After a time, Keshani falls asleep. Gently, so as to not wake her, Maris slips an arm under Keshani's legs and pushes with her legs to slide up the bulkhead to a standing position. She then carries Keshani down the corridor to an access hatch. She waves a finger at the hatch and it opens, revealing a hammock and one or two comfort items.
Maris lays Keshani gently down in the hammock. She takes a moment to smooth a few strands of hair away from Keshani's face, and sighs.
"What the kark are you doing?" she asks herself, angrily.
She hesitates, as if resisting something. Then Maris slips gently into the hammock beside the young girl, cradling Keshani's head against her shoulder. She lies there a long time, wide awake, but her eyes are a million miles away. From time to time, a tear flows down her cheek.
