course, can’t stop worrying about the girls. While she’s rubbing her hands together briskly to get filth caked into her fingerprints, she looks up at Marion. “How have the girls been holding up? I mean, ever since, uh…”
“Since that poor girl slipped into a coma?” Marion finishes for her. “Everyone’s worried about her, of course, but they trust you to look out for us, Varia.”
“Hey, Marion?” she turns her attention to me as I finish lacing up worn shoes about a size too big. “When the woman was cognizant for a few moments, she screamed something about not wanting to go back to a place called Solace. Does that ring any bells with you?”
“Solace?” Marion blinks several times and shakes her head. “I can’t say it does.”
“None of us have ever heard of it, either.” Varia purses her lips and frowns, her eyes clouded with trouble. “But it’s obvious that wherever or whatever it is, she did not want to go back.”
“Wherever or whatever?” Varia turns toward Marion and arches an eyebrow.
“If you think about it, Solace could be a place, or it could be a ship. Or it could be a specific facility on a planet.” Varia shakes her head before rubbing the bridge of her now filthy nose. “God. We have enough to worry about right now without adding this new enigma to the mix.”
I put my hand on her shoulder and squeeze in what I hope is a comforting manner. “I know what you mean. Ever since I heard her mention Solace, I can’t help but wonder if it’s got anything to do with what happened to us. Maybe we were on our way to this Solace, or on our way away from it?” Varia nods but seems unconvinced. “Or maybe it was the delusional rantings of a woman brought too quickly out of cryosleep and had no way of knowing what’s real and what’s a dream. There’s no way to be sure with so little to go on.”
She grins, her teeth startlingly bright while framed by her dirty face. “Come on, let’s stop thinking about this for a bit and go join the boarding party. I can’t wait to see how Solair reacts when he sees us like this.”
We head down to the cargo hold, which also functions as the main egress and ingress to the Queen. Several of the people we pass in the corridor frown in confusion, which I think means our disguises are working, for now.
“Remember, ladies.” Varia takes us each in with her gaze, eyes fierce below her greasy bangs. “It’s important that we don’t act like fugitives. No sneaking around or acting scared. We march right through the port like we belong there because that’s what greaser girls would do.”
“I’m so ready for this.” I can’t help smiling. There’s something liberating about being covered in dirt. It’s been said that the galaxy is superficial, that appearances are vitally important to success. Women especially seem to be under a lot of pressure to look good all the time, and right now that’s the furthest thing from our minds. We can just be, and I guess I’ve always kind of envied the greaser girls for that aspect of their vocation.
I don’t envy the stereotypes they have to put up with—for example, all greaser girls are not masculine types who prefer sleeping with women—but I do find pretending to be one for a while something easy and natural, like putting on old shoes. They might be worn out and shabby looking, but they sure are comfortable.
When we get down to the cargo hold, Solair, Kintar, and Grantian are all clustered in a group next to several empty hover sleds. We stride right up to them, and while they look in our direction, it’s obvious that they don’t recognize us.
Even Grantian peers in my direction without so much as a glimmer of recognition. I think his nostrils flare, as if he’s offended by the aroma of engine oil, but then he’s back to speaking with Solair.
Varia and I exchange glances, trying not to laugh. They have no idea it’s us.
“Excuse me, captain?” Varia speaks in a low, deep tone, disguising her voice. “When are we to depart?”
“Ah…” Solair grins nervously as he tries to recall this “unknown” greaser girl’s name. “That is, we will be touching down on the moon of Kyvos soon, but we are awaiting several more of your number before we depart.”
“I see. And who are we waiting for?’
Solair blinks several times