Ashsib and the Cat Beast

Chapter Eight

Worn in mind and body, Ashsib slumped in the corner of the wheelhouse. Elian was still in surgery with Challah, and Vel was watching over Namere in her cabin. Everyone else was gathered in Pashqua's domain waiting for Quinn to say something comforting. But even the Captain was silent.

They stayed dry via a hatch that led up from a storeroom in the kitchen. It had been quite a task to have someone watching Namere while also allowing everyone their own time to get dry and changed. For Ashsib, he could feel the swell and ebb of the Beast's energy no matter how far away he was from the woman. It was exhausting. It was also annoying. Plucking on what little nerve he had left. That woman was nothing but trouble, why did she have to choose them to-

"Ash, calm down before you sprout fur." Quinn patted him on the shoulder.

Ashsib forced a breath, only realizing the white hot thoughts he'd let get a hold on him when it was pointed out. His jaw ached from grinding his teeth.

"That's always your problem, Ash, you keep too much to yourself." Quinn sat down next to him with a sigh, "You're supposed to leave the problems to the Captain. It's my job."

"Okay, so, how do I transfer the Beast to you? You're free to have that problem." Ashsib held out a palm as if he could just hand it over.

"Nah, you can keep that one." Quinn grinned.

"Well, that's really my main deal lately, so..." Ashsib sighed himself and sank down to the floor.

"What are we doing here, Captain? I want to get a nap before sunrise." Bretta scowled.

"Personally, I'm waiting on Elian to tell us that Challah is okay." Quinn lost the good humor he usually maintained.

"What did those P.O. want, though?" Calder worried his injured hand, "I thought for sure it was Namere, but they didn't recognize her or Karihyou."

"I sure don't know, it was something specific and, judging by the way they only glanced at the cargo, it's identifiable with a single look." Quinn said.

"Something small that we could hide or carry." Bretta added.

"No use." Pashqua gruffly cut through the ponderous silence.

"I know, friend, but I'd rather discuss that than the other two things." Quinn gave a small laugh.

"Captain." Pashqua responded.

"Oh, I know what I just said to Ashsib!" Quinn exploded as if Pashqua had scolded him, "I was just talking big like I always do."

"Captain." Pashqua repeated.

"Well, what do you expect? I'm also at a loss to all this supernatural stuff, and adding P.O. interference has me up the wall." Quinn again spoke as if the other man had said more than he did.

"Pashqua isn't blaming you for anything, Captain." Bretta, the only other person fluent in Pashqua-nese, interceded, "He's just saying you're thinking too hard. Just take it in stride, that's gotten us through everything else."

"You'll get things sorted eventually." Calder smiled, "You always do."

Ashsib wished he had some nice words to say, but he saw nothing to be positive about. Namere was the only one who could purge the Beast from him and she was out of commission in some mysterious way. The P.O. knew who they were and what direction they'd been heading, so they couldn't land somewhere nearby without getting caught. And Challah was-

The hatch banged open.

"Figured you guys would all be here." Elian appeared, pausing on the last rung instead of coming fully into the room. He leaned on his elbow to scratch at his scalp, his eyes drooping more than usual. "Though, Vel and Namere are curiously absent."

"I'll explain that in a minute," Quinn brushed the statement aside, "How is Challah?"

"She'll live." Elian said in his usually bland way, though relief shone in his eyes as a strong reassurance, "She'll be out for a few days and recovery will be long, but she went through the surgery like a pro."

Everyone sighed in relief. Bretta, despite her tough tone, nearly collapsed and had to sit down crying.

"Just a bullet wound, nothing that serious." Elian continued, "Say, Calder, what did you do to your hand?"

"That's the part we've got to fill you in on." Quinn said.

"Let me guess, it involves our ship's cat." Elian remarked.

"Good guess." Quinn nodded.