Chapter 70

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I was laying on my couch while reading when Starsong asked, "Do you want me to let Cynthia in?"

It didn't surprise me that Cynthia decided to come find me tonight. It was getting pretty late, but she had probably guessed that I was still awake. "Sure."

The door slid open, and Cynthia just stared in at me with a dumbfounded expression. "I didn't even press the door chime yet..."

I tapped my screen to save my spot in my ebook and sat up. "Starsong knew you were coming to see me."

"Oh..."

She seemed surprised, and I wasn't sure how she kept forgetting Starsong monitored everything that happened on the ship. She shook her head to gather her scattered thoughts as she walked in. She flopped down on the chair as she looked at me, unsure of how to start.

I decided to help her break the ice. "How are you holding up?"

She slumped down in her chair as she replied, "I still feel shaken up. Nothing too bad, but I still can't fall asleep."

She could have asked for sleeping pills from the Medical Bay, but I knew such medication didn't agree with her. "Sorry. I wasn't aware that the Deviant Monitoring Group was even on this planet. It didn't occur to me that they would hold one of the crew hostage either."

She sat up straighter. "It wasn't your fault! You didn't do anything wrong, so don't blame yourself. I am just worried that someone else might try a similar tactic..."

I responded calmly, "I know it isn't my fault for them showing up. I am sorry that I wasn't more prepared. We knew someone would show up one day. Starsong and I already have some ideas for preventing something like this in the future. Tomorrow, all of the crew will be getting new communication devices that happen to have forceshields as well as some other defensive abilities."

She blinked several times in shock. "Really?"

"Yes. My communication device has had such capabilities all along. Ronan and the Officers also have special communication devices. We didn't realize that all of the crew members were also going to require such precautions."

She sagged back into the chair in stunned relief. "Wow. That will make a huge difference... Even just knowing that detail is a relief..."

She gazed at the ceiling as she absorbed that knowledge. She sighed as she relaxed and closed her eyes. I waited for her to ask about our other plans, but a soft snore told me a different story.

I smiled softly as I quietly got up to fetch a blanket. I carefully draped it over her and turned off the lights before retreating to my room. It was late, and I was usually asleep by now, so I decided to head to bed and hope that sleep would come as easily for me as it had for Cynthia.


       I scratched my head sleepily as I regarded the snoring woman on my couch. I had halfway expected Cynthia to wake during the night and head back to her room, but, apparently, she had just moved to the couch instead.

I shook my head as I turned the main lights on and walked over to her. I was pretty sure I knew how to get her to rectify her oversight... I reached out and yanked the blanket off of her. "Rise and shine."

Cynthia groaned as the warm blanket disappeared, and she pulled the decorative pillow over her head to block out the light above. "It can't be morning already..."

I had already discussed this with Starsong. "Well, it is. Luckily for you, you get a half day off after our adventure yesterday, but you have to go to your room if you want to sleep."

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