Since Aari was the only one who really understood the language spoken in the Niriian transmission, Becker hoped the guy would be in a better mood when he woke up from his nap. There was no point in opening the pod until he did. Of course, if there hadn’t been anyone aboard who spoke the language, Becker would have opened it, hoped the LAANYE and the computer were up to the task, and tried to figure out its secrets on his own, but right now he could afford to wait. Aari had to wake up eventually.
Becker had other reasons to delay that task as long as possible. Someone needed to note the original location on the planet where each piece of salvage from the wreck had been found, as well as where it was currently stowed aboard the Com)or, and except for RK and the KEN unit, Becker was the only one awake. Or so he thought.
It had only been a few hours since Becker had left Acorna sleeping next to Aari, totally exhausted. Now she surprised Becker by walking up behind him.
I can take over again, Captain. Aari is still asleep.” Don’t scare me like that. Clomp a little the next time you Wander up behind me, okay? So how’s Aari doing? You’re pretty sweet on him, aren’t you?” Becker asked.
Acorna blushed. “Captain, on narhiiVhiliinyar people wear shields on their horns, in part to avoid questions just like that. He seems to be resting peacefully now. I am not sure that ‘sweet’ is the proper term for my feelings for him. I am very interested in Aari, it is true, and I want to help him, as you do.”
“Yeah, but I’m not his type, ” Becker said, running a hand through his grizzled gray and black hair. “I am going silver maned, can’t argue with that. But I’m not a girl.” He grinned at Acorna. Then he had a thought he hoped he was keeping to himself. Aari did like girls, didn’t he? Becker figured he did. But there was no evidence here to go on. The guy had not exactly been in any shape for courting during the time that Becker had known him, nor had he mentioned any past loves, which seemed pretty natural considering what he’d gone through and how alone he’d been for most of his life. On the other hand, Aari’s treatment of Acorna had been brotherly, though every so often Becker did see him watching Acorna closely, sometimes smiling, sometimes -with a troubled expression on his face. If he saw Becker watching him, Aari would look quickly away. And Acorna was probably unaware of Aari’s interest, if that’s what it was. He always watched her when Acorna was doing something else.
As Becker worried about his shipmates he heard Acorna let loose a big sigh.
“I dunno, Princess, you should probably tell me to butt out,” Becker said, troubled by seeing her lovely eyes cloud.
“Oh, no, Captain, I would value your advice. My aunt intended that I should find a lifemate pn narhiiVhiliinyar but-perhaps because most of the space travelers left early-I did not meet anyone I liked until you came with Aari.”
“You really like him or just feel sorry for him?” Becker asked. Why did he feel so fatherly to this gorgeous young woman-well, gorgeous young alien woman-who was taller than he was, probably smarter than he was, and was in full possession of a number of rather spooky powers that were her birthright and had been Aari’s, too, before some of them at least were partially looted from him. “You don’t have to answer that.”
Acorna smiled and patted his hand. “I know you ask only because you care for my happiness, Captain. You are so much like my uncles-”
“Much better looking, of course,” Becker said, huffing through his mustache. “Way better looking than Baird.”
Acorna chuckled. “They say that sort of thing about each other all the time. I do not know what I am supposed to be looking for, to tell you the truth, I have never done this before. I am here because I like to be here and feel that it is time for me to move away from both of my homes, at least for a while. I care for Aari. Perhaps as a healer cares for her patient, but also more than that. I have never decided before to linger beyond the immediate healing I can do. Something in him calls to me. Perhaps he will be a friend of my own species, and closer to my own age than either Grandam or Maati. Perhaps because of Maati, who is his sister, and is almost like my own little sister, I am here in her stead. …”