Chapter 25Javi was sitting on the steps of the terrace when Arien stepped out of the glass doors from the conference room, Tapuh following behind them. Javi looked around and smiled. Arien smiled back, delighted to see him. They’d been here almost three weeks now, the days full of briefings that gave Arien a headache, and made them long for the time they spent hanging out, as Javi called it, back in their bunk room or the mess on the Harriet, talking nonsense, being friends. Sometimes Arien missed Aron as much as they missed anyone else.
Javi rose as Arien approached and Arien gave into an impulse and embraced him, taking him by surprise for a moment, making him laugh, but giving the hug back with his usual generous enthusiasm.
“Let’s walk,” Arien said, disengaging and offering Javi thei
