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R eem sat on the shuttle with her small bag stowed next to her as they flew skyward toward the warship.

The crew had told her that the overlord had sent some items for her to travel with, but they would be delivered to her rooms on the warship.

She blinked at the plural but sat where she needed to sit and went where she was directed to go.

The wonder of space flight was lost on her. She just wanted to get to Aten to visit her cousin.

The warship was huge and sleek. It was a merchant vessel loaded to defend whatever it carried. Reem let her brain go through the specifications as they docked, and she was asked to get her bag and follow a crewmember.

The sober-looking female said, “You are unusual for one of your species.”

“I will concede as much.”

“Zell’s consort is very enthusiastic and extremely graceful.”

“Those are desirable attributes for a consort.”

“You don’t find it unpalatable?”

Reem sighed. “As I am not required to consume it, my palate is not the one to make that judgment. If the Hmrain is not a fan, then it is up to him to choose a new consort.”

“His previous consort was Zellic, and she was quiet and contained.”

Reem nodded. “As are most Zellic. Now, how comfortable was the Overseer with her? Was he stronger or just surviving? Was he feasting or simply fed?”

The crewwoman thought. “I suppose he was fed. He did not advance according to our records.”

“She gave him enough for maintenance. That would cause a regression. I have studied Hmrain as they are fascinating, and they require steady input to advance to their possible limits.”

“Oh. Zell does radiate power now.”

“So, he has found a matching consort. The current consort is the difference between having a captain who can control a vessel versus the previous consort, who could just maintain propulsion.”

“This is a topic for thought. Thank you, Comptroller Reem.”

“You are welcome.”

The woman smiled, and that made Reem blink. The Zellic rarely smiled. The crew woman looked like a mystery had been solved.

Reem was directed to her quarters, which consisted of two rooms. One was an office. The crewwoman said, “We were notified that you would be continuing to work as comptroller remotely, so this room has an office where you can link to our com system.”

“I am already linked to your com system.”

The woman said, “What?”

Reem flexed her face in what passed for a smile, and she lifted the upper swath of her hair to expose the implant. “I am not a standard Terran.”

The woman’s eyes were wide as she bowed low and made a run for it.

Reem sighed and felt the ship’s engines powering up. The strange sensation of floating started, and then the gravity felt normal as they began the navigation to Aten.

She answered some queries through the space station coms and then had to switch to the warship, and it was difficult to pace things for messaging.

“Reem? Are you Reem?”

A Terran woman dressed in the gauzy clothing of a Hmrain consort was standing in front of her and waving her hand.

“Yes, Consort. I am Reem.”

“Why are you talking like that?”

“Like what?”

“When I see another human, I get all happy.”

“Ah, better to explain right away.” She explained her issues and her classification.

The Hmrain near the door said, “I did wonder about the reanimation reference.”

“It isn’t common. There were a lot of corpses in that lab.”

The male who had to be Zell said, “Do you know what worked for you?”

“No, but I was always stubborn.”

Sage chuckled weakly. “So, you can’t access anything?”

“There are things I know, but my memories begin after waking, and my emotions are mimicked, not felt.”

Zell frowned. “Wenvari wishes to take you as consort.”

“Companion. He just wants access to my output for the next five years.” Reem stood and bowed formally. “I do not have the infrastructure to be a consort.”

Sage frowned. “What?”

“Uterine and cervical cancer.”

“Oh. Damn.”

“It was a while ago. Fifteen years before the kaboom. That is an example of something I know. I don’t know what I did during the time between, but then I woke up.”

Sage blinked. “Can I hug you?”

“Sure.”

She opened her arms, and Sage hugged her. Reem said, “Hello, young human.”

Sage leaned back wearily. “Is that a joke?”

“Probably. If not, it was creepy.”

Sage looked at her and then belted a laugh. “Okay, so you can’t feel it, but you know what it is.”

“Yes. It is a knowing.”

“Huh. And you don’t know what you did before the end of things?”

“No, but if I saw it, I would know it.”

Sage asked, “Can we go through the files to find out what it was?”

“No. You are your Hmrain’s consort, and his energy levels are low. Attending to him is in your contract.”

Sage blinked and blushed. “You can see that?”

“Yes, so can you. His skin is slightly paler than it was a few minutes ago, his wings droop, the claws on the tips are curled, and his tail is limp. He’s physically fine, but his energy levels could use a top-up.”

Sage looked at Zell and blinked. “Oh, wow. I can see it now.”

Zell extended his hand. “Thank you, Comptroller Reem. Your insight is appreciated. I am not good at expressing it myself yet.”

Sage took his hand, and a blush touched her cheeks.

As they were leaving her room, Reem said loudly, “Enjoy the tail.”

There was a squawk and then laughter as the door closed.

She did get humour.

Reem had concluded her day’s business at home and was smug at having figured out how to send communications long distance.

A soft knock at the door and a very relaxed-looking Sage was standing there. “Reem, sorry for just opening the door. Did you want to have a meal in the captain’s dining room?”

“I have a food dispenser here. I am good.”

“Seriously. The food is better there.”

“Better or worse doesn’t matter. Also, I don’t have anything appropriate to wear.”

Sage blinked and looked down at her new, pretty outfit.

“Oh, right. I think it will be waived in this case.”

“Rules are rules, and I do not wish to insult anyone by appearing in my work attire.”

Sage blinked. “Seriously?”

“Seriously. I know my place. I know my uniform. I cannot step out of it without a reason, and dinner is not a reason. I do apologize.”

Sage paused. “Perhaps another time.”

“Perhaps.”

Sage left, and Reem got up to eat in case the consort tried again.

* * * *

S age looked up at Zell . “She says she doesn’t have the right clothing. She and I are definitely not even close to the same size. Damn.”

Zell rubbed her back and ushered her down the hall. “Her height is surprising. I thought Terrans were all like you.”

“No. All different sizes. Even a few Hmrain height, but I don’t think many of those males survived.”

“Come on. We will have dinner with the captain.”

“I want to have dinner with Reem.”

“Why?”

Sage sighed. “Because something happened to her. Something horrible. I want to offer comfort.”

Zell wrapped his arm around her and flexed his wing to wrap around her. “You cannot soothe everyone.”

“But I want to try.”

“Settle for easing me into social norms. We are travelling to Aten for another seven days. There may be time to have dinner with her. Why are you fixated on dinner?”

“It’s a social gathering for Terrans. We relax and discuss our day, make social plans, and the very act of communal eating makes us feel we are among friends.”

They walked to the captain’s dining area, and the guards became alert. “Master Zell, Consort Sage.”

Sage blinked. That was new. The Zellic were very cold to her. Zell looked at them, and the doors opened. They stepped inside, and the captain got to his feet. He paused. “The comptroller didn’t come?”

Sage stared at the disappointed expression on Captain Duratti’s face. “She feels she is not appropriately attired for the formality of the captain’s table.”

His eyes widened. “I will have something sent to her room for tomorrow. She should not be uncomfortable over an invitation. Lord Wenvari would be unhappy.”

Sage blinked. “Wait. Lord Wenvari?”

“Yes, her overlord. They just renewed her contract for her position as comptroller. She is very popular in the colony.”

Zell chuckled. “I believe she wondered why Lord Wenvari would be unhappy if his comptroller were.”

“She is very useful and an asset to her world.”

Zell held Sage’s chair for her before he sat next to her. “You do remember you work for me, right?”

The captain smiled. “Yes, Lord Zell. I am you and your lady’s honoured servant.”

Sage narrowed her eyes. “Okay, what happened?”

“Consort?”

“I have spoken to seven Zellic in the last three hours, and they have all been polite and enthusiastic.”

The captain smirked. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Yes, you do. Two days ago, I got cold nods and single sentences, and all of a sudden, everyone is kissing my butt, so to speak.”

Zell smiled. “Terran phrase?”

“Yes.”

The food was brought out to them, and the captain said, “Oh, look, your favourite, Consort.”

Sage snorted. “That’s it. What the hell happened?”

They ate, and Zell finally said, “Captain, please explain what has changed the crew’s mind.”

The captain sighed and said, “Comptroller Reem had a word with her escort into the ship and explained the positive changes we are seeing in you, my lord. You have energy, you are interacting with your people, and you have even been heard to laugh. That is because you are getting sufficient energy from your current consort. The energy level has not been recorded in our history of watching you and watching for you. Your previous consort kept you functioning, but you did not advance.”

Sage felt her cheeks go pink. “So, she explained this?”

“She did. Once it was outlined in a manner that we could understand, we checked the files, and the changes are there for us to see now that we are looking for it.”

Zell grinned. “I can feel the differences myself.”

She didn’t mention that his stamina was increasing. He knew that she knew.

She focused on eating and mumbled, “How did she know?”