Her name was Riki, pronounced with a grinding of the teeth. Her flesh was lavender-colored. Her general manner and the methodical way in which she moved suggested she might have been considerably older than the others. But her enthusiasm level was obvious, and any concerns about safety that Hutch had entertained went away. Riki made room for Arin to sit down, turned the lampshade so that she could get a better look at her visitor, clapped her hands, and let go with a single word that Ken later interpreted as wonderful.

She was tempted to go to the cottage and join the conversation but knew that would be foolish. Jake Loomis, her one-time training officer, had told her that she should trust her instincts, but not too far.

They tried to talk, and there was no question that it was a challenge, but it went okay. They all understood the problem, and their struggles became a source of laughter. Early in the conversation, they asked Derek a question by leading him outside, pointing at the lander, and raising their hands at the sky in obvious confusion. Arin tried to translate, but in the end it led nowhere. Ken, listening in, said he couldn’t get it either. But the meaning was obvious to her: Why isn’t Parsilla joining us? It didn’t matter. Derek and his hosts were enjoying themselves. Derek kept them outside and pointed toward the sphere at the top of the temple and probably tried to look puzzled. What did it represent?

Arin used his hands to create a spherical shape. Then he pointed at Derek, at the others who were present, and looked toward Hutch, who was plainly visible through the cockpit window. He formed the sphere again and moved his hands to indicate they were all inside it. Derek tried to say it in Volarian, but Hutch understood. “We’re all in it together.”

•  •  •

They went back inside the cottage. Hutch sat staring out the window at the cupola and the sphere. How on earth could they ever leave these people to be taken out by the black hole?

Her attention wandered away from the conversation until suddenly Derek was speaking to her “Hutch, I think they would like to go for a ride.” She thought he meant in the car. Until he continued after a long pause. “That okay with you?”

“In the lander?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“You sure about that? None of these people have ever been off the ground before.” She wasn’t even certain they’d all fit in the cabin.

“Why don’t you let me worry about the details?”

“Okay. You’re in charge. You don’t see any weapons, do you?”

“No, Hutch.” He couldn’t keep the annoyance out of his voice. Did she really think he could be that dumb?

“Sure. Bring them on board.”

•  •  •