Starship Amrita

Chapter V - Starship Amrita

The simple act of playing and singing left Tavian feeling a little less of the weariness and stress of the past two days. Plus, he took more than a little joy in the expression he'd seen on the Princess' face as he'd walked back over from the temple steps.

"So, what now?" he asked, sitting down on a stone bench at the edge of the clearing that surrounded the temple.

"We wait here until we hear from Nova," said Kal.

"There are worse places," said Tavian. He leant back and gazed up at the ceiling above. It reflected the false sunlight back towards him.

After a few moments he detected movement in his peripheral vision. Looking down he saw Mu had taken up the spot next to him on the bench. He resisted the instinct to say something to her as she sat down and instead resumed gazing up.

Don't push too hard, he told himself.

Instead, it was Mu who spoke. "You're not wrong about a meal and a sleep," she said.

Tavian looked her way in surprise. Kal and Apollo were a short distance away, discussing some matter.

"I woke up yesterday with a hangover and a whole lot of fresh problems on my hands and I haven't had any sleep since," he said.

"Not a very restful day... night... either," remarked Mu.

"I could definitely do with some calm now," agreed Tavian.

She was being surprisingly diplomatic.

Music never fails, he thought.

"What do you suppose the rooms on the Amrita are like?" asked Mu.

"The Amrita?" asked Tavian.

"Pretty sure that's what Kal said the ship was called."

"Oh right. Who knows? It is apparently a ship captained by a cat," said Tavian.

Mu laughed.

Tavian continued, "I've been on a lot a starships, but that's a first."

"I've only been on a few," said Mu, "But I can't say any of them were captained by cats."

"The Cosmos is vast and full of wonders," muttered Tavian.

There were a few moments of silence. Then Mu leant over to him. Speaking quietly, she said, "Why do you suppose Apollo and Kal are helping us?"

Tavian laughed. "I thought you knew something. Apollo seemed to know whoever arranged those STOC tickets for you."

Mu shook her head. "I have someone helping me. Someone from the Imperial Court. But he never communicates directly. That said... I don't know... He never said anything about Apollo... but Apollo knows about him."

"Well, Princess—" Tavian began.

Mu interrupted, "You can just call me Mu."

"Well, Mu, you seem to know things you're not meant to. Perhaps Apollo is the same."

"You think he's a Starseer?" asked Mu.

"He's a talking cat who captains a starship. Him being a Starseer would arguably not crack the top five most surprising facts about him."

Mu nodded. "I guess."