Johnka’s loose schedule and plodding pace left Tritti unconvinced hitching a ride with him saved her any more time than traveling alone, on foot, with no provisions. He rose each morning at the hour when late sleeping early risers woke. He heated a brass basin of water and shaved his whole round face vigorously, but without incident. Then he asked—to no one in particular Tritti eventually realized—”Let us see what we have for breakfast this morning, yes?”. At which point the same rasher of bacon appeared from the cool-cupboard and was relieved of half a dozen strips with the razor lately employed on Johnka’s double chin and rotund cheeks. Next he would say, “I’ve rinsed that of course, of course.”
This morning he surprised her by waking early. So early, in fact, it was still night time. “The desert is cold still tonight. Bring your blanket up to the cockpit after you get dressed.”
“What’s the hour?”
“Not sure dear Tritti. It’s one of the ones neither of us sees very often. Anymore.” Johnka answered.
Tritti wanted to be angry. After all she’d been woken not long after retiring to her bunk. But he didn’t sound like he was being purposefully mysterious, just uncertain about the hour.
This is not as far as I’d planned to get this morning, but the morning is rushing on a little faster than I’d expected. You’re getting this posted less than half done because I’m certain I’ll not return to it today. Be assured that I was going somewhere I hadn’t yet gotten, but will get gotten to eventually.
Day 298