Page 42 of Tarek

My data pad chimed.

"Do you like the room, Darren?" Xero asked through the speaker.

I looked around, taking in the pale wood, the comfortable seating, the two bedrooms, and the kitchenette. "I do. It's spacious enough for all of us, and the boys already seem to think it's the best place they've ever stayed."

"An excellent outcome. I have received confirmation that your onward arrangements are proceeding as planned."

I leaned back against the pillows. "And Tarek?"

"He will join the Alliance transport you will all be on for the second leg of your journey, at the designated space station in two days. The vessel will collect him and Vrann before continuing to New Haven. The journey from the station to the colony will take approximately two days."

I sat up a little. "Vrann? Who is he?"

"Vrann is a child whom a couple on New Haven, Thalen and Evan, are in the process of adopting. Their arrangements require him to be brought to New Haven, and Tarek has agreed to accompany him on the journey and take responsibility for his care during the trip. I will be available to assist them remotely, but you and Tarek will be the adults traveling with him after his social worker hands him off at the pick up station."

I took that in, trying to fit the information into what I already knew about the colony and the people I'd yet to meet. "So we’re going to be looking after a child for two days before we even get to New Haven?"

"That is correct. The social worker deemed the presence of both the colony deputy and sheriff sufficient as official travel guardians, so he could return to his own home."

“I see.” I felt a small, familiar anticipatory flutter in my stomach at the mention of Tarek. I still hadn't met him in person nor seen what he looked like, and I was doing my best not to build up a picture of him in my head before we had a chance to get to know one another. But knowing he would soon be in front of me and the two of us carrying out our first colony assignment made the whole thing seem even more real than it already did.

"All right," I said. "Two days. I can manage two days with an extra kid."

"Of course you can. In the meantime, I recommend you explore the leisure deck, get some food, and allow the children to become familiar with their surroundings. You have had a considerable amount of change to process, and there is no need to rush."

I glanced toward the boys, who were now debating which of them would get the first turn choosing what to do on the leisure deck. Laura had settled again, and Skye was watching me with the patient expectation of a dog who knew a walk was inevitable.

"That sounds like a good plan," I admitted.

"I thought you might agree. I have also made sure the leisure deck staff know you have a dog traveling with you, so there should be no difficulty finding an appropriate area for Skye."

"You're a star, Xero."

"I know."

I laughed, and for a moment, the sound came easily. I looked around the suite, at my children's cases, Laura's crib, and Skye stretched out on the floor. Our new life was still strange and uncertain, but we had made it this far, and we were together.

"Come on, everyone," I called, standing up. "Let's go find that grass."

Matt cheered, Evan picked up his Hot Wheels case, and Skye sprang to her feet as if she'd understood every word. I picked up Laura, settled her into the stroller, and checked that we had everything we needed before heading for the door.

The leisure deck was even more impressive than Veylan had made it sound. There was real grass underfoot, trees scattered along winding paths, and open areas where children could run and play. Above us, a simulated sky gave the space a sense of openness that made it easy to forget we were inside a ship. A gentle breeze moved through the trees, and the whole place felt more like a park than part of a spacecraft. Pedestrian thoroughfares lined the outside of the park, with restaurants, cafes, and shops thronged with people, many of them enjoying their repasts in “outdoor” seating. I spotted a movie theater, a small supermarket, and the thrift store that Nick must have gone to, as well. It was like a really nice downtown area of a small city, which I guess it really kind of was.

Evan and Matt were off exploring almost as soon as we'd arrived, although I kept them within sight. Skye was delighted by the grass and immediately set about sniffing every tree and patch of ground she could reach. I found a place to park Laura's stroller where I could keep an eye on all three children, then took a moment to breathe in the cool, fresh air.

A little farther along, I spotted Nick with two boys who looked to be around Evan and Matt's ages. A golden retriever and a mixed breed dog of some sort was investigating a nearby tree, while a woman kept a watchful eye on the children. She looked up as we approached, smiling when Nick waved us over.

"Darren! Glad you made it down." Nick gestured toward the woman. "This is Sarah Bennett. Sarah, this is Darren Brooks, the new deputy heading to New Haven, and his children Evan, Matt, and Laura."

Sarah greeted me warmly, then crouched to say hello to the boys, who were now apparently convinced that every adult aboard the ship had some exciting secret waiting to be discovered.

"Are you enjoying the journey so far?" she asked.

"It's been amazing," Evan replied. "We saw the whole Earth!"

"That sounds wonderful. It was really something, huh?"

Matt looked up at her. "Are you going to live on New Haven too?"