the screen and it came to life. It was exactly like the one she’d had to leave back home, but she couldn’t access her account on this one, which sucked. Maybe she could make a fake account and still get in a back way…
“If you need to get ahold of me while I’m gone, use this.” He showed her the Minecorp communication app and the Fever Brothers tab. “This is our crew link. It will directly alert me if you need me, and if it can’t reach me it will begin pinging my brothers. You will be able to get ahold of someone.”
“Oh thank you.”
“We want to be sure that you can still get in touch with us,” Chief said.
“Yes. And don’t answer the door while we’re gone,” Scar told her. “Don’t talk to anyone but us. We don’t know who your enemies are and how to protect you from them. But the compound’s security is excellent. If you stay inside, don’t communicate with anyone and keep the tablet close, you’ll be perfectly safe.”
“Thank you. I promise, I won’t answer the door.”
“Remember, whatever you do to the inside of the compound is fine,” Chief said, “but the outside must remain the same. The council must always think we’re living in the worst crew quarters on the colony, so they think our punishment is being carried out. That’s how we’ve managed to keep them out of our affairs.”
“Yes. I understand.”
And they’d all moved to the front door and were all standing in line, ready to leave. All of them in their mining gear. She could see the occasional flash of personal crystals that they were either holding or pocketing. Tools, helmets and blasters were attached to their belts. They looked very imposing and ready for work.
She was so very proud of these Illibrium miners. They all looked so fresh and ready for work…and she was standing there in wrinkled clothes she’d slept in, dirty hair, morning breath and kitten slippers.
And yet Zayzon still pulled her into his arms and gave her a tight goodbye hug. “We’ll be back in the evening for dinner. The tablet will alert you and let you know when we’re leaving. It will even show you where I am in real time on a map.”
He was basically allowing her to stalk him. And it was all his idea. Was it crazy that she loved this?
And then they left. Zayzon was the last to go. He turned and gave her a lingering look and then strode out the door. Lila watched through the front window as they all walked off. She felt sad and elated at the same time at their departure. She missed that huge miner already.
She picked up Max and they went back to the cleansing unit in Zayzon’s room. She set the bot down and got herself cleaned up. She washed her one and only Xylan outfit and put it back on along with her red shoes. Then she puttered around his room. The bed was made. She hung up her pink pajamas and found a home for her slippers inside of Zayzon’s cabinet. Then she began picking up dusty objects off the floor, trying to find a home for each item.
It was amazing that the brothers had left her there with all of their possessions. She knew she’d never go into any of their rooms, but how did they really know that? If she were a different type of being, she’d try to break in and take things. It was intimidating how much all of them trusted her, especially Zayzon.
Lila glanced around, pleased with what she’d already accomplished. It already looked so much better. Just in the short time she’d been there with Zayzon she’d steadily picked up bit by bit. He’d be in the cleansing unit or getting dressed and she’d be putting something away. There already wasn’t anything on the floor.
She loved, loved organizing. She’d always been that way. She loved nothing more than tackling a messy closet. Every part of her mansion back home was perfectly organized without an object out of place. She couldn’t even relax or sit still if there was a mess nearby.
And she was truly grateful to have something to do in order to keep her mind of all her worries. There were so many things she could be freaking out over, if she allowed herself. But instead she focused on the work.
Zayzon’s room wasn’t perfect yet, by any means, but it would do for now. Time