Chapter Text
June 1, approx. 0300 hours
The Jin Dui arrived in the dark, long before dawn; this time, there was no feast and no haka waiting to welcome them to the community’s marae. Cooper walked the sandy path of the tribe's great hall with Fatima beside her, and followed by Hoss and Carver. The rest of the crew were asleep, but as Fatima had piloted the landing, she came to pay her respects; Carver came as the newest member of the crew, who Hoss said required a formal introduction.
A tiny delegation awaited them on the intricately carved porch of the wharenui. Grandmama Mahaika, Ruiha Parata, Hoss's parents, and Tilly all stood there in stoic welcome, as Mama Awina sang the traditional karanga, her deep, rich voice calling their guests from the darkness and bringing them into light. Hoss nudged Cooper when that sung invitation welcomed them to enter the courtyard, the matea, the sacred space of the iwi. Respectful of the ancient ritual, Cooper limped forward, leading her small party into that holy ground.
Cooper watched Tilly as they walked across the sandy courtyard to the grand hall. The girl looked solemn and coldly mature for her age. There was no elated dash across the sands to meet them, not this time.
The Dowager must’ve told her, Cooper thought with some relief. Poor kid knows.
Hoss made Carver's introductions, and Mama Awina gave him the clan's permission to enter the hall. Grandmama Mahaiki gestured for them all to go inside, and and Mama Awina started passing out her enveloping hugs and hongis of welcome. Cooper delayed on the porch beside the Dowager in order to see Carver's reaction to that. The man couldn't hide his surprise when Mama Awina embraced him, but he didn't flinch or attempt a dodge out of reach. Man has manners, Cooper thought, again with some relief.
"Grandmama Mahaika says that Darius knows I’m here,” Tilly said somberly, plunging right to the heart of things the very moment that Cooper turned to greet her; before all of the polite welcomes had finished and before the captain and the elderly dowager had even entered the great hall. “And you want to take me away to keep me safe.”
"If you choose to go. If not, we will keep you and protect you," the old lady said.
Mama Awina and Little Joe had gone inside, followed by Hoss and Fatima. But Carver waited, perhaps scenting conflict; Ruiha Parata stood her ground a step behind the Dowager, eyeing Carver with a grim look that promised to end any trouble started on her watch. Cooper caught Carver's eye and gave him a silent dismissal. He nodded and left the porch, slipping inside after Hoss and Fatima.
"Darius must have burned every heavyweight favor he's got," Cooper said to the Dowager. "I don't know how he's possibly bankrolling this. But I can't promise you he's finished. And he's made a direct threat to Raikirua Island."
"We can protect ourselves," the old lady said firmly.
"You won't have to,” Tilly murmured softly, as if she were afraid to contradict the tribal elder directly. “Because... I'm gonna go with Doc," she admitted. "I want to go. I don't want anyone hurt because of me. And... maybe Hoss will teach me to fix things."
"Hoss will do that," Cooper agreed. She managed a weary smile, and shared it with the girl. "Abby will be your tutor for book schoolin', but Hoss says he can't wait to have his very own apprentice." Cooper looked to Grandmama Mahaika, and saw the old woman’s expression of reluctant approval. Cooper thought maybe the dowager was relieved not to see her community's defenses put to the test. "But we've got two, maybe three days worth of work ahead of us, sussing out the details with the family's lawyer on the mainland," the captain told the child. "You'll have that much time to say your goodbyes. And we'll swing back again twice each year at the least, for a nice long visit. So it's only a temporary goodbye." Tilly smiled at that.
Mama Awina filled the doorway, coming back to see what the delay was with her fosterling. "Come in and follow me to the wharekai," she commanded, as relentless in her own way as the sea itself. "We have hot ginseng tea and banana porridge with cream, cheesy beans on toast, and my husband is frying up bacon and eggs. Come and at least sit down for a cuppa," she told them.
"Very well," Grandmama Mahaika concluded firmly. "The matter is settled." She stepped forward with her cane to proceed them into the hall.
Tilly stood solid, obviously feeling the need to say one more thing. "Just so you know… if you take me on your ship, then you and Hoss and everyone else will be in danger 'cuzza me," the girl said, as grimly sober as any waif could be, Cooper thought.
"Darius is already hunting me," Cooper said. "And the rest of the crew know the danger. They stay aboard of their own free will. So… no one aboard is in any extra danger."
Tilly seemed to think that through for a bit, then gave a long, resolute sigh (though she couldn’t hide a faint smile of delight at the idea). “Then I guess I’m really going with you, then. With the Jin Dui.” Then the child brightened suddenly. “And Matariki is in two days!” the girl exclaimed. “We’ll still be here for Matariki! So I can still fly my kite in the celebration! Please, promise me we’ll be here for the New Year! There will be a feast and there will be fireworks and all sorts of shiny stuff to do! Please please -- promise me we can stay for Matariki! We have time, right? Darius won’t be here before then?”
Cooper couldn’t help but laugh at the girl’s enthusiasm. “It sounds like maybe we arrived at just the right time to enjoy a celebration. But we’ll have to be off after that,” she warned.
Tilly bounced into the grand hall, obviously buoyed by the good news. Cooper limped after her, pleased to see the girl rebounding from her uncharacteristic solemnness. The girl wanted her festival and fireworks, and it cost the ship nothing to give them to her. This once, at least.