Parador (Juggernaut #2)

Thirty

I know I've asked you this already, but are you sure you're all friends?' said Jayce.

'She's having a bad day, that's all,' said Malachi. 'Right, Ellie?'

Jayce picked up three of the olives on the table, destroying the star map and leaving behind an oily stain. 'She's making everyone have a bad day.'

'Is she always like this?' said Christine.

'Yes,' said Ellie, glaring at Malachi.

Malachi emptied his glass again. 'Give her a break Ellie. You know what she's been through. There's a chance her father is still alive. All she wants is the truth.'

'She doesn't have to be so mean.'

'I can't work miracles. That's just who she is. We can't all be as happy as you, El.'

'What makes you think I'm happy about this? We were all friends yesterday, now you and I are arguing and Tila's walked off.'

'I'm not arguing.'

'Yes, you are!'

Jayce and his companions looked at each other, unsure what to do. Jayce shrugged at Christine. Christine looked to Mehmet for guidance, but he just raised his eyebrows at Coral, who looked to Jayce, who was by now looking at Ellie instead.

Coral cleared her throat and searched for a distraction. 'How did the three of you become friends?'

'You mean why?' said Jayce. Christine slapped his knee. 'Hey!'

Malachi stretched back in his chair and sipped from a fresh glass.

'Tila and Ellie were already friends when I arrived on the Juggernaut. They met when Ellie was trying to talk her way into a racing for one of the gangs.'

'How long ago was this?' said Christine.

'I think Ellie was twelve at the time.'

Christine covered her mouth, shocked. 'You started racing at twelve?'

'No, I started at ten,' said Ellie. 'I sneaked into a gang race at twelve and, well, I had a little accident.'

'Little?' said Malachi.

Ellie waved away the distinction. 'Details, Malachi, details. Alright, a big accident. I crashed, and I couldn't fix the damage. They wanted me to race for them as compensation. I said no and ran away through the docks. A refugee ship had just arrived, so I thought I could hide in the crowds.

'Did they chase you?' said Christine, eyes wide.

'Only until I bumped into a girl who had just arrived.' Ellie couldn't help but smile as the memory replayed itself in her mind.

'Tila?' said Jayce.

'Yes, it was Tila,' said Christine, shaking her head. 'Then what happened?'

'She was annoyed I had bumped into her.'

'Tila annoyed? No way!' said Jayce. He reached for the last olive.

'You crashed into her,' said Malachi

Ellie grabbed the olive before Jayce could eat it and threw it at Malachi. 'But when she saw I was in trouble she stopped to help me.'

'How many were chasing you?' said Jayce.

'Only four,' said Malachi.

'Are you telling this story or am I?' said Ellie.

'Only one of us is telling it right,' said Malachi, and took another sip.

Ellie continued, 'Anyway, there were four of them, but she um, persuaded them to stop chasing me.'

'She fought them? All four of them?' said Christine, who was now on the edge of her seat.'

Ellie started to nod, then shook her head, sending her blonde hair flying. 'No, only three. The last one tried to run away.'

'Tried?'

'She chased him, and took his racer, the one I crashed.'

'She beat up three people the day she arrived? She sure knows how to make an entrance,' said Jayce.

'She was helping someone in need, Jayce,' said Christine.

'Yeah, but do you think she ever helps anyone without a fight?'

'She does what has to be done.'

'Maybe she just plays to her strengths,' Jayce mused.

'Like you do?' said Christine. 'What, exactly, are your strengths, Jayce?'

'I'm a lover, not a fighter,' he replied. Ellie giggled.

Christine patted his hand. 'Well just so long as you believe that,' she said. She wagged a finger between Ellie and Malachi. 'So how did you two meet?'

Malachi put down his glass and grinned. 'Making friends with Ellie is easy, you just have to help her go faster. Besides, who do you think fixed her ship?'

* * * * *

As soon as she was out of sight of the table, Tila turned away from the path and headed deeper into the garden. To her right the old brick wall stretched away into the night. Behind her, the house faded into the darkness apart from pools of light thrown against the walls from lamps concealed in the flower beds. A handful of lights burned on the upper levels through square windows framed with heavy fabric. But in front of her was only the garden - dark, cool, green, and most importantly, private.

And yet, still not private enough. Somewhere ahead there were voices. Male, coarse and raucous. Late guests for the party, no doubt. There must be another garage ahead, she reasoned. It wouldn't surprise her: a house this big needs two garages.

The voices were closer now, and suddenly disappointingly familiar.

Tila realised that with the lights of the house and party behind her, her silhouette would be easily spotted by someone approaching the house. She quietly left the path and hid behind a nearby tree.

As she waited, Tila unconsciously stroked her fingers over the gnarled bark. The roughness of a living plant like this was almost no more than a memory from a life given up for the smooth artificiality of space a long time ago.

Then Blake, Kian, and his hangers-on strode into view. From Tila's hiding place they were lit up only for a moment. As they passed, and walked away from her, they became shadows looming toward the house, and her friends.

And not for the last time that night, Tila wished she still had her staff.