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Klinn was already standing at the hatch. Dressed in his all black again, the backpack he carried looked light. One final delivery. One step closer to getting back on track, at least with our main goal.
"Hey." He offered me a simple greeting.
"Morning." I didn’t have many words, either, as I studied him. It looked like he had shadows beneath his eyes. Guess I wasn’t the only one who didn’t have a restful night.
The hatch opened and we climbed down onto the rugged terrain of the eastern sector of Xaxos. The air felt different here than in the urban areas, filled with a sense of solitude and untamed wilderness. Sparse outposts dotted the landscape, but beyond them lay stretches of wild territory. My guess was this place lay largely untouched by civilization. It was an unfamiliar and somewhat unnerving place, and my nerves keyed with excitement and apprehension.
The rumors about the sporadic breakdowns of the energy fields in this area sent a shiver down my spine. Those incidents caused temporary waves of zero gravity, and while they were infrequent, the mere thought of floating unpredictably in mid-air filled me with a sense of unease.
Klinn turned to me with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Faye," he said, his voice laced with confidence. "I've been to Bartie Belikov’s place before. He's a little eccentric, but harmless. We're just making a quick delivery."
I nodded, trying to steady my racing thoughts. "Speaking of differences and eccentricities, I should probably tell you this. I’m sorry about last night. I shouldn’t have kept pressing in about Zorbluk and Gravix."
"I sought you out because of your investigation skills. You were just doing what I asked you to do." He glanced at his feet while we walked. "I didn’t mean the boneheaded things I said, either. Sorry."
I appreciated his apology. "Thank you."
Twigs snapped under his feet. "For the record, I know you’re a caring person. You wouldn’t want to help rid the universe of bad guys if you weren’t."
"It’s nice to hear."
"What, like you don’t hear it often?"
"It’s somewhat of a different experience for me."
"How?"
I stepped over a mud puddle. "I’d go into detail but we’re on a time crunch."
Klinn looked off in the distance. "Bartie’s house isn’t for another half mile. I got time."
I pondered how and where to start. "I do well with facts and objectives, but the way my mind works, sometimes it’s hard to process people’s emotive responses. I learned to read expressions and see if body language matched what they said. I still have to do it sometimes." I averted another puddle. "It can get exhausting, but the skills I learned work well for my job."
Klinn looked in the distance again, thoughtful. "I never would have guessed."
No trace of judgment was in his tone. I still felt awkward sharing my secrets, but I pressed on. "That's because I've learned to hide it. Growing up, I was always the awkward girl, shy, easily overwhelmed. I struggled with sensory overload, and it made social situations incredibly challenging. When I grew up, working on cases became my refuge. It calmed me down and helped me focus on something tangible. Except when they don't." I glanced over at the bright blue lights of the energy field as they flashed intermittently. "
"What do you mean, when they don’t?"
"The truth is, sometimes it all becomes too much. The pressure, the expectations of being a woman in a male-dominated field, the constant influx of information. It's like a whirlwind inside my mind. And then... I had an anxiety attack, right there in the middle of that crowded street in Malecor. I couldn't control it, and I'm ashamed I let it show."
"Hey." Klinn extended a hand, putting it on my shoulder. "There's no reason to be ashamed. We all have our moments. You're human. Uh, I mean that as in you’re not immortal. You have needs like the rest of us." He scratched his ear. "Some people in this galaxy like to crap on your species. That wasn’t what I was doing."
I chuckled, enjoying his little moment of being flustered. "You’re good. I knew what you meant."
The lingering look he gave me showed compassion. "You don't have to prove anything to anyone. Your skills, your dedication, and your determination speak for themselves. As for those moments when it becomes overwhelming, know that I'm here for you."
I was impressed by his words. "You’re being sweet."
He brushed aside my compliment. "I’ve been told teal is a tranquil color. You can just look at me next time you get stressed and boom, instant chill."
"Correction. You’re a sweet mess, Klinn."
The knowing smirk returned to his lips. "You like getting your hands messy, detective, whether you admit it or not."
Suddenly, the ground beneath us trembled, sending a jolt of fear through my veins. "What was that?" I instinctively scanned the area, searching for any signs of danger.
Klinn paused and glanced towards the energy fence. "Could be the fence acting up. I'm sure the big wigs in the capital will send some official personnel to fix it soon."
