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“Can’t you just put me in the unit again?”
“No. That was a singular program provided by Ra. He is attached to his technology and shared a program that altered the repair unit long enough to get you on your feet. The program concluded and deleted.”
Aya nodded. “Okay. On my own. No second chances. Got it.”
She worked on her hot food, pausing for the greens. They were slightly bitter but not bad. She had eaten worse.
The meat tasted like dark beef. There was a rich flavour and a complementary gravy. She forked up some of the fluffy tuber and dipped it into the gravy. Perfect.
Devran was sitting and sipping tea while she ate. “Is it to your liking?”
“It is very good. I am not having any issues so far.” She mentioned, “When I ate rations, they felt like solid water when I consumed them. Nothing satisfied hunger. It was immensely frustrating.”
She continued eating and then leaned back when her plates were empty. “That was very good. I feel full for the first time in years.”
“Room for dessert?”
“No, thank you. That can wait until I can appreciate it. This was just a test of capacity.”
He grinned. “You are wise.”
“Thank you. I have meditated more than I can calculate. Oh, what happened to my hormone suppressant?”
“What?”
“They had to numb me because I am apparently a member of an oversexed species, and they didn’t want me aggravating my clients.”
“I will have to check your scans. You should be at an even state. How often do your species breed?”
“Breed? Once a year, perhaps twice if the timing is right. We go receptive a lot more frequently. It’s in the Terran files.”
“We have some crew who are scent sensitive.”
“Well, I can’t detect it, but that is part of the problem. It is just a guess on my part. I have never had anything predictable, but it usually shows up once every twenty-eight days.”
“Weeks?”
“Days.”
He blinked. His bright eyes looked first confused and then horrified. “And your people are breeding with Hmrain?”
“So I have been told.”
“They are going to create armies.”
“Not my problem.”
He looked at her and laughed. “And the Zowoth are after you with an escalating reward offered and no idea what you actually are. I am the skulking kidnapper. It is an interesting position to be in.”
“Are you going to hand me over?”
“No. You asked for help. You proved circumstances. We are on our way to judgment.”
Her eyes went wide. She could feel it. “Judgment?”
His eyes crinkled. “Not for you, for those that confine soothers. I have obtained all of your records. There is a lot they need to pay for.”
“Pay?”
