Towards the future I see

Chapter 39 Part 3

From there, the time went like before. Some girls made tassels, others played with cards, some woke up from sleep and others went to sleep on the bed. The System Technician came back and also helped with looking after the girls, giving me a moment to stretch my arms and legs as I went to get some more refreshments. After getting back and making sure all the girls had what they needed, and putting one of them to sleep again, Thrawn came to the suite.

"A cruiser of the Expansionary Defense Fleet of Chiss Ascendancy has arrived to collect the girls." He informed me and the Technician. After he repeated the words to the girls in Cheun, all the girls stopped what they were doing and looked happy and relieved.

I went to wake the ones who were asleep and soon they heard from others the news. The only one who didn't want to wake up was the one who had awoken screaming and had been stuck to me the whole time. I thought that since the trip did take some time and she had remained up after waking up, it was normal to be a little tired. I knew she had stirred but she seemed reluctant to get up herself. Instead of trying to wake her up, I decided to simply pick her up and carry her most of the way. I couldn't help smiling when I felt her arms go around my neck while she still tried to remain asleep. The other girls remained together but also close to me or Thrawn. The Technician was dismissed to go back to his work post before we left for the docking hangar.

When we got there, I saw a shuttle of a kind that I hadn't seen before. Outside of the shuttle stood a Chiss woman, who had a white uniform and long black-blue hair. Once she saw the girls a small smile appeared on her face. She spoke shortly with Thrawn, while the girls got aboard the shuttle. Some of the girls flashed me a smile for goodbye while some hugged me before they walked to the ramp. The last one to leave was the one still in my arms, so I bent down to set her on her feet. Her feet came to the ground but her arms remained hooked around my neck. I tried to pry her arms away gently, but it didn't work. The woman and Thrawn noticed that something was wrong. I knew my face was blushing from embarrassment when I saw them looking at me. The look on the woman told me that she wasn't happy about it. But luckily Thrawn didn't just stand there and watch. He kneeled next to me and spoke with a quiet voice to the girl. For a moment girl's arms got tighter around my neck as she buried her face to my shoulder. I heard her say something but since they both spoke Cheun I had no idea what it was. Thrawn kept speaking to the girl and after a while, her arms loosened and soon she let go of me. She seemed sad, so I decided not to scold her for not letting go of me before. Instead, I just smiled at her and tucked one strand of her hair behind her ear. She jumped at me to give me another hug, and in that short moment, I feared that she decided to get stuck on me again but she did let go in the end. After that, she walked to the ramp where other girls waited for her. Some of them still waving their hands saying goodbye. I waved back at them. The woman said something to the girls and soon they went inside the shuttle and out of sight. The woman turned to speak to me.

"I heard that you were the one to look after them during the rescue mission, you have my thanks." She said in Sy Bisti and bowed her head.

"No need to be so formal, the girls have been through so much, it was only right to keep them safe and look after their well-being," I said and made a curtsey.

"Still, thank you. The girls looked happy and in high spirits." She said.

"Of course, they are getting back home," I said.

"They will, I'll make sure they will." She said and inclined her head to me. "Till we meet again, Mitth'raw'nuruodo."

"Goodbye, Admiral Ar'alani. And may the warrior's fortune smile upon your efforts." Thrawn said inclining his head.

And then she left for the shuttle. The shuttle took off just barely after the ramp was up. I wished to see the shuttle leave and get into the big warship I saw outside, but Thrawn hinted me to follow him. We both left the docking hangar and walked to the bridge. I wondered if now was a good time to ask him about something.