When Eliot and Jabez came into the feasting hall, they found Pavel already sitting with Dutironomy and Munkustrap. Curled up beside the young technician was the Demeetar look-alike that Jabez had danced with the previous evening. She was introduced as Jemymah, the youngest of Munkustrap's kittens. She had obviously been making friends with Pavel, who, for someone who had been in an engine room fire just two nights ago, was looking remarkably well. All of his bandages were off, revealing the healed pink skin. His eyebrows and the front part of his dark blond hair had not yet started to grow back, but his blue eyes were as bright as ever and he grinned widely as Eliot and Jabez sat down with him.
"Well, you're looking 99% better, Pavel," Eliot commented.
"It is the excellent treatment I get from the lady cats," Pavel returned with a faint Russian accent and a devilish smile.
Dutironomy spoke up, "There is someone I think the three of you should meet. She was not at the feasting last night because she was afraid to meet you, but I have convinced her to come tonight. Jemymah, will you go find Mozu and bring her to us?"
Jemymah jumped up and scampered off.
Eliot watched her go. "Who is Mozu?" he asked.
Dutironomy just smiled and changed the subject, "Munkustrap told me you were working on your space ship today. I hope your repairs are going well."
"Pretty well," Eliot said noncommittally, examining a fresh cut on his hand.
"Admeetus helped a little," Jabez commented.
Eliot stifled a snort. He didn't know how Admeetus had helped Jabez on the underside of the ship; all he remembered of the big Coricat's "help" was that he had gotten too close to something that Eliot was welding, got a spark in his fur, and had to be extinguished. "We'll probably be able to take off in about a week," he concluded. "If all goes well, that is."
"Jesus Christ!" Jabez exclaimed suddenly, looking over Eliot's shoulder. "Is this Mozu?"
Eliot quickly turned to see Jemymah coming back leading a small Terran girl. She was hardly bigger than the tiny Jemymah, with long, straight brown hair pulled away from her face, and she wore a tunic and leggings made of the same dark red material that some of Cazondra's pillows were covered with. Eliot stood up to face her and was secretly pleased to realize that he towered over her. She can't be over 150 cm, he thought. "Well, now I understand what Munkustrap meant about us not being the first of our kind to crash here," he said, looking the little girl up and down. "What's your name, kid?"
"Mozu," she answered quietly.
"Is that your real name?" Eliot asked skeptically.
Mozu lifted her chin in defiance. "It's the name that Munkustrap gave me, and the only one I answer to!" she retorted.
"How old are you, anyway?" Jabez asked as he stood up beside Eliot.
Mozu seemed to shrink a little under the gaze of the tall African native. "I-I'm not sure," she stammered, looking beseechingly at Munkustrap, who had moved silently up behind the two Terran men.
"What do you mean, you're not sure?" Jabez demanded.
"Well, I think I was eight years old when I…first came here," Mozu explained.
"It's been close to eleven full changes of the seasons since then," Munkustrap added.
Eliot and Jabez jumped; they hadn't realized the chief was behind them. He glowered at them meaningfully, but Jabez went ahead and put his foot in his mouth, "Eight and eleven makes you nineteen, but you sure don't look that old. What did these guys do, stunt your growth?"
"We haven't harmed her in any way!" Munkustrap said defensively, coming over and putting a protective arm around the little Terran, who gratefully melted into his arms.
Jabez just harumphed, but Eliot plunged on, "So what happened to the rest of your people? I assume you came here in a space ship. Are the crew still here, or have they been killed off?"
Mozu gave a cry and hid her face in Munkustrap's furry chest. The striped Coricat hissed at her offenders. Pavel jumped up, and grabbing Eliot roughly by the shoulder, growled, "What the hell do you think you're doing, giving her the third degree like this?"
"The space ship Mozu came in crashed here eleven winters ago," Dutironomy said solemnly. They all turned to face him and he continued, "All the others who were in it were killed; Mozu was the only one who lived long enough for Cazondra to help her."
"And out of the goodness of your heart, you adopted the poor little orphan," Eliot said to Munkustrap, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Yes!" snarled Munkustrap, hugging the whimpering Mozu tighter. "What of it?"
"Eliot, please!" Pavel implored his captain. "Please don't start anything here!"
Eliot deflated a little bit. "You're right," he sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me. We were a little out of line. Weren't we, Jabe?" He jabbed his dark-skinned co-pilot in the ribs with his elbow.
"Yeah, I guess," Jabez mumbled.
"Friends?" Eliot stuck out his hand to Mozu.
The Terran girl stared blankly at the outstretched hand for a minute, then a light seemed to come on behind her dark brown eyes. She tentatively extended her own small hand. "Friends," she said with a shy smile.
©1999 Delilah