Chapter 15.2: In It Together

For the better part of an hour, the maintenance team got on with their work. Disengaging the ley-line repulsors, they lowered the waypoint into their mobile dock and ran a more complete set of diagnostics, moving rapidly around their makeshift workstation and talking to one another in terms that Minkus recognized but couldn’t say he really understood.

More accurately, it was two-thirds of the maintenance team that did this. All but verbally excusing herself from the task, Jinkke spent most of that hour sitting on a boulder with Minkus, holding his hand, chattering to him about her projects and accomplishments, and repeatedly asking him if he were eating well and avoiding trouble in the human territories. He tried to reassure her after each of a dozen or more questions, but each time, she tousled his gray hair and continued talking just as if she’d never stopped.

Finally, though, her litany of excited tales slowed to a stop, and she looked at him, delighted. “So, once we’re done here, you can return home with me, Onn, and Drixxi.”

His gaze shifted to the other two, still working a little ways off. “You, Onn, and Drixxi?” He considered a moment, suddenly realizing a question still rattled about in his mind. “Who are they, Jinkke, and— what are you doing here?”

“I told you, Big Brother. Transmat maintenance. This is my krewe.”

“But— maintenance?” he stammered. “I mean, I thought— aren’t you at Synergetics anymore? It doesn’t seem to—”

“Make sense that Synergetics students would be out on maintenance instead of attending to their studies?”

“Yes— that.” He smiled awkwardly.

“No, Big Brother,” she agreed, looking off into the distance, “it is rather illogical. But,” she shrugged, looking back at him again, “as the transmat network is ever expanding, it’s a responsibility the colleges are assuming for the time being, to assist the greater good. My krewe and I volunteered—”

“Ahem,” Onn put in loudly. “Your krewe did no such thing. You volunteered us.” He continued to work, but spared a moment to glare in her direction.

Jinkke rolled her eyes but still nodded. “Yes, I volunteered our krewe for a shift.” She lowered her voice a hair, intending the next words for Minkus. “I’m only a season away from applying for full fellowship, and this looks good on the application.”

Onn called out, interrupting again, “We know about the fellowship, Jinkke. You told us!”

Jinkke leaned quickly around Minkus. “This is a private conversation, Onn,” she called back.

Onn harrumphed, but made no further objections.

With a sigh and a sudden spark in her eye, Jinkke took the opportunity to redirect the conversation again. “As I was saying, when I leave with Onn and Drixxi, I’ll have transmat coordinates for this location, and I can return with a second waypoint activator for you—since you left yours at home.” She scowled at him annoyedly before the whole of her lithe frame began to bounce with delight. “Thus, you can finally return home to Metrica!”

Minkus shifted uncomfortably, dodging her gaze for a moment as he let the words in his head click into place. “I— I can’t Jinkke. We’re on a mission. For the Vigil. I have to hold to it, for my friends.”

“Yes, you said that,” Jinkke said, scooting slightly closer. The bouncing stopped. “But surely it’s one of your exaggerations. You are just your usual self, loyal and caring to a fault. We’ll just tell them—”

“No.” Minkus squirmed again. “I signed a contract, and they— they’ve already paid me.”

The slightest anger formed in the corners of her squinty eyes. He knew that look. “Paid you? What, exactly, have they paid you to do, Big Brother?”

He scratched his ear, lowering his eyes. “To guard my friend Ventyr.”

“From what?” She demanded.

He stammered, not really having thought about it before. “From— from anything that might attack?”

It was the wrong answer. Her eyes began to dart, as if following a string of thoughts suddenly flowing through her brain. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen it.

She hopped down off the rock, but turned back to him before walking away. “I—” She coughed for a moment. “I’m not angry at you, Big Brother. I’m angry at them.” She pointed at Ventyr and Penny sitting a short ways off. “Wait here.”

Continuing their own conversation, neither Penny nor Ventyr immediately noticed Jinkke striding toward them. “You’re right,” Penny said, crossing her arms, “I don’t like it, but here I am. Not a damn thing I can do about it now.”

“I don’t like it either,” Jinkke interrupted, stepping right in the middle of their conversation, both her fists sitting at right angles against her hips. She’d moved so quickly, Minkus couldn’t have stopped her if he’d actually tried.

The other two exchanged an uncertain glance. “I’m sorry,” Ventyr said. “What don’t you like?”

Jinkke aimed an accusatory finger at Ventyr’s chest, and the words flowed freely from her mouth. “I don’t like you putting my brother in jeopardy to protect yourself. Remuneration or not, Minkus is not meant for combat in any form. Not for you, and not for your warmongering order. It’s a wonder he’s made it this far! I’m taking him home before you and your Vigil puppeteers see him killed in your service.” The last word was stressed with a petulant sneer.

“Whoa. Slow down, Spunky,” Penny said with a scowl, quickly exchanging another look with Ventyr. “Nobody made Biggie do anything. He made this decision on his own, just like me.”

“Biggie?” Jinkke questioned. “Why would you call him— Regardless, I highly doubt that he made such a decision entirely on his own,” Jinkke replied coldly. “Even if he had, his decisions can’t be trusted.”

“Can’t be trusted?” Penny asked. “What in Torment are you—”

Putting a hand on her shoulder, Ventyr interrupted her. “Penny, let me.” Shifting his attention to the asura, he continued. “I don’t fully understand what you mean, but Minkus has been a valuable asset to my journey, and an entirely voluntary one. There’s not much left of it now, though. Only a few more days’ travel, and this will be behind him. He can return with you or go wherever he pleases.”

She set her eyes on him. “You have no right to keep someone of his circumstance held to such an agreement. By asuran regulation his word is non-binding.”

“I want to see this through, Jinkke,” Minkus said softly. He’d followed her over all but silently while she berated his friends. “Please?”

“Minkus, no. I—” Jinkke faltered, looking into his eyes. He desperately hoped she’d understand. “Oh, fine,” she conceded with a sigh. “Continue on to—” She trailed off, “where are you going?”

“The Durmand Priory,” Minkus replied with a smile. It dissipated quickly, though, as he looked at Ventyr and realized he’d spoken out of turn again.

“The Durmand Priory?” Jinkke pondered, her eyes following the thoughts as they flew past again. She raised a finger and spun to her krewemates. “Onn, Drixxi.” They looked up. “Finish repairing this transmat and return to Rata Sum. Tell Pinn I’m going on ahead to repair the transmat at Refuge Peak myself, and you two can complete your maintenance duty ahead of schedule.”

Onn harrumphed loudly. “I would accept that. It’s only fair, considering the lack of assistance we’ve received from you thus far.”

“Shut your brain vent, Onn,” Drixxi spat at the little male. She turned her attention back to Jinkke, calling her response as well. “That’s acceptable. Unpleasant for you, but acceptable. We’ll convey your message to Pinn. And you assume you’ll be safe with these people?”

“No less so than I am with the circuit-crosser over there.” She nodded at Onn with a smirk.

“Oh, please,” Onn rebutted. “It was one time. I simply—”

“Onn,” Drixxi interrupted, “shut it.” He quieted, but he wasn’t happy.

“There,” Jinkke said, clearly satisfied with herself as she turned back to Minkus and his friends. “It’s resolved. Minkus, you can continue, and I’m coming with you.” She coughed twice, before collecting herself and eyeing the group triumphantly.

For a moment, none of the travelers said anything. They just looked back and forth at each other, hearing nothing but the sounds of metal equipment scraping against stone and the gentle wind rustling through a handful of evergreens growing along the slope north of them.

Penny put her head in her hands, finally raising her eyes toward Ventyr. “Carrot-stick, is this a good idea? I mean, none of us really should be here, but we don’t even know—” Ventyr’s hand on her shoulder quieted her again.

“There will be conversations we have that you cannot be part of,” he said to Jinkke abruptly, “and, like Skixx, you will have no say in our course, hours of travel, or departure times. Likewise, you will not be expected to take watch at nights.”

Tentatively, she nodded.

“Having other travelers is fine as far as I’m concerned, especially family.” Ventyr went on, looking at Minkus and then back again. “You’re welcome to leave whenever you see fit, but there is much about this task you can know nothing about. If that is satisfactory, you may join us.”

Jinkke nodded her agreement. “Well, that settles it.” She wrapped her arm around as much of Minkus’ wide frame as she could. “We’re in this together, Big Brother.”