Page 79 of Blightfall

“Yeah,” I said. “Unless there’s some really important context I’m missing, that’s what it means.”

Alanik looked back at Dayan. “You agree?”

“I don’t know the first thing about either of your cultures. If this is what you eat”—they indicated the remains of their algae strip—“then we probably have some pretty big differences. But yeah, if I wasn’t crying and someone I wasn’t related to decided to hold my hand, I would assume they were probably interested in me.”

“This can’t be right,” Alanik said. “Once, when I was sedated in a medical lab, FM held my hand. I don’t think that indicated interest.”

“True,” I said. “But you were in a hospital. That’s different.”

Alanik sighed. “So holding hands is a romantic gesture unless someone is crying, injured, genetically related, or in a hospital.”

I was glad she had her translator pin for this conversation. We definitely didn’t need to have any more misunderstandings than we were already having. “Well, you were both injured and in the hospital, right?”

“Right,” Alanik said. She still seemed confused. “Are there any other exceptions? I want to avoid…cultural misunderstandings.”

That was a reasonable fear. There was enough confusion inherent to relationships, even between people who came from the same planet.

“Maybe we should ask Suki,” I said. “She’s the one who studies us.”

“I am interested,” Suki said, “but I think I mean that in a very different way than any of you do.”

I couldn’t be certain, but I thought she was taking notes again.

“I think the question,” I said, “is whether or not you’re interested in Arturo.”

I expected her to tell me that was none of my business, but instead she looked thoughtfully out at the forest.

Scud. Was I actually having a conversation about feelings with Alanik? “I enjoy his company,” she said. “And I enjoyed holding his hand.”

I smiled. “So you like him.”

“Yes,” Alanik said, though she appeared troubled by it.

I was probably pushing this conversation further than I should, but I was scudding curious, so if Alanik kept talking, I was going to keep asking. “Do you want to kiss him? Do your people kiss?”

“Yes,” Alanik said. She paused. “To both. But I’m not clear on human customs, and I would like to avoid doing anything rash before I understand the full implications.”

Stars. “I’m not sure anyone understands the full implications of kissing. It can mean different things to different people. Actually, if you want to know what holding hands means to Arturo, you should ask him.”

“That’s good advice,” Dayan said. “Though you risk getting an answer you don’t like.”

I didn’t think she would. It was obvious to everyone that Arturo was interested in Alanik. He’d been practically glued to her side since she’d joined our flight.

“Do you think I should ask him about it?” she asked. “Is that your custom?”

I shrugged. “I think the human custom is not to talk about relationships even when we should. But that’s by no means true of everyone. If you’re interested, you should go for it and see what happens. Or I guess you could just enjoy it, see where it goes naturally.”

“Maybe I will,” Alanik said. “I’m enjoying what’s happening naturally very much.”

That made me feel all fuzzy inside. I hoped things worked out for them. “Good,” I said. “I think you guys would be adorable together.”

She looked at me sharply again, and I wondered if I’d said something offensive. “Please don’t tell him we spoke of this.”

“No, of course not! Girl code. I promise.”

“Girl code,” Alanik said experimentally. I expected her to ask me to explain, but she didn’t.

“I’m not a girl,” Dayan said. “But I won’t tell him either.”