Alcott received a call on her holo-rib and stared at the name with a frown, not knowing a great many reasons Ibsen would be calling her. She and Tyson were just leaving his papa's office, where they had had an awkward, but productive lunch.
"Yes Ibsen?" she said.
"Um, you wanted to know if Levi bought any alcohol," Ibsen said. "He came into today; one of my apprentices sold to him, I'm sorry, I didn't tell them because I wanted to keep it private, but..."
"How long ago?" she interrupted.
"Half an hour?" he guessed.
Alcott disconnected the call and began to hurry down the hall. Tyson jogged after her.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
But Alcott didn't respond. She hadn't told anyone about Levi's episode last week and now they were back where they had started. She wished she didn't have her perpetual shadow with her, and that she could deal with Levi on her own.
They made it to Levi's berth and Alcott used his access code to get into the room.
"Levi!" she shouted.
"In here," he responded.
He didn't sound drunk. Alcott hurried to the bedroom, finding Levi on the bed curled up in a ball. The two bottles of wine were sitting on the dresser, unopened.
"I wanted to," he said, when Alcott sat next to him, stroking his arm. "I just knew how disappointed you'd be and how it wouldn't change a venting thing about tomorrow."
He shuddered and leaned over to rest his head in Alcott's lap. "Dashiell made me leave botany. He wants me to be historian again."
"For the comm buoys?" she asked.
"Yeah." Levi sniffed once. "It would serve him right if I was dead drunk tomorrow. I don't want to do this, Alcott. Anatoly said she'd fight him, but Dashiell..."
"He's no better than O'Keefe," she answered. "I'm so sorry, Levi. I promise to go to botany tomorrow."
"You shouldn't have to," he sighed.
Tyson had had the good sense to wait out in living room, but he poked his head in with a frown. "Dylan's here," he mentioned.
Levi sat up and gave Alcott a hug. "Merci for checking on me," he told her. "I'm sorry you had to."
"Don't be sorry," she said, brushing his hair out of his face. "I'm just glad that you're fine. Have you had dinner?"
"I'm not really hungry," he admitted.
"Too bad. We're all going to my berth. We're going to make food, stay up too late, and tomorrow, I'm going to have words with Dashiell Turner like he has never been lectured before." She smiled. "Come on."
Dylan rushed to Levi's side when they came out of the bedroom. He let her worry over him as Alcott messaged Walsh their new plans. Today they would usually go over there to eat, but since Dylan was here, she wasn't sure what their new plans had been, only that they were now going to her berth. On impulse, she messaged Lully and Esperanza as well, knowing that they would want to know what was happening.
"I'll give you a half hour," Alcott said. "I'm going to gather some dinner like things and then we'll all meet at my berth, pas mal? I've invited Walsh, so don't worry."
"We'll see you there," Dylan promised. "Merci, Alcott."
"Bring the wine," Alcott called. "We can all drink it there."
Tyson followed Alcott out of the berth with a confused look on his face.
"What the heck just happened?" he asked.
YOU ARE READING
If Jove Stray
Science Fiction{✨Book 5✨} Earth. Light years away, and yet now that some on the base were born there, it seems so...close. As communication with the mother planet seems more and more likely, Dylan and Alcott have to wonder if Earth really has anything to offer to...
