Page 33 of Instinct for Disaster

“Um, I want visitation with my friends and chosen family. I want the ability to defend myself or those with me if threatened. Oh, and if any horses have survived and they would manage life here, I would like a small herd of horses. I think the keffo would enjoy the company.”

He nodded. “So far, very doable.”

She smiled. “How long do I have to figure this out?”

“Until tonight. After the gathering.”

“Oh. What are you bringing to the table?”

“Funds for you, clothing, jewellery that will mark you as my consort. A house on the other side of the world for vacations. A spacecraft for travel, profits from two mines. For our children, there will be worlds and asteroid belts that they can pass to their own descendants.”

She blinked. “Do I get snacks? A break from sex on my birthday if I want it?”

He wrinkled his nose. “No, but I will make it a national holiday.”

She grinned. “Cassandra Day?”

“It has a certain ring to it.”

She sighed. “Fine. Where do I sign, and where is the food?”

He laughed and stroked her cheek. “You eat. I will draft the agreement.”

He led her, wrapped in the sheet, to the table with the warming unit on it. There was an extensive array of food in tiny portions. She sat and ate while a smiling Yasku prepared thecontract. She took her time and mixed and matched a few things, getting a flavour reminiscent of pot pie. It was a lot of fun.

When she was full, she activated the field to contain the scents and drank some water before looking at Yasku. “How is it coming?”

He looked at her. “Do you want to spend time with your genetic family?”

“Absolutely not. They abused my hospitality and tampered with my calculations when we were facing over a year of rationing. They also destroyed two of my beloved birds. They would have produced four hundred eggs each before the arrival.”

He scowled. “Didn’t they know?”

“They knew. I made them sign a contract to abide by my regulations. They broke it, so I took all the animals, my serving of rations, and the feed, and I left to go to people who would appreciate my planning skills.”

“And you never saw your family again?”

“Oh, I saw them on the education station. I just walked to my class while they tried to talk to me. I am a big fan of second chances, but they were on their fourth. New world, new start.”

He nodded. “I can only imagine that betrayal.”

“I knew it was coming, but that is why I made them sign the contract. I then laminated it so they couldn’t pretend it wasn’t something they had agreed to. It took them sixty days to break it. I don’t like broken contracts.”

“Well, then, it is a good thing I feel the same.” He got up and approached her with a tablet.

He offered it to her. “Here. Please read it thoroughly.”

She looked at his serious expression and saw that his own signature was already on it.

Cassandra saw that her stipulations were all there, but something she read made her raise her brows. “If you want sex, I have to comply?”

“If it is outside normal habits, it means I have depleted my energy, and you are my power source, so I require a top-up.”

“I don’t think I can top you.” She pursed her lips. “You don’t seem the type to bottom.”

He cocked his head, went to his terminal, and after a moment, he snorted. “You are correct.”

“Wait, you looked it up? Where?”

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