Far Horizon (Juggernaut #4)

Three

'It's not stupid.'

Jayce reached for another roll and watched them argue. They often argued over him. He liked Tila, but he had never truly understood her animosity toward him. He assumed she was putting it on to look tough. After all what was there to dislike about him? He was clean, educated, nice enough and incredibly rich. They lived on the Juggernaut. His life couldn't be more different to theirs. Of course it was better. So what was Tila's problem with him.

'Jayce is already short for Jason, and even that isn't actually making his name shorter. Why are you making it worse?'

'No offence taken,' said Jayce amicably.

'Hush,' said Tila. 'Ellie, I don't know why you have to call him at all. Why is he even here?'

'He came to say goodbye.'

'He doesn't need to do that.'

'It's sweet.'

'Is it?'

'Tila, you don't travel all this way unless it's important, unless you care for someone. He cares for me. Why can't you see that?'

'That's true,' said Jayce.

'He came for his ship. You need to give it back.'

'Tila!' said Ellie.

'Jayce?' said Tila.

'That's true too,' said Jayce. It was like watching a tennis match. 'Those three Valkyries are sort of expensive.'

'Two,' said Tila.

Jayce shrugged. Technically they weren't his ships.

'See?' said Tila.

'Jayce, hush,' said Elle. 'But that's not the only reason he came, is it Jayce? You can speak now,' she added graciously.

Jayce stopped chewing and dropped a half-eaten roll onto his plate. Their meal hadn't arrived, the bread rolls were almost gone, and no-one else had yet eaten one.

"Well," said Jayce, taking the floor like the natural showman he believed himself to be. "I wanted to say goodbye to you all, deliver your gifts and of course, spend more time with Ellie before she flies away."

At the reminder of their gifts Tila was, for once, mildly ashamed instead of mildly annoyed.

"See? He has lots of good reasons," said Ellie, as if that settled it. "And you look good in that outfit."

"That's not the point," said Tila. She stole a glance at a nearby mirror on the restaurant wall. The white synthetic-leather jacket hung over the back of her chair and under her ponytail. "And I know how to look good without him."

"The new clothes are, um , new though," said Jayce. "You have to keep reusing things on the Juggernaut."

Tila sipped her water rather than make any sound that might be taken as her agreeing with him.

"Well I love them," said Ellie. "I never get to wear skirts."

"That's because you spend all your time in flightsuits," said a new voice.

"Nina!" Ellie leapt from her seat to hug their new companion. Standing on her toes with her chin on Nina's shoulder she scanned the room. "Where's Malachi?"

Nina squeezed Ellie back. "Hi Ellie. Mal's right behind you."

Ellie turned to hug her other friend but Malachi had made a line for Jayce and was already high-fiving him.

Nina nodded at Tila while Ellie made herself known to Malachi. Tila pushed out a chair which Nina dropped into. She immediately took off her shoes and began massaging her feet.