"Then I don't know why we're having this conversation."

"Um…yeah." Kira turned and started walking again. She gradually realized that Jason had been acting very courteously by not taking advantage of the opportunity to stare even though she might never have known he was acting that way, and that he hadn't in any way called attention to the fact that he was doing that. "Jason?" she called without turning this time.

"I'm not looking at your butt!"

"I wanted to thank you. For treating me respectfully. Every once in a while I see a Jason who does something because it's right, who shows that he cares about other people. You usually keep him hidden."

There was a long pause as they walked down the side of a low rise on the land. Finally, Jason spoke again from behind her. "Ok— All right. So?"

"So I wish I'd see more of him. I kind of like that Jason."

"Really? Why?"

"He's not like a lot of the guys I've met," Kira said. "I mean, my butt is nothing special, but it has sometimes attracted far more attention from guys than I am comfortable with."

"Yeah," Jason said. "That happens back home, too. It makes my friends uncomfortable so I don't do it to them."

"You think I'm your friend?" Kira asked, surprised.

"Um, not really, I guess," Jason said, looking away and mumbling his response.

She smiled. "If we're going to spend a lot of time together, and you're going to treat me with respect, there's no reason we can't be friends someday."

Kira set off inland again, looking ahead for any sign of roads or paths, moving with the quick, steady stride she was accustomed to from her training. She had been moving like that for a while before it occurred to her that Jason might not be as well conditioned.

She looked back, seeing that Jason had lagged behind her. His face was strained with effort and he was clearly having a hard time keeping up, but he seemed determined not to stop or ask her to slow down. Kira slowed down a lot, moving to one side so Jason came up even with her.

He gave her a defiant look. "I was doing okay."

She nodded. "Yes, you were." Jason seemed braced for an argument or a put-down, and appeared puzzled when neither happened.

"Can I ask you something?" Jason said, breathing heavily. "Had you ever done that before? Jumped off of a moving train?"

"No," Kira admitted. "I've just heard my parents talk about it. Father always said if I was going to jump off of a train I should try to aim for water because hitting dirt hurts but not as much as landing on rocks."

"My father always said not to trust anybody else," Jason said. "Always look out for yourself."