Epilogue
Cassie
Piper, don’t push! There’s enough space for everyone.
The four of them, Cassie, Swift, Rhea, and Piper, crowded onto one of the plush seats that wasn’t really designed for more than two people.
Piper crawled onto Cassie’s lap while Swift held up the holovid for everyone to see.
Rhea pulled out a container of snacks she’d stolen from somewhere.
No one had ever been able to figure out her source.
The Aviarist had just returned from a long excursion, and in a fit of unexpected generosity, had given all the passeri a night off.
The holovid ran down. It was a musical story about an old Earth animal called a dog going off on adventures. Piper snored and drooled against her shoulder. Swift and Rhea were silently fighting over the last of the snacks. Cassie smiled.
Cassie took in the enormous spaceport. She hadn’t been anywhere so overwhelming since her initial journey to Laurus.
It had almost eaten her alive then, but now, with ?rim by her side, she no longer felt so anxious.
The bustle of people and the assortment of noises weren’t her favorite setting, but there was no crushing weight of overwhelm.
Her chest was fine. ?rim’s arm was around her waist, and she didn’t even mind the curious looks they were getting.
It was probably more for him than for her anyway.
The IA had never registered a teosian and human mating before, so the paperwork had to be invented on the spot.
“How is your breathing, aoseria?”
My breathing? It’s okay for now. She turned to her mate whose eyestones were fixed on her with concern.
“If I understand correctly, Oscilla Dor’s atmosphere has a slightly lower oxygen content than Cassiaq-IV.
You may require supplemental oxygen for any strenuous activities.
Sokt, look at that list of poisonous plants.
We’ll have to be cautious with any outdoor excursions.
” ?rim was busy scanning the human precautions page on the Oscilla Dor tourism wave when Swift and Piper’s familiar forms came tearing through the crowd of tourists.
She almost didn’t recognize them. They’d grown so much since the last time she’d seen them.
“Cassie!” Half-urtazi Piper threw herself at Cassie first, the slightly slimy texture of her orange polka dotted skin was a welcome reminder of everything Cassie had missed.
Hi Pipes. I missed you.
“We missed you so much! Swift and I talk about you all the time!” As the youngest of her fledglings, Piper had avoided the voicelock, being only six when they’d been extracted.
Only good things, I hope.
While nine-year-old Piper nuzzled against her neck, Swift pulled Cassie forward out of ?rim’s grasp, so she was down at his level. His much smaller half-giradey frame only came up to her shoulder. She crouched in front of him, with Piper still clinging to her.
The only absence was Rhea. She wouldn’t have clung.
She would have made a joke about Cassie’s long hair or asked her what it was like to have a mate.
Rhea would have been twenty now, finally an adult by IA standards.
Cassie pushed aside the familiar ache in her heart.
She had already spent so long mourning Rhea’s loss.
Cassie! Cassie! Tell me about the starship. I’ve never been on one. My parents say when I’m older, I can travel, but for now, I have to finish my schooling. Swift spoke so quickly, it was almost difficult to follow the pace of his signs.
Maybe ask ?rim. I was flight sick the whole time.
?rim? Is that your mate’s name? Are you going to stay here with us?
For a week. We have to go to Fleri after.
Oh. But you’ll come again?
We’ll come again.
“You must be Cassie.” A trill interrupted her fledglings’ frantic reunion. Cassie glanced up to see two families. Swift had gone to a giradey nest while Piper must be living with the urtazi pairing.
“I’m Cassie. It’s nice to meet Swift and Piper’s families.” The voice she’d designed for herself with ?rim’s help was strong and clear from her wrist interface. She even had her own laugh now.
“You have a voice!” The giradey male trilled in surprise until one of his mates kicked him in the shin.
“Don’t be rude to the human, Tswii.”
“I do.” She smiled. “I brought one for Swift too. My aoseria built it for me.”
“Is he a rock?” Piper asked, finally peeling herself away to stare up at ?rim with wonder.
Not a rock. I’m a person.
“Ooh! He knows our hand signs.” Piper grinned at him. “You’re smart.”
?rim crouched down next to Swift and produced a device similar to the first one he’d made for Cassie but a bit more streamlined.
This is for you. I’ve preprogrammed some voices in there for you to choose from, but we can modify it, if you don’t like any of them.
You can wear it around your neck. He offered it to Swift, whose eyes widened like he’d offered him a star to keep in a jar.
For me?
For you, Cassie confirmed.
For really? Swift asked. He hung it around his neck and opened the interface, running over to his family to help him with the setup.
“Thank you.” Cassie leaned into ?rim, who was watching her quietly.
“No. Thank you, my aoseria.” He pressed his face into her hair in his approximation of a kiss. “Your happiness brings me joy.”
“I have a few more passeri to talk to on Oscilla Dor. Do we have enough devices?”
“There’s plenty.” His arm was firm around her shoulders. “I can always get more supplies. You’ll have as many as you need.”
Cassie smiled softly as ?rim gazed down at her through his eyestones. She’d been wrong that day in the clinic after her voicelock was destroyed. She was very lucky to be alive.