He nodded. They got up together, bumped slightly as they squeezed between the two swivel seats to get to the padded bench at the rear of the cockpit. Geri smiled at him and Hector plopped back in the pilot’s seat, content to savor her perfume and watch her. She sat on the bench and opened the cooker’s hatch. Out came steaming trays of food.
Hector came over to the bench, stumbling slightly, and sat beside her.
“The drinks are in the cooler,” she said, pointing to the other side of the bench.
After dinner they sat together on the bench, heads ^ back to gaze at the stars, while the skimmer’s autopilot kept them from drifting too far from the harbor.
“This, uh … thing about Odal,” Hector said, very •^ reluctantly. “It’s not … well, it’s not the kind of thing that….”
“I know. It’s a terrible thing to ask you to do.” She put her hand in his. “But what else can I do? I’m only a girl; I can’t go out and kill him myself. I need a protector, a champion, someone who “will avenge my father’s ^ murder. You’re the only one I can turn to, Hector.”
“Yes, but … um … killing him, that’s….”
“It’ll be dangerous, I realize that. But you’re so brave. You’re not afraid of Odal, are you?”
“No, but….”
“And it won’t be anything more than a justifiable execution. He’s a murderer. You’ll be the sword of justice. My sword of justice.”
“Yes, but….”
She pulled away slightly. “Of course. Odal will probably never return to Acquatainia. But if he does, you can be sure it’s for one thing only.”
Hector blinked. “What’s that?”