The Stars Blue Yonder by Sandra McDonald Page A

along anyway. There was a Roon. In Providence. Did you know about that? Is that in your historical records?”
    â€œA Roon?” Homer squeaked out. “What do you mean?”
    A knock on the hatch disturbed them. Myell stepped out of bed and slid his hand over the latch. Jodenny was outside, still in her uniform, looking tired.
    â€œIs everything okay?” she asked, her voice low enough not to carry to the kids’ room. “I heard you talking to someone.”
    Myell turned, but Homer was already gone.
    â€œIt was nothing,” he said. “What time is it?”
    â€œAlmost oh-three-hundred.”
    Too early for the blue ring to show up, then. He still had a few hours. He turned into the cabin’s small head and splashed cold water on his face. A merciful world would have provided some aspirin in the cabinet but the shelves were empty. Maybe someone thought he’d do something dangerous with it. But Sam Osherman was the dangerous one, him and that goddamned whiskey. He settled for swallowing cold water from his cupped hand. The sharpness made him cough, and he rubbed his chest.
    He emerged from the head hoping that Jodenny had left, but she was sitting in the chair by the bed. She had turned the lights on, low.
    â€œI’m really tired, Lieutenant,” Myell said.
    She didn’t budge. “Who’s Homer? You were talking to him. And you mentioned him earlier.”
    â€œI talk in my sleep. He’s just someone I worked with once.”
    She didn’t look like she believed him.
    He tried to look innocent and sincere.
    â€œTell me about the academy,” Jodenny finally said. “You’ve traveled in time and met me there?”
    Myell sat on the edge of the mattress. He didn’t know why he expected this Jodenny to be any less stubborn than the other ones. “It’s not important.”
    â€œIt’s important to me.”
    He was careful with his words. “You were younger than now, but not by much. You were happy, I guess. You liked being in the academy. Liked the rules and camaraderie.”
    â€œThat’s not very specific.”
    He met her gaze squarely. “Your hair was short. Only came down to your shoulders. You were skinnier than you are now. Maybe a size smaller.”
    The tips of her ears turned red. “That’s all?”
    Myell coughed. “You kissed him.”
    Jodenny leaned back in her chair. Myell listened to the ever-present hum of the ship. His hangover was getting worse, not better. His head hurt with a steady throb and his chest was getting tighter. But it was the memory of her kissing Richi Miller in the alley that still stung, even though it had been several eddies since he’d seen it happen.
    â€œYou’re jealous,” she said.
    He didn’t deny it.
    â€œDid you introduce yourself? Did we talk?”
    â€œWe talked.” Another cough pushed out of his chest. “You weren’t very—”
    He stopped then, appalled, and rose off the bed. “It’s coming. Get the kids.”
    â€œWhat’s coming?” Jodenny stood as well. “It’s three in the morning—”
    Myell pushed past her to Twig and Kyle’s room. The hatch slid open under his approach. “Kids, get up, wake up.”
    Jodenny, following, grasped his arm. “What’s wrong?”
    The lights flared up. Kyle grimaced and Twig said, “Nana?”
    â€œIt’s all right.” Jodenny scooped Twig up in her arms. “Nothing’s going to happen.”
    Myell tugged Kyle from bed. “The ouroboros. It’s coming for us. Hold on tight and don’t let go, okay?”
    â€œBut I don’t want to go,” Twig said in Jodenny’s arms. “I want to stay here!”
    Osherman appeared at the hatch with a security tech behind him. “What’s going on?”
    â€œIt’s early,” Myell’s breath was a painful wheeze now. “It’s coming