Amidst all the hubbub, Pio had forgotten her original plan to take a look at that last scrap of paper. Kali had gone off with Bird, and the elf never made it to her quarters, feeling it best to go back up on deck and stay out of Mithadan's way. He didn't get angry often, but when he did, it sometimes spilled over onto the innocent and unsuspecting.
Veritas came up to talk with Pio, and plopped down on the deck next to her, back against the wall of the captain's cabin.
'Did you see that roster of duties Mith's drawn up? Sun-up to sundown, every minute seems like it's filled with something to do!' Veritas sighed. 'It's not like we're some warship in hostile waters!' She caught herself, 'That is, not yet.'
Pio shifted her position, and brought her knees up under her chin with her arms wrapped around them. She rocked back and forth, thinking. 'We need a diversion,' she said, 'something to take our minds off the seriousness of the matter before us for a while. Something to bring the crew together and smooth over tempers.'
'A diversion, yes!' agreed Veritas, wiggling her toes in the warm sun.
They fell into companionable silence, thinking.
A voice came from around the corner of the cabin. 'Did I hear the word *diversion*? Count me in!'
Bird stepped into view, a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
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Eldest, that’s what I am . . . I knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.
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