“Do you believe the theory that our ancestors visited Cepi when they came this way to colonize Kalastoni?” Ju asked as she looked out at the glittering dust that was all that remained of the small moon.

“It's possible.” Nyha leaned into her, and hugged her close.

“Do you ever wonder why the ancestors came this way at all?” Fran asked, leaning in herself, and Nyha looped her arm around her, too.

“Given the scarcity of habitable planets as close to each other as the planets of the Verdant String, I’m firmly in the camp that believes they came here specifically because they'd seen the Verdant String from afar. The chances of them stumbling on it accidentally are almost nonexistent.”

“But why did they settle all eight planets?” Tilla came up behind them, stretched her arms around them to include herself in the group hug. “There weren't that many of them. They could have all landed on one planet and stayed together.”

“They were probably hedging their bets,” Nyha said. “They couldn't foresee all the problems they'd encounter on each planet, so they split the armada up into eight, and each took a different planet in the String.”

“And all eight thrived. And we all became slightly different, but still the same at the core, and found each other again, hundreds of years later.” Ju pressed her forehead against the glass. “Well, until Halatia was ripped apart.”

“I'd like to think that there's still another Verdant String planet we haven't found yet.” Vik squirmed her way into the group, too. “I'd like to be the one to discover it one day.”

“We've discovered plenty of other planets with life, whole other cultures, but never another Verdant String.” Tilla shook her head. “We'd have found it if it was out there.”

“Well, I'm glad Vik is alive and well and has the chance to look if she wants to.” Nyha reached out a hand and stroked the short, pale blue of Vika's hair off her forehead. “You should be proud of how you handled yourselves today.”

“Dr. Bartali?”

The little huddle fell apart as Nyha turned toward the door. A Kalastoni soldier stood to attention, her tall, slim frame blocking the entrance.

“Yes?”

“A call for you from Arkhor.” The soldier held out a comm device, and Nyha took it with a nod of thanks. “Hello?”

“Nyha? They tell me you're all right. Is that true?”

The voice of Nyha's mentor tumbled and tripped through the comm set.

“Yes, Suk. We're all fine.”

“I'm getting reports you were deliberately put in harm's way, and if that's so, HIA will not stop until we know why.” Suk's voice quivered with outrage.

“It's okay. I know why. And the person directly responsible is already dead.” She moved away as she spoke. The girls didn't need to know all the gory details yet.

“Tell me then. What was it about?”

“They wanted us up here because they knew having us as hostages would result in the softest, most cautious approach by the Verdant String, giving them the time they needed to do what they planned on Cepi.”

She kept all outrage out of her voice, all the anger she'd felt herself. Because Suk could not be reasonable about these things.

Suk had been twenty-five when she'd survived the Dru; one of the very few adults to do so, and even then, she was barely alive when she’d been rescued. She ran the Halatian Interests Association on Arkhor, and she really wouldn't let this drop if Nyha couldn't persuade her it was already dealt with.

“What did the bastards plan?”

“They'd found the grav and atmosphere generator, and they were trying to steal it.”

Suk was silent for a moment, and that was a feat in itself.

“Did they succeed?”

“No. The girls and I got ourselves free, and then the Arkhor special forces team who were already on Cepi protected us and got us out. As soon as the hostage-takers didn't have their prime hostages any more, whoever they were working for blew them up, and then the Kalastoni decided they didn't want any more nasty surprises with so little time left before Cepi crashed into them, so they blew it up as soon as we were at a safe distance.”

“You saw the destruction of Cepi?” Suk's voice lowered.

“Yes.” Nyha kept her voice gentle. “It was hard, but we were safe, and in good hands. And it was momentous. An experience of a lifetime for the girls.”

“That's true.” Suk sounded thoughtful, and Nyha let herself relax.

“Do you know how we're getting home?” she asked to further distract her.

“Oh! That's why I was officially contacting you. To say Arkhor's vice-admiral says you're going to take the pick-up back. The one that was originally sent for you. And that you're to be escorted by a special forces team.”

Nyha realized she was smiling. “That suits me very well.”

“You're sure?” Suk sounded suspicious.

“Positive. I've become very fond of that particular Arkhor special forces team.”

“All right.” Suk hesitated. “I'm glad you're well, Nyha. When the news reached Arkhor that you and the girls had been taken, it was . . . hard.”

“The special forces captain was in touch with me from the very start, Suk. He helped us at every turn, and the hostage-takers never even knew he was there. Arkhor looked after us. Their soldiers risked their lives.”

Suk breathed out. “Thank you.”

That response would have sounded odd to a stranger, but Nyha knew exactly what Suk meant. “They're our people now, Suk. We will never forget, but we have to move on.”

“Yes.” She took a deep breath. “I'll see you soon.”

Nyha said her goodbyes, and the girls offered to return the comm device, giving them an excuse to wander around the Kalastoni battleship a little longer and poke their noses into places they would most likely never have access to again.

Nyha handed the device over with a smile. She walked back to the window and leant against it, looking out at the sight of Kalastoni to the left, the debris of Cepi in the middle, and the small, uninhabitable planet of Darga on the right.

She heard footsteps behind her, and knew from the quiet, light tread who it was.

“I hear we're heading home together,” she said to Mak as he settled in beside her. He braced his arm above the window and leaned forward, the only evidence he wasn't completely relaxed the hand fisted on his thigh.

He flicked her a sideways glance. “We are.”

“I guess your mission is over, given the rock you were guarding is space dust now.”

There was that little quirk of his lips. “True. And the HIA also insisted on protection for you.”

Nyha sighed. That sounded like Suk. “It'll be good to get back.”

“A warning; they won't just let you disembark like you would have before this happened. You'll be sent to a debrief, I guarantee it. What happened here is not a standard run-in. There are complexities to this that will have everyone in the Admiralty worried.”

“Oh.” She hadn't thought of that. “Then do me a favor, for everyone's peace of mind; only tell the HIA we've landed when the debrief is over, or there will literally be hell to pay.”

“You know who'll be there from the HIA to meet you?” Mak sent her another look. “A friend?”

“Suk Cavada. She was my mentor when I lived in the group home, and she's . . .” Her throat closed up and she had to wait a few moments before she could speak again. “She had it worse on the Dru than I did, because she was older.”

Nyha glanced up, and saw Mak's hand above his head was fisted now, too.

“She'd studied law on Halatia, and after she was rescued she switched to Arkhoran law instead, worked her way up to president of the Halatian Interests Association. She comes across as strident, but it's just that she'll be worried. This has stirred up memories for her. She'll want to see us straight away, to make sure we're all right. If someone tells her she has to wait, she'll imagine terrible things have happened, and . . . let's just rather avoid the unpleasantness.”

“You love her,” Mak said.

“I love her.” Nyha crossed her arms over her chest. “So let's try to make it easy on all of us.”

“I'll arrange it.” His voice was gentle. “So, what are your plans when we get home? Got some spare time?”

She turned to him, and just like he had on the main observation deck with Sinjin, the look he sent back was steady and sure, waiting for her to catch up.

She smiled. “Don't worry, I'm keeping pace.”

He let out a surprised laugh. “Are you now?”

“You haven't left me behind yet.”

He turned to face her fully, leaning against the wall with his shoulder, mirroring her by crossing his arms over his chest. There was heat and promise, and maybe a little impatience, in his eyes. “I don't intend to leave you behind. I want you with me, all the way.”

Suddenly serious, she held his gaze. “You mean that.”

He gave a curt nod and put out a hand. “Come on, doc. Let's go home.”

As she reached out, she had to admit, that sounded pretty good.