Chapter 5

“She can really find help?” Mirage asked as she dried my hair with a towel.

We’d been supposed to have found something to eat, but she was so dirty that I was sure Grandpa would never have let her sit at the table looking like that.

I nodded.

“She said so.”

She put the towel aside, smiling.

“Just like Grandpa wanted."

She began to comb my hair. Once we’d figured out how the shower worked, she’d offered to wash it. It was really messy. I never cut it because no one else did, and the fact that their hair stopped growing while mine didn't, didn't really matter.

It’d been embarrassing at first to shower together. We hadn’t bathed together since we were kids, but at least I’d had a chance to tell her what I’d learned from Athena. Once we were done, we wrapped ourselves in the blankets we found in our room. I’d managed to convince her to wash our clothes, and now they were hanging to dry. We ran back to Athena to plan our journey, forgetting about the food we were supposed to have.

We squeezed ourselves into a seat, and Ecrou climbed up on my shoulder as Athena took shape before us.

“I can take you to the Federation borders, but it will be a long journey. We need to resupply on the way and…”

“How long will it…” Mirage butted in, but I hushed her.

“...and the ship has suffered damage. Repairs have to be done before we can leave. Without full engine capacities restored, we may not be able to escape the next encounter…”

Mirage frowned.

“Do we have to? Can’t we just go around them? We can’t wait, Grandpa needs us. We don’t need to resupply either, I don’t mind being hungry..."

I put my arm around her and pulled her close. I knew she only wanted to help Grandpa, but I trusted that Athena would find the best way to take us there.

“I don’t have enough fuel, and we don’t know what lies ahead. Things may have changed since I left for your world."

“She’s right! It is better to be careful. We don’t want to get in trouble again," Ecrou chirped.

“Remember, Grandpa always planned his journeys…”, I added.

She leaned into me.

“I know, I just want..."

“I know, me too…”

Athena turned to the window.

“I will commence the repairs immediately. You can rest until we are ready."

I got up and my stomach rumbled.

“Do you…have anything to eat?"

“There are emergency rations in the canteen."

Mirage jumped from our seat and offered me a hand. Since when was she so nice to me?

“Let’s go! I’m starving.”

Athena was right, and we found food in the cupboard in the kitchen. It tasted strange, but we were hungry enough not to care. Once we’d eaten, I searched the kitchen and counted the remaining boxes. We should have enough for a week, maybe even longer if we skipped a meal. Did that mean that our journey would take even longer than that? Athena had said we would need to resupply. I hoped that Grandpa and everyone would be okay…

“Look what I found!”

Mirage ran over to me, almost tripping over her blanket, and pushed some books into my face. Ecrou leapt up on the table and chirped,

“They are Grandpa’s. He must have left them here."

“Yeah, he spent years studying this ship. That’s why he was gone so often!” Mirage said excitedly.

She placed them on the table. I glanced at Ecrou.

“And you were with him…”

“I was, I was…. It was a slow process. It took us many years before we had a glimpse of how this ship worked."

“Didn’t Athena help you?” I asked.

“No, no, we never saw her. It was just us…”

‘

Mirage's tail flicked from side to side.

“Why did he put so much time into it?”

“And why…did he never tell us about it?” I added.

Ecrou froze and covered his head with his paws.

“Ecrou…” I said softly, putting my hand on him. “Tell us…”

“No, no…”

Mirage frowned, and I tried to shelter him from her gaze.

“Why not?”

“Etoile will be upset if I do…”

“I will not, I promise! Tell us what you know!”

“Did Grandpa know about the demons? Was that why...?"

“No, no, no one knew until we saw them in the night sky…”

“So why?” I asked.

Ecrou glanced at me, and I nodded.

“I don’t know everything. He began long before he made me. I think he wanted to understand where you came from…”

He looked away, covering his head.

“And…?” Mirage almost hissed

"He...he thought that one day...you might want to go back."

“But I don’t. I belong with everyone!”

It was my turn to hiss at him.

“This is why he never told you about it."

He squeaked and hid under Mirage’s blanket. I froze. It didn't make sense, but at the same time, it did. Grandpa… Tears filled my eyes, and I sniffled.

“Etoile, you are one of us…" Mirage whispered.

She wrapped her arm around me.

“I am sorry, I didn't mean to…”

I sniffled and put my hand on hers, and I could feel Ecrou crawling up on my shoulder.

“You need to rest. We have a long journey ahead of us…”

I followed Mirage to our room, but I couldn’t let go of what Ecrou had said. Why did Grandpa think I might want to leave…? Didn’t I belong in our town…?

We climbed into bed, and Mirage lay next to me, pulling a blanket over us. It was just like we used to do when we were kids. Just like I had done earlier… Ecrou curled up on the pillow next to us. Just like in those rare moments when we didn’t fight about him….

Mirage put her arm around me, and I felt her soft fur against my bare skin. Just like in those rare moments when I felt I truly belonged.