Page 48 of No Strings Attached

“No. I really don’t have anything to offer on a leadership team. And I don’t have any experience other than caring for a litter. You would have been crazy to pick me. But I do wonder why you wouldn’t let Acken and Caussus give me the job of taking care of you. Of making you happy. I would be particularly good at that job, because it’s all I think about—ways to make you happy, make you smile, or cause you to kiss me.”

Vi chuckled, “I certainly won’t ask you to stop thinking that way, because you’re very successful in finding ways to make me happy or cause me to kiss you. But that’s not a way to find yourself, by living for someone else. I’m very excited, Bahbi, for you to have the freedom to discover yourself—what you’re capable of, what you enjoy, what you want to fight for. I didn’t want you to turn into an appendage of me. That happens on my planet with some women—females—who end up being defined entirely by the man they stand beside. She lives for the sole purpose of keeping him happy and is defined entirely by her success in that capacity. That’s bullshit.”

“I don’t really know what I’m capable of?”

“Did you know that you were going to get yourself free from that hostage situation before you did it?”

“Um, no. That surprised me.”

“See?”

“I think so. So…it will make you happy if I find things that make me happy, even if those things have nothing to do with making you happy?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“But I can still do things that make you happy because that makes me happy?”

“Yes, and I can, too.”

“Hmm. You know, when I was making your pan-tees and coveralls, my mind went crazy with ideas of beautiful clothing I could make for you, especially when I saw all of that prettyfabric in the fabrication room. And when you were talking about fashioning Malachite’s emeralds into adornments, I could see a lot of possibilities for those, too. Maybe that’s something I would enjoy and be good at?”

“Maybe,” she mused. “I’m going to want the whole royal entourage to be wearing the same fabric whenever we go somewhere in public, so that we’re all united by that and recognizable as together. Do you think you would enjoy designing the clothing for everyone: me, Caussus, Acken, and anyone else who might be by our side for those events?”

Bahbi thought about it, and could easily picture matching clothing options for everyone, including the Trallians, who might be in the royal party with Vi.

“Yes,” he said, “I’d like to try. Can I?”

“I think so, yes. I’ll talk it over with the other three in the morning meeting. For the jewelry, I would like a recognizable design that we all wear, too. Maybe it’s much bigger for me and Caussus, to show our position, but I’d like a smaller version to be worn by each and every member of any royal party. I want that to be a symbol to everyone who sees us that every member is valued enough by us, no matter what their species, to warrant a piece of expensive jewelry.”

Bahbi was nodding.

“It’s a big job, Bahbi. Are you excited by it?”

“I am. I’ve never had the freedom to create things that are beautiful, only functional. I made everything for my following litter, everything they ever needed, but those things were always basic and durable. I’m excited by the idea of making beautiful things that serve no other purpose than to be beautiful. Do you want to be conservative or flamboyant?”

Her eyes sparkled as she pulled back and looked at him, “I want us all to be head-turningly, startlingly shocking. When we walk in, everyone gasps and they can’t figure out if they want tobe us, worship us, fuck us, or turn around and run away from us. How about that?”

Bahbi’s eyes lit up, then he growled, “I know which one I want.”

Twenty-Two: I’m Not Going To Stop Until You Beg Me

Vi wrapped a towelaround herself as she and Bobby made their way back alongside the garden and up the stairs to their rooms. Thankfully, no one was around at the moment to see them. It was night cycle, but she didn’t know how long into it.

She asked Bobby as he bent over to inspect the boxes of gemstones, and he said, “Only about an hour, I think.”

“I have to be up and ready for our new morning meeting tomorrow when the day starts. I’d give anything for a working alarm clock on this rock.”

Bobby looked at her strangely, “What’s that?”

“It’s something that tells you what time it is, and you can set it to make noise at specific times, like to wake you up at a certain time.”

“I can do that for you. What time do you want to wake up?”

“Um, about 30 minutes before the light, so I can shower and get dressed. How can you do that?”

“I don’t know, it’s automatic. I tell my brain and it does the rest.”

“I wish I had that.”

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