Page 150 of Every Almost

"She truly seems like a fantastic captain," Charlie finished.

Selowen took a sip of her tea and said nothing else about it, but Charlie saw the old woman look down at the Luminthra as its glow suddenly deepened toward violet.

After her teawith Selowen finished, Charlie walked through the corridors on the way to the Engineering Lab. She had her Walkman clipped to her belt and was listening to Katie's mix tape from 1979. She let her hand graze against the wall as she continued down the hall, the hum of the engine, now running at full power and maximum efficiency,thank you very much, thrumming underneath the tips of her fingers. As she approached the lab, she lifted her fingers off the wall and walked through the bay door.

"What song was that?" Tavi asked as he spun in his chair to face Charlie.

"Sorry?" Charlie asked, confused.

"That song," Tavi replied. "The one you were just singing."

"I was singing?"

Tavi chuckled. "Yeah, and pretty well I might add. But seriously, Spark Plug. What was it?"

Charlie was taken aback a moment. Singing in public and the use of her new nickname?

She now understood how a fish felt in a glass bowl. "Um," Charlie said, moving on. "It's called 'Shake Your Body' by a group called The Jackson 5."

"Can I hear it?" Tavi asked. Charlie nodded her head as she rolled over to Tavi's station with her Walkman, gave him the headphones, and pressed play. Tavi listened for a few moments and then got into the beat.

"THIS ONE SOUNDS FUN," Tavi shouted as he started moving his head to the rhythm.

"GOOD TO KNOW," Charlie responded.

"WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING?" Tavi asked, one eyebrow raised. Charlie laughed.

"Why are you and Tavi shouting at each other?" Maren asked as she walked up to their stations.

"Tavi's listening to a song on my Walkman. He doesn't think he's being loud."

"HI MAREN," Tavi remarked, proving Charlie's point. Maren laughed.

"Ah, I see now." Maren looked down at the Walkman in Charlie's hands. "What song is he listening to?"

"A GOOD ONE."

"Thanks, Tavi," Charlie teased.

"YOU'RE WELCOME."

"It's called 'Shake Your Body,'" Charlie answered, turning to Maren again.

"Can I listen to it next?" Charlie smiled widely at Maren. This was the first time she had asked to listen to any of Charlie's music.

"Yeah, totally!"

"I'M ALMOST DONE."

"Tavi, stop shouting."

"I'M NOT SHOUTING! I KEEP TELLING YOU, SPARK PLUG," Tavi said incredulously, shouting. Charlie rolled her eyes.

"Spark plug?" Maren questioned.

Tavi answered. "BORRAN."

"Ah," Maren replied, seemingly understanding all with just the one word.