The Edge

Matteo: Part Five

From: Helen: We'll be heading back to the ship once we're done at the store

Sent: Sounds good. Text me again when you've left? I know Tola wants to stay as long as possible so I don't want to leave too early

From: Helen: Okay. And don't worry, we'll be picking up some fresh food.

Thank God. Every time Matteo thought he was finally used to heavily preserved space food, he was reminded of how dull it could get after a few days. Then again, it might have tasted worse than usual because of...well. Everything else going on. Nothing like worrying yourself sick to make food you could've usually tolerated taste like sand, despite Helen's best efforts.

Matteo took the down time to try and examine his hearing aids again. He was starting to think he should look into this place's clearly robust modding community for some help. Sure, some of what they had to offer might not be strictly regulated, but it had to be better than nothing, and possibly a decent price. Besides, do I really have to worry about regulations? Matteo thought with amusement. What are they going to do when I get back to the main worlds? Take property I paid for legally that harms absolutely no one?

Maybe he didn't have to buy a full set of aids. He might be able to get the parts. But only if it didn't interfere with their search. He'd been without hearing aids on and off due to various, similar circumstances. He had plenty of other accommodations. He'd live.

While he was considering this, he noticed Arian get up suddenly and start for the door. "Where are you going?" Matteo called.

"Bathroom," Arian signed, "and for a walk, if they don't throw me out. That okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine. Just don't be gone long. The others are going right back to the ship once they're done at the store. We're heading out once they're done there.

"Sweet. Keep me posted."

Despite giving the go-ahead, Matteo found himself feeling nervous as he watched Arian go out the door. He always felt that way when Arian wandered off on his own, but the whole messed-up situation they were in made that feeling worse.

Calm down, Matteo. He's the most street-smart of us. He is capable of staying out of trouble.

That was the paradox of Arian Demarchis. He was very good at staying out of trouble, but he was also very, very good at finding it. And you had no real way of knowing which one he was going to do today.

Edward: We're not holding you up, are we?

It was the first thing Roland's father had said in a while, and he seemed genuinely concerned by the prospect. Matteo shook his head. "Trust me, the others are still gaining ground without us. We aren't losing any progress by being here. But thank you."

Edward: Okay. I just hate to think...if it were my family, I'd want to be out there.

Matteo shrugged. "Yeah, I get that." And he definitely was worrying, but he didn't want to make that Edward's problem, so aloud, he added, "Honestly, it's kind of nice to take a break. This whole mess has been living rent-free in my head for a while, and...no offense to Cass, but I need to think about something else for a while."

Luca: You can stop thinking about things? Must be nice. What's your secret?

Even though Matteo couldn't hear him clearly, he could just tell Luca had that I'm only half-joking tremor to his voice. "I'm just built different, I guess," Matteo replied. It wasn't entirely a joking response, either; he sometimes wondered if his mutation, however limited it was, helped him stay chill. It was easy to worry less when he could see some dangers coming for him. To Edward, he added, "Besides, Cassandra would be happy to know we're helping your kid. And I'm glad, too."