More moaning.
With a muffled "There, that's it, that's the spot."
Kolvin paused. Wait. That did not seem like torture.
Tina covered her mouth as she laughed.
He let the information process and the sounds catalog before he turned back to Tina. "Are they mating? Is that what I hear?"
"Sounds like it," Tina said, shaking her head.
A moan emanated from the wall and one last thump before it stopped.
He glanced at Tina. "Should we be mating so soon? Is that traditional with your people? Mating quickly?"
"Not always. Sometimes it happens, but it tends to be rare. I'm sure if she knew we could hear them so easily, they would have been quieter."
The tension in his body still thumped, and he made fists, something to ease it back.
She glanced at him. "You want to get out of here? Go take a walk around the station or something?"
He turned to her. "Why?"
"I've never been on a space station. Maybe there's a window I can look out of."
"We shall find you one."
* * *
"No,I come from a fairly large family, but I'm the one that watches over my grandparents the most," she said. "I am nervous about being here--who would take care of my grandparents while I'm gone?"
"We should be able to return you to your world, if you choose, by the end of the thirty days. You can then make sure that these second-generation parents of yours are well." They had been speaking of her family unit and the structure of care provided. It did not make sense to him—for it should not be a matter of who cared for who, but all.
She nodded and glanced at him. "I hope you understand that they need me to take care of them."
He did, to a degree. Obligation, he understood. Devotion to your unit, he understood.
She walked at his side, though he had to walk slowly so she could keep up with him as they moved through the shops on this level. The sights and smells were robust, and she seemed absolutely mesmerized about anything she could find. She would stop and grab samples and try different things the vendors were selling. She said it was research.
He wondered if she was hungry.
If she was before, she likely was not now.
"And what is this?" she asked, gesturing to a tub on a vendor's table.
"Blue grass," he replied.
She smiled. "Of course, it is." She glanced at the price. "Did I read that right? That's expensive!"
He glanced at it. "Yes. That size tub should last a family well over a month."
"More like two or three," the vendor said. "If they use it sparingly, it will last even longer. So really, you get the best deal for the price."
"Several months of food?" She blinked. "What does it do?" She turned those hazel eyes of hers on his. "Why is it so important?"
"Important? Female, it makes everything! And blue grass never expires!" the vendor said.
She took a step back. "Wow. Uh, okay."
