Page 26 of Temple

Bailey sat up. “Did Zell bite you?”

Sage snorted. “No. He didn’t want any fluid exchange.”

“Hm. Well, that proves the match, then. Sorry about that.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, he’s chasing us. That was a sounding contact. Symo’s with him because I got the same ping.”

Sage felt panic. “What do we do?”

“We make tea, continue our route home, and get permission for a direct landing. The only way they can beat us there is if they use a warship.”

“They wouldn’t.”

“They might. Symo running into Zell might be good for you. He’s really in touch with his feelings and motivations. He also doesn’t like emotional abuse. His colonists are all really tactile species who engage in a lot of affectionate displays.”

Sage asked, “So why did you run?”

“Because I felt that forever with him was tempting. Because I wondered what Dennis would think if I gave in to Symo. Because the Hmrain want consorts so they can have families, and my family died six months after the impact. I was showing by then, and a band of assholes beat Dennis, assaulted me, and the miscarriage started after that. I lost everything in four hours.” Bailey ran her hands over her hair. She looked at Sage. “And then I took everything from them.”

Sage felt the tears on her cheeks. “Oh, God, Bailey. I had no idea.”

Bailey shrugged. “So, I am running from another good guy because I had a perfect husband, and we were going to have a baby, and then it was gone. And our world was gone, and I know Symo wants to try making me that happy again, but I don’t know if I can handle it.” She whispered, “I don’t know if I deserve it.”

Sage hugged her new friend and said, “Did they give you survivor’s guilt therapy?”

“No. Is that what this hollow burn is?”

“Yeah. The more loved ones you had during the impact, the shittier you feel.”

Bailey dragged in a breath.

“You know what is good for that floating feeling?”

“What?”

“Mindless orgasms. I got really good at it, and that is why I am in this situation.”

Bailey laughed. “Oh, that’s why you did it.”

“Well, all my normal hobbies blew up.”

They giggled together, had some more tea, and settled in to sleep.

Sage woke up and went to find Bailey. Her friend was at the helm and wearing damp hair and a towel. The jacks and scars that covered her made Sage gasp.

Bailey was sipping a drink through a straw. “Hey, Sage. Sorry. I have to take the suit off once a week and let my skin feel air, or I end up being wet tissue in a tin can.”

“You... those are claw marks.”

Bailey nodded and sipped her drink again. “Yup. Human claw marks. I have them all over.”

“I thought the Education Station took care of them.”

“Not if you are checked out to fly and for combat the day after you finish language training.”

“No dance? No etiquette?”

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