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Aidy sniffs again and gives me a woebegone look. "Something's wrong with me, Corvak. I keep trying to find memories that I know should be there, but I can't come up withanything. It's freaking me out. I hated the movieMemento, you know. Now I'm living it."

My suspicion that she is a clone heightens, but that might alarm her even more, so I keep it to myself. "I am here with you. Whatever happens, I am with you." I offer my hand to her, palm up, and I am pleased when she slides her cold fingers into my grasp. I give them a reassuring squeeze. "How do you feel physically? Any pains? Weaknesses?"

She swipes at her nose and gives me a wary look. "Fine, I guess."

"Are you still aroused?"

This time she snorts. "Always."

"Then I do not see a problem." And I grin.

This time, she does laugh. It's a little reluctant, but she manages a small smile. And even though my cock aches and throbs, and I want nothing more than that little smile of hers. "I appreciate the pep talk. It's just…the memories thing? It scares me."

I nod, then hold up a finger. "Do you know what this is?"

Her eyes flash with irritation and she grabs my finger and pulls it down. "Be serious, Corvak."

"I am serious. You know the basics. You know what a hand is. You know how to drink water. You know how to put on your clothing. You know how to work my cock. So you do have a few memories." I shrug.

Her gaze grows suspicious. "Why is it we always end up talking about your cock again?"

"Because it proves my point."

This time, Aidy's brow goes up. "How, exactly?"

"I did not know how things worked and you did. That tells me you have more knowledge than you think."

She grows quiet at that, her expression thoughtful. "But I don't know my name. My full name. Aidy's short for something.And I keep trying to picture my parents, but I can't see them, either. I can't remember what I did for a living, just that I had a commute that was forty-five minutes each way and traffic was a nightmare."

I decide to give her an answer—but a vague one. "We cannot rule out that you were drugged or left in stasis for so long that it has clouded your memories. The ones that sent us here have no boundaries to what they will or will not do. It is likely that this is temporary, just like the suppressants they gave me, and your memories will return with time."

Aidy brightens, hope on her delicate face. "You think so?"

I smile at her and lie because the truth will hurt her. "I do."

She buries her face against my arm, holding it to her thrumming chest. "You're the best, Corvak. I'm glad if I had to be stranded out here, it was with you. Thank you for being so supportive."

The pleasure in her voice makes me want to pull her close. To haul her into my lap and hold her tight. Grind her against my throbbing cock, sure, but mostly to just hold her. "We are together in this, Aidy. You are mine and I am yours."

She peeks up at me. "I'm sorry I didn't jerk your cock for you this morning."

Just like that, my sac tightens, and I am ready to release. I grit my teeth.You could jerk it now.

But I still do not yet understand Aidy's moods, and she said she had to want it. That her touching me is not a given. That it must be her choice. And if I try to think like Aidy, I am thinking that she is not in a cock-jerking mood, despite the arousal that perfumes the air around her. It kills me to simply nod. "You did not want it. I am learning."

Her smile grows broader, Aidy leaning against my arm with such trust. "You're a good guy…" Her gaze goes to the night sky. "…and the stars are really pretty tonight."

"Better than on your planet?" I ask, glancing up at them. "I only have memories of a space station and laboratories, so they are new to me."

"Back home there were so many city lights that you couldn't really see the stars, not like this. I don't know if they're different or similar, but you can see them here." She points up. "And those waving green lights? I think those are Northern Lights. Like the Aurora Borealis. At least, that's what we called them back home."

"Are they only in the north? They look a bit like smoke."

"I don't know. I—" She breaks off abruptly as something white flashes directly above us. "A shooting star."

We both stare in silence as the thing flares brightly, a long tail streaking across the sky. It looks as if it lands just on the other side of the mountains, and a tiny dome of light trails after it.

"Holy shit, did it land?" Aidy's fingers dig into my arm. "What was that?"