Page 63 of Sway's Peace
“Very well,” Tanin said, focusing their attention back onto him. “My point of contact with the colony is a male named Vweet. He’s the one I’m supposed to make the delivery to.”
“I’ll make the delivery with you.”
The statement was firm, but his heart wavered. Nervous. Uncertain.
***
Sway was packing. He was tossing his clothes in a bag that was sitting open on his bed. Grace was perched beside it, watching him move around the room. She wasn’t saying anything, but he appreciated her silent presence. The last time he’d been planetside had been as a youngling, before Rik-Vane. He almost wasn’t even sure what to bring. An emergency beacon, of course, in case he was separated from the others. A small med kit in casesomeone was injured. Emergency rations for at least a couple days. He’d already hidden his old claws inside before bringing the bag into his room to pack. He shouldn’t need them, but just in case.
He was packing like he was expecting to survive an attack, but he didn’t know what else to do.
They’d swung into subspace. Once inside, he didn’t need to do much. Especially not now that the crystals were fresh and charged. He would be more necessary when they swung back into real space and he had to navigate to the colony world, but he had a free moment now.
They were going to be landing within the Song’s compound, and he wanted to be ready for a few days on the surface, just in case. Tanin had gone off to tell the crew that they would linger there for a short while, despite their previous plans. And the others would go along with it because Tanin made the decision. They followed him without question, so they probably wouldn’t even wonder about the change.
But it would be hard to miss the real reason once – if – Sway encountered the male that was his father.
“Everyone here is so supportive,” Grace said, smiling after Sway told her about them deciding to come along. They might not know the reason, but they traveled together as a unit regardless.
“Supportive?” He repeated, confused by the conclusion she had drawn. “I don’t think that’s right.”
“Aren’t they though? Tanin didn't even hesitate to agree to stay. And now the others are coming as well? Isn’t that to support you?”
“Probably not,” Sway sealed the bag. “It’s more likely that they’re coming along for the sake of protection. We can’t be sure there won’t be some form of hostility down there.”
She chuckled, like he’d said something amusing. “Isn’t that the same thing? Your friends are coming along to support and protect you.”
“We’re not friends.”
“Aren’t you?” She asked, cocking her head with a teasing smile on her face.
“No.” He said simply, confused about the question. “We don’t… You don’t have friends on Rik-Vane. You can have a gang. People still band together for strength and protection. But even trusting those people can be foolish. That’s all we are. We’re a gang with a common goal in mind.”
“Are you sure about that? You guys all seem close. You hang out. You watch each other’s backs. You work together for your future. You’re practically family, right?”
“That’s only because we need each other. We’re dependent on all of us for our survival.”
“So, does that mean you don’t like them?”
“I wouldn’t say that either.” Sway came to a halt in front of her. “I respect the others. I appreciate them. I even enjoy their company. I guess.”
Grace snickered like he was saying something silly. “Where I’m from, we call that friendship.”
“No, it’s a mutually beneficial partnership.”
“So is friendship.”
Sway cocked his head, looking at her. Garnet and Goldie had a tendency to refer to them all as friends as well. Sway would never have called them as much, and he was certain the others wouldn’t either. It just didn't seem right. Friendship was for children, or for innocents like Grace. He’d already seen her making friends with the other females.
He even rather liked it. He wanted Grace to enjoy the other females’ company. It meant that she was comfortable here. Females were meant to group together in such a way. And if she were comfortable here, there was a greater chance that she would want to stay.
He liked that for her. He wanted it for her. But for himself…?
Friendship involved intimacy and vulnerability that would be nothing but a weakness. He could never show such a thing to the others, and he knew they wouldn’t show him that either. They already relied and trusted each other more than anyone on Rik-Vane would have ever allowed. Tanin made sure of it when he recruited them. If they couldn’t trust each other to be completely devoted to their goal, to protecting their way of life, it wouldn’t work.
In that way, he supposed, Grace was right. They were closer to each other than anyone.
But labeling each other as friends just seemed…
