But there were reason and urgency in Thurfian’s argument, and the officer clearly knew it. “Very well,” he said. He lowered his eyes and worked his questis a moment. “All right,” he said, looking up at Thalias. “Your orders, instructions, and authorizations are on your questis. Read them, and be where you’re supposed to be when you’re supposed to be there.” His eyes flicked to Thurfian. “As Syndic Thurfian said, the Springhawk leaves in four hours.”

“Thank you,” Thalias said.

“You’re welcome.” He gave her a small smile. “Welcome to the Expansionary Fleet, Caregiver Thalias. And best of luck with that sky-walker.”

A moment later, Thalias and Thurfian were back out in the corridor. “Thank you,” Thalias said. “You were just in time.”

“I’m glad I could help,” Thurfian said, smiling. “You really are a remarkable person, Thalias.”

She felt her face warm. “Thank you,” she said again.

“And as I helped you,” Thurfian continued, “there’s something you can do to help me.”

Thalias felt herself draw back from him. “Excuse me?” she asked carefully, coming to a halt.

“Time is short,” Thurfian said, taking her arm and starting them moving again. “Come. I’ll tell you on the way to your ship.”

It had been two decades since Thalias had had to even read a military timetable, let alone follow one. Fortunately, once the initial shock wore off, old habits and reflexes took over and she made it to the Springhawk shuttle in plenty of time.

The young girl was waiting in the sky-walker suite’s dayroom when she arrived, sprawled across a massive chair and playing a tap-click game on her questis. She looked to be nine or ten, but sky-walkers tended to be on the short side, so that was only a guess. She looked up as Thalias came through the hatchway, gave the woman a rather suspicious-looking appraisal, then returned her attention to the game. Thalias started to introduce herself, remembered how touchy she’d usually been whenever a new caregiver came to call, and instead took her luggage to her part of the suite.

She took her time getting settled. By the time she once again stepped into the dayroom, the girl had set her questis on the chair beside her and was gazing moodily at the line of repeater displays set into the bulkhead beneath the snack bar. “Have we left yet?” Thalias asked.

The girl nodded. “A little while ago,” she said. She hesitated, then furtively looked over at Thalias. “Are you my new momish?”

“I’m your new caregiver,” Thalias said, frowning slightly. Momish? Was that a new official term for her position, or was it something this girl had come up with on her own? “I’ll be taking care of you while we’re aboard the Springhawk,” she continued as she walked over to one of the other chairs and sat down. “My name’s Thalias. What’s yours?”