Starhawk by Jack McDevitt

the girls’ suspicions did not subside.
    â€œJake,” said Joshua, “did you enjoy the trip over?” He grinned at the girls. “Captain Loomis likes to spacewalk.”
    â€œIt’s exciting,” said Jake. He looked toward the young lady who’d asked the question and seemed to be at the center of the growing concern. She was the tallest in the group, almost as big as he was. Her name was Nadia. “It might seem a little scary at first, but you’ll enjoy it.”
    â€œAlkull sayakunu bikhair,”
said Shahlah.
“Laisa hunaka ma yad’u lilqalaq.”
Then she looked at the two captains. “I told them everybody will be okay. That there’s nothing to worry about.”
    One of the girls was wearing a crescent necklace. She was watching Jake with no sign of approval.
“Min fadlika fassir lana limatha lan ta’tu ma’ana.”
    â€œKarida wants to know,” said Shahlah, “if the
Gremlin
is going to crash.”
    â€œYes,” Joshua said. “It is. We won’t be able to save the ship.”
    Karida stayed with it. “How long have you known?”
    â€œWe’ve known for a while.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you tell us?”
    â€œWe didn’t want to say anything until the
Copperhead
got here.”
    The students looked at one another. Priscilla, watching via the imager, thought they lost a degree of trust in their captain. And possibly in Shahlah.
    Another of the girls was shaking her head.
“’Ana ’ash’oro bil’asaf li’annani ’atait.”
    â€œLayla says she’s sorry she came.”
    Joshua tried to take Layla’s hand in his. But she backed away. “I understand,” he said. “This isn’t the kind of flight we’d planned. And I’m sorry. But everything will be okay.”
    No translation of his comment was needed; the meaning was clear enough. There were some tentative smiles. Shahlah picked up one of the Flickinger belts and held it out for the nearest girl. “Let me help you, Ashira,” she said, alerting Priscilla that Ishraq had not been the only student who spoke English.
    Â * * * 
    PRISCILLA DECIDED THAT, since everyone else now knew the fate of the
Gremlin
, she should share the information with her three passengers. “I don’t think they wanted to go into specifics while you were on board because they were concerned that it would be a bit scary.”
    â€œWe’re adults,” said Lana. “They could have told us.”
    â€œLook at it from their point of view, Lana,” said Priscilla. “They were trying to make it as easy on you as they could.”
    When Jake and three more girls came through the air lock, the reception was subdued. “To be honest,” one of the newcomers said, “I’m glad I didn’t know. I was afraid something like that was happening.”
    The new passengers wasted no time removing the Flickinger units and returning them to Jake. “I see you told them,” he said. “Everything okay?”
    She nodded. “They’re fine.”
    â€œGood.” He collected the belts and air tanks. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
    â€œOkay.”
    â€œIf there’s anything of yours in the lander, Priscilla, you might get it out now.” He went back out through the air lock.
    Â * * * 
    THE CLOUD-WRAPPED PLANET below him seemed closer than it had been. He stared down at it as he drifted between the ships.
Next time somebody takes a bunch of kids on a trip, they should pick a world with a breathable atmosphere.
    He found himself thinking about his life back home. His father, who’d been so proud of him when he qualified. And his mother, who’d left them when Jake was only six. Ran off with a banker.
    Jake had never married. He’d been swept off his feet a couple of times and proposed once. To Jeri Lockett. The woman he always