays of brightly colored puffs and miniature cakes, various fried-looking things. It all looked unhealthy and delicious.
“What are you up to?” Cait asked slowly, looking over his creations. “Did you bake all of this?”
Toby stopped. He took a step back from the table, and played with his hands. “Yes, sir.” He hesitated a moment. “I didn’t know what else to do.”
Cait nodded, folding her arms over her stomach. “I would worry if you did,” she said. She pulled out a chair at the table and sat down. “Quite frankly, Tobias, I do not know what to do, either.” She cradled her head in her hands.
Cait let the conversation between them sputter off. She took a moment to rest. Toby fidgeted, and the silence was broken by the sound of metal sliding over wood. It stopped against Cait’s arms. She very slowly looked down at the tray of little cakes, colorful little cubes that reminded her of New Year’s presents. Toby leaned over the table, kneeling on a chair, pushing the tray forward with his finger tips. He drew back his hand, watching Cait.
Cait took a little cake. “Thank you, Tobias.”
Toby nodded. He sat down at the table with Cait, and watched her eat the cake. She paused a moment, considering the flavor, and took another.
“That’s quite good,” she said.
Toby’s tail thumped against the chair.
“Why have you not tried to run yet?” Cait asked.
“Sir?”
“There is a Colony consulate here. You could have been in the care of your government by now, on your way home.”
Toby played with his hands. “I dunno.”
“Would you like to go?”
Toby looked up at Cait, meeting her strong but tired gaze. Her ears had flattened out, heavy with defeat. “I don’t… I thought you were going to straighten things out.”
“I do not feel I can keep you safe anymore, which was the reason to keep you here. Perhaps your own people could sort out your problems.”
Toby shrank in his chair, looking away. His ears flattened against his head.
Cait stood, picking up her bucket. “We will be here a few days. My family and I will meet. If you are to leave during that time, I would not hold it against you.” She left Toby at the table, her back to his wide, confused stare.
Cait descended into the cargo bay, and set the bucket down in the middle of the floor, next to the spot where Nina had spent her final moment. The floor was sticky with dried blood. Cait splashed some of the water on to the floor, got down on her knees, and began to scrub.
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I don’t have a clear mental image from “Toby pinged down the steps” but I’m imagining sort of a bright, hopping gait. I’m not sure if that’s what you intend, but I can’t find an obvious typo or word swap.
I wonder, in all seriousmess, if “panged” would do it.