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"I always prefer to go off full-cocked," I said absently. "Fine, that's a good idea."
I was also eager to see if he was okay or not. I mean, not too eager. It was professional courtesy, that's all. Yep, that was it. I didn't care about him in any other way. Okay, maybe a little. He kept life interesting, even if he was an infuriating motherfucker.
I stood and gave him a once-over. The IV seemed to be doing its job; restoring fluids to his body. His breathing was deeper now, stronger. If he'd arrived a day or two later, it might be a very different story. He'd be dead and the captain would have the chip. The IF might not have the coordinates, but they'd know the mission went badly. They'd probably send in a fleet of ships with lasers and destroy everything in that part of the galaxy. Maybe they should do just that.
A sensible person would go straight to the captain and give him the chip. I could go on to Agus and forget about all of this.
The very idea was absurd. As if I was sensible, or had a selective memory. No, I would wait until J'avet woke up and go from there.
What, I asked myself, will you do if he wants to take the chip to the captain?
Myself, I replied, I have no idea.
I had to cling to the thought that J'avet wanted me to have the chip so we could act. Because, I reminded myself, he thought of me as a hothead, who couldn't contain her emotions. He said he didn't like that about me. I think maybe he lied. Or now he was trying to monopolise on my rashness. Why though?
Hells, I could speculate all day and never come to a conclusion.
"If he was me, I'd wave coffee under his nose," I said. "Or chocolate. That would wake me up."
Brinley grinned. "Me too. Or a glass of rum."
I grimaced. I was more of a wine girl myself, but each to their own.
"Maybe we should wave some beer under his nose," I said. I had no idea what he drank, or even if he drank, but the smell was pretty strong.
"Or we could wait patiently," Brinley said.
"Bah." I waved dismissively. "If we keep talking, he'll wake and tell us to shut up."
"Now that sounds like him," Brinley agreed. "He isn't much on small talk."
"He really isn't," I agreed. "Or talk of any kind. He prefers to growl and glower." I was babbling on, with one eye on J'avet. With any luck, he would hear and get annoyed.
"Yes, he's good at glowering," Brinley agreed.
"The best. I've never seen a better cranky face than his."
Brinley looked like she was enjoying herself way too much here.
I was too, to tell the truth. It was nice to tell J'avet what I thought about him, without him responding angrily. Unless he could hear, in which case, I was probably in for it any moment now.
I cocked my head at him, but he did no more than a twitch. I couldn't rule out the possibility his head wound was worse than the doctor thought.
J'avet might never regain consciousness. In that case, what would Brinley and I do? Her condition would be out the window. Honestly, as badass as we were, I wasn't sure the two of us were equipped to take on an army of Iri.
I turned to face J'avet. In my sternest voice, I said, "Listen here, you arrogant jerk. We have better things to do than sit by while you sleep. You need to get your shit together and wake the hells up. You didn't limp all the way back here, on a ship, alone, without a perfectly good reason." Gods help me, I needed to know what it was.
I used Slek's favourite words. "Stop being a gwarp and wake up."
J'avet stirred. At first it was just a small, sharp move of his head. Then his eyelids flickered and his mouth drew back.
I stepped closer, until my nose was a handspan or two from his face.
"J'avet?" I said. "Come on, you can do this. We need you to wake up."
His nostrils flared and his eyelids flickered again.
He let out a long, slow, pained breath. Then, without opening his eyes, he said, "Would. You. Shut. Up."
I couldn't help it. I threw myself over his chest and hugged him.
