[ Chyler finds a spot where she thinks she's by herself, or as much by herself as she can be. She debated having a lantern for each of her squadmates. She thought about setting them all off, one by one, but the thought of the boats separating on the current hurt.
So she has one, for all of Hastati squad. Simple. White. Each name written in careful, razor-straight letters. Shere. Kaye. Tchakova. Chen. Vickers.
She hesitated when she was making it. She almost didn't do it. But she didn't want to be left behind, either.
The last name on the list, as tidy and clear as the rest: Silva.
Dom whines at her. He can always seem to tell when she's any kind of upset. Maybe it's something about the way the dog came to her, something about the flowers that made him appear. It's nice, in its way, to have someone who can always tell when she needs a friend close by.
Gently, Chyler sets her boat in the water. She thinks about saying something. But she's never been good at sorrow. She's never been good about speaking her feelings aloud. It's enough, she thinks, that the feelings are there. It's enough. ]
ii.
So she has one, for all of Hastati squad. Simple. White. Each name written in careful, razor-straight letters. Shere. Kaye. Tchakova. Chen. Vickers.
She hesitated when she was making it. She almost didn't do it. But she didn't want to be left behind, either.
The last name on the list, as tidy and clear as the rest: Silva.
Dom whines at her. He can always seem to tell when she's any kind of upset. Maybe it's something about the way the dog came to her, something about the flowers that made him appear. It's nice, in its way, to have someone who can always tell when she needs a friend close by.
Gently, Chyler sets her boat in the water. She thinks about saying something. But she's never been good at sorrow. She's never been good about speaking her feelings aloud. It's enough, she thinks, that the feelings are there. It's enough. ]