Episode 7.1 - Homesicknes

In my mind, there is only the image of my mother. How she hangs there, so weak. Her almost naked body covered in bruises.

Even in my worst nightmares, I wouldn't have thought about how bad it is for her there. I wish I could think about the future. That things will get better for her soon. But I just can't. Besides, I don't really believe that Mak can do anything about it.

Torsos hates my mother, after all.

I'm a little afraid to go back into the death zone. Do they believe I was with Gasard during that time? Also, I don't know what to say to Moriphos and Nora. They surely notice what's going on.

***

I sit in the spaceship, looking out into space, while Mak is training again, apparently something he enjoys doing. This time something is different. Mak left the projection on. Does he do this out of pity?

Throughout the journey, as the transporter moves, Mak occasionally throws me a concerned glance while I gaze out into space. But not a word comes from him.

That's how it goes the whole flight.

Yet, I wish he would talk to me, say something reassuring. I just wish for someone whose shoulder I can cry on. Maybe then I would even have accepted his offer.

But now I just stare into space until suddenly a sandy-colored planet appears in front of us, getting bigger and bigger.

Dasura.

After a while, the station appears beside it. This time I become truly aware of the size of the planet.

The station is not exactly small. At least not the parts I've seen so far. But next to this massive planet, it looks like a dwarf. A dwarf that grows bigger the closer we get to it.

Slowly, the spaceship follows the path it took on the way here. Around the station and then into a dark lock that ends in the hangar we started from.

"When I take you next time, the time there will surely end more pleasantly than today," says Mak as we leave the transporter. My gaze drops to the ground. I hope so much that he keeps his promise, even though I can't believe he'll succeed.

As soon as we step out of the transporter, a red-haired, handsome man approaches us. Gasard. He seems genuinely delighted to see the warrior and immediately greets him with a hug.

"You won't believe it!" comes from the redhead. "When you're not here for a day, it's totally boring."

"I know how terribly you miss me," Mak laughs.

Next, Gasard greets me by tousling my hair with his hand. "Isn't it fun with this guy?" There's a smile on his lips. But I can't return it. Not at the moment, at least.

Gasard looks surprised at Mak. "Have I ever introduced you to the twins?" the warrior asks.

"Those two sweet girls you introduced me to at the palace last time?" Despite Mak's nodding, Gasard doesn't seem to know what the other means.

"Their former owner is now the overseer at the Kaera prison," Mak explains to him.

"Poor girls!" Gasard says in a sympathetic tone.

A tone that only brings more tears to my eyes. The redhead pulls me into his arms, his hand soothingly strokes my back.

It's nice to be comforted by him.

"I'll give your things to Akara," Mak calls out and walks toward the elevator. Gasard is about to go with me when the dark-haired man stops and turns to us.

"Oh, Gasard!" he calls out loudly. A grin spreads across his face. "The shield you gave me to try out last time works perfectly."

Gasard laughs out loud. "I knew it! I prefer giving you new inventions, seeing how rarely you avoid fighting."

"Hey, hey!" Mak sulks. "It's not my fault this time that there was a fight." He winks at me, and now I understand what he means. He must be referring to the fight where he wasn't hit by the shot, that must be what he means by shield. "Isn't that right, kid?"

Gasard looks briefly puzzled at me, then he laughs again at his friend. "Now, don't tell me you didn't enjoy that." Gasard shakes his head. "I know you! If there's a fight, you're there!"

Mak gives the redhead a brief innocent look before strolling off whistling.

"Are you hungry?" Gasard asks.

"A little," I nod.

His arm wraps around my shoulders, then he leads me to a different elevator than the one Mak took.

All the way down, my gaze is on the ground, my thoughts on my mother. Painful thoughts that not even Mak's words can dispel.

I only realize that Gasard has been looking at me with concern the whole time when he pulls me closer.

I blush slightly as I feel his muscular body against mine. I shyly look into his encouraging smile.

"Torsos hates guys like that! I hardly think he'll be there much longer!" His attempt to cheer me up doesn't quite succeed.

The elevator door opens. "From what I've heard about the Kaera prison, it sounds like it's usually only slightly less unpleasant there," I share my impression with him as we leave the elevator.

The fact that Gasard suddenly stops and hugs me tightly doesn't give me much hope. My head sinks to his chest. I just can't take it anymore and start crying. His hand gently runs through my hair.

"I'll talk to Torsos later, see what he's planning," Gasard says. "Maybe I can persuade him to move her somewhere else."

We stand like this for a while until my tears dry up. And I ask myself a question. How can anyone hate him? He's so nice.

The corridor we walk further along after a while is just like the other corridors of the station. Walls, ceiling, and floor seem like one unit, without any unevenness. A door in the wall is only noticeable when Gasard stands in front of it with me, and it opens automatically.

It's a canteen, slightly smaller than the one for the prisoners, but not more comfortable.

Gasard goes to the window and knocks. When Akara opens it, the reaction is the same as with Mak. A really stormy hug. She smiles kindly at me, though.

"You can get something from Torsos," Gasard calls out. Next, he winks at her. "We have fresh fruits again, and you know his eating habits best."

Akara nods and disappears into the kitchen for a while.

"How come everyone here carries this girl around and treats her as if she were not a prisoner but a guest?" Tosa inquires. She doesn't look at him with her usual venomous look, but her tone and behavior towards him are rather brusque.

"Everyone?" Gasard looks at the girl in surprise.

"You, that idiot Mak, and that beast," she doesn't hide her dislike for all three.

When Akara comes back, she scolds Tosa first for her words.

"Tosa, you'll find out soon enough!" Gasard says. His gaze turns to me. There's a smile on his lips as he says, "So, anyone who takes a close look at her and knows my best friend can answer that question themselves."

Now Akara scrutinizes me with curiosity. Tosa, however, seems to find it all too stupid. She disappears into the kitchen with an angry snort.

"I've wondered the same thing, but even I wouldn't have come up with the answer," she admits.

"Someone immediately suspected it when he saw me for the first time," I remark briefly.

Gasard looks at me questioningly. "Who?"