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“Rest, I’ll be back very soon,” I whispered, getting out of the nest. I tucked a few pillows where my body had been in case she needed to cuddle while I was gone.

After that, I left our cabin and went straight to Mieshorum’s cabin. I tapped the door display and waited. When it pinged to allow entrance, I ordered it to open. The door slid into the wall to reveal Mieshorum sitting on his bunk, still holding Sloane and purring. Lexarit was busy putting the finishing touches on a nest. It wasn’t as nice as Opal’s because I’d claimed most of the best bedding for her.

When she woke up, I’d ask her if we could transfer some of her pillows and blankets to Sloane.

I looked at the new human. “How are you, Sloane?”

She didn’t respond, only stared into the middle distance.

“She hasn’t spoken yet,” Mieshorum said. “I think she’s in a kind of mental shutdown.”

“I can’t imagine what kind of trauma she’s experienced,” I said. “I’m sure she’ll begin interacting once she feels safe and secure.”

Mieshorum interrupted his comforting rumble to sound a rumble of agreement. “I hope that’s the case. I think she's ill also. Her body feels warmer than she should be.”

“We'll be at a station soon,” I said. “Narmuna will find a medical facility that can treat our humans.”

Lexarit finished spreading out the last blanket on the nest and stood up. “Should I bring something for her to eat and drink?”

“I worry that she hasn’t eaten recently and too much rich food might make her sick,” Mieshorum said. “Maybe we should start with broth and blended foods.”

“Yes, I’ll fetch some,” Lexarit agreed and hurried out. He passed Narmuna standing in the hall. Narmuna’s hand dropped from where he was about to press the door display and stepped inside.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he said to me. “I need to discuss something that will impact Sloane and Opal.”

“What?” I asked, fear making me want to rush back to Opal.

“The closest station we could reach by private gate that had acceptable medical facilities is Ortheema.”

I was silent for a moment as I processed the name. It was familiar, but I couldn’t place it. Mieshorum was faster than me.

“That is a Talin station inside our empire,” Mieshorum said. “There was no place outside the empire?”

Narmuna let out a negative rattle. “There was another station within range of the nearest gate, but it was another Marper station with limited medical facilities. What if Opal’s injuries require procedures? I’m also scared they won’t have the necessary knowledge. We know the Healers on a Talin station will be skilled and know how to treat humans, or at least have access to the necessary knowledge."

I rumbled with agreement. “It should be fine. We need to get Opal registered anyway so she can own herself.”

“What about Sloane?” Mieshorum asked. “Narmuna won’t have time to do the same things. Sloane will have to be registered with one of us as her owner.”

“Or we can register her as owned by Opal,” I said. I watched Sloane’s face as we talked, but she didn’t react to any of it. Not a single eye movement, facial twitch, or slight body shift.

“If she can't answer by the time we get there, then we'll ask Opal to decide,” Narmuna said.

“I find that acceptable,” I said even as Mieshorum sounded a negative rattle. I sounded a questioning rumble. “You disagree?”

“I don't have a logical reason to object,” he admitted. “But this human feels different to me. I can't explain it, but it's important that I care for her.”

I’d been so preoccupied with my concern for Opal, I hadn't thought about who would take charge of Sloane. Because Mieshorum had carried her onto the ship, it wasn't strange that he'd automatically taken her to his cabin. But it seemed there was more to this action.

I knew better than any of them that emotional attachment could happen quickly. Could attachment happen in less than a mark?

Narmuna sounded a soothing rumble. “We have a little time before we get to Ortheema Station. Perhaps Sloane will be able to decide by then.”

Considering the state of her, I doubted it.

“This feeling isn’t going to go away,” Mieshorum warned us as he stood up and stepped into the nest.

“None of us can be a registered owner,” I stated firmly.