“Nothing to declare?”
    Bored wasn't the word for the pre-boarding custom's monitor, who randomly opened the luggage in front of her; some she touched lightly with a wand, some she merely stared at an array of instruments in front of her, and some she inspected minutely.
    Kamele's went through without a question.  She nodded toward Theo and moved  to the slideway to the boarding lounge as her luggage went elsewhere.
     Crowley's stuff got moderate attention --
    “Shielding on  this, sir?”
    “Vacuum and particle safe,” he admitted, raising his hands. “It's been with me since my first trip to high camp when I was an undergraduate. We ...”
    She was bored again, used the wand and something else, passed it on...
    “Nothing to declare?”
    A pause.
    “Nothing to declare, pilot?”
    That word grabbed Theo's attention – she hadn't realized Crowley's luggage was through already; she'd been busy looking through the glass walls toward the duty-free shops. Now that she was alert, there was Crowley, up to the the passenger zone.
    “Nothing.”
    The woman sniffed, looked at the machine.
    “Please open.”
    Theo raised her glance to the ceiling and sighed.
    “The job must get done,” the woman said, almost daring a reply...
    Theo worked the dual combo and opened the duffel, the woman spread it half open on the counter and wanded it. When the wand beeped she looked not at all startled, but reached into the neatly rolled and folded clothes, casually dislodging the bowli ball and pulling out --
    The ID she'd gotten on Melchiza.
    The woman waved the green-stripped card, waggling it her in emphasis. 
    “This you should carry with with you while on Melchiza or related territory. The station is related territory and you should wear it, vacation or not. It admits you to appropriate places... and I would not have bothered your luggage if you would have properly worn it, or at least carried it.”
    The monitor reached into a bin below Theo's sight and pulled out a grab pad, pulling the activation cover and slapping the card on it... and held it in her direction.
    “Place above belt, in front of the pocket. Preferably on the right side.  If you would be so kind.”
    Theo tested the grip: it held, put would peel if needed. She slapped it on the jacket then grimaced when she saw how crooked it was, so she peeled it and reset it.
    By then the monitor was gesturing toward her bag: miming that the bag could be sealed now.
    “You may enter the passenger lounge at will, pilot. The Pilot's lounge on level three is reserved for active pilots just in or out, and their guests, please don't strain the regs. Have a good trip.  You have time for lunch before general boarding.”
    “Anything to declare?”....
   
   
    Theo shook head briefly, trying to get her hair out of her eyes.  Something about the change in pressure in the glass airlocks, or maybe it was the change in air source. The breeze had been sudden and cold; likely it was used to help keep the grounder dirt and bugs someplace other than in the station's air supply.
    Now that she could see. She was faced with display chronometers keeping a dozen times, with Melchiza time where Standard time was usually featured.
    For this display there were also the times of incoming and outgoing ships; the familiar  Vashtara comfortably listed right next to Melchiza. The indicator said it was in station and still debarking passengers to other lounges. 
    They'd board at what was close enough to lunch time for Theo to consider where she wanted to eat ... though that, of course, would depend somewhat on Hafley or even Clyburn, since so many of their meals were dependent on the whims of the chair.   
    Theo saw Kamele settling in at a news-pad, just as if she were at sitting home, or waiting for tea at the cafeteria...
    Crowley acknowledged her approach with a wave – he was sitting at the end of a row of well-worn seats, negligently watching, and he patted a seat for her.
    Well, no. Theo turned about: he had a view of the incoming passengers as well as a view of the first row of the duty-free shops. Perhaps he was being advertent, after all. Maybe he was waiting for Hafley and Clyburn. No fun for Clyburn, that, since there were a half-dozen gravity shifts getting to this section of the station from the shuttle point.
    Instead of joining Crowley Theo shook her head and muttered a quick “No thanks, I need to talk to Kamele.”
    Kamele was absorbed.
    Theo waited, standing near Kamele for some moments before her mother looked up. In the interim she watched the people, looking for people she'd met before. Not that Win Ton would come by --
    “Theo, you might just as well sit here while we wait for the others.”
    The gesture came before the words as she pointed toward the shops beckoning through the glass.
    “I thought I'd walk the duty-free for awhile.  We're going to sitting for awhile once we get on board, won't we?”
    Kamele sighed, glancing in the direction Theo pointed.
    “You're right,” she said, “it'll take the ship awhile to be away from port. But don't be long. I want you here when the 10 click warning sounds!”
    Theo managed to suppress the eyes-to-ceiling routine, and nodded gratefully, signing will comply before selecting her way out to the shopping concourse.

   
    A tour of the concourse convinced her of the use of advertency.  Some of the things the shops were selling were just ordinary things: gloss for lips, cleansers, basic clothes, exactly the kinds of things everybody could buy at home or on-world.  To buy them here was absurdly expensive, bordering on  --
    Hold on! Going into a blank-walled shop was Phobai!
    Theo quickly crossed the line of awkward foot traffic, hoping Phobai would remember her ...
    The clerk at the door seemed inclined to stop Theo, and then, seeing the badge, shrugged her shoulders.
    Theo saw Phobai at the end of the aisle and ...
    Oh. Wow.
    Around her were a mix of display screens and manikins, the manikins dancing – writhing in some cases! -- while showing off ... lingerie meant to display.  The intermix of manikins could hardly be accidental and the display screens ...
    “Theo!”
    Phobai was next to her, wearing a big grin and holding lacy see-through something.
    Theo managed a signed  I am here and the clerk spoke up.
    “I don't have a problem, do I?”
    Phobai laughed, and put her arms around Theo in a sudden hug. Theo hadn't quite recalled Phobai's height advantage and she found herself nearly engulfed before she was freed just as suddenly.
    “Oh my, no. There is no problem. You know how Liadens are – they all look like kids. But we hadn't expected to see each other so soon since she had to go on-world!”
    Phobai, however, was patting at Theo's pocket – no, her badge.
    “See?”
    The clerk huffed mightily, finishing up with the all encompassing “Pilots!”
    Silly ground-walker was the stealthily offered sign, and then  three moments join you.
    Theo nodded, followed vaguely along as the pilot made several rapid choices. At one point Phobai turned a quick eye to Theo, as if measuring her from toe to top, and then hummed...
    Theo was entranced with a display showing the guaranteed effect of a particular product, with the flashing notation “Not To Be Transported To The Surface of Melchiza.”
    Phobai touched her hand, smiling.
    “Tourist stuff, hon. You want real vya, talk to a pilot! Let's go talk, but quick, I'm for Vashtar as soon as the gate opens!”
   
    They sat calmly at a tiny table, sipping tea. It was quite a nice tea, all things considered, but Theo hardly noticed, so busy were her eyes and hands. The room, the pilots lounge,  was busy, and though not silent it was amazingly quiet as around them dozens of conversations were in progress, with the occasional laugh or snort or clink of drink glasses a comforting counter-point to the flutter of hands and the whispers. From time to time an all-call would say the name of a ship, or a color, and say something with numbers or letters, or ask for a person by name.
    Like Theo, many of the occupants were half looking at their own companions, and half or more watching the scene just above the horizon – for one wall was glass, the top overseeing near-space, with ships moving in slow motion and the small tugs darting about and the Melchiza a purple-blue crescent, while the bottom of the window overlooked the walkways leading to the commercial docking bays and private ships.   
    “I can't go in there!” Theo had insisted when Phobai pulled her that way, but she'd really wanted to go in, after all, and Phobai had pulled out a license card – First Class! And waved it under nose.
    “Two guests I get with this card, lady, and since I'm by myself otherwise, you qualify. You'll get the best view in Melchiza system – the view of the way out!”
    And that was that, after all.    
    “So, my pretty,” said Phobai, leaning in, drawing her eye away from the overhanging bulk that must be Vashtar “for you, a gift!”
    Hands moved,  producing a small package from some inner pocket. She handed it to Theo with an insistent nod of the head.  “Blue will do nicely, if you should find someone you wish to take it off for you...”
    Theo began protesting
    “I'm really not ...”
    “Silly. You will, I bet.  You've got good genes, you move good, you're competent... And if it's any help to you, I have a set like this is in pale purple, which Cordrey can spend hours taking off of me. A disconcerting grin and shiver accompanied Phobai's half wiggle. The grin got bigger after she sipped her tea -- “Maybe we can show you sometime!”
    Theo sputtered despite herself, and could feel the heat in her face again. “I shouldn't just take a gift..”
“Ah, lessons still to be learned, I see.  Gifts are accepted. Please.  And...”
    Theo tried to push the package back, a portion of her mind trying to recall which display the pilot had been in front of when she'd looked at Theo like...
    “No, listen,” said the pilot, “I'm not in pursuit. Cordrey's on the wrong shift right now but I just had to get something to tease him with. He got himself some extra-time filling in for a shift-leader, so I'll have to make do with dancing for awhile.”
    The pilot sipped, suddenly smiled. “Hey, that leaves a gap in the line for menfria't – if you want to join in.”
    Theo pocketed the package helplessly.
    “If our schedules match,” Theo nodded, I'd love to. And I need to tell you...”
    She had Phobai's attention about her visit with the Captain, which she tried to talk about without mention the rest of her party or their purpose. Really, it had been about her, anyway...
    Far below, the commercial zone walkway went through waves of business. One set of walkers kept drawing her.  A pilot, pulling luggage or last-minute stores, was walking slowly with someone else. Perhaps it was a passenger, but not another pilot. Her hair looked askew, even at this distance, and her steps uncertain.
    Phobai touched her hand as the voice spoke in the background--
    “Announcement – returning staff for Vashtar!
    The pilot stood, signed  Tomorrow talk, and was gesturing for her guest to follow when “General boarding Vashtar, passenger lounges fourteen through nineteen.” was announced.
    Two levels down!
    Theo signed  Gone, and went.

    If Crowley stood patiently watching others file past; Kamele's look was something else.
    “Where have you been – get in line.”
    Kamele, they won't leave until the lounge is empty!”
    “They won't wait if you're late!”
    Theo saw the anxiety, used a quiet voice:
    “Their still loading crew, too. We're not late yet. They haven't even given a launch lecture yet, and there's always ten minutes of door-seal protocol and ...”
    Kamele looked at her hard, took a deep breath.
    “You're right.  I agree. I was worried anyway.”
    Theo bowed her head.
    “Time got away, I saw a pilot I know and ...”
    Crowley was with them then, pointing toward the monitor near the door for incoming passengers.
    “We best be aboard,” he said in their direction. “Perhaps we just didn't notice them come by.”
    Theo looked around suddenly. There were three family groups slowly getting themselves together, and no one else besides them.
    Kamele was grim.
    “While you were shopping, did you happen to see the Chair?”
    “No. They aren't here?”
    The monitor peered down the long tube, waved hands over something, stepped through the doorway, and sealed it behind her.
    A crew member Theo vaguely recognized entered from the ship side, gently waving them toward the door before rounding up the last of the family groups.
    “Maybe they came in through another lounge,” Theo suggested, the image of that pilot and the straggler coming suddenly to mind. “Or maybe Clyburn has a ship here...”
    Crowley let Kamele pass, was shoulder to shoulder with Theo as they entered Vashtar.
    “Should Clyburn have other tickets? Did he tell you something you forgot to mention?”
    They got shuffled aside so the largest family groups could have the lift, with Theo waiting until the lift closed.
    “Clyburn's a pilot,” she said matter-of-factly, “so maybe, like Cho, he had a ship waiting for him here.”
    Kamele laughed, hard, shaking her head as if fighting off the notion.
    “Clyburn's a pilot,” Theo repeated. “He tried to hide it, but he is.”
    Crowley's chuckled ironically.
    “Yes, well, am interesting theory, young Theo.  If the missing pair isn't at hand for dinner, you'll need to enlighten us.”

    Theo said a word that was not Binjali; if Marjene had heard it – and knew the translation Theo'd had from Phobai – she'd have called a Safety or issued a drug or something.
    Kamele, sitting across the room, working on the report about how the team had managed to misplace the Chair in transit, said “I'm sorry?”
    Theo glanced up warily.  Her mother sometimes knew things...
    “Nothing, A word the Scout taught me. It's about this math.”
    Now that was a little bit of a lie, because Kamele thought of Cho as the Scout, and Theo... thought of Win Ton. He'd said the word, twice, after bouncing his nose off his own knee there in the Ballroom.... so long ago.
    “Math? You can't be doing math, again, can you? You've been on math the last three days!”
    Theo pushed the screen toward Kamele.
    “Math. Six days.”
    Kamele rose, her muscles or bones creaking.
    “Let me see that. Why don't you go down to our cafe and get some of those things that Cho liked? The walk will help you think!

    Cho wasn't the only one who “liked those things” and  this time Theo charmed the waiter so much he actually printed out a recipe, warning her that the proportions were for a starship-size bakery. It was funny how comfortable the ship felt, and how the crew recognized  some passengers like they were regulars.    
    She smiled at the waiter, thanked him, and glanced at the ingredient list sitting on the box she held in her hands. 
    “Wow. Serves three hundred and fifteen.”
    He blanched.
    “Beauty, tell me I didn't print that. It's not allowed...”
    She laughed, leaning the box and the upside down printout toward him.
    “Of course you didn't. Silly. It's just obvious that...”
    He giggled, and looked quite charming, and she didn't finish.
    “I forgot, he said with a sigh. “You always came with Scouts. And you beat the dancer, too, you and your pilot. My secret is safe!”
    By the time she was back to the room Theo was trying to decide which secret? The recipe? The gift of it? Or ...

    “Theo, how did this happen?”
    Kamele was standing when she returned, gesturing toward the AI teacher.
    “This?”
    “I used my override to look at it. It says your score on math is low... “ she paused, “in comparison to the rest of your scores.”
    Theo handed off the box, guilty hand reaching in to take a biscuit as she let go.
    “Why do you think I've been working so hard at math, Kamele? I hate to be low! And this isn't obvious like school stuff. This is real work!”   
    Kamele sat down slowly.
    “Let us look at this assessment,” she said. “It give you marks beyond your class level, in fact it give you marks in many subjects that are at a university level. This math score though --
    Theo shrank. Low was not good.
    “This math score, Kamele said around her third biscuit, “is some years and levels beyond any math performance I ever achieved. So tell me about this expectation you have, Theo, that school work will be obvious. And why is this low?”
    Theo lifted her glance to Kamele's face.
    “It usually  is obvious. “ She said it quietly, but with some feeling. “And the score's low because I've been bored and doing the  ten day self-test daily and the AI has let me. But the math is too hard for that and I'm stupid!”
    The last was said with such bitterness that Theo knew she needed a break and reached for a biscuit. After that, she was going to need to take a walk or ...
    Kamele opened the box, handed Theo the largest remaining pastry.
    “Here. You deserve this. Sit!”
    Theo sat, watching Kamele's hands make motions that weren't quite hand-talk, like she had something that needed saying so much that her hands wanted to burst out in song.
    Kamele closed her eyes.
    “Theo, I haven't been able to tell you ... I mean, there hasn't really been enough time...”
    Watching the hands again, hearing the non-direction in the voice, Theo realized what she did see: Kamele was nervous!
    “Theo,”Kamele started once more, moving both hands forward with a flick, like she was passing a ball so someone else could score....   
    “I want to tell you how proud I am of you,” and now her voice was even, and her hands   calmer. “This trip has been so busy, and sometimes I've been too much involved in the things I need to do. I was concerned some times that you were in over your head, and that I was.”
    She paused for a sip of her tea, other hand asking Theo to hold-off replying. “But you haven't acted like the, the  – the person Marjene claimed you were, full of accidents and immaturity. You haven't been avoiding social situations. You've made friends.  You've studied, you've grown so much. And I need to tell you, I'm so glad you're doing well. I'm so pleased Jen Sar had the right of it when he suggested you come with me. You...”
    “Jen Sar what?”
    Theo felt her hands demanding  explain, but her mouth was ahead of her.
    “Are you telling me that Jen Sar wanted me to come with you? It was his idea?”
    “I was thinking to leave you with him, since Ella was ... over-committed suddenly.  And asking anyone else: with Marjene and the Roni-stuff going on, I needed someone secure. And, well...”
    Here Kamele paused, hands showing a touch of that hesitation again.
    “He was right, Theo. I couldn't leave you to be drugged, and he was right in seeing that. And he told me that what you needed was to, 'see someplace real' and spread your wings.”
    Theo was still shaking her head, the words rushing out.
    “He told me that local custom demanded I go with my mother!”
    They stared at each other a moment before Kamele laughed briefly, nodding heartily.
    “Theo, you should know Jen Sar always plays both sides against the middle!”
    Theo laughed suddenly, too, nodding, recalling times that he'd made her think something was her idea when surely it was his...
    Theo looked down --  hands were talking, good plan, good plan, good plan.
    Kamele moved, visibly relaxing, her hands sweeping forward as if she'd swept crumbs off a table, or finished an idea. She glanced at the door's chronometer, and stretched.
    “I think it's time for your menfria't – go do it.  You're pushing, Theo.  Relax. Tomorrow, tomorrow take some lectures. Pick one or two we can both go to and I'll join you. Take a couple days off from math.”
    Theo looked hard into Kamele's face.
    “But the scores...”
    Kamele looked back, hard, and picked up the AI, quickly entering a few strokes.
    “Last time I expect to do this Theo. I'm invoking Parental Override. You're on holiday. Go dance!”