Page 5 of Willow and the Wraith

Her heart sank. She was still trapped, just in a larger place. But then so were Sooni and Malacar. Her heart ached for them as she looked around the cluttered room, taking in the makeshift living quarters and the piles of scavenged equipment. There had to be a way out - for all of them.

“They… they said something about the Fleet coming. Is that good?”

He hesitated, clearly reluctant to answer, then shrugged.

“Perhaps. I’m sure they would be willing to take you away from here, but I’m not sure exactly what would happen to you. The fact that you were stolen from your planet is illegal - but slavery is not,” he added reluctantly. “However, I believe there are sanctuary planets for those in your situation.”

He gave her a sympathetic look as she tried to suppress a sudden surge of despair.

“They wouldn’t take me home?”

“Is your planet part of the Empire?”

Empire? she thought hysterically. It sounded like something out of a space opera, and she shook her head.

“I’m sure we aren’t. Humans haven’t made contact with any other intelligent races.”

“Then you would not be returned,” he said gently.

Never return to Earth? Never see her friends or her students again? A wave of sorrow washed over her and tears pricked her eyes, but she forced them back and took a few deep, calming breaths. He’d said they had sanctuary planets. That sounded… promising. Certainly better than being trapped on this space station.

“What about the two of you? Could they take you home?”

The shadow returned to his face.

“This is our home.”

He clearly didn’t want to discuss it, and she let the subject drop. Since it didn’t seem as if anything would change until this Fleet arrived, she would just have to make the best of the situation.

“What are you working on?” she asked, joining Malacar at his workbench.

He gave her a surprised look, but gestured at the pieces spread across the surface.

“I’m repairing one of the devices left behind by the previous occupants. There was a small amount of traffic here before the slavers arrived, and I traded the repaired equipment for supplies.”

Supplies? And no one had come by in months? Both Malacar and Sooni were painfully thin, and she suddenly wondered if that was natural or the result of deprivation. The fact that they were still willing to help her under the circumstances spoke volumes about their characters.

She looked around the cluttered workspace again, then gave Malacar a quick smile.

“Is there anything I can do to assist you? I don’t have much experience with technology, but I’m a quick learner. I’d be happy to help.”

“It’s not necessary, my child.”

“Please? It would help to have something to do.” Anything to take her mind off the situation.

That perceptive gaze searched her face again, and then he nodded.

“Very well. Please have a seat.”

She did, listening eagerly as Malacar began to explain. From teacher to student, Willow thought, smiling down at the Sooni as the girl came to lean against her. At least she was able to do something useful.

They worked together for the rest of the day, although her progress was slow. When they took a break for the evening meal, Malacar tried to give her the largest portion of the porridge-like substance he’d prepared. But she’d seen the cabinet from which he’d retrieved the grain was almost empty and insisted that they share it equally.

When she surreptitiously added an extra spoonful to Sooni’s bowl, Malacar noticed. His eyes twinkled as he did the same and she smiled back, the two of them united by their concern for the child. Here she was in a dim room in an abandoned space station in some unknown part of the galaxy, eating dinner with two aliens, and yet she suddenly felt at home in a way she hadn’t in a very long time.

They quickly fell into a routine over the next few days as they waited for the Fleet to arrive. While Sooni played or explored the station, she and Malacar worked on repairing various pieces of equipment. He was a good teacher, calm and patient, and by the third day, he’d taught her enough that she could repair a few common problems. During the day it was surprisingly easy to forget her situation, even though the portions of porridge kept growing smaller each day.

But at night, on her small bunk in Sooni’s room, the weight of her unknown future would crash down on her. She missed her home and her students, and the terror of the slavers returning haunted her dreams. Sooni frequently detected one of her panic attacks and would crawl in next to her. Her presence always comforted Willow, but how long would that last? If she left the station with the Fleet and they remained…

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