They were at Mkks, Chur had told her. And a host of other things-like a deal struck at Kshshti station, that had sent Banny Ayhar hellbent for Maing Tol with messages; and brought Jik and Vigilance with them-improbable alliance, but a useful one.
Jik’s got some piece of Ehrran’s hide, Chur had said, in the long waiting for results. He flashed some paper at her at Kshshti and she caved right fast. He’s no hunter-captain, that Jik, no way that’s all he is. He’s got connections-got us out of port, used that fancy computer on Aja Jin and laid us a course that put us straight into Mkks, all three, neat as you please. We went out on our mark and by the gods we were on when we came in. Got that new engine pack back there-
Chur had showed her that, working the cameras aft; and the sight of their tail assembly on the vid had sent a shiver up Hilfy’s back.
The Pride had changed. Had become something else since they pulled into Kshshti.
Like her. And she would have wished to see the old outlines back there and to have felt she had come home to something known and never changed.
Pyanfar friend these kif?
Hilfy conjured scenes-things Tully had seen and she had not when Pyanfar had stayed alone in that room of kif; and again when Pyanfar had gone in after Tully with Jik and Ehrran and all the crew but herself and Chur. So, gods, why would he even ask?
True, they had a kif aboard. Tully did not know that. The presence set twitches in Hilfy’s lip, and a shudder in her bones. The thing was down the corridor. Just a few doors down and around the bend.
She sat on Tully’s bed and hugged her arms about herself, wishing as she had not wished since she begged to go to space and got a doting father’s leave-She wanted her home again, and safety, and not to see what she wanted now to do. Better hunting in the hills, that kind of killing. A clean kind. Find a mate. She was due that in her life. Have the grass under her feet again and the sun on her back where no hani she might meet would understand what kif were or the things that she had seen.
Tully staggered out again, naked. There were wounds on him that seeped blood; bruises, bruises and burns and every sort of abuse. She carried like scars. He hunted a drawer for another pair of Haral’s cast-off breeches and came up with what must be the last.
“Need help?” she asked.
He shook his head, a human no. He sat down and tried with several attempts to get his leg in. He rested a bit, waved her off, hanging on the chair edge; and finally succeeded one leg at least.
The door opened, unannounced. Chur stood there, all bandaged as she was. Her eyes widened; her voyages-ringed flicked back.
“Chur,” Tully said, and got the other leg; and contrived to stand up and pull the breeches on and pull the drawstring in with now and then a grasp at the chair back.
“Gods-rotted little we haven’t seen of each other,” Hilfy muttered with a little shrug at Tully and a heat about her ears “Him or me. It’s all right, Chur.”
“You all right,” Tully said. He left the chair and reached out both hands for Chur. Chur winced instinctively; but did not grab, only took her hands and clasped them in his own. “Chur, good to see you. Good to see you-”
“Same,” Chur said. Her mouth pursed in a gaunt smile and Hilfy got to her feet. “We’re some sight, aren’t we?”
“We fine,” Tully said, with simplicity that ached He grinned, tried to stop himself, got his face into a hani pleasantness. “Chur, I think you got dead.”
“Got dead, no-” Chur cuffed his cheek ever so gently “Gods, they chewed you up and spat you out, didn’t they?”
Hilfy flinched, leaning on the chair, “Let him sit down for the gods’ sakes. You too. What are you doing here?”
“Got a small break. They’ve got data coming in up there’ Tirun’s on it-thought I’d take the chance to come down and see you while I had it.”