"Hm," the boy thought. He didn't say anything else about it. "Before I take you to him, I think we should introduce ourselves."

"I'm Noemi," Loralai said. She nudged me subtly, and I got the hint.

"I'm Katya," I said.

"No fake names?" he asked suspiciously.

"Of course not, you idiot," Loralai snapped.

"Just asking. It's Milo," he said, "Now, Noemi, why are you trying to find Oliker?"

"I knew him, growing up. We were very close. I want to make sure that he's okay. He wasn't... in a good situation."

"So why is Katya with you?"

"We're friends."

She only slightly forgot to mention that fact that I'm caught in the sights of a merciless widow who would follow me across galaxies, just so that she can kill me.

"I haven't got any friends who'd travel this far on what could've been a fruitless journey to find someone they've never met."

"It wasn't far," Loralai protested.

I disagreed.

"Whatever you say."

The next thing he said was muffled, as if he had put his hand between his mouth and me. 

Like he didn't want me to hear.

But I did anyways.

"What is up with her?"

There was the sound of a hard slap, and then the sound of shuffling feet.

I could make out that "Noemi" had slapped Milo across the face, and he had stumbled and nearly fell over.

"What was that for? I was only asking a question!" Milo defended himself.

"You could've asked her yourself! She probably heard you anyways!"

I nodded slightly.

Milo let out the most impatient of sighs, before asking.

"What is up with you, then?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I pointed out that you weren't looking directly at me. You still haven't been looking directly at me. Your reaction was FAR too delayed when Noemi slapped me. What is with that?"

"Take a wild guess," I said.

"You're blind. You're from that city or whatever that's about 14 miles from here. The one that was attacked. No? Noemi probably saved you or whatever."

It was close. But not quite.

"Noemi didn't save me."

Sour memories filled me head. But I shouldn't think of that right now.

"So everything else was right?"

"...Yes."

"I realize that I've been asking a lot of questions. I'd prefer it if you just learn about me along the way...But one question each," Milo proposed.

"How did you get that eye-patch?" Loralai asked.

"I was attacked. My mother was a crazy woman. Was."

"Can I see underneath it?"

"That's more than one question. But trust me, you wouldn't want to."

"Katya? One question."

What question to ask?

"Why are you taking us to Oliker? What do you want from us in return?"

"Technically, that's more than one question, too. But they have the same answer..."

He thought for a moment on how to word it, I imagined.

"I live on favors. I'll do something for you right now, and later, you'll have to do something for me. Something of equal value. I'd be dead right now if some of my 'deals' hadn't come around at the last moment."

"What do you want then?"

"We'll see when the time comes. And maybe you'll be dead by then. But it's worth the risk. This is one of the largest favors I've pulled in a long time..."

Great.

Just... great.

If we don't get a move on, I will be dead by the time he needs help.

"That's it then. Let's get going," I said.

"To Oliker," Loralai said.

"To Oliker," I repeated.

"...To Oliker..." Milo said monotonously, and with a disapproving sigh.