Catch the Stars ||Keith Kogane||

42

"I brought your kid back!" She shouts as soon as they all enter the commander's hut.

She figured Haylie had been staying here with Haron since he would always be there if he wasn't doing his rounds. Being commander was a full time job, so it would be easier on them if they all stayed under the same roof.

Haylie walked out of the door to the left of the entrance, her armor still on and a smile on her face when she saw them all walking in. Keith had the elephant in his hand since Ella was much more entranced with the cup. She refused to leave the bar without it, screaming her head off. Everyone in the room was almost send to Sitar the healer for hearing damage.

Ishlay was all too happy to give her the cup to make the screaming stop.

"And wouldn't you know it," Trip smiles at Haylie as she approaches, "she's a rum girl like her aunt."

The mother takes the child from Trip's grasp, placing her on her hip like it was second nature to her to hold her.

She gives Trip a teasing look, "no way will my child ever drink that Bay Leaf crap," she says with a face of disgust similar to Keith's, "it tastes like utter shit."

Keith snorts from beside Trip, "that would taste better."

She gives him a side-glare, "you drank it too!" She reminds him of the entire cup he had downed long before they were done talking, "I didn't hear any complaining then!"

He shrugs, looking away from her, "I was distracted."

Truthfully, he didn't remember tasting it at all while they were talking. His focus had been entirely on her. The way her eyes went in and out of focus as she remembered the things she was telling him, the way she would smile if it was a pleasant memory. Even the way she would frown if it wasn't.

"See, Trip," Haylie says as she bounces Ella, "you're the only person in the entire army that likes it."

"Yeah, whatever," Trip rolls her eyes and brushes off the comment.

Trip didn't remember the taste much either. She was just as wrapped up in the conversation as he had been. The bar could've caught on fire and she wouldn't have noticed until the smoke hit her. He may claim not to be interesting, but she was hanging onto every word he spoke. About his dad, about his home, about how he ended up roaming the galaxy.

Haylie looks her over, searching for something. Trip knew what she was going to say the moment she opened her mouth.

"Where's your weapon?" She asks, moving her head as if the swords would be hiding behind Trip's hair, "you said you were going to get them?"

Trip stretches her arms up, her joints cracking from their constant stiffness. She presses her knuckles together, the cracking almost loud enough to echo across the hut.

"I'm going now," she says, "did you want me to take your kid out into the woods?"

Haylie clamps her mouth shut. Trip was willing to bet that she didn't know that her swords had been left on the squad 11 ship. She used to use them constantly on their missions, but the ones she went on with Litarra she used the weapon he wanted her to use. She left them behind the day before he died, on the last mission squad 11 ever went on.

"That's what I thought," Trip lowers her arms back to her sides and bends her neck to crack that joint as well, "I should be back by tonight, I don't plan on hanging around."

"By yourself?" Haylie asks with a high pitched tone. When Ella hears the high note, she takes it as a challenge and squeals just to be louder than her mother. Trip flinches, Keith lifting his hands to cover his ears. Haylie ignores the sound, "you can't go out there unarmed with no backup!"