Nerys

 Lady Morgan regarded her daughter for a long moment.

Then, unexpectedly, she smiled.

"I will allow it."

Nerys blinked.

"Really?"

"For now."

The words were gentle.

The meaning was not.

Lady Morgan turned toward her daughter.

"Nerys, darling, I expect you to take your break with us. I'll arrange everything."

Nerys' expression hardened.

"No, Mother."

Lady Morgan raised an eyebrow.

"No?"

"I'm spending the break here."

"Here?"

"At the Academy."

Lady Morgan glanced around the enormous campus.

"During the break?"

"A lot of students do."

Lady Morgan's smile became almost pitying.

"Children without parents, no doubt."

Solin couldn't help himself.

"I have parents."

Lady Morgan looked at him.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I have three."

Nerys looked at him, trying not to laugh.

Solin continued.

"And they're all going to be home."

Lady Morgan's expression remained composed.

"How fortunate."

"I've invited Nerys to stay with them."

Silence.

Nerys stared at him.

"You did?"

Solin smiled.

"Sure."

Lady Morgan's eyes narrowed slightly.

"At your home?"

"Pretty Bayou."

"Earth."

"Florida."

Lady Morgan seemed to consider the words as though they were the names of primitive planets.

"And you believe your parents would welcome my daughter?"

"My mothers will love her."

Nerys looked suddenly hopeful.

"And my father..."

Solin paused.

"...will probably ask approximately fourteen thousand questions."

Nerys laughed.

Lady Morgan did not.

"Solin, you are proposing that my daughter spend her vacation in an unknown environment with a family you barely understand."

Solin smiled.

"Actually, I understand them pretty well."

Lady Morgan glanced toward the sky.

"Earth."

"Pretty Bayou."

"Florida."

"Yes."

Lady Morgan sighed.

"That does not reassure me."

Solin's smile widened.

"Of course, she won't be alone."

Nerys looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

Solin glanced toward Verity.

"She'll have a chaperone."

Lady Morgan raised an eyebrow.

"A chaperone?"

"A robot."

Nerys stared.

"A robot?"

"Yep."

"What kind?"

Solin considered it.

"Mother Verity."

Verity stepped forward.

"I am not technically a robot."

Solin looked at her.

"You're an artificial intelligence housed in a synthetic humanoid body."

"That is a more accurate description."

"Robot."

Verity sighed.

"Fine."

Nerys looked between them.

"You mean I get to spend my break with you?"

Solin smiled.

"With me, my parents."

Nerys looked at Lady Morgan.

"Please?"

Lady Morgan stared at her daughter.

Then at Solin.

Then at Verity.

"I suppose I should be grateful that you are at least providing supervision."

Verity smiled politely.

"Your confidence is appreciated."

Lady Morgan narrowed her eyes.

"I meant the robot."

"I understood."

Nerys couldn't contain herself.

She laughed.

It was the first time Solin had ever seen her laugh like that.

Lady Morgan watched her daughter.

Something in her expression softened.

"Very well."

Nerys froze.

"Really?"

"Yes."

Lady Morgan stepped closer.

"But I expect regular communication."

"Of course."

"And you will return when the break is over."

"Yes, Mother."

Lady Morgan touched her daughter's cheek.

"Be careful."

Nerys nodded.

"I will."

Lady Morgan turned toward Solin.

"And you."

Solin straightened.

"Yes?"

"My daughter is precious to me."

"I know."

"If anything happens to her—"

Solin smiled.

"I'll bring her home."

Lady Morgan studied him.

"See that you do."

She turned away.

The aristocratic procession began moving toward the ship.

Nerys watched her mother go.

Solin stood beside her.

"Well."

Nerys exhaled.

"That went better than I expected."

Solin grinned.

"You're coming to Florida."

She smiled.

"I've never been to Florida."

"You'll like it."

"What's it like?"

Solin thought about it.

"Hot."

Nerys waited.

"And wet."

She waited again.

"There's a lot of swamp."

Nerys smiled.

"Sounds lovely."

Solin nodded.

"Oh, and Mama Bettie cooks."

Nerys looked at him.

"Your mother?"

"Yep."

"Is she a good cook?"

Solin grinned.

"She's going to spoil you."

Nerys looked toward the departing ship.

Then back at Solin.

"Maybe this will be the best break I've ever had."

Solin smiled.

"Welcome to the bayou."

Behind them, Varek watched the ship disappear into the clouds.

His expression was unreadable.

Then, very quietly, he said:

"Interesting."

Verity looked at him.

"What?"

Varek's eyes remained on the sky.

"Lady Morgan did not object."

Verity studied him.

"No."

Varek finally looked toward Solin.

"That concerns me."

And for the first time since arriving at the Academy, Varek wondered whether the mission he had been given was far more complicated than he had originally believed.