[ it's all the better for him, then, the way she faces forward with what can almost be called deliberate determination.

her answer comes, just as casual, ] No, Jamie something, I think —

[ and then what he said seems to catch up with her, and she stops, turns to him; once more, there's laughter in her tone as she exclaims, ]

No! How — how do you come up with these things? I can't believe you don't remember half the stories or abilities of our crew here, but then you've read about a brand of canned pasta... [ but instead of it being a reproach, her eyes are strangely bright as she looks at him, stifling her giggles pressing her fingers against her mouth.

(she remembers it, still — half a year into being in the team, serious and focused as she had been, then; she'd had little cause to laugh or joke, even before all that, back home. even her smiles had been rare. and then degar, with just one off-hand remark, had made her burst into full, embarrassing giggles.

she'd never been more astonished than realising she'd forgotten how to laugh.) ]