He smiled and dropped to his side, wrapping his arms and one leg around her.“You are right.I am.”
She laughed and said, “So, can we go back to normal stuff tomorrow?”
“I might intrude in your workspace for some sustenance.”
Trin looked at him.“Is this like me knowing there is chocolate in the house, so it’s all I can think of?”
He tapped through her thoughts.“Yes.That is exactly it.”
She giggled, and he wrapped her in his wings, and her well-earned fatigue took her over.
Trin sat up and pushed her hair out of her eyes.She paused and stared.Her hair was snowy white.She looked at her hand, and it was the same.A glance down at her body showed her the same bright white.“Aw, damn.How am I going to get grease out of this?”
Birun walked in with a tray and a smile.“The texture means that it doesn’t stain.The designers weren’t that cruel.”
She sat up and looked at him.It seemed he couldn’t stop grinning.“So, I sort of knew this might happen.”
He set the tray down on the bed, and her eyes went wide.“Is that...”She reached out, snapped a piece, and put it in her mouth.She closed her eyes and let it melt.“Where did you find the recipe for chocolate?”
“In your mind.It tastes right?”
She lunged toward him and kissed him.She shared the piece on her tongue, and he purred.She let out a stuttering sound.She leaned away.“What was that sound?”
He laughed.“You were trying to purr.The cartilage is still developing.The changes went exterior and are now heading to your interior.Another few days and you will be mostly finished.”
She yawned.“Why am I still sleepy?”
“Your body has been busy.Oh, I have several responses to our queries.Half of your friends are still alive.”
Trin looked at him, and she felt the watery wave crossing her eyes as tears began to fall.“I thought they were all gone.”
He hugged her and held her against him as she engaged in relieved sobs.When she finished, she went to the restroom to take care of her hot skin and a lot of snot.Wiping it on Birun had been tempting, but he had set her on her feet and given her a light shove toward the bathroom.That made her laugh.It seemed there were limits for bodily fluid sharing.
He laughed from the bedroom.
When she was cleaned up and ready to work with the information he was giving her, she walked out, and he was at his desk.He held his hand out, and she walked over to his desk, and he pointed at an icon.“That is the survivor list.I know you have mourned the others.”
She nodded and settled on his lap, facing the screen.She wrapped his arms around her, reached out, and pressed the icon.Zoey was listed as alive and in transport.Zaniah was located and in cold transport toward Sanctuary Base.
“Who’s Zaniah?”
“Zoey’s identical sibling.They both tested positive in the genetic screening.”
“I had no idea.See the next one.”
The next one was someone named Cori Havemark.Trin gasped.“She’s me.Well, she’s close.What the hell?”
“Your elder sibling.Based on your stated birthdate, she is seven months older than you.”
“My dad was an asshole.”
“Why?”
“Because he obviously had gotten another woman pregnant before he got my mother pregnant.Not socially acceptable, but it explains why Grandpa was so clingy.He had already lost another grandchild.”She swallowed.“Is she coming?”
“She was last seen on Aten.If you wish to speak to her, that can be arranged.”
“Is she a colonist?”
