Federi was doing his late-night round of the ship. Only the senior crew was actually aware of these little routines. He peered into the infirmary.
Wolf lowered his book.
“Hello, Federi!”
“Hey, Wolf,” replied the Romany, indicating Ailyss. “Company?”
“Sort-of,” grinned Wolf. The Irish brunette had fallen asleep over her book, her black hair draped over the pea-green cover of the bunk. Federi studied her for a moment. Her closed eyes were sunken and moving about, in dream sleep. She looked haunted. He knew that he had scared her badly today. He had done it on purpose.
Marsden was wrong. The very fact that Ailyss had sought refuge here in Sick Bay, where her strong, injured colleague could protect her…
There were goose bumps on her pale, skinny calves where they stuck out of her black ski-pants.
“Poor thing,” said Federi and shook his head. He opened the top compartment of the infirmary’s narrow built-in cupboard behind the door and pulled out a spare blanket, spreading it over her. He turned back to Wolf. The young man was following his movements.
“Why did you do that for her?” asked Wolf quizzically. “You don’t like her!”
“Doesn’t mean she must catch a cold,” said Federi logically. “Keep her safe in here, see, Wolf? Maybe…” He trailed off, shaking his head again. It was always a tough one, waiting for a cookie to crumble. Maybe it wouldn’t crumble, this time. Maybe there was no cookie. Maybe they were wrong.
Maybe the moon was a silver dollar.
25 - Flamenco
Dawn was seeping through the two large portholes of the galley. Paean hung in the doorway.
“Hey, Federi!”
“Hey, little sunbird,” smiled the gypsy.
Paean watched him prepare breakfast. He wandered over to the coffee machine and reached for the coffee grounds. He paused, shot her a glance, grinned.
“Why don’t you make your own coffee,” he laughed. “Minx!”
Paean stood rooted to her spot, grinning too. He had nailed her!
Nevertheless he made her a mug of fresh, steaming coffee and handed it to her, smiling and shaking his head.
“ ‘s a gesture of appreciation, you know,” he informed her.
“How did you know?” She smiled and sipped her coffee. Lots of milk, the way she liked it. He preheated the milk for her. She never managed to make her own coffee that nice. “Actually, Federi, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you…”
Just then Jon Marsden peered into the galley. “Paean? Wolf is calling you.”
Paean put her coffee down and ran. Federi gazed after her. Poor girl!
“She’s quick to jump when Wolf calls,” remarked Marsden, watching her disappear down the passage.
“She knows what happens if she doesn’t,” said Federi. He peered sharply at his friend. What precisely had gone down that Jon suspected Paean like that? And that he had acquitted Ailyss of being a secret agent for the Unicate?
Shortly after, Paean wrapped up her daily inspection of Wolf’s wounds. They were healing; mostly the man needed a bath. He was right. You couldn’t keep a good pirate down. And hope to breathe in his vicinity.
She glanced at him and smiled.
“Your friends have been scarce, nu?” she prodded.
“Except Paean,” replied the young engineer with a bearded smile. “Talks my ears off my head! And Ailyss checks in. And Federi. But Rhine Gold and Ronan – not really.”
“S’pose they’re working really hard,” said Paean thoughtfully. “I love the way the men get to do the kitchen work on this ship! Had to wrestle my brothers down and force them to help, back in Molly Street!”
Wolf grinned at this concept. “Different rules apply. Here, it’s the directionless and the under-qualified who get to do the menial tasks.”
The directionless and the under-qualified -?! That stung!
“You’re talking about my little brother, and Federi,” said Paean acidly. “And I do my fair bit of scrubbing decks, too! Under-qualified! I wonder if you’d have got right what Federi did there on that Rebel ship.”
Wolf stared at her. What? Hundred percent reversed tack?
“Finishing off the entire crew single-handedly,” added Paean through her teeth. “Wolf, you’ve got backbone standing up for your friend. But that is style!”
“Ah,” Wolf smiled hopelessly, flopping back onto his pillow. “Hero craft! Can’t compete with that, nope!”