“No,” Jul said quickly. “No more blood. No more death.”
“I think we’ve served the cause enough,” Gis said, rubbing Jul’s back.
“If you can’t stay within Ossiso territory,” Desur said, “we might have an option for you.”
“We won’t agree to be slaves or contract labor,” Gis said.
“That’s not something we would do,” Amina said. “The founder of our freight business made sure there were funds to accomplish a second task.”
Myrum sounded a questioning rumble. “The founder? You mean Helmen?”
His question made them all chuckle. It was Helmen who answered.
“Our company was founded several hundred years ago,” she explained. “The males had a lot of money and eventually set up a business where everyone who works for TML Travel and Freight is part owner. We charge enough to make a profit, but there is an amount of wealth set aside for situations like this. For when others are in need of help.”
“But we aren’t Ugarian,” Gis said, then met Amina’s gaze. “Or human.”
“We’ve helped Ugarians, humans, Porians, and many others,” Amina said. “We can take you back to our homeworld and get you settled there. There’s one catch though.”
Gis looked cautiously optimistic. “What does that mean?”
“It’s a human phrase,” Teshor explained. “It means that there is something that might make you not want to go.”
“Do we have to work dangerous jobs?” Restic asked. “I don’t mind dying young, but could the others have safe jobs?”
“No one is going to be sent off to die of radiation poisoning or an industrial accident,” Amina said. “The catch is that we have to adopt you. Ilgorian law is strict about this. You can’t settle until you join one of our families.”
“Adopt us,” Gis said. “As if we’re children?”
Amina beamed at him. “Yes, exactly. Before you ask, there’s no age restriction to adoption. Ugarian families adopt adults all the time.”
She could tell the Ossisos were surprised.
“You want us in your family?” Sar asked.
“Maybe not mine,” Amina said. “I haven’t married yet, so technically I can’t adopt any of you. But any of the rest of the crew can.”
“But we’ll be married soon,” Myrum said. “Then we could adopt them.”
Amina nearly fell off his lap. “What?”
Then she remembered the marriage ruse to keep the crew from trying to murder Myrum. She couldn’t understand why he brought it up. Didn’t he have a family and clan he wanted to return to? She’d known their relationship was doomed from the start. Why was he acting like they had a future?
Damn, it was going to hurt when they dropped him off at Polkor.
“That’s right!” Desur said with an excited wiggle of his ears. “If we presented Amina and Myrum to the records office at an official Ugarian station, we’d only need to stay a few days before we could present the adoption papers for everyone.”
“That’s making it more complicated than it needs to be,” Helmen said, then addressed the Ossisos. “We’ll all adopt some of you and leave Myrum and Amina to have a proper marriage and ceremony.”
“I want to be adopted by Amina and Myrum,” Gis said. “I don’t mind waiting.”
Everyone else spoke up, saying the same thing.
Amina suddenly felt exhausted. She had felt better after sobbing in the shower, and she’d never admit it, but having Helmen come in and start raging at her was familiar and comforting. Even with that, she didn’t have the reserves to deal with Gis and the others.
“We can figure it out later,” she said, putting down the half-empty mug. She began to move off Myrum’s lap, but he was quick to put his arms under her and stand up.
“I can carry you,” he murmured, purring. “To the guest room?”
