Page 81 of Mazorium Buys a Human

“I read that Maz should be done in two and half years,” Iris reminded me. “This isn’t permanent."

I gave her an unconcerned smile. “That's true, but then we get to go off and survey another planet. He's already got a contract, and I've seen pictures. This one has a large ocean with blue sand beaches. You can come visit us there too.”

“Sounds wonderful,” Iris said. “You know, maybe we should schedule regular visits to you as vacation.”

“I'd love that,” I said.

Iris hesitated then blurted out her next question. “Do you want us to look for your parents?”

An image of my parents wearing collars flashed through my head. “No, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Iris looked confused, then shook her head. “I don't mean to turn them into pets or anything, but to make sure they're doing well. If they're in any kind of trouble, we could help them.”

I let out a relieved breath. “That would be great. I'll send you a data packet with everything I know.”

She nodded. “It might take a while.”

“It's fine,” I said, then blinked rapidly. “If you find out something bad, I don't want to know.”

Iris moved Nadia to one arm and wrapped me in a strong hug with her free hand. “I understand. I can look into finding other family members too.”

“Thanks,” I said, feeling exceptionally grateful. “Maz had offered to find them, but I'd been afraid to leave our little paradise. I also didn't want him to bring them to live with us. I love my parents, but I couldn't inhabit the same station let alone the same ship with them.”

Iris gave me a knowing smile as she pulled away. “We love them, but that doesn’t mean we always like them.”

That made me chuckle.

“Iris?” Damascus stood at the top of the shuttle ramp. “Lori wants to know if we're planning to exchange the fuel rounds at the next station.”

She yelled over her shoulder, “Tell her that Holsum said fuel rounds 010, 054, and 147 need to be replaced, but the rest only need to be rotated.”

Damascus sounded an amused rumble. “I’ll tell her. Or she could just talk to Holsum herself.”

I saw mild panic on Iris’s face before she turned to fully face Damascus. “No! Don’t you dare!”

Turning to me again, she handed Nadia back. “Lori and Holsum are in the constantly fighting stage of falling in love. If they don’t figure it out soon I might need to strand them on an uninhabited planet until they work it out.”

“Go,” I said. “Come back for a visit when you can.”

“We will,” she promised, already rushing up the ramp.

Laughing, I turned and walked the short distance to a small pile of boxes. Iris and Damascus insisted on leaving a bunch of supplies, including several containers of Mia’s old toys. I’d worried the little girl would be upset, but Iris assured me Mia didn’t want them anymore. Mia also made a point to tell me it was important for Nadia to have plenty of things to play with.

I waved at Iris before the shuttle door closed, then watched them rise up into the sky. It would be at least another six months before I saw them again. Nadia would be a year old and probably walking.

It was strange to think of things on a child’s timeline because they grew so fast.

“Say bye-bye, Auntie Iris,” I murmured to Nadia, lifting one of her chubby arms to wave her fist in the air at the departing shuttle.

Damascus and Maz had been quick to say their goodbyes, and then both had gotten to work doing other things.

As Iris and I drew out our parting, Damascus had been busy on the shuttle going through data packs that recently arrived. Maz set to the task of moving all the supplies they’d left us into our ship and putting them away in orderly places.

Once the shuttle was out of sight, I turned to watch Maz load containers onto a cargo bot they’d given us. He seemed tense as he piled boxes on the sturdy piece of tech. I was pretty sure I knew why.

“You’re behind schedule,” I murmured.

He made a rumble of agreement but didn’t stop loading. Nadia burbled and pressed her hand to my face. He looked up and purred at her.