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R eem was surprised when a dress in Wenavik style was brought to her the next day.

“What?”

The crewman smiled. “It is a gift from the captain. He would like you to join him, Lord Zell, and Lady Sage for dinner this evening.”

“Ah. Right. Let me take a look.” She looked at the dress, and it would probably fit. She said to the crewman, “Wait a moment.”

She headed into the lav and changed clothing. To her surprise, the dress fit. The torso wrapped snugly and downplayed her breasts, was snug on her arms, and the skirt flared when the snug wrap on her hips ceased. Her shoes would be fine.

She walked out, and the crewman looked stunned. “It fits. Please thank the captain. I would be honoured to attend his dinner.”

“Yes, ma’am. Miss. Comptroller Reem.”

He bowed his way out of the room, and she shrugged and went back to work. She had a new nursery to authorize. There was a baby boom going on with the Wenavik, and the parents needed a break. She braided her hair while she made the arrangements.

When there was a soft knock at her door, her business was done, and her hair was up in a thick coronet. She got to her feet and went to the door. Two crewmen were standing there, and they looked dazzled, but she knew it wasn’t her. She was never dazzling.

“Comptroller, we are here to escort you to the captain’s dinner.”

“Lead the way.” She knew where she was going, but she let them do their jobs.

She walked with them in her borrowed dress, and when they arrived at the dining room, she thanked them politely.

“It was our honour, Comptroller. Have a pleasant evening. We will be here when your evening is over.”

“Thank you. You are very kind.”

She walked into the dining room, where the captain was on his feet, and he had that same dazzled expression. She walked up to him, and he took her hands, kissing each before sighing. “It is a great pity that you belong to Wenvari. I would like to press my own suit.”

“What? I don’t understand.” She was confused and didn’t like being confused.

The door opened, and Sage and Zell came in. He was looking better, and the constellations in his eyes were moving when she looked at him.

Sage paused. “Whoa.”

Zell looked at her and smiled slightly. “I believe I understand the message I received earlier.”

Sage cocked her head. “Message?”

“Wenvari has charged me with making sure that no one makes off with his comptroller. When we arrive at Aten, the job will fall to Ra.”

“I do not mean to be trouble.”

Sage said, “I don’t know what you looked like on Earth, but now, you are stunning. Your facial features are nearly symmetrical, your eyes are slightly wider than normal, lips full, and ears are slightly pointed. Has a Hmrain been tinkering with you?”

“No. I only met Wenvari two days before we left, and we didn’t have any contact.”

Sage frowned. “How long have you been on his world?”

“Just over two years.”

Zell scowled. “And you never spoke to him?”

“Didn’t need to. I did my job, and he did whatever he was doing. There was no reason for us to interact.”

Zell asked softly, “But he met you before you left?”

“Yes. When we renegotiated my contract.”

Zell looked at her, closed his eyes, and rubbed his forehead. “And he wouldn’t care about your appearance.”

“Because he doesn’t see faces.”

Sage was shocked. “What?”

Zell sighed. “Wenvari was given a number of gifts, but seeing emotions in faces is not one of them, so he created a people who wear their emotions on their skin.”

Sage frowned. “What?”

Reem said, “The Wenavik have lines in their faces and bodies that change colour with their mood. It is very easy to see what they are thinking.”

“How does he eat if he can’t experience pleasure?”

Reem said calmly, “His quarters are above the Pleasure Centre. People come in day and night, and he gets the benefit without the socialization.”

Zell blinked and laughed. “That is how he found out what you were. You cycled.”

“He knew I was Terran.”

“Not all Terrans have consumable energy.”

“Ah. Right. I also did cycle. They have a pleasure unit that’s a bot, and it’s very efficient. Takes care of things in under ten minutes.”

Sage blinked. “Like a sex bot?”

“Oh. No. And yes. It’s two thick, flat sheets of a super-soft, slick silicone. Nodules rise out of it and do what is needed for stimulation. My vaginal canal is limited, so penetration is not recommended.”

Zell frowned. “Limited?”

“Surgically reduced to remove abnormally growing cells.”

Zell nodded. “So much of this trip now makes sense. Ra has the best repair units available. Tinkering with species was his specialty.”

Reem nodded. “Of course. That is why the children of Geb suddenly got their bonds refunded to start us in freedom. They didn’t tell us, but that was the effect.”

Sage blinked. “Wait, so... hang on. Zell, you knew about this?”

“Of course. It occurred when Symo and I were following you and Bailey.”

“I see. Well, hell. I might have made a different decision.”

Reem said, “That is why he didn’t tell you. He was insecure given his previous behaviour.”

The captain was fascinated.

Reem looked at the shock on their faces. “The coms on this vessel are not as secure as you think. I have entertained myself reading the history logs and listening to conversations in ancient Hmrain.”

Zell’s eyes were wide. “You can listen to coded transmissions.”

Reem looked at him blandly. “Can’t everyone?”

Sage stared and started giggling. “Hah.”

“Hah indeed.”

“My ability to manipulate computers has increased over the last few years. I could have made a fortune with this skillset on Earth.”

Sage blinked. “No kidding.”

The captain smiled. “So, if we all agree that she is magnificent, may we have dinner?”

Reem blinked. “What?”

Sage smiled. “You are hard to ignore and very attractive.”

“I am not trying to stand out.”

Sage patted her arm. “I know, but you are something else, and that is impossible to ignore.”

Zell nodded. “You don’t read with the same energy that I feel with Sage, but it is impressive and unexpected. What has Wenvari said about it?”

“Just that he got more from me in a day than the Pleasure Centre in a year.”

Zell snorted. “I can believe that. When Sage arrived, it was like lightning was poured on my nerves.”

“They hired me to wake him up, so I did.”

He lifted her hand to his lips. “You are still waking me.”

Reem said softly, “Adorable.”

The captain held a chair out. “Comptroller Reem, please have a seat.”

She walked over and settled against protocol with a Hmrain still standing.

Sage was seated by Zell, and he sat next to her with his wing protectively over her back.

The crew brought in the meal, and Reem looked down as she tried to analyze the food. She took a few bites and nodded. “Bland but nice.”

Sage blinked. “Bland?”

“Wenavik has stronger flavours and a ton more spice,” the captain murmured. He nodded to one of the attendants, and the young female rushed out and back with a tray of sauces and salts.

Reem knew those condiments. They were at every meal she ate in public venues. She happily began to create heat levels that would have melted her colon back on Earth.

She kept going until she surpassed Carolina Reaper level, and at that point, she could taste the flavours of the food behind it.

Sage reached out and went for one of the sauces. Reem said, “Nope. Don’t do that. Use the blue salt as a starter. It isn’t actually spicy. It is more warm with flavour.”

Sage got a tiny bit of the salt, and she tasted a crystal. “Oh. Wow. That is like a flavour bomb.”

“Yeah. You get used to it.”

The captain smiled. “I have tried some of the sauces. I regretted it for days.”

Zell looked at them. “May I?”

Reem nodded. “Of course. Do you have a level in mind, or do you want to start slow?”

Zell nodded. “Slow. I am intrigued. This is my first time off-world in centuries.”

She walked him through the different options, and the dinner turned into a taste test for the Hmrain, with Sage offering him water when he punched above his weight.

There was laughter, and Reem felt settled to be in a group of people again. It was good practice for meeting with Jasmine.

Sage had a glass of wine in her hand and asked, “Reem, what is the most unusual request you have gotten?”

Reem paused. “Sex club for farm animals.”

The room went silent. Sage said, “What?”

“A farmer wants to make sure that there is genetic diversity in his animals, so he thought it would be a good idea to make a breeding club so other farmers could bring their animals to the city and let the beasts go at each other.”

Sage exhaled. “That is much more benign than I thought.”

“I know, right?”

Zell asked, “So, how did they take the rejection?”

“I didn’t reject him. I told him that downtown without a plan to deal with the manure and water, and other infrastructure, was unacceptable.

Downtown is not a place that will allow zoning for animals to walk through it.

So, we searched for a location near the city where farm vehicles were allowed to park and the sounds of animals copulating would not annoy the neighbours.

It was a contained space that could not expand.

Any expansion would have to be via setting up a second facility, and he is inspected monthly to make sure that things are hygienic and the animals are cared for.

The inspectors also rotate so that no bribery can be enacted.

I also use random spotters to make sure the animals are all right. ”

The captain blinked. “All that for animals?”

Sage said, “Animals kept us alive far longer than vegetables and grain. They managed to keep going longer than any standard farm. Keeping them healthy and having a successful and controllable growth for them is vital to a thriving colony.”

The captain looked at the dishes. “You eat a lot of meat.”

Reem nodded. “It is one-third of my diet, along with cheese.”

Sage chuckled. “This is going to be a few interesting days.”