44

"Do you have your sunscreen?" Hunter asked as Saedii rummaged around in the bag Phee had given her. Outside, another beautiful sunny day awaited her. The water was a perfectly straight line against the horizon, shimmering silver. Calm and flat.

"Yes." Saedii looked over all the things Phee had helped her pack – a dry pair of clothes, towel, visor for the sun, some snacks, and sun protection, of course.

"What about something for your eyes?"

"Yes."

"A towel?"

"Hunter." She held in the laugh that waited in the back of her throat. She was pretty sure he was even more excited about this excursion than she was. "I've planned military campaigns in more than a dozen star systems. I'm sure I know how to pack for a day on the water."

He held up his hands in surrender. "Just trying to help."

From the kitchen, Echo emerged with a massive jug of water. "Here. You'll need this to stay hydrated."

"Right." There was no way in hell she was telling them there would be drinks on board. Echo would blow a fuse.

"The tide appears to be favorable for your excursion," Tech reported dutifully from over the top of his holopad. "Air and water temperatures are in the tropical range, while a slight breeze from the south should keep you cool –"

"Thanks, Tech." Saedii glanced at the time. She was supposed to meet Aren at the dock in twenty minutes.

Echo held out the water again. "Just because you don't feel warm doesn't mean you can't keep hydrated. Remember, you're still recovering from Ipsidon."

Saedii slid the massive jug into her bag. It weighed it down uncomfortably on her shoulder.

"Bring me back some fish!" Wrecker requested.

Tech sighed. "Wrecker, for the last time, this is not a fishing excursion. Casual boating outings are an important part of social custom among Pabu adolescence. Fishing is not part of it."

Wrecker pouted. "Well, she can still bring me back a fish if she gets one."

Next to her, Omega's face was painted white with sunscreen. Hunter had put it on her. Apparently, he was off the opinion that there was no such thing as too much. "Lyana and I are going out on her boat today, too. Maybe we'll see you out there."

"Maybe," Saedii agreed mildly, though she didn't think so. Aren had said that where they were going, not many people knew about.

Crosshair was scowling in the doorway to the living room. "I still think you shouldn't go."

"Cross, he apologized."

"Not enough."

Saedii rolled her eyes good-naturedly. He had been exceedingly protective since they'd escaped Ipsidon. "There will be other people there. I'm not just going with him."

He still seemed unsure. "And what happens if he upsets you again?"

"Then I'll comm you to help me hide the body."

A very anticipated smile took root on his face.

"There aren't going to be any dead bodies on this trip." Phee came downstairs, shooting a look at all the guys that said back off. "All the kids on Pabu go out on their boats. None of them ever come back dead."

"It was just a joke, Phee," Saedii said.

Phee's gaze slid to Crosshair. "Maybe for you."

Crosshair's smile widened.

"You're all worse than my parents were. Just let her go. She'll be fine." Phee drew Saedii towards the front door.

Omega and Wrecker both waved as Phee escorted Saedii out the door. Hunter called out one last, "Have fun," before Phee shut the door behind them, cutting off the Batch and their hovering.

Saedii laughed. "Thanks, Phee."

"Sure thing. Those boys sure can be protective, huh?"

That seemed to be an understatement.

Phee walked her down the path, towards the main road. Once they were out of sight of her house, her hand tightened on Saedii's arm and she drew her to a sharp stop.

"Now that we're out of earshot," Phee began quietly, "You and I are going to have a talk."

A couple walked by, arm-in-arm. They smiled at Phee, who gave a very brief nod in return, though her attention remained on Saedii. She seemed more serious than usual.

"I know what happens on these boating trips," Phee said. Saedii had never heard her sound so stern before.

"I don't know what you mean." Saedii tried for innocence.

Phee saw right through it. "If you're going to be drinking, promise me that you won't do anything stupid. No using your Jedi powers. No driving any boats. No fooling around. Got it?"

"Phee –"

"I'm serious, Saedii."

Down the lane, a couple of moon-yos scampered into the road. One had a bright green fruit in its hand, while the others chased after for a piece. Beyond them, so close, was the ocean. Waiting.

A low sigh wound from Saedii's chest. "Do these boating trips usually involve so many lectures?"

One of Phee's eyebrows rose. She waited.

"Fine," Saedii said. "I promise."

"Good. Call for me if you need me."

Impatient, Saedii took a step down the lane. Towards the docks. "Can I go now? I'm going to be late."

Warmth danced in Phee's amber eyes. She patted Saedii gently on the back. "Be safe. Get in some trouble, but not too much. And enjoy yourself. You're only young once."

Late and in a hurry, Saedii ran down the main road, passing by the market and the lines of people pressing in to do their shopping. The bakery already had a large crowd of people waiting in front, and so did the caff shop. The patrons sitting outside at the tables and chairs watched her impassively as she ran past them, towards the water.

The docks were nearly empty at this time in the morning. Most of the other boats left early with the tide. Looking for fish. There was only one boat moored, all the way at the end.

Aren was waiting behind the wheel, face turned towards the water. He'd pulled his hair back with a strip of leather today and had on a very lose white shirt with the sleeves pushed up. It was a relaxed sort of look.

At the sound of her footsteps, Aren turned and smiled at her. "I was starting to think you were standing us up."

"Not this time," Saedii teased.

He held out a hand and helped her into the boat. It wasn't a large vessel – no more than twenty feet long and with a small covered section at the center that housed the helm. The front was flat and long, low to the water, while the back was no more than a divot lined with cushions. A metal crate sat on the floor there.

"Good afternoon, Master Jedi," a rusty, boxy droid said, standing by the helm.

"Uh, hello." Saedii had never seen such a droid before. It had a long green visor for eyes and two arms like a person.

"That's TX9," Aren introduced. "My navigator droid. He'll drive us home after. Since I want to have a few drinks, I figured we'd be safe."

TX9 bobbed his head in assent. "You are in good hands with me."

Well, at least she was fulfilling her promise to Phee. With TX9 here, she wouldn't be driving the boat.

"I got you an iced caff." Aren reached into the crate, pulling out two iced jars of caff and some chilled buns. He handed one to her. "I hope I ordered what you like. Auntie Phee told me what you ordered yesterday."

It was a sweet gesture. A peace offering in a way.

"It's perfect. Thank you." Saedii set her bag down beside the crate. Inside, she noticed, were mounds of ice and a few containers of sandwiches and fruit.

Aren turned the seat around beside the captain's chair. "You can sit here, if you want. Or on the bow. We should have some nice views of the reefs as we sail out to the cove."

Saedii took the seat beside his.

The boat's engine gave a deep chugging sound as it switched on. Fascinated, Saedii watched as the boat slowly pushed back from the dock, slowing edging into the deeper water of the harbor.

"Have you ever been on a boat before?" Aren called over the loud rumble of the engine.

"No," Saedii called back, eyes on the deep water that sat only inches away from her. Little flashes of fish appeared just beneath the keel.

"It's a bit different than a space craft. Make sure to hold onto your drink!"

She did as he said as the boat crept out of the mouth of the harbor. Once they made it to the open sea, Aren pushed down on a lever beside him and the boat rocketed forward.

It was very different than riding in a space ship. Space crafts were smooth and often silent, except for the low hum of the hyperspace drive. But the boat was loud and bumpy, bouncing off of the low waves that rolled over the ocean before them. Wind rushed against Saedii's face, heavy with sea mist and the smell of brine.

Beneath the boat, deep and shallow water flashed past in a wash of blue – dark and light and everything in between. It bore resemblance to hyperspace flashing past the windows, but this time, the colors weren't glimpses of passing stars and planets, but of coral reefs and trenches.

They went straight out into the sea, cutting through open water as easily as the Marauder cut through space. They went so far that, soon, the island of Pabu disappeared behind them. Nothing but long expanse of water to either horizon.

As soon as the island disappeared into the distance, another appeared up ahead – a much smaller, uneven one shaped in a half circle. A small crescent of silvery sand rimmed the inside, cradling a pocket of turquoise shallows.

Several boats were already bobbing on top of the water when they arrived. Tied together with thick rope, they appeared strangely similar to a fleet of ships waiting in a row.

"Finally!" someone bellowed. From the bow of the closest boat, Dyron appeared, clad in a dark green bathing suit and with metal cup in hand. He waved at them as Aren cut the engine and drew the boat in nearer.

From quick glance, there were more than a dozen people there. All close in age to Saedii. It was a mix of different species from human to Mirilan to even a Selkath. A few of them eyed Saedii curiously as Aren tossed a rope over to Dyron, tying their boats together.

Music was playing – a song or style that Saedii had never heard before. A few girls on one of the other boats were dancing and giggling. Waiting patiently by the helms, other navigator droids similar to TX9 chatted to each other about the tides, gesturing down at the current under the boats.

"You guys made it!" Inis jumped over onto their boat. Her dark hair was down today, spilling over her shoulders, and she had on a vibrant blue bathing suit. In one hand, a metal drink was sweating in the sun, while in the other, an oxygen converter hung from her fingers. "Perfect timing too! A group of us were just getting ready to go for a dive!"

Dyron clamored over into their boat as well. He snapped to attention. "Permission to come aboard, General?"

"Please tell me you're not going to do that all day," Aren bemoaned, lightly shoving his shoulder.

"Just showing my proper respect."

Inis gave a little shake of her head. "Ignore him. Can I get you a drink, Saedii?"

"Sure." A drink sounded nice. Especially in this heat.

As Inis turned to get Saedii some ergas, Saedii pulled off the dress that Phee had given her yesterday. A plain grey bathing suit waited underneath, the same color as a gunship. Nothing fancy.

Aren and Dyron were staring at her when she turned around. A flush worked up her cheeks until she realized they were looking at the fresh scar by her ribcage. Where the surgery pod had reinflated her lung.

"What happened?" Aren asked.

Saedii touched the scar. It was still a bit tender, but thanks to the bacta spray she'd been using, it was mostly healed. "I blew up some ipsium during a lightning storm. By accident, of course."

"Sick!" Dyron enthused.

Aren's lips were tight. The Force was agitated around him – worry and remorse braiding together to prick at Saedii's skin like barbs.

"I'm alright," Saedii insisted. "It was just a little explosion."

The tension around Aren's mouth softened. He smiled. "Just a little one, huh?"

She tapped her metal arm. The sound pealed. "I've had worse."

Inis returned then with a can of ergas. She slipped it into Saedii's hand, where it felt sharply cold against the humid air. "You like to swim, don't you, Saedii?"

"Sure." Swimming had never been anything she'd enjoyed. It had been a skill that she'd learned to survive. But the past few days on Pabu had shown her that swimming could be more than just saving her life.

"Have you ever been diving before?"

Brief memories of swimming through a long, pitch-black tunnel on the volatile world of Ereloi came to her then. Of scaled monsters snapping for them in the dark as Saedii and Plo led the 104th to a weak point in a Separatist strong hold. As the water erupted with blaster fire and sizzled in the heat of their lightsabers.

"Once or twice," she said, offhand.

Inis handed her an oxygen converter. "We're going to explore the reef here. There's usually a bunch of fish. If we're lucky, we might even see a rekki!"

At Saedii's look of puzzlement, Aren explained, "It's a predatory fish that hunts in the reef. They're really beautiful – all white and blue."

"Are they dangerous?"

"Usually." Inis adjusted the oxygen converter onto her face. When she spoke next, her voice had an echo to it. "But not when we have a Jedi with us."

Aren leaned in close, teasing, "It should be a bit safer than blowing up ipsium."

"We'll see." Inis jumped off the side of the boat, diving down deep into the water. A few others from the nearby boats jumped in after her. From the surface, their forms shimmered as they swam down towards the coral reefs below.

Aren and Saedii put on their converters and joined the others in the water.