"Wait, before you get started," Solae said as she set down her cup of coffee. The aristocracy would consider it scandalous how quickly she had acclimated to the food and rations of the lower classes. Most, if not all, would have excused it as a necessary adaptation for her continued survival, but would have still been appalled at her acceptance. The marquise did not criticize, did not wrinkle her nose, did not go through the motions to express her disappointment in the quality of the provisions. Not only did Solae think that it was be pointless grandstanding she didn't think that the meals of the last few days had been that bad. The more time they spent on the run the more understanding she had for her societal lessors and the more convinced she was that there was much the nobility could learn and appreciate from the common, hard-working folk of the worlds.

She left the kitchen for a moment and went to the hold where she retrieved two items from a compartment in which they had stored smaller electronics and supplies. When she returned to the galley she had two devices in her hand that were approximately the size of a pack of playing cards but slightly more slender. There had initially been five of these devices but two were damaged and corroded and they had no need of a third so she had brought the two in the best condition. Both were smooth and the color of aged copper. Six small buttons encircled a large black oval at the center that had pinpoint holes and functioned as a speaker.

Solae pressed one into Rene's hand and kept its twin in her own. "I found these cleaning. Best I can tell it's one of the ways the former crew kept in contact when they landed and were temporarily separated. Fortunately for us because they were criminals the technology is old enough that neither the empire nor the rebels will be looking for it. Even if they were it's encrypted. Drawback is that it's audio only and the maximum range around 150 kilometers." It made her realize just how similar they were right now to actual criminals. Hiding from authority figures, staying in a home that wasn't theirs, grand larceny, subterfuge, and that wasn't even delving into the violence they had used even if in self-defense.

"I know you're only going to the beach outside the caldera but... I'll feel better if we have a way to contact each other," she explained, "and this is durable enough that even if another storm swells we'll have a way to reach each other for a while at least. I'll let you know when Damaris wakes up and you can send me updates on how you're doing or if you see any ships out there doing rescues that we need to hide from," she suggested. "Probably unnecessary but it doesn't hurt to be cautious, right?"

"I do not detect any strong winds that would indicate another such occurrence," Mia purred in interruption.

"Thank you, Mia, but I want to be prepared just in case. We just got engaged, didn't we?" Solae asked with a light tone. "I'd be quite a terrible fiancee to let Sir Rene out of my sight so easily. It's practically my duty to keep tabs on him now," she joked. That and also she was slightly anxious about any minor separation still. They had been through so much together, side by side, that she had started to conjoin survival with his presence.

"Is there anything I can do to help from the inside while you work on the exterior of the ship? I could... cook, not that I really know how, but you'll probably need a break between your two projects. Or Mia and I could work on detangling the components you need from the internal interface," she proposed.