The Way Back (Champions of the Crystal Book 4)

Chapter 19.1

The next day, Scotty made his decision. They were sitting in the small dining area at the rear of the ship, continuing what Sabrina called Scotty's re-socialization and Khediva referred to as "Trying to get some manners into that boy this time." It was also a science experiment, checking to see how his tastes had changed. They had, radically.

The cheeseburger Khediva had supplied for him his first day aboard, which she admitted was the triumph of affection over good judgment, had been firmly rejected after the first bite. In fact he flatly refused to believe he had ever eaten such a thing, despite Sabrina and Tirqwin's assurances. He still liked butter brickle ice cream, though. Sabrina clung to that as the one thing she'd seen so far that proved her brother was part of this new person, even as Scotty grimaced at pizza and proved allergic to licorice. He liked Praxatillian ale but detested the Earth beer Khediva fabricated. The list went on and on, with Khediva and Tirqwin being alternately amused and perplexed, trying to find a pattern to the changes. Ford contributed by thinking up obscure dishes for Scotty to try, most of which Sabrina had never heard of before.

"Enough," Tirqwin said, as Ford chortled his way through another bizarre-sounding suggestion. "It is of absolutely no consequence whatsoever whether Scotty can stomach Ptearean cuisine. We're far more interested in how he reacts to foods he's been known to eat before. Sabrina, any more ideas?"

Sabrina had been very quiet throughout the meal, though she made sure to eat enough to avoid any comments on her appetite. She sighed and pushed her mostly empty plate away. "No. I'm out of ideas, I'm afraid. I have a bit of a headache, Tirqwin; I'm going to lie down for a while."

Her three companions stared after her as she left. Then Tirqwin said, "Maybe I should check on her."

"Leave the child alone, Tirqwin," Khediva said. "This is all very hard for her; it is no wonder she cannot stand prolonged doses of it."

"Of me, you mean," Scotty said, without rancor. He sighed. "This is all a waste of time. Time we don't have."

"We have plenty of time," Tirqwin said.

"No you don't. I overheard Dr. Renkayta say the other day that you'd have to leave soon."

Tirqwin grimaced. "It is true that Khediva and I need to travel periodically, to keep our abilities at their peak. But you do not have to leave when we do."

"What about you?" Scotty asked Ford.

"I...doubt I'll be allowed to stay very long after Father's gone."

"They hold him responsible for you. For Sabrina too. They'll make her leave too," Scotty said.

"Probably," Tirqwin admitted at last.

"And I'll be stuck here as the resident experiment."

"You may choose to go live with my House," Tirqwin said, "or you may choose to go to Praxatillus."

"But if I go, I'll never be allowed to come back."

"That has not been determined," Tirqwin said.

"But it's probably true."

"Maybe."

"Then I'd lose the choice of whether to try to get my old memories back."

"If they refused to let you return, yes. But I would think they would want to follow up on your health periodically," Tirqwin said.

"If I choose to go back to Praxatillus, neither planet is going to want me wandering back and forth," Scotty pointed out. "I learned that much from the history vids! Homeworld's afraid of me because I hijacked a High Wayship once, and Praxatillus is going to be afraid I'm some kind of sleeper and that someday Homeworld will activate some kind of recall device implanted in my brain or something and I'll reveal everything I know about Praxatillus."