“That is good,” I say. I brought many rations down to the caves, but how long will they last with myself and my crew eating them? We won’t be able to hunt belowground, aside from some small fish in the pool.
“The mushrooms are not,” she says. “Just so you know. They’re completely inedible. And those little white berries are from the cave too, right? They’re, uh, intoxicants.”
“I don’t know this word.” I fire up the translator on my CommPad.
“It means they get you drunk, kind of? Like alcohol?” I shake my head. “Drugs. Recreational drugs. Fun drugs. They make you loopy and silly and sleepy.”
Interesting. “Thank you, this is useful to know.”
“You sure learned our language fast,” she says, wrinkling her nose. “How’d you grow so huge, anyway? Was it something you ate? Can you get even bigger? Or smaller, can you shrink? I’d love to look at some cell samples and compare.”
I pinch my nose. “Can you tell me where is Maysee?”
“Oh. Sorry. I talk too much. She’s locked out of the bridge.”
That doesn’t mean anything good. “Finish packing your things, human. It is time.”
I approach the ship with caution. I still have to duck to fit inside, but I don’t have to turn my body sideways, don’t have to hold my breath. I am coming back to my usual size, though slowly.
Hopefully not too slowly.
I find Maysee sitting on the floor, her back to a closed door. My poor mate is drooping. I’m certain she hasn’t been taking care of herself at all.
“I don’t want anyone else to die,” Maysee whispers. “I can’t convince her to come.”
“Perhaps she will be safe inside this ship,” I offer.
“I don’t know,” Maysee says, shaking her head. She squeezes my hand. “She’s locked Arjun in there with her. Tess is off working on your ship. And I don’t know where Stella is.” She wipes her eyes. “What’s going on outside?”
“One group of humans has left. Styt and Craxyn will protect them. They are preparing Trecol for his journey. I believe most of the camp will travel with him.”
Maysee huffs out a heavy breath. “So it will just be us and my stubborn friends.”
“And Wroz. He remains with your friend Tess.”
Her eyes squeeze shut. “I don’t know how to convince them. I’m out of ideas. We’re going to have to hope for a miracle, Ryle.”
“A miracle. We have had many. We will have another.” She doesn’t seem assured, but I am. This planet has delivered so many since we’ve arrived here. What’s one more? We could try just asking.
But how does one ask a planet for a favor?