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“Probed?” Yasmine echoed.
But Thomm was already whipping out a leather case and opening it to reveal a strange device that looked almost like a plastic finger.
He slipped a plastic covering over it and held his hand out for the first hot chocolate.
Yasmine handed it over and watched as he popped the lid off and thrust the probe inside.
“Filtered water, sugar, syrup of maiz, partially desiccated dairy-based content, chocolate, red number five, yellow number 2,” the probe announced. “Machine prepared; hygiene level acceptable to fair. Virtually no toxic content. Safe for consumption.”
“Looks good,” Thomm said, replacing the lid and handing it over to Jax.
Somehow the hot chocolate sounded a lot less appealing now that it had been probed. But Jax took his and started drinking it right away.
“Okay, Pia, let’s do yours,” Thomm said.
He put a fresh sleeve on the probe and once again the thing announced the contents and proclaimed the drink safe.
Pia took it and cupped it between her hands.
“Nice and warm,” she said happily.
“Thank you, young lady,” Astyr said, lifting his coffee cup as if in salute.
The rest of the ride passed in silence as everyone sipped and enjoyed.
By the time they got to Jax’s school, he had perked up a little. She made a note to herself to check in with the kitchen about preparing hot chocolate for him in the morning. A little sugar rush wouldn’t hurt a growing boy.
The craft pulled over and dropped enough for Jax to get out.
Thomm accompanied him to the doors of the school, one hand on his blaster in a way that made Yasmine glad she hadn’t eaten anything this morning herself.
Were the teens in the yard really a big enough threat to Jax for security to signal their presence in that way?
Jax lurched along the walkway, head down, as if he felt embarrassed to have a guard walk him to the door.
Other kids were hanging around outside, but she realized he must not be allowed to do so for security purposes.
After Jax was safely inside, Thomm got back in the car.
“You okay?” he asked her as they lifted off again.
“I was just thinking about Jax,” she said. “What does he do when you drop him off?”
“I hand him off to the school’s security guard and he walks him to class,” Thomm said.
“Even when he’s early?” she asked. “Why can’t he hang out in the schoolyard with his friends?”
“Pia, you want to listen to music on my earpiece?” Astyr offered.
Pia snatched the earpiece and curled herself around it, properly distracted.
“You’re very new here,” Thomm said sympathetically to Yasmine. “Over time, you’ll come to your own conclusions. But for now, I’ll share mine with you.”
Yasmine nodded.
“My impression is that the general public on Ulfgard really likes Kreed,” Thomm said. “After all, they elected him.”
“That makes sense,” Yasmine said.
