During the slow afternoon, Claire and several of the others sat around at the bar, sipping cola and chatting. Francois's latest shipment included a huge case of off-brand soda and he’d given them each a soda to enjoy this afternoon. He was thrilled with their success, and his success, and enjoyed treating them.

Sage was idly spinning the electronic token in his hand again, while Diva fiddled with a set of chess pieces that had arrived in the last shipment.

Claire leaned back in the chair, and took a sip of warm soda. “The British drank warm soda, I’ve heard,” she said. “I usually drank it with ice.”

She felt tired and relaxed. Perhaps not as relaxed as she had before the 'false alarm' (as they tactfully referred to that bad afternoon), but still pretty good. If this place had been on Earth, the late afternoon sun would have been shining through the windows, lighting up motes of dust in a slow, golden display. As she was actually on Selta and not Earth, there was no sun, but that was how she felt.

Sage was next to her, and he took a sip and sighed. “I think this body used to like this.”

Claire stiffened slightly. She didn’t want to think about how his body used to be some other person's. Only this morning she’d come across Juliet weeping in the corner of their bedroom.

“What’s the matter?” Care had asked, crouching down to touch her shoulder.

Juliet met her eyes and then sobbed harder. “I’ve finally realized... she was like you. This girl who they killed for my body. She was someone like you.”

Claire bit her lip. “Well. But I know you wouldn’t have done it, if you’d known.”

“Does that matter? I knew everything I know now, but I hadn’t felt it.”

“Well,” Claire said again. “We’ve all done things we regret.”

“But there’s no way to go back. I’ll always be guilty of her death.”

Claire was silent.

“I’m sorry,” Juliet said. “I shouldn’t make you, of all people, comfort me. It just overwhelmed me, that I’ll never be free of this, now that I know you.”

She’d tried to explain to Juliet how well she understood, but it was actually Francois who’d helped her feel better.

Juliet was still in the kitchen with him, listening to him expound about the nature of guilt and forgiveness.

Claire had escaped into the outer room with the others.

Sage’s hand was draped over hers on the bar, casually rubbing her palm with his thumb.

She sat up and slid her hand away, pulling a rubber band out of her pocket to pull her hair back, as an excuse for moving away from him.

She knew she should probably be less casual with Sage, but he was so kind.He treated the other girls like that, too. She’d seen him rubbing Juliet's neck that morning, and he often touched Diva or Old Twin's arm in passing, just like he did with her. It wasn’t a big deal.

At least, she told herself that, but it was a big deal to her. She still wasn’t over her deep reaction to human touch. Apparently it took longer than a few weeks to make up for the years in the zoo. She'd missed a lot of things: good food, someone to talk to, socks, music, books, the ocean... but she hadn’t realized that the touch of human skin was so unique.

She knew the clammy touch of Spo skin, the warm roughness of the Merith, even the feel of the furry Tergre who sometimes clumsily shook her hand when they left the restaurant; but anytime she felt the fine grain texture of human skin, her nerves thrilled.

Sage liked to hold her hand, and Claire enjoyed it too much to stop him. Except every now and then, when he reminded her what he was.

As she pulled her hair up she thought there was a momentary flash of something in his eyes (regret? annoyance?) but then Francois was at the door, requesting some physical assistance with unloading supplies in the storeroom behind the kitchen.

Athlete and the others followed him through the kitchen door, but when Claire stood to follow them, Sage pulled her back down.

“Take a break. They’ve got this one.”

Claire hesitated, but the door was already swinging shut. She shrugged and sat back down, enjoying the quiet and her soda. Sage started to say something, but stopped in surprise when the front door of the restaurant opened.

Usually it was locked at this time of day, before the dinner guests arrived, and she didn’t know that Francois was expecting anyone.

It was a Merith. He stood framed in the doorway, richly dressed and completely at ease.

It took Claire one more heartbeat to realize it was Faal.

Get out. Run to the kitchen! The words appeared on her glasses, but she felt caught in Faal’s one-eyed glare, the way she’d slowly been conditioned.

Faal took a step forward with a slightly halting gait, letting the door close behind him, and the movement jarred her loose. She stood up so fast she knocked her stool over. Her first instinct was to duck beneath the bar again, but she knew hiding was not an option.

Run. To the kitchen, her glasses repeated. “Francois may be able to help you. Rear exit.”

Claire obeyed. She was around the bar to the kitchen door in a matter of seconds, and slammed it open with her hand as she crashed through. "Francois!" she yelled.

But he wasn't in the kitchen, and neither were the others. It looked like the door of the storeroom had been locked. Instead, the zookeeper and another of Faal's guards waited for her.

She tried to check her momentum, but her feet were still moving. She slammed into the zookeeper's thick chest.

He grabbed her left wrist in his hand and spun her around, locking an arm around her neck in a modified headlock. He pulled her against him and she could feel his solidity against her back. She clawed at his arm with her fingernails, but he just tightened his elbow until her vision tunneled and her knees went limp.

“Francois...Athlete...” Claire choked out. The zookeeper must have been lucky; he’d been able to get into the kitchen through the rear exit and lock Francois and the others in the storeroom without even a fight. She would have heard that. But didn’t they know Francois would be able to unlock the door with telekinesis? Maybe the zookeeper had wedged it somehow...

 “Bring her in here,” Faal said.

The zookeeper pushed Claire back into the dining room. Sage was untouched. He was coolly appraising Faal, while yet another guard pointed a gun at him. That made four – Faal and his guard by the door, and the zookeeper and another guard with her. Were there more? Claire suspected there might be, but then, Faal might not assume that regaining her would be very difficult. Her only escapes from him so far had been extremely lucky.

“What is this?” Sage said. “Do you want money? We don’t handle the restaurant finances.”

Claire almost laughed. Did Sage think this was a robbery?

Faal ignored Sage and his burning gaze raked Claire up and down. “You injured me,” he told Claire, as if she’d asked a question. “I was fortunate with the explosion you rigged up. Only my legs were caught beneath the tree. But you injured me,” he repeated.

Claire wanted to retort, but the arm around her neck was too tight. She swallowed convulsively and looked from him to Sage.

“You made an explosive?” Sage said calmly. “You never told me that part. Very impressive.”

Faal gave Sage a cursory glance. “One of the Rik/humans, yes? Then you will know my name. I am Faal of Merith II. If you don’t become a problem for me, I will not become a problem for you. Bring her.” This last was to the zookeeper, who began to edge Claire towards the front door.

“No, you’re not going to do that,” Sage said. “She works here, and the Crosspoint who owns this establishment will not appreciate her disappearance.”

Faal sneered. "I don't have time for this. You need to get off this station, correct? Headed to Earth?”

Sage inclined his head.

Faal pulled a clip from his bag, removed a card, and flicked it contemptuously to Sage. “If I endorse that credit, you could afford a private ship to Earth.”

Sage looked slowly from the card to Claire, and her chest clenched in pain. She felt as if a giant air bubble was trapped around her heart. This was the same moment, happening again.

He could do it. He could take the card, and take the others to Earth. He would feel guilty about her, possibly heart-broken, but she would be sold...again.

Sage’s eyes were wary, and he held the card carefully.

“She’s worth that much to you?” he said.

Faal gestured to his stiff legs. “She injured me,” he said with deadly simplicity.

Sage nodded again and looked at Claire. The whites of his eyes reflected in the light.

“It's not worth it,” Claire said. A tear slid down her cheek. "Believe me, I don't blame you for letting me go, but I know how you'll feel tomorrow. And the next day."

The zookeeper began to push her towards the door again, and Claire tried to brace her feet against the floor but her slip-on shoes offered little traction.

“No," Sage said.

The word hung in the air.

Faal glanced back, but Claire couldn’t twist around to see Sage’s face.

“Thank you, but I think I must decline your very generous offer,” Sage said. “See, the human has value to us as well, and – ”

Faal snapped his beak, “Be silent. I have no intention of negotiating with a bastard son of a bastard species.” He gestured to his guard. “Shoot him.”

 “You won’t leave with her.”The certainty in Sage’s voice demanded attention. Faal and the zookeeper paused against their will. “You’ve misjudged your opponents.”

Faal’s eye slitted in anger at this supreme insult, but before he could reply the front door slammed open. Athlete barreled through. He ducked his head and body-tackled Faal’s bodyguard, the one aiming a gun at Sage. They seemed to fly several feet through the air before crashing to the floor in a tangle of blows and falling bar stools.

Juliet came low through the door just behind Athlete. She snaked to the left in a blur, tossing a gun to Sage. She somersaulted over the bar and disappeared behind it just as the zookeeper began to fire at her.

In drawing his gun, the zookeeper released Claire and she slipped down. She landed hard on her bottom on the slick floor, and scrambled away. Athlete and the other guard rolled toward her, exchanging vicious blows.

Sage covered the distance to the zookeeper in two strides, leaping over Athlete and using the butt of his gun to strike the Merith at the base of his neck.

The zookeeper crumpled against the wall. A muffled, “thu-u-uh,” came from his injured diaphragm, and he didn’t seem able to rise. Sage kicked the gun out of his hand, and immediately swiveled to cover Faal.

The last guard was down. Off-color blood drenched his tunic at the shoulder. Claire hadn’t even seen what happened to him. Had Juliet shot him?

Faal stood perfectly still, a look of unearthly rage mingled with contempt on his face. Only Athlete and the second bodyguard were still active, as they tussled among the chairs. The Merith rolled and pinned Athlete between the floor and the bar. He got a knee onto Athlete’s chest and used his sharp hands to jab at Athlete’s groin. Claire whimpered, but before she could decide what to do, Juliet vaulted back over the bar. She jumped on the bodyguard's back like a monkey and pushed her gun flush against his round head. He stopped.

Everyone was still for a moment. Only the sound of harsh breath broke the silence. Claire was backed up against a wall. Sage covered Faal and the zookeeper.

Sage took a deep breath. “That was unfortunate. I honestly don’t wish to antagonize you. Please take note that we refrained from killing any of your employees. I hope that might in some way mitigate this insult. However, the girl is with us and we will defend her right to stay.”

Claire fought the sudden rush of tears and bit her tongue to steady herself.

Faal’s eye was bloodshot with rage, he blinked and it looked like on oncoming train signal.Finally, he spat on the floor. “The Rik have a price. Everyone knows this.”

"Um, generally yes, we do. You caught me on a bad day," Sage said calmly.

Claire stood slowly. She’d never expected to see Faal in this position.

He seethed within a scenario he no longer controlled. “What plot do you contemplate, Rik scum? For you were never bred to loyalty.”

“Perhaps the human inspires us to new heights,” Sage said.

With a curt snap, Faal gestured for the two less-injured Merith to assist their fallen comrade. Claire quickly grabbed the gun that one of the bodyguards had dropped in the fight, and trained it on them while they picked up the limp body of their comrade. The zookeeper already had a purpling bruise on his throat. Sage kept his gun on Faal while they shuffled to the door.

Before he left, Faal looked back at her, and Claire bit back another whimper, steadying the gun in her hands. She could feel his hate envelope her like a warm bath, and she shuddered until the door shut behind him.

For several minutes, there was silence in the restaurant. Finally Sage cleared his throat, “Um, Juliet, you want to check the street, make sure they’re gone? And lock that door while you’re at it. Claire, we should get Athlete some ice.”

“Uh. Right.” Claire’s brain was in slow motion. She went to the kitchen in a daze, but just stood there in the empty room, in front of the low freezer. Eventually she opened the freezer door and the cold air seeped around her, freeing her slightly from the warm contagion of Faal’s presence. She didn’t know how long she stood there, but then Sage’s hand was on hers, easing the freezer door shut.

“I think he’s okay after all,” Sage said.

Claire turned to him to say...something... but her throat filled. “I’ve never – When he offered – I thought – I thought...”

Sage pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her and pressing her head to his shoulder. She clung to him, and cried. Cried like she hadn’t the first time. Her hot tears burned her cheeks, frozen from standing in front of the open freezer.

Claire wiped them, with a slightly hysterical laugh. She pulled back slightly and looked at Sage. “Do you think you could – ” she started.

But then he kissed her, and Claire was so surprised she stood there like an idiot, eyes open.

He drew back a bit and touched her eyebrow with his fingers. “I’m sorry. It's okay if you don’t want to...” He leaned in to kiss her again, and Claire leaned forward to meet him. She wrapped her arms around him again, and felt his hand cup the back of her neck.

She closed her eyes and enjoyed her first kiss. She didn’t even shudder at the thought that he was an alien. He’d just proven his loyalty in a way she’d never expected. For the first time with Sage, Claire let herself forget everything except the joy of being touched and wanted.