~
Federi!
The Romany lifted his head.
Remember who you are, Federi!
“Katya?”
There was nothing.
Remember who I am? Hells, Katya, sometimes you tax me!
He was wedged between his crates on the Rebel ship. His eyes were shut; his dreaming mind was seeing things as they were, in a grey dream-light. It was a state of awareness he loved. It didn’t happen often; but when it did, sometimes he could visit with his sister’s spirit, and sometimes he could see the future clearly, and sometimes…
“Federi?”
A frightened little red-haired child-woman stood before him, slightly luminescent in the grey light.
Whoa! This was bad news!
“Paean? Are you okay? What happened? Don’t tell me you and Shawn followed us?”
“Federi – I’m sorry…”
The little phantom burst into tears.
Federi felt like crying too. He was sorry. More sorry than her! If he hadn’t talked Captain into hiring her, she might still be alive. If he had coached her better, told her more! If he had made sure she understood the dangers of being a Lascekian pirate…
“So how many of the crew did the Rebellion get?” he asked.
“What?”
“How many were killed?”
“No,” said the little mockingbird. “Nobody. We’re on the ship. Federi, I’m sorry! I don’t want my friends to die! I betrayed you! I’m sorry!”
“What?” His eyebrows shot up. Marsden’s ominous warning surfaced briefly in his mind, like an enemy submarine. Like a shark fin. “Little luv, whatever you’ve done, we can fix it! Just tell the Captain everything, and then wait for Federi!”
At least she was alive, he thought with a huge surge of relief. Everything else was fixable.
“I’ve already done, Federi! I’ve told him about that little device Shawn stole. Captain fished it right out of your cabin, Federi…” She dissolved in sobs. “I’m so sorry I betrayed your friendship!”
“What?” Thinking logically in dream space wasn’t always an easy thing.
“I spilt your secret to Captain,” repeated Paean miserably.
“Okay, let me get this straight. Your betrayal is that you’ve told Captain about the data capsule? You little genius! They need that capsule! It’s Marsden’s missing puzzle piece! Was going to give it to him anyway! So he found it?”
Paean nodded.
The little superstar! “Stop crying, sweetheart! You did right! I’m proud of you!” He wondered. She was in dream space too; how much would she remember when she woke up? “Little luv, can you give them a message from Federi?”
She sniffed. “I’ll try, Federi. You’re not angry?”
“No, hell! Listen up, dulciuri. Tell Captain this. There’s a secret Rebellion port on the west side of Hiva Oa. They’ve captured us, their ship is moving, I don’t know where. He must keep the Solar Wind submerged and wait for my signal! He must not search for us on land, under no circumstances! Can you remember that?”
“A secret port,” repeated Paean. “On the west side of the island. He must submerge and wait for your signal. Not search for you.”
“Right,” said Federi. “If we’re not back by midnight, he must go. On with his plan.”
“Abandon you?”
“Yes. By then we’re dead.”
Aw! Some things were not so clever to say to this little phantom.
“Please stop crying,” begged Federi. “Course we’ll survive this! I’m the one who gets away!”
“Promise?” sobbed Paean.
“Absolute promise!” He reached out for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Not Thieves’ Honour. Guarantee. From Federi.”
“Okay.”
“Now go,” he nudged her. “Go give Captain the message before you forget.”
“I will,” promised Paean. “Kathal, Federi! Come back intact.”
She faded out. Federi sighed and shook himself out of dream space and into the darkness of the bilges.
Her crying over him more than made up for her thoughtless remark about the Tzigany earlier. She had been so real, he had actually managed to reach out and touch her! He hoped she’d remember.
Time to get on with his plan.
~
Paean came to with a jolt.
“Are you alright?” asked Shawn. He handed her the mug of coffee.
Paean stared at him, trying to organize her thoughts. She was to give the Captain a message. What was it? Abandon Federi! No! Wrong! She trailed back over her dream.