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Chapter 22 Katrina sat quietly between Tabi and Tapki as she watched the pair work silently. She watched Tabi’s fingers move expertly as she spun the loose Olveck fur into thick threads. As soon as one large spindle was filled with the homemade thread she would unhook it from the pedal-run machine and set it at Tapki’s side. Tapki tied the end of the thread to what he had been working with and continued weaving. Only once did they collide in their efforts but neither commented on it. Katrina nearly laughed as she watched them silently argue over who was right and who was wrong with only a glare. For a reason Katrina could not understand Tapki and Tabi did not appear to like one another, and yet the girl knew that Tapki liked Tabi a great deal, which seemed to make him dislike her all the more. “Go feed them,” Tapki ordered gruffly, nodding his head in the direction of the Olveck pen in the corner of the room. Katrina stood and did as she was told, throwing handfuls of the squirming white maggots into the pen. She laughed at the overjoyed, bald Olvecks as they pushed and shoved one another to get at the food. By the third handful Katrina had closed her eyes and was using the Force to pull the chubbiest and greediest of the little creatures away so that the smaller, underfed Olvecks could eat too. They squealed in protest at the treatment and scurried back to the food pile as soon as Katrina let go of them, which only made the girl laugh harder. “Be careful how much you do that, young Katrina,” Tabi warned with a knowing look. “You do not want to draw too much attention.” Katrina nodded in understanding and let the Olvecks work it out for themselves. She finished feeding the pink-skinned little creatures and took the metal pails into the next room to be cleaned. On her way back into the room she stopped in the doorway and listened to Tapki and Tabi speaking in near-whispers. “You coddle the girl too much,” Tapki said harshly, leaning closer to Tabi. “She is just a girl, as you know. She is too hard for one her age already, let her be babied some.” “You’ll spoil her,” Tapki grunted. “You are too harsh for one that says he does not care. Do not try to turn her into what she is not.” Tapki only made a noise of argument and continued his work, not looking back at Tabi. Tabi looked at the older human and sighed before looking to the doorway for Katrina. She motioned the girl back to her place between them but said nothing. “Can I try spinning?” Katrina asked Tabi, stopping at her friend’s side. “It takes experience and practice to do it right,” Tapki answered. “You have neither.” “I can learn.” “You will,” Tabi said, patting Katrina’s arm, “but not today. Watch and see how it is done. Next year you will help spin.” Katrina wasn’t happy with the answer but accepted that it was the best that she would receive and sat at her friend’s side. She considered asking for a chance to try weaving, but knew the answer to that would be no better, if any different. “You’re making the threads too thin,” Tapki complained after several hours of silence. “They are the same thickness as they always are. Stop looking for excuses to pick at me.” “You are being paranoid,” Tapki grumbled. “My mind will not be changed by your complaints any more than by your foolish attempt at sweet talk.” Katrina looked from one to the other, not sure if she wanted to know what they were speaking of. She could feel that there was more between the two than they were letting show and could sense something deep and strong under the surface. Tapki was feeling strong emotions Katrina could not understand and she was not sure if Tabi returned them. “You are the fool,” Tapki retorted strongly though it was a weak argument. “Perhaps,” Tabi answered non-committally. “I would care for you well, you would want for nothing,” Tapki argued, turning his attention from his weaving to look at Tabi, his eyes blazing with deep emotion. “I will have no male that is not Weequay.” “And how likely is it that you will find a Weequay here?” “I am here. I am Weequay.” “You stubborn…” “You will accept my answer,” Tabi said forcefully. “You will refuse me just because I am human? Have you no other objection to our union?” Katrina blinked with sudden understanding. She had never seen been so near someone feeling that emotion before, love. Tapki was in love with Tabi. Katrina looked from one to the other and understood the other half of Tapki’s feelings, despair and hurt. Tabi had been and was refusing him for reasons he could not or would not accept. “Is it not enough that I say no? Must you know more?” “Yes!” Tabi sighed and let the spinning wheel stop. She looked down at the fur and thread in her lap and closed her eyes. Katrina could feel Tabi’s pain and wondered at it at the same time that she wanted to move forward and comfort her friend. “I miss my home world. I miss my people. I must return there. Only then will I be able to look to the future. I will build no family away from my home. I will know no male that will not be accepted and welcomed on my world.” “And when will you go there? You have lived here almost as long as I have. I do not see you packing to leave. When do you plan to go?” “When I am able,” Tabi said sadly, sighing. “Leave it at that, Tapki. I will not change my answer. Just leave it at that.” |
