Page 93 of Ava Stargazer

Ava had to stifle a laugh, putting her hand on her much quieter container with the biologics that had stayed with her. The container felt different on her chest, through the new outfit the women had presented to her once she got back to Xai.

Ava now wore a shirt and pant set more like the others, colored brightly and made from a lightweight plant fabric with pockets everywhere. The pockets already were bulging, stretching the stitching with things she’d found to bring back to the house.

We are missing Rhutg.Ava looked around the table that was being set with a meal. Rhutg had stayed at the Galactic Board, even though his distaste for being there was strong. He wanted to be on hand for the next peace talks.And missing Lirell and Iryl.Basically all the ones she had come to define as her family. She bit her lip, considering.And Ebel and Nuor.

Ava frowned, but then looked around at who was there. Joy smiled back at her, still not talking much, but listening to Sai, who took to her just as much as she did to Ava. Miral patted her arm, putting the dishes that she had brought on the table. “I’m happy we have so many to care for.”

Orla, already sitting with food in front of her, put her hand over her stomach. Her eyes were bright, and the sun lit up her shimmering scales. “And another in a few months.”

Ava looked at her in confusion, her vision choosing that minute to cloud with a memory of her mother rubbing her stomach in the same way, the many times she was pregnant.Oh.She shook away the thought, taking in Orla’s excited expression as she held her stomach.

Ava rushed over to her, understanding. “Really?”

“Yes. Before you left I thought I might have been, but I wanted to wait a bit to make sure.”

“How long until . . . ?”

Orla smiled. “It will be before winter here. Around four of our moon cycles.” She laughed, giving her stomach another pat. “I’m so excited.”

Ava reached over and took her hand, then smiled back at her, and at Miral standing next to her. “Me too.”

That night Ava sat with her com feed up, working at the little desk area that she’d set up. As what was quickly becoming her habit, she checked in on the scans of the data that they had gotten from Cipra.

She was starting to read the results, summarized from the scanning, starting with her own family’s records. That initial summary was done almost instantaneously, but Ava was taking her time in absorbing it. The program was now doing a slow crawl across the stars, looking for references and any facial matches like it did with Joy.No hits yet.

Ava had also been messaging Nuor, and talking with Joy and Sai, letting them both know tidbits of what she found. She found it helped to share, especially right after looking at the data. The information was frustrating. The sales records were vague; a sold notice, and nothing more. Once the Humans were sold, the minders didn’t really seem to care to update other than afew internal notes to each other referencing the credit amount. There were more numbers than anything, referencing costs and profits. The computer could sort the rest of the data, better and more impersonal, than she ever could.No solid leads yet. On any Humans. That’s the important part.

She rubbed her cheek, feeling overwhelmed. Ava bit her lip, almost worried raw.How will we find any more? How can we help them?

“We will,” Vox said, sliding up and rubbing shoulders with her. “I’m sure there are some out there. Joy was found. As for what we’ll do about what we found on Cipra ... we need to wait and see. The quorum and Spry are discussing the merits of leaking some data anonymously, or having a formal hearing. We only had the Yar at the facility; we need more concrete evidence linking the Riolie.”

“Zeed brought back some samples. And the data?”

“We will have to see if that’s enough.”

Ava went to a shelf she had also claimed in their house, emptying her pockets of the things she had found over the day and added to her growing collection. Rocks and a seashell. She lined them up, organizing them all by color, next to the first dried flower from the Violie plants that had started to bloom while they were gone. The plant had an official name, but Ava didn’t care what it was. It would always be Violie’s flower to her.

Ava took the biologics off her chest and put it on the shelf as well, next to one of Nuor’s leftover feathers, wanting to undress for bed.

“Vox?” She turned to him, pulling off her new outfit, wearing just a thin shirt now.

He was organizing the hides on the bed after washing them earlier. “Yes?” His eyes met hers before going back to fixing the blankets.

The moons were halfway full outside. Ava pointed out the window. “I’m not tired yet. Would you sit with me by the lake for a while? I’ll bring the biologics some powder.”

On the chair was a brightly colored shawl from Orla that Ava put over her shoulders, followed by the smaller container of biologics. The weather had started to turn a bit cooler at night, different from the relentless heat of the last few weeks.

Vox finished putting the blankets on and then stood to join her. He noticed her shiver. “I think we might need to trade for some winter clothing for you, with your thinner skin. It will get cooler faster than you know now that the seasons are starting to change.”

“Okay.”

They walked outside and Ava enjoyed the slightly crisper air that flowed around her. She went to the edge of the lake and spread the powder on the pond, noticing the ripples where the biologics came to greet her. “Hello to you.” She fed her little container as well while Vox looked over the fields.

“What are you thinking?” she asked, noticing his far-off gaze.

He motioned in front of him. “Summer is almost over and I never planted much this year with being gone.”

“Will we have enough to eat?”

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