Page 24 of Purring, Presents, and Parties

Without any further prompting, Ari ripped it open with childlike glee to reveal an Identification Cube. Puzzled, she held it up and looked from it to him. “Um, thanks?”

Sounding a rumble of amusement, he picked his up from the floor next to the nest and handed it to her. “Compare the serial numbers. What do you see?”

After looking back and forth a few times, Ari’s eyes went wide. “They match. They’re duplicates. I didn’t think you guys made duplicate Idents.”

“We don’t normally, but in this case, it was fitting. That is your Ident. When you use it to interact with other Talins, they will assume they’re dealing with me. You can listen in on meetings, read any report you like, submit forms, make requests, andcheck in on the status of any of our projects. We’ll need to talk about dividing duties between the two of us, but that should be easy. As long as the work doesn’t require you to be physically present or respond via holo, you can do anything you like.”

“You…you want me to help you run this mess?” she asked, dropping his Ident into the bedding and clutching hers to her chest.

“I think it’s a need, not a want,” Bazium admitted. “You’re a brilliant leader. I’m sorry I didn’t realize it sooner. Tarrian and Norrium shared details they learned from Liz and Aubrey about how you arranged for the humans in your group to flee Old Earth. It's an accomplishment I didn’t truly comprehend until recently.”

Her brows furrowed. “I didn’t do it alone.”

“And you won’t be doing this alone,” he agreed. “I need the same kind of steadfast leadership skills you displayed first on Old Earth and then later on the mining colony. Please agree to help me!” He sounded a dramatic rumble she hadn’t heard before.

“What was that sound?”

“I was trying to sound desolate, but it’s hard because I’m so very happy,” he admitted, pleased when she giggled.

Smiling, she leaned in close. “If you really need me, I’d love to.”

“You’ve just saved the lives of several tedious officials and my sanity!”

With the Ident still tucked tight against her chest, she put her lips next to his. “And I think you’ve saved me again.”

“It’s only fair,” he answered. “Because you're the reason I live and breathe.”

He pressed forward and she parted her lips for a kiss.

Chapter 10

Aubrey

It was official, Aubrey had gone soft. When she’d been young, she’d spend all day hiking asteroids with her mother, which was not only an intense workout but uncomfortable as hell in their ancient space suits. She remembered sweat pooling in her boots because the moisture reclaimer wasn’t very good, and one especially memorable time, the waste collection bladder broke.

Never once did she finish one of those long days and not look forward to tugging on the suit the next day and doing it all again. She had boundless energy and an insatiable need to explore whatever hunk of rock they were prospecting.

Now, many years later, Aubrey had to stop and wheeze after only walking a few hundred yards. Even worse, they were going exceptionally slow.

“Can I carry you now?” Tarrian asked for the fifth time. She wanted to be annoyed, but that would be childish and ungrateful. Then he pointed out something she should’verealized sooner. “The air isn’t as oxygenated here as it is at ground level. You might be having a difficult time compensating for it.”

“I’m an idiot,” she muttered. Running around on an asteroid or moon in a suit with constant, perfectly balanced air was different from going up a damn mountain!

Tarrian sounded a negative rattle. “You are not an idiot! This path is meant for Talins, not small humans. Struggle is inevitable.”

Leaning against him, Aubrey focused on evening out her breathing. She could see the next lift-carriage pad from here, with a line of Talins already queued up and ready to board. The path there was at a steep incline she could see with her naked eye, but that wasn’t the worst part. The path was narrow, with a sharp drop off on one side and no railing. It was one of the reasons there was a tether going from around her waist to Tarrian’s. When he’d first put it on her at ground level, she’d thought he was being overly cautious.

Turns out he wasn’t because this path was treacherous!

“It’s a good thing I’m not afraid of heights,” she murmured. The stitch in her side was easing and she didn’t feel as dizzy. Straightening up and meeting Tarrian’s gaze, she said, “I’m woman enough to admit I’m not going to make it without help, or at least supplemental oxygen.”

“Please, my perfect human, allow me,” he begged, purring loudly. Bending at the knees and opening his arms, he invited her to hug him.

It was hard to object when she was cold, having trouble breathing, and determined to make it to the top of Ancestors’ Belt.

Collapsing against his warm body, she let him pick her up. He rattled out a cheerful affirmative sound as one arm went under her butt and the other supported her back.

He easily lifted and held her weight. His long strides made rapid progress, and by the time they reached the pad, the next lift-carriage was arriving. She didn’t ask to be put down as they waited for everyone inside the lift-carriage to get out. Once the vehicle was empty, the line filed inside. With typical Talin orderliness, they filled the space from back to front. She and Tarrian were the last to load so they were right next to the door as it slid shut.

---