We Shadows

Chapter 28: making up the rules as we go

Playing baskets was exactly what I needed. I could sprint up and down the floor and be totally focused on my team and scoring and wiping sweat from my face. I didn't have room to be angry. I didn't have to think about Levi at all.

"Did you have fun?" I asked my papa.

He nodded. "Fun and cookies. Lully was saying he wants to have a weekend of tournaments; I think that would be a sunshine idea. We could have a credit prize or something. People need to relax better here."

Tyson came over and wiped the sweat from his face on his sleeve. The others were getting water, discussing whether or not we were going to play another round. I was a little exhausted, not that I minded, but a midgame message had told me that I had a congress meeting in the morning.

"Hello sir," Tyson said. "Did Turing eat all the cookies or did he leave you some?"

"Hey," Turing complained. "I was courteous. And anyway, I think Lully ate more cookies than the two of us."

"I hadn't had lunch," Lully called from the water cooler. "I think I may be done, Dylan. I want to get home and eat something, get some laundry done. I'm supposed to head back out tomorrow afternoon."

I nodded and others looked like they might be out of inclination. Florence twirled over to us, lifting two cookies off the plate before landing in Turing's lap.

"Florence, you're sweaty," he complained.

"Darling, you're fine," she laughed, nuzzling him with her hair.

He grimaced, and I wished that Levi and I could have that again. I had purposely not thought any more about the botany bay, but I was running out of reasons to avoid it.

Tyson called to the group that we were done and Keller hurried over, grinning broadly. His curls were damp and in his face, but he seemed quite, quite happy.

"This was fun," he said. "And we had a good turnout. Some Canary members came to play."

"That's good," Tyson agreed. "I hear they had a different sport on the Canary; I'm going to talk to Vertov about making a space for it, and then we'll have more options."

"That's sounds great," Keller agreed. "I think I got everyone's name who was here. We can schedule other events and message them about it. Not as a clique or anything, but we know these people are interested. Maybe we could take a trip to the lake."

"That would be amazing," Lully said, overhearing the conversation. "The more people who use the lake, the more we can justify building there. And I know we have tents from this expedition that will be in storage for a while; we could camp out there for a night. Very few people have seen this planet's sunrises; they are magnificent."

"That's a good idea," Tyson agreed. "Thank you, Lully."

Lully bobbed his head and moved to clap me on the back.

"See you around, sunshine girl," he said.

Lully hadn't called me that in ages. I smiled back at him and then turned to my papa and Tyson.

"Dinner?" I suggested.

"I should get back home," Walsh said. "I have cleaning and such to do; I'm supposed to meet Anatoly after the congress meeting for lunch and I'd like to have the place clean."

"Oh?" I questioned, giving my papa a mischievous smile.

"Stop it, it's just lunch," he said, waving me away. "I'll see you around, Dylan. Merci for inviting me."

"What do you want to do now?" Tyson inquired as people began clearing out. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He didn't have to explain what we'd need to talk about. I groaned.