Page 17 of Devin
"My parents are still back on Earth. I might go visit when this one gets a little older. Or when the city is built and we actually have a hotel here, I might invite them out here. Think of it, we could have an entire retirement community here. Invite all our parents and they could live out their days in a brand new Mahdfel city," Meadow mused.
"No," Jane said. "There's no way I want my mom out here. I'd never hear the end of it."
"Well, fine, we don't have to invite your parents."
"We have enough trouble with the wives," Jane said.
"True that. Charlette, for example."
"I should have slit her throat when I had the chance."
Meadow laughed. Val's face must have been a mask of horror at the two pregnant ladies' discussing murder so coolly.
"Honestly," Meadow said. "The first moment she got here, she started making trouble, like real trouble. She nearly got people killed on her first night. And nothing's really got any better."
"She's a con artist, pure and simple," Jane added.
"Anyway, enough about her. What about you?" Suddenly both of the women were staring at her.
"I uh- not much to tell. I'm a war orphan, grew up in a group home. Spent most of my time waitressing for differentrestaurants around town. Got matched, and here I am," Val explained.
"You left out the part about how you got socked in the face," Jane noted.
"Some woman sucker punched me."
"And the clothes?" Jane asked.
"Mine had blood on them. They didn't want to send me covered in blood. It was all they could find." It was the truth. It was just very selective. Meadow appeared to be buying it. Jane did not. Val just sipped her drink and prayed one of them would change the subject.
"It's a fresh start here," Jane said after a moment of silence. "Your past doesn't matter. It's what you do with the future."
"Jane, here, is the sheriff," Meadow supplied.
"Though mostly, you'll find that your husband will be in charge of keeping you out of trouble," Jane said.
"Can I stay if I don't have a husband?" Val asked.
Meadow sighed. "I know they are big and green and a little scary, but you really will find that they are not all that bad."
"But that Devin guy said that I was getting shipped home. That there was some sort of mistake. I haven't been here long, but it seems like an okay place. I mean, I can work to pay my way, if that's what it takes. I'm a quick learner and I'm good with customers."
"Oh sweetie," Meadow said. "Nothing around here is ever about money. It's like it doesn't exist. We're pretty cashless around here."
"And Devin was in to you. Trust me. I've seen a lot of matched Mahdfel, and he was sporting the hots for you. Probably just got a little nervous," Jane said.
"I'm not so sure about that," Val said.
Another green tattooed Mahdfel approached the habitation cube with Zenik, hot on his heels. He was unlike the previous two that she had seen. He was actually grinning from ear to ear.
"You are here! Wonderful!" the newcomer said as he gave Val a once over.
"Kave," Jane said. "What did you do?"
"What do you mean, what did I do? I am the warlord. I may do what I like." He crossed his arms defensively over his chest and glared at Jane.
"Oh, he didn't!" Meadow exclaimed.
"I did. And rightly, too," he said proudly.
