Tennal considered lying, but Basavi had been reasonably friendly so far. “I don’t know. It’s like looking at someone, you know? You can look at someone and see they’re in a good mood, or they’re sulking, or they’re going to punch the next person who gets in their space. Or you can choose not to look at them. For example, I can tell hotshot pilot Istara over here doesn’t like me and didn’t want to be responsible for me,” he said, waving a hand. “But I don’t know why. I’d have to guess. Obviously I’m a delightful person, and everyone else loves me, so that will be hard.”

“It’s your sweet and humble nature,” Istara said caustically. “We can’t measure up.” Tennal was starting to like them.

“So it’s just on all the time?” Basavi said, startled. “You must be strong.”

That wasn’t what Tennal had meant, exactly. It was just the sea he swam in—sight, sound, occasional waves of emotion. He got one of them at that precise moment from Istara: a strong spike of discomfort. Interestingly, it was too delayed to be a reaction to Tennal’s admission that he read people. It must’ve been Basavi saying he was strong.

“Lights, of course he is! He’s the fleet reader!” Istara slid a file to Tennal’s desk with a gesture and slapped it for emphasis. It unfurled on the glowing screen. “Here, stop slacking off and memorize this.” Tennal poked it. It was a simplified version of the map he’d seen yesterday. “We’re moving into chaotic space tomorrow.”

“Can’t wait,” Tennal said. “What does that mean? We’re not actually doing any piloting.” The shuttle was still nestled in the Fractal Note, unmoving, like a cannonball waiting to be fired.

“We’ll be traveling separate,” Istara said. “The scanners found a clear route inside, but we have to get past a patch of disturbed space at the entrance.”

Tennal had picked up enough to know traveling separate meant the bulky Fractal Note was unsure it would be maneuverable enough, so it would eject all its shuttles—including them—before the difficult part. He’d learned yesterday that it was good to be lighter and faster when you were in the shifting cloud banks of chaotic space. Less chance of hitting something unexpected.

“Out on our own in the cold, hard universe,” Istara added. “With you, Halkana, unless you get yourself moved to a cushy post on the bridge, or whatever fleet readers do.”

“I’m working on it,” Tennal said lazily.