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Mirilla raised her gaze to his. “I don’t even know your name.”

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

He grinned again. “Another lie.”

“Please, just go and leave me alone.”

His gaze traveled up and down her clothes, obviously no longer the uniform she’d worn since he’d first arrived. His focus landed on the credit band she wore. “You can’t use that. They’ll track you with it.”

Slowly she shifted her arm to place her wrist behind her back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He lifted his own arm and unfastened the credit band he wore. He held it out to her.

“What is that?” Mirilla asked.

“Credit band. No one will be trying to track mine if you go missing. They will be trying to track yours. Leave it here, take mine.”

Mirilla looked up at him with a shocked expression on her face. “Why?” she finally stammered.

“You didn’t do anything wrong. Your male didn’t defend you.”

“And?”

“It was wrong.”

“I agree, but how does that end with you standing here?”

“Let’s just say that I’m a lot more concerned with what’s right or wrong than I used to be, even if the duty that’s expected of you doesn’t align.”

“But you don’t even know me.”

“No, but I tell my female everything.”

“I don’t understand.”

“She thinks you’re innocent. She was angry on your behalf. That’s enough for me. So, here. Go prove it.”

“I’m not sure I can.”

“Then stay here and wait to see what happens.”

Mirilla stood there for several moments, trying to make sense of this completely unexpected turn of events and the very confusing male before her. Finally she just took the band from his hand, where he still held it out to her. She tossed her own band over toward her uniform lying on her bed, and slipped his onto her wrist. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. Just don’t make me regret this.”

“I’ll try,” she said.

Ba Re’ turned and walked away.

“What is your name?” she asked.

“Why?”

“Because I’d like to know who showed me the only kindness in this entire situation.”

“Ba Re’.”

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