Page 47 of No Strings Attached

Bahbi started with the biggest point of confusion, “So you…and Caussus…are King and Queen…of Oz?”

Vi shook her head, “Pretending to be. Oz is just the name of an imaginary place in a children’s story on Earth. We’ll be pretending to be King and Queen of a planet called Oz, one that we won’t tell anyone the location of, when we are out among people.”

“What people?”

“People who aren’t part of our organization. People on space stations, planets, ships.”

“And why pretend?”

“Because we need to be in a position of power to influence the galaxy.”

“Why influence the galaxy?”

“So that more people have a chance to be free and find happiness, like we have. I think you might have to just put that idea aside for a while until you’ve had more experience of freedom yourself. It may become clearer to you naturally.”

“No, I think I understand your desire, Vi. It’s as if you had broken free in the cage room but left everyone else in their cages to make your own escape. Or if you had freed them, but not offered the same to the Trallians here. You think that if you have the ability to improve the lives of others by your actions, then you also have the duty to do it, right?”

She was regarding him with mild wonder, but she nodded, and he continued.

“I understand the idea, it just doesn’t get generated for me like it does for you. It won’t for any other Trallian, either.” Then he came back to the point that had been bothering him most, “Why Caussus?”

“’Why Caussus,’ what?”

“Why is he your King?”

“Let’s keep the neurolinguistic programming positive here: you mean, why is he pretending to be King while I pretend to be Queen?”

“Neuro--?”

“Never mind. I chose Caussus to serve as the pretend King for two reasons. First, he and I look like a couple from the same species, so it’s believable. Also, I think we look very striking side-by-side with his white and my black hair. And second, Caussus has the vocabulary, diction, mannerisms, andbackground protocol knowledge needed to interact with the rich and powerful throughout the galaxy. He’s been trained to serve them.”

“So, you will be a couple? Life partners?” It was just as he had feared when he saw Caussus in Vi’s coverall.

“No. I will not be intimately involved with Caussus. We will not be romantic. We willpretendto be a couple in public,only. Here or on the ship, our relationship will be the same as it is now. When we’re pretending to be a couple, I will likely have to touch him or be mildly affectionate with him, but that will be an act, a show, pretend.”

“He will not be in your bed, then? You will not mate with him?”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Is there anyone you wish to mate with?”

She looked at him in confusion, then looked down to where they were still joined, then looked back up at his face with a raised eyebrow.

He snorted a laugh in spite of his worries, “I mean, except for me?”

“No.”

“Truly?”

“Truly.” She brought her body down to his and they wrapped their arms around each other.

Bahbi whispered, “Don’t touch him any more than you have to,” and Vi laughed.

She asked, “What do you think about our decision to choose Trak to be in command?”

“I think it is a good one. He has a lot of different skills, knowledge, and experience. It will also make it easier for you to command Trallian crews. He will understand how to tell them things in ways that make sense to them.”

“Are you wondering why we didn’t pick you?”

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