Chapter 2

Evan stepped into the shower and leaned forward so the spray could hit him directly on the head. He felt good, having just completed the task of hiring a new crew for the Ascalon. It was a job he knew he could do alone, but he also knew Alex. Better than Alex knew himself, he was sure. If his Keeper didn't feel at least somewhat needed and involved, then he'd look back a few months later and feel guilty for having let Evan do everything for him. Never mind that was exactly what Evan was supposed to do, wanted to do, and felt best doing.

It was easier to ask Alex to sit in on a few interviews, and better for him to get used to the idea that some of his new crew might not necessarily be the people he would have picked, but they were right for the job. It was more important to hire the most qualified, as long as they were professional enough to keep personal beliefs and prejudices out of their work. Evan was used to working around people who didn't like what he was, but if Alex was going to keep him forever as he planned, then it was about time he learned how to live with it, too.

Evan soaped up and rinsed, trying to mentally prepare for the water rationing that would begin after they launched. He was looking forward to this expedition. Looking forward to getting as far away from the memory of Maker and any connection with those children or what had happened as he could. The idea of exploring, going places no one had been before and seeing things no one had seen, appealed to Evan in a strange way. And the fact that it did seemed to make Alex happy.

While he was dressing, he could hear his Keeper in the shower. The Ascalon was nearly ready to launch and Alex had been working up a route that would at least get them to the Pendulum Nebula, if nothing else. There was no pressure this time, and thanks to his detailed background checks of the crew, no surprises waiting for them on board.

The only wildcard was their meeting this morning. Evan had accepted an appointment to meet with a pair of travelers hired by the Scientific Consortium of Nogalis who were looking to hitch a ride.

"Good morning."

Evan looked up as he pulled on a shoe and found Alex hurrying out of his room, dressed and carrying clean socks. "Did you want coffee before we leave?"

"No." Alex shook his head and sat on the edge of the couch so he could get his socks on. "I can wait till we get there. So who are these two again? You checked them out?"

"Of course." Evan grabbed Alex's shoes out from under the computer table and tossed them to his Keeper. "Mari Paya, and her Sha'erah, Ian."

Alex looked up, apparently surprised. "She's a Keeper? You didn't mention that."

"I didn't think I had to." Evan shrugged. "Is it a problem?"

Alex stood and straightened his shirt. "I'm just surprised, that's all. Last year I never believed Keepers and Sha'erah were possible, now all of a sudden I'm running into them all the time."

Evan donned a jacket on his way to the door and Alex did the same. "You spend most of your time away from populated centers, it's no wonder you miss seeing something that isn't all that common in the first place."

"Even more so when I spend what little time I'm in port buried in my own little world."

Evan felt a comment wasn't necessary, and followed Alex through the newly occupied hallways and down to the lower level of the ship where the walkway connected the Ascalon to the orbiting station. Their meeting was set at a café a block down, and at this early hour the breakfast crowed hadn't yet begun to build. He found them a table in the back and took the seats facing out, then placed a breakfast order using the in-table automated catering unit.

"Perfect timing." Alex nodded to the pair approaching just as the wheeled delivery cart deposited their orders.

Evan watched the pair weave through the tables toward them. The Keeper, Mari Paya, was a good ten years older than Alex and several inches taller. She was a handsome woman with dark blonde/light brown hair, brown eyes and a healthy tanned edge to her skin that formed wrinkles in the corners of her eyes. According to what information Evan had been able to gather, she'd been widowed eight years ago and inherited both her Sha'erah and her late husband's business, working as a Locator for hire.

Her Sha'erah was more of a surprise. The same age as Evan, slightly thinner build and brown hair. His tattoos were obvious but not quite as dramatic against the tanned skin. Just to the side of each black eye sparkled a hint of the same silver metal that comprised the majority of Evan's right palm. His attitude was alert and attentive, but there was no nervous edge, no sense of unease in the way he glanced at his Keeper.

Alex and Evan both stood as their visitors reached the table.

"Captain Marcase, I presume? I'm Mari Paya. This is Ian." She shook Alex's hand and gave her Sha'erah a nod. "It's an honor to meet you." Her tone was genuine and even, completely at ease.

"Thank you." Alex's reply seemed hesitant, almost surprised. "This is Evan."

Mari nodded at Evan politely, then accepted the chair Ian had pulled out for her. She sat with a comfortable grace only age and self-confidence can muster. "Thank you for meeting with us, I'm sure this is a hectic time for you."

Evan gave Alex a look, trying to judge if he'd put two and two together yet. With Ian's obvious age, it was clear they'd been in the same batch, and spent the first five years of their lives together. He wondered if Ian had ever met Maker before, or could possibly have guessed what their creator really was.

"It can be." Alex looked at Ian and seemed to suddenly make the connection. He turned to Evan. "Do you two . . . ?"

"Know each other?" Evan offered. He glanced at Ian then back at Alex. "Not exactly, no."

"But I believe due to our ages, we did at one time," Ian filled in. He seemed to have taken note of the obvious fact that he and Evan were from the same batch.

"Ian's been with me for quite some time. My late husband bought him when he was a child, then left him to me when he died." Mari smiled and gave both Sha'erah a glance.

Her expression and Ian's apparent ease suggested to Evan theirs was a relationship possibly much more relaxed than that of Kellman and Thomas, and certainly less constrained than what he'd known with Spencer Marcase. But it was clear they understood their roles as Keeper and Sha'erah.

"I'll get right to the point, if you don't mind, Captain." Mari leaned forward and rested one elbow on the table. Her Keeper's ring glinted bright silver in the light of the café, showing off some obvious engraving, but the detail was not as complex as that on Alex's ring.

"Please do." Alex looked slightly confused, as if he wanted to pursue another subject, but he nodded for Mari to continue.

"I've been hired to find something. That's what I do. That's what Ian and I do." She paused long enough to give her Sha'erah a quick, acknowledging nod. "This particular time we've been asked to find physical evidence of the anomaly you discovered in the Pendulum Nebula."

Evan's eyebrow arched as he looked at Alex. His Keeper looked surprised and bemused, eyes open wide with disbelief.

"You've been hired to find something that I found out wasn't even there?" Alex laughed shortly, glancing from one to the other. "Did your new employers happen to show you the reports?"

Mari smiled tolerantly and the look put a sparkle of maturity in her eyes. "Yes, Captain, as a matter of fact I studied them at great length. All we're required to do is bring back some hard evidence that the Scientific Consortium of Nogalis can study." She shrugged slightly. "Whether it be an alien ship, or something else doesn't really matter." She sat back now, almost lounging in the chair, and glanced at Ian. For a moment they appeared to share something, some kind of communication that required no words, only a look. She turned back to Alex. "I have my own ship, and I'm not asking you to assist our search in any way. All I'm hoping for, Captain, is a ride to the nebula. My ship is too small and would take years to get that far. But it's small enough to fit in your hold and get us around once inside the nebula."

Alex glanced at Evan, then back to Mari, blinking. "So what you're asking is to just hitch a ride? Then what?" He turned to Ian, eyebrows raised, then looked at Mari when the Sha'erah made no reply.

Mari shrugged. "Then we can launch, part company, and do our job. When we find what we need, we'll stick out our thumbs and look for a ride back." She looked from Alex to Evan and back again, including them both in her discussion. Her manner was completely confident and at ease. "There seem to be plenty of ships in that area at any given time these days."

"You mean if you find what you need."

Mari smiled almost mischievously, the sparkle in her eyes dancing now. "Not if. When."

Alex huffed slightly through his nose and shook his head, gazing at Mari as if sizing up her claims. Instead of a reply, he rested his fingers on the rim of the steaming cup of coffee in front of him and contemplated the contents.

Although he appeared cautious and even skeptical, Evan could tell by Alex's tone and manner he was considering Mari's request. He was much more at ease than he wanted her to believe. Evan looked at Ian again, studying the silver he could see to either side of each eye. It wasn't an adaptation he'd ever seen before, but then again, he'd seen so few. "That's what you do, isn't it?" When Ian glanced at his Keeper before responding, he knew their relationship was more traditional than he'd first suspected. Maybe spending time around this pair would do Alex some good.

Mari nodded, obviously giving her permission, and Ian turned back to Evan. "I can find things, yes. Things that are lost, things people want desperately to find. Anything that holds a deep emotional value to the person wanting to find it." He held up his hands and showed both Evan and Alex the silver that tipped each index finger. "Don't ask me to explain how or why, they didn't teach us that."

Evan refrained from commenting. They had time, if Alex agreed, to discuss their unique talents and how each coped with them. But until then, he wasn't about to offer up any information of his own. After all, he still had no clue how any of it worked.

"And as an added bonus, he has an uncanny sense of direction." Mari's smile was filled with pride. "Ian never gets lost."

"Handy trick." Alex ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Okay, so you're asking for a ride to the nebula. You, Ian, and your ship."

"Not just asking, Captain." Mari sat forward again and drew a personal PDA out of one pocket. From that she removed a data disk. "We'll pay for your trouble and your cargo space. Ian and I can live onboard our ship inside the hold of yours, so we're not going to crowd anyone out of living space. And we go with the understanding it's a one-way trip. We can find another ship to bring us back."

Evan watched Alex's face for any signs of a decision being reached. He wanted to interject his own observations, and reiterate how he'd already checked the backgrounds of this Keeper and Sha'erah and found no connection with Spencer or Paulson Carpenter. But more importantly, he felt the desire to spend some time with a fellow Sha'erah. One from his childhood, even if they didn't actually remember each other. If Ian's abilities really were as good as he claimed -- and with a Sha'erah there was no reason to suspect he was exaggerating -- then he could very well be an asset to them on this voyage.

And it might help Alex to see that not all Keepers were like Regian Kellman. Mari was older and what some would call well-weathered, but there was no meanness about her features. Ian certainly seemed secure enough, and respectful. Evan just wished he had enough childhood memory to recall their time together.

"I tell you what, Captain, here are the specs on my ship." She handed Alex the data disk. "You can see if your cargo hold has the room. Think it over, and let me know. My number's there, too."

"Why my ship? Because we found the anomaly the first time?"

"Actually not so much." Mari shrugged, her expression taking on a slightly apologetic look. "You're just leaving at the right time." She smiled and shot Ian a quick wink. "And you have a reputation for finding things yourself."

Ian glanced from Evan to Alex. "I've been very impressed with your record to date, Captain.

Alex rolled his eyes and slipped the disk into a sleeve pocket. "Okay, we'll be in touch by tonight."

"Fair enough." Mari pushed her chair back and Ian stood, pulling it out of her way so she could stand up. She extended a hand to Alex with a smile, and gave Evan a nod, including him in her appreciation.

Alex shook her hand, then watched the pair walk out through the crowded café before turning back to Evan.

"Ian can find things, huh?" Alex sat back down and picked up his coffee cup. "You think that's for real?"

"Thomas could read thoughts." Evan shrugged. "Why not? Maker said he would incorporate his favorite adaptations in his own . . . body. If Ian can find things, and Maker added that to his own qualities, that could be how he found us."

They hadn't talked about Maker or their ordeal very often, and they'd never spoken of it to anyone else. The pain and disgust of what they'd found was still too fresh, and the whole experience far too personal. Even now, with that small mention, Evan's flesh crawled. He noticed the quick swallow and flush to Alex's face, though his Keeper tried to hide it with the coffee cup.

"What do you think?"

"They're not associated with Spencer, or Carpenter." He couldn't speak specifically about his Keeper, nor could Ian, but to have someone who understood what it meant to be what they were -- even for a short while -- would be a nice change. "They don't seem to expect us to help them with anything other than a ride, and we're not responsible for their safety once they leave the Ascalon."

"They read the reports." Alex chewed his bottom lip. "If they do by some freakish chance find whatever that thing was, I'd sure like to see it."

Evan sensed his Keeper was close to a decision. "I think it would be good for you to see that all Keepers aren't like Kellman." Evan had found it much more effective to show Alex something, rather than simply try to convince him of it.

Alex was quiet for a long while. He held his coffee cup and let the steam wash past his face while he seemed to contemplate something. Finally, a slow smile began working its way across his face. "That would really piss our new Bridge Chief Jackson off, wouldn't it?"

"What would piss him off?"

"Having more of us around to deal with."

Evan made a face. "I didn't realize this was a pissing contest."

Alex laughed. "So what do you think? Should we give 'em a ride?"

"We have room for their ship. I don't see a reason not to."

"Okay then, we'll call them this afternoon."

They finished breakfast, then walked back to the Ascalon to oversee the final loading of supplies and equipment. Alex gave Evan the disk from Mari, so he could calculate the area they'd need to leave available for her ship. Luckily, with some slight rearranging, he had no trouble finding enough room to store the vehicle and allow for easy access for the Keeper and Sha'erah who would live onboard. They had more room this trip since the hold wasn't stuffed with a disassembled orbital mining platform. Also different this time around was the fact that Evan had personally and physically inspected each and every carton, box and crate that was loaded on board. The fact that he was finally in complete control of their surroundings and Alex's ship added to his strange anticipation of the expedition. Getting his Keeper away from the general public, with only the personalities of the ship's crew to adjust to and learn to deal with -- and now their added passengers -- wouldn't be quite so exhausting.

Evan finished his rearranging and found Alex on the bridge, explaining to Chief Jackson about their newly accepted passengers. Evan couldn't help but notice the slightly smug tone to his Keeper's voice. Chief Jackson was frowning down at Alex, but respectfully holding his tongue in front of the rest of the bridge crew. The man's tone was authoritative and unwavering, exuding a confidence even Reilly hadn't quite mastered. Evan knew he'd hired the right man for the job, now only time and evidence would prove it to Alex.

"I expect their ship to be loaded tonight, so plan on launching on schedule in the morning." Alex glanced at Evan as he approached, then turned back to Jackson. He had to tilt his head back a bit to look the man in the eyes.

"Aye-aye, Captain." Jackson kept his tone even, nodded once, then walked to the bow and began conferring with one of the navigators.

"I called her a few minutes ago and told her it was a go." Alex turned and walked to his office with Evan beside him. "So this Sha'erah, Ian . . . he and you were born at the same time?" Alex shut the door to the office and pushed some things away from a corner of his desk so he could sit on it.

"We must have been. He's my age." Evan wished he could honestly say he remembered him, or anyone else for that matter, but the way in which they were raised and trained kept their time together minimal at best. He walked to the couch and sat facing Alex.

"Were you planning on telling him?"

"About Maker? No." Evan shook his head once, sharply. "Whatever he remembers is the way it should stay."

Alex sighed and looked at his hands, which was where he directed his next words. "Yeah. Hindsight is twenty-twenty."

Evan tried to think of something to say, but he couldn't.

"Listen, as long as everything goes as planned, we're launching tomorrow." Alex took a deep breath and straightened up. "What do you say we go out to dinner?"

"To Scotian?"

"I was thinking somewhere here on the station. Unless you'd rather go down there?"

Evan shook his head. "No, up here is fine."

Alex slid off the desk and smiled. "Good. I happen to know a great place just a few blocks away."

They changed into clean clothes, Evan, in his attempt to wear more than just black, chose a deep purple shirt to go along with black pants and a dark gray duster. Alex dressed similarly but in lighter greens. The restaurant Alex wanted was just three blocks down in the shopping district, darkly lit to match the quiet décor and elegantly dressed patrons. Evan was pleased to note the host's ability to politely ignore his tattoo and speak only to Alex without giving the impression he was doing it on purpose. They were shown a table near a window that afforded a full view of Scotian below, shimmering blue and white.

Evan took note of a few looks from people around their table, but to his relief his Keeper didn't seem to see them.

"Are you going to be able to get along with Jackson? It's going to be a long trip, you know."

Alex's grin was slightly lopsided and a tad mischievous. "I think I can handle it."

"He's been completely professional since he came on board. Just because he'll never warm up to your way of thinking doesn't mean he isn't the best Bridge Chief we could find. You haven't even bothered meeting his wife and she's our new ship's physician."

"Just haven't gotten around to it yet. My physical's scheduled for tomorrow morning, right before yours. She's not holding up the launch for them." Alex paused while the waiter delivered their orders. "I've noticed Jackson's not the only one of the new crew who feels the way he does. But you must know that, since you hired them all."

Evan sighed quietly. "All of my life I've been around people who don't like, don't understand, or just plain fear what I am. That's normal. You can't let it get in the way of your job. Sometimes you can even use it to your advantage." He could see from the almost petulant look on Alex's face that his Keeper knew this to be true, but he still didn't like it in principle. "They have every right to think the way they do, and nothing you do will change their minds."

Alex chewed the side of his lip while he listened. "It just doesn't make sense."

"Sure it does. You were the same way."

"I got over it."

"I don't mean with me, I mean this morning."

"What?" Alex's eyebrows knotted up. "You mean Mari and Ian?"

"You were upset that I hadn't told you she was a Keeper and Ian a Sha'erah."

"That was different."

"Was it?"

Alex pursed his lips and stared at Evan for a moment. Finally he sighed and reached for his glass. "You know this habit of yours of being right all the time can be annoying."

"It's not a habit." Evan reached for his own glass.

"Yeah, right." Alex shoved some vegetables into his mouth, but there was definite laughter in his eyes.

While they ate, Evan kept a casual eye on the patrons watching them. It was normal to be noticed, and even whispered about, when they were out in a public place. But there was something different about it tonight. Either it was bothering him more because Alex was so sensitive to it, or something was going on that he hadn't figured out yet. Either way, so far it was just an annoyance. Nothing suggested he be overly concerned just yet, so he continued to eat and glance around only when his Keeper wasn't looking.

They discussed tomorrow's launch and the new crew, and what planets they might find inside the Pendulum Nebula. Evan wasn't exactly sure why, but the prospect of traveling with another Sha'erah -- and one his age -- added to the strange anticipation he was feeling. He had high hopes Mari was the exact opposite of Kellman, and treated Ian properly as befitting a valuable tool and asset. If so, Alex might finally see being a Keeper wasn't as distasteful as he seemed to feel it was. And he was hoping being around Ian, a more respectful Sha'erah, would help clean out the memory of Thomas and that Sha'erah's behavior.

Evan had very few examples to judge himself by, and Thomas certainly hadn't been one he'd enjoyed.

By the end of dinner, most of the patrons who'd been watching them with such unusual curiosity had left and been replaced by new, equally interested diners. Evan saw Alex take note of one couple, but to his Keeper's credit he refrained from saying anything. Even as they walked by on the way out, Alex held his tongue. Back at the Ascalon they received word Mari's ship had been delivered and neatly tucked into the space Evan had cleared in the main lowermost hold. Alex kicked off his shoes almost immediately upon entering their quarters, then walked to the galley.

"Will you splurge and have a beer with me?"

Evan pushed the discarded shoes under the table in the far end of the room, then removed his own and set them to the side. When he turned around to answer Alex, his Keeper was already walking toward him with two dark amber bottles in hand.

"Are we still celebrating the launch tomorrow?" Evan accepted the bottle, then followed Alex to the other side of the living area where the large couch faced a heavily shielded glass window.

"Not exactly, no." Alex ran a hand through his hair and cleared his throat, then reached into a pocket and pulled out his PDA. "We didn't exactly plan this or anything, but the timing is pretty strange." He set his beer on the low, round table.

"Timing?"

"Yeah. It's been one year tonight." He looked up while his hands seemed to fuss with the PDA. "Since we met, back at that law office. I was getting ready to head into the nebula for the first time, and we're going back now."

Evan blinked, wondering if he was supposed to say something. He'd known it was a year, but wasn't sure what that meant.

Alex cleared his throat again. "Anyway, no big deal, really. But I wanted to . . . I got you this." He handed over the PDA.

"Your PDA?" Evan took the unit, looking at it in confusion.

"No, not mine. Yours. I got one for you, so we don't have to fuss about sharing it all the time. You can synchronize them, or whatever, so anytime you want you can use yours to get into mine."

Evan stared at the sleek, new PDA in his hand.

"You know, so you'll have it whenever you need it. It has its own ID, so you can get calls independent of mine. And if you need me, or I need to find you on the ship, we can use them instead of the ship-wide intercom." Alex shifted his weight from one foot to the other and ran a hand through his hair again.

Evan alternated between staring at the PDA and his Keeper. He kept waiting for the practical reason, the real reason why Alex would be giving him something.

"Listen, I know we haven't talked much about what happened. We were both there, so there isn't all that much to talk about. But what Maker did -- what he thought he was doing -- he didn't. Not really."

Alex was fumbling through his words, and Evan struggled to comprehend what he was trying to say.

"I know he tried to convince you he could make some kind of . . . change. That he'd made it possible for you to project or something. Make you do something you couldn't do before. But we both know he was lying."

Evan felt his face flush and looked down, staring again at the PDA in his hand.

"He was mad, Evan. He didn't do anything except scare us both. We know that."

"Do we?" He looked up, meeting Alex's eyes.

"Yes, we do." Alex's answer was firm and unwavering. "Zane scanned you, back in the medical bay of that ship, and found nothing different." He took a step forward. "Nothing, Evan. Your brain is just as human as mine. How that works" -- he pointed to Evan's silver palm -- "is beyond me. It's beyond all of us. But what's in here," he pointed to his own head, "is just as human as the rest of us."

Evan felt his skin flush hot again, but he couldn't take his eyes away from Alex's. His Keeper looked so determined -- so intense -- he was commanding attention.

"You're not a machine, you're my friend." Alex swallowed and seemed to soften a bit. "I know I've been a jerk, maybe more often than not, but I have learned a hell of a lot from you, so there's hope for me yet." He laughed shortly and pointed to the PDA still in Evan's hand. "You can't project, but with this you can access my PDA from anywhere, anytime. And with your talent, you can get into just about anything that'll answer a remote PDA call."

Evan was struggling now not with understanding what Alex was saying, but with his own odd emotional reaction. This was a gift. He knew about them, what they meant and what they were for. But he'd never . . . no one . . . he was Sha'erah! Keepers provided you with tools, the things necessary for you to do your job, nothing more.

"I just wanted you to have it, to have access to mine and anything else you need any time you need it." Alex continued with a shrug. "I don't want to keep any secrets, and since there's nothing to worry about this time around, and this ship's so big and all, I figured if we weren't together and you needed to reach me, or get into my files, or anything . . ."

Evan looked up. "Thank you." It was all he could say, and he hoped it was right, and enough, because for some strange reason his throat wanted to close up. "I've never -- I don't know exactly . . ."

Alex came to his rescue quickly. "You're welcome."

Evan swallowed. "I'm not sure what to do."

Alex's face broke into a sideways grin. He held out a hand and Evan offered his. They shook hands, but at the point of letting go, Alex pulled on his hand and suddenly embraced him in a warm hug. His grip was strong, solid and unwavering, and slammed Evan's senses with an odd mix of warmth, confidence and the scent of soap and beer. It wasn't the exhausted, desperate clinging he'd experienced in the woods outside the ruins of Maker's complex when they'd both feared for the other's life. And it was certainly not the same thing he'd felt when spending time with one of Spencer's female friends or his own few acquaintances. But he definitely felt something. It was hard to identify, something other than simple respect and more intense than loyalty. There was no desperation in this action, but he definitely felt an odd sense of security and appreciation. Though which of them was supposed to be feeling that, he wasn't completely sure. For several seconds, he did nothing but stand there, being held like a lifeless piece of shocked and surprised wood. Then almost of their own accord, Evan's arms came around to return the gesture in a stunned, belated attempt to participate in the embrace. A distant, unaffected part of his mind was struck by how small Alex really was. In a moment, it was over. Alex was still smiling, looking quite satisfied and relieved.

"You're not required to do anything, just accept it, that's all." Alex cleared his throat and retrieved the beer he'd set on the table. He moved around the circular unit and sat down, scrunching down so he could rest his feet on the table and lean back into the cushions. "I didn't mean to get all sentimental on you, I'm not very good at this stuff."

Evan felt glued to the floor, still slightly dazed. It dawned on him then that he'd barely returned the hug, doing little more than accepting the surprising gesture.

"Here." Alex pulled his own PDA from his pocket. "You don't have to do it now, but go ahead and copy everything over."

Evan managed to convince himself that was an order and used it to force his legs to move again. He walked to the couch and sat, setting his untouched beer on the table. Half-formed thoughts were beginning to buzz around inside his head and he couldn't make sense of any of them.

"It'll just take a few minutes." Using the PDAs as a distraction, Evan opened them both and placed his right palm over the input pad of Alex's and had it dial up the new one.

He knew deep down it wasn't just this simple gift that had him so flustered, but the combination of things that culminated in it. Alex had found a way -- through all the mental torment Evan had been putting himself through since seeing Maker -- to calm his fears about what exactly that . . . thing . . . had done. He'd managed the very reassurance Evan had been trying hard to come up with himself, as if he'd known somehow how upsetting it was. The idea . . . the mere thought that he was part machine just like his Maker, was nauseating. And yet how could he not be? He'd been waiting since that day for Alex to show the repulsion he surely had to have been feeling, and yet, he was wrong.

And now he was feeling something. Something familiar but alien. Was this friendship? Evan thought he was beginning to understand the concept, at least how it affected Alex's actions, but he didn't understand this. He thought friendship was a way of acting, of behaving. Not an actual emotion that was felt. But that had to be what he was feeling now. That odd mix of pride, devotion and respect, all jumbled up in a way he'd never experienced before.

But he was Sha'erah. They weren't allowed to have such feelings. And yet . . . he did.

"There." Evan cleared his throat and handed Alex's PDA back. He still felt a little dazed, but he was pretty sure he'd copied everything okay.

Alex took the small machine and slid it back into his thigh pocket as he finished his beer. "Great. Well, I'm beat and morning's gonna be coming pretty early." He pushed himself off the couch and walked back to the galley, empty bottle in hand.

Evan scrambled to his feet. He couldn't help feel he should say something more, somehow further acknowledge the gift, but his Keeper was casually walking to his room with a quiet, easy smile on his face, apparently expecting nothing more.

"See you in the morning."

"Good night." It was all he could manage, but Alex seemed to accept that just fine.

Evan stared at the PDA still in his hand, too confused by the thoughts spinning around inside his head to really identify any one of them. Finally he settled on routine to clear out the mess, and walked to the door to secure it for the night. He set the galley timer for a six o'clock delivery, shut off the lights and went to his room, where he sat on the bed staring at the floor. Alex wasn't wavering or unsure about anything, and completely secure, even if he did claim not to be very good at expressing such things.

Life with Alex Marcase was nothing if not full of surprises. Sha'erah were bred to be adaptable, and could adjust to any Keeper's way of doing things. But Evan never expected to be adjusting to his own reactions.

He hadn't been prepared for changes in the way he felt.

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