Page 26 of Truthful Deceptions

“Good individuals," she said. “I’ve been assigned to escort you during your stay. You can call me Ambassador Tulm.”

I wasn’t sure whether Tulm would be able to help me or not. I didn’t recognize her, or anyone else here, which wasn’t surprising. I hadn’t been here very long, and I’d stayed to myself.

The biggest problem I faced, besides simply getting away from the guys, was that the Massoc didn’t do refugees, asylum seekers, or anything like that. Their system was very simple and strict: Either you had permission to be where you were or you didn’t. Permission was granted to those with jobs. Everyone else left.

If you didn’t leave, you were sold.

The only reason I hadn’t run into this issue on Bright Star Station was because I’d made so many friends. They helped me get just enough work to be considered "necessary" for the station's prosperity.

Here I had no friends, no job, and no one to go to for help. I didn’t think I was going to find much opportunity to escape on Twin Star Station.

Narmuna stepped forward and introduced us to Tulm.

When he got to me, her gaze turned intense. “Opal Stillwater? I know you.”

“You do?” I said, surprised.

“Yes, you made an excellent impression on one of my males,” she said. “Garwe said you helped him solve an issue he’d been struggling with.”

“Garwe!” I’d completely forgotten about meeting the Massoc in one of the station's eateries. He’d been angrily staring at a large information square with several empty mugs of tea on his table. Curious, I’d glanced over his shoulder when I’d walked behind him and then got caught up in the electric schematic.

Without thinking, I sat down next to him and started asking questions. We talked and came up with a solution together. It had been the most enjoyable evening I had on the station. He’d even bought me several mugs of expensive tea during our long conversation.

It seemed I did have friends on the station and didn’t even know it!

“I need to tell Garwe you’re here,” Tulm said. “He always regretted that he didn’t get to tell you it worked.”

“That makes me so happy,” I said. “I’d wondered but had to leave the next day.”

“It took some time to work it all out, but in the end he never had another issue with that system,” she said. Her hands fluttered at her sides, a sign of concern. “You must be the reason we were asked if our med staff had human files. Are you unwell, Soul Opal?”

It was sweet that she was giving me the same honorific she’d give another Massoc. That only started happening after I’d worked on Bright Star Station for several years.

“My health is fine,” I assured her, then pointed to the Talins. “These guys are worried.”

“You’re very small. I’d be worried too if I was in your mate group," Tulm agreed, then slapped her hands to her belly in a sign of agitation. “This way, we should hurry.”

I wanted to tell her we weren’t a mate group, but she’d already turned and was swiftly walking off. I lifted a foot to follow, but Tolly swept me up to cradle against his chest. Without any effort, he jogged to catch up with Tulm, Narmuna right next to us.

“You were here before?” Narmuna asked.

“Only for a few days,” I said. “I was waiting for final permission to take my job at Bright Star Station.”

“As domestic staff?” Narmuna asked.

“No,” I said, confused. “Why would you think that?”

“Because that was the contract we hired you for,” Narmuna said. “Domestic duties not to exceed five marks.”

“You guys thought you were hiring me for domestic duties?" I said. “The contract must not have translated well between Massoc and Universal.”

“We don't read Universal. We ran it through another translation to read it in Talin,” Tolly said.

“What did you think we were hiring you for?” Narmuna asked.

“Sex.”

My single word answer made Tolly stumble and Narmuna sound a loud angry rattle. The commotion made Tulm stop and spin around.