When the lift stopped midway en route to the cargo deck, Shin sighed in annoyance. With the chaos inside the ship, there was no point in sneaking around, so she elected to go back the normal way. But she had hoped for a trip without witnesses, as everybody would likely take the stairs after the quake.
The elevator doors opened on Master Skoll, wearing a grave look. Shin winced, but straightened herself, trying to look composed.
"Ah. I thought I sensed you there," Baylan said, blocking the door. "And miss Wren, I guess..."
Sabine's head poked behind Shin's elbow, the girl waving with an awkward smile.
"Hi, Mr Baylan! Can Shin come play at my house? We're done with homework and all..."
Shin and Baylan both shot a dark look to the Mandalorian, exasperated.
"Sorry Master, I was... tending to the prisoner and..." started Shin
"To your credit, you did more than tha..." interrupted Sabine.
"AND I was just escorting her back to her cell," cut Shin, a clear 'shut up' in her eyes.
Baylan did not even take notice, obviously preoccupied by the situation aboard. He gestured impatiently.
"Yes well, hurry with that, Elsbeth is calling an emergency meeting, I want you there stat."
He almost turned around then spun back, suddenly looking at Sabine, then Shin, thoughtful.
Shin glanced at herself, trying to decide how disheveled she was from the previous 'tending' to Sabine. If I keep that whole situation a secret for a day longer, that's already a miracle, she thought.
"Actually," he said, "come now and bring Miss Wren along. I have a... feeling she might be of use."
"What if she doesn't want to be of use?" complained Sabine.
"I'm sure she will shut up, be a nice girl, and come anyway," said Shin, coldly.
"Oh I wish I'd have come..." mumbled Sabine.
"What was that?" asked Baylan, confused.
Shin shoved an elbow into Sabine's stomach, the girl gasping in surprise. She ignored her, annoyed.
"Nothing, she is coming," Shin said.
Sabine rolled her eyes but followed them, shooting an angry look at Shin.
***
Silence had fallen on the small conference room, after the main engineer's presentation. Morgan Elsbeth was leaning with her elbows on the table, head in her hands, looking down with a controlled pissed expression. She seemed to be making a superhuman effort not to burst into anger, breathing loudly.
Baylan, calm as always, moved his serious gaze from the ship hologram to Shin, speechless.
Shin, in turn, was making a conscious effort to look to the wall behind Elsbeth and not cross her Master's gaze. She could not contain a faint blush of shame.
Sabine, finally, was visibly grinning, purposely looking at everybody in turn like karma had just offered her the most entertaining show.
"I'm not considered to be a patient woman," said Elsbeth, breaking the silence. "I don't fight it, it scares people into complying faster with what I say."
"Well that's healthy management..." mumbled Sabine with a grin. Elsbeth shot her a dark look before continuing.
"Nevertheless, I find my reputation undeserved since one person in this room is still alive because I allowed it multiple times. And should remind herself of that fragile reality. Another person here was very much paid to tag along, but got to be persuaded somehow that what isn't killing me has to make me stronger, and should really stop helping."
YOU ARE READING
Storms of the Eye - A WolfWren fiction
Science Fiction[ AHSOKA TV SHOW SPOILERS ] So you know how we were robbed of Sabine and Shin spending days in the confined space of a ship? I decided not to accept that, and write what we know should have been. This is their story. Do I know where it goes? Maybe...
