Page 110 of Seven Oars
The first thing they saw when they got there was Daphne, climbing into the Striker’s chair.
“Holy cow, that girl,” Gro muttered.
She reached Daphne first, but her rough tugging didn’t go over well.
Daphne resisted, wailed and kicked. Then she clamped onto the chair’s armrests and held on for dear life, as Rosamma, Fawn, and Gro pried her away by her thin legs.
The disturbing chair moved and squeaked, its leather twitching like the hide of a living animal.
The whole thing was absurd and exhausting.
Phex, chained like a dog to one of the old wall mounts, watched the pitiful scene unfold with his oblique Rix eyes.
“Are all your young like that?” he asked with a faint trace of scorn.
“No,” Gro snapped.“But we take care of them, no matter how they turn out.”
Eze arrived, drawn by the noise. Together with Gro, they led the struggling Daphne away.
Rosamma sank to the floor beside Phex, feeling low and physically drained. The energy deficit wore her down more and more each day. Stress worsened her condition, but that was rather a moot point, all things considered.
At least she wasn’t cold anymore. The change in the station’s temperature was a welcome upgrade.
“I’m so sorry, Phex,” she said, referring to their failed attempt at sending a distress signal.“We’ll try again. We’ll plan better.”
He jerked at his chains.
“You can’t plan anything in this place. It’s impossible. They do it on purpose.”
“Do what on purpose?” she asked.
“Keep it chaotic. It’s not random. It’s a strategy.”
Rosamma wasn’t convinced. There was no deeper meaning to life on this space station. The pirates were just that: chaotic.
But this principled, disciplined defender struggled to understand how someone could live without boundaries.
She turned to him, sensing she’d uncovered his weakness. At the same time, she took stock of his new injuries.
He had a few, though none looked serious. Still, she tentatively reached for his hand.
“I can share some energy with you, if you need it.”
It was a generous offer on her part. She couldn’t spare much, but she didn’t like seeing Phex so lost. A boost might cheer him up a little.
He turned his hand palm-up to give her access to his wrist.
“I can get used to this,” he murmured, closing his eyes.
She sent a small burst and withdrew her hand.
His eyes opened.“That’s all?”
She blinked.
“Well, I have to ration it,” she said, feeling the need to explain.“My reserves are low right now, and I’d rather save them for when you truly need me.”She smiled at him, self-conscious.
He was frowning slightly.
