Five hours later Sorcha finally terminated the connection to the remote meeting with the Deputy Floor Leader and the Interior Committee. It had been a farce but since the Interior Committee approved her budget, but it was a farce she had to take part in and smile through. She had done her best to stay as quiet as possible and let Alesia handle the politics and diplomatic niceties. There had been some terse exchanges when Loona had tried to move up the arrival date for the second group of refugees but it was an otherwise uneventful and dull meeting which Sorcha had mostly spaced her way through as she tried to bury her guilt.

The meeting had barely ended when Alesia’s face appeared on her screen.

“You seemed a bit distracted during the meeting.” She said. “What’s up?”

Sorcha groaned and rubbed her eyes. “Nothing…I’m just tired.”

“So you didn’t punch Joseph in the balls?”

“Really!? How did you find out about that!? You’ve been in the same meeting as me for five hours!” Sorcha said exasperated.

“Myrell found him trying to crawl back to his room…”

“Is he ok? I didn’t hurt him did I?”

“While I hear getting sucker punched in the dick isn’t wildly fun, he’s fine. Just a little tender.” Alesia said. “So what happened?”

“He asked for it.”

“You always say that…”

“No, he literally forced me to punch him. He blocked the door and wouldn’t let me leave until I proved his point that I couldn’t floor him with one punch.” Sorcha explained with a confusing mix of mirth and guilt.

“Well that was stupid of him.” Alesia said.

Sorcha buried her head in her hands. “I shouldn’t have punched him, should I?”

“Ehhhh…I don’t know. He was being a bit of an ass from the sounds of it. Though you are his boss…” Alesia said.

“I’ll go see how he is. Apologise.”

“You don’t have to. I imagine he’s learned his lesson. It’s not like you don’t have reputation. Talk about a red rag to a bull.”

“Yeah…I think I should apologise anyway. We were both in the wrong. And he probably didn’t deserve that.”

“Suit yourself.” Alesia shrugged. “Congratulations. I think this is growth for you. You had a legitimate reason to punch someone and you’re the one apologising.”

“Better late than never…” Sorcha grumbled. “How are you anyway? It feels like it’s been ages since I’ve seen you.”

“I know…it’s been hectic getting the teachers trained and the curriculum prepped.” Alesia said. “And it’s only going to get busier.”

“Tell me about it. Shall we both run back to Avalon?”

Alesia laughed. “I wish I could. It’d make Moze happy.”

“He’s still upset?”

“Yeah. He’s still not happy that we’re not able to live together or have a family.” Alesia sighed.

“It does suck a bit. But it won’t be forever. And what are you supposed to do? Abandon all these people?”

“I know…I know…” Alesia groaned. “I’m going to hit the hay. It’s been a long day. I suggest you do the same. You look like a wreck.”

“Why thank you bestie.”

“Only a bestie would be that honest.” Alesia smiled.

Sorcha smiled back. “Miss you.”

“Miss you too Sorch. Get some rest. I’ll see you soon.”

“You too Lessy.”

The screen went black. Sorcha got up and stretched her frame high towards her low office ceiling letting out a long, loud groan in the process. She walked out the door, down the stairs and through the corridor towards her quarters. She tapped in the entry code and the door opened. Sorcha took a step inside and then immediately turned around and walked up the corridor. She approached a locked door and typed in the master code. It opened and she stepped inside.

There was a groan from the bed and the occupant looked up groggily at the shadow moving in the darkness.

“Wha…who’s there?” Joseph asked.

“How’re your balls?” Sorcha said flicking on the light.

“Ehhh sore but I think all still works as it should.” Joseph said, quite confused.

“You sure?” Sorcha asked.

“It’s not like I’ve had a chance to head to a bar and pick up a girl for a test drive.” He replied.

Sorcha pulled her t-shirt over her head and took a step towards the bed.

“W…What are you doing?” Joseph asked, his eyes bulging from his head.

She unbuttoned her jeans and stepped out of them as she moved towards the bed. “Apologising for sucker punching you…and making sure everything still works.”

****

“Look, I know what you’re saying, I get it,” Krol Nempa said, throwing up his hands, “but you’re going to get someone killed.”

“We passed that line a long time ago, Krol,” Temis said. “You know our history. If we try to do this on our own, we will never manage to sustain action.”

“But outside agitators! I mean, no offense, but that’s what they’re gonna say. And the Blockers will be out in force the second they make the connection.”

“You don’t think we can rely on the peacekeepers. Do we have our own security?”

Palsa Temis studied the man who had asked the question. He was a Titan, and a mountain of one; the intricate tattoo on his face marked him as an initiate of the Followers of the Shining One, though Palsa knew few in the Federation would see it for what it was. Most would think it was a two-year fadeaway.

Temis thought it interesting. Religion in the Empire was very much a personal matter, and even the Federation, with its traditionalism and parochialism, was a mix of believers and nonbelievers, not to mention a healthy dose of those who simply didn’t think about it very much.

Temis knew that wearing the mark that Xealo wore indicated that he had joined the clergy of his order. Temis himself was, on a good day, a hopeful agnostic, and on most days, a surly anti-theist, so he rather hoped that Ripja wouldn’t be trying to convert him while he was here.

“I thought you guys believed in non-violence,” Temis said.

“The Foundation does. But we don’t believe in getting people killed for no reason. We’ll take a beating if we have to, but it would be foolish to do so if there are ways to avoid it.”

“Why doesn’t the military intervene?” Jako asked, exasperated. “Everyone we’ve talked to since we got here has been saying the same thing – hold a protest, and the Black Block might just slaughter us all. Shouldn’t the military be preventing such lawlessness?”

“They can’t act as peacekeepers in a civilian area, it’s in the charter,” Nempa said. “Not without an act of the legislature or the direction of the Floor Leader. I know, you probably haven’t read it, but there’s…um…how can I explain this?”

“I know about Article 21, Section 14, son, don’t condescend to me,” Jako said, drawing a chuckle from Temis.

“I believe Mr Jako is arguing that this suggests the Federation has abandoned the rule of law and its requisite obeisance to the Charter. He is right, of course, but the legislature doesn’t want to invoke Article 22, not if they can find a reason not to, and as long as it’s just Federationers hurting other Federationers, they will.”

“So maybe we need to be willing to be hurt,” Garae, Xealo’s wife of less than a year, said. “You have been, Councillor.”

“I don’t recommend it, to be honest,” Temis said with a lopsided grin.

“This young woman, Terta. She’s willing to be there?” asked the other human in the meeting.

“Not just her, but her two humans,” Krol said.

“Not her humans, gorram it!” Temis shouted. “Gorram, Krol….”

“I’m sorry! Gorram, I…I am. I’m sorry. This is…I do believe that you all deserve basic equality, I do. It’s just taking me a while to get my head around every aspect of it. I’m sorry.”

“That isn’t encouraging,” Jako said. “I….”

“It isn’t,” Aranta agreed, politely cutting off Jako’s filibuster. “But I choose to hope, Councillor Nempa, that you realize your shortcomings, and that you will do what you can to make amends.”

“I…do, uh…ma’am. I do.”

“Excellent,” Aranta said. “Well, I can’t choose for the rest of you, but if Terta and Enti and Pesabro are willing to risk their safety for this, so am I.”

“As am I,” Xealo said.

“I am certain we all are,” Jako said. “Though anything that can be done to make it safer….”

“I will talk to some of our local organizers,” Krol Nempa said. “I still need to explain how bringing in outsiders helps.”

Jako fumed; he was tempted to tell Nempa to frak himself. He was glad, he had to admit, that Yamanu had sent someone with diplomatic sense along. Much as he hated to admit it…there were times that it was helpful.

“Councillor Nempa, we are not here as outsiders,” Aranta said. “We are here to support the Federationers who are fighting for their rights. Like you, and Councillor Temis, and most certainly, for Terta and Enti and Pesabro.”

“Well said, Ms. Aranta,” Temis replied. “And Krol, if they still don’t agree after you tell them that…well, honestly, they weren’t really on our side to begin with.”

“Probably true,” Krol replied. “All right. Well…we’ve got work to do, all of us. If we’re gonna pull together a rally in four days….”

“You work the local councils,” Temis said. “I think these four will be able to put together a program. And I will try to publicize it so much that Jota Cesil won’t dare touch us, for fear of blowback.”

“Do you think that will work?” Jako asked.

“Eh…it’s about a one-in-three proposition.”

“Are we on the good side?” Xealo asked.

“Darling,” Garae said, with a sardonic smile, “you know better than to ask that.”

****

“You know what’s odd?” Sorcha asked looking up at the dull metal ceiling as she lay on her back beside Joseph.

“Having your boss break into your bedroom, strip and jump into your bed?” Joseph replied.

“Well besides that…” Sorcha said. “Not that I heard you complain.”

“What’s odd?” Joseph asked giving in.

“Pryvani asked my parents to move to Avalon before I was born. And after I was born. She asked them a lot. And offered them a lot too. They said no though. They said they wanted me to have a ‘normal’ childhood.” Sorcha wiggled her fingers when she said the word normal.

“That doesn’t sound odd to me.” Joseph replied. “I’ve wondered what it’d be like if we’d grown up on a normal world. We were a bit isolated out on Avalon.”

“That’s just it though, I think I would have had a more normal…or closer to normal childhood growing up on Avalon. Most of the kids I encountered picked on me for being half Human. They made jokes about how my Mum loved tupps or that my Dad wasn’t my Dad and that my Mum was lying.” Sorcha said “It upset me quite a lot. I hated most other kids growing up.”

“That’s pretty rough…given how much stronger you are than them it’s no wonder you started talking back with your fists.” Joseph replied.

Sorcha smiled, a glint in her eye. “That’s how we found out about the strength difference. A kid three years older than me was taunting me about my how my Dad wasn’t really my Dad and being a real dickhead. He had a crowd cheering him on too. I ended up losing it and putting him in hospital before a teacher stepped in. I was six…”

“Emperor’s balls that’s rough.” Joseph looked seriously at his bed mate. “We gave you a bit of a hard time because you were so serious. I suppose we didn’t stop to think why you were the way you were.”

Sorcha shrugged. “It wasn’t your fault. I just got used to being by myself…well me and Lessy. It was easier to not respond. When I didn’t fit into the group of Hybrids on Avalon I just did what I usually did; blamed everyone else and stuck to Lessy.”

“Still…I feel kind of bad about it now.” Joseph said. “We could have made more of an effort to reach out.”

“Nah. I was a shit. Still am.”

Joseph smiled. “Well my opinion of you is on the up.”

“I should hope so after last night!” Sorcha said.

Joseph sat up and looked to the digital clock on the bedside table and let out a long sigh. “Guess I should be getting up if I’m going to cover your shift.”

“You look tired…” Sorcha said.

“Well I only got four hours sleep because someone kept me up most of the night.” Joseph replied with a grin a raised eyebrow.

Sorcha locked eyes with the purple haired man beside her and flashed him a mischievous grin before tossing the covers aside and jumping on top of Joseph, landing with her knees on his chest and pinning his wrists to the bed.

“You stay here. I’ll cover my shift. It’s only fair…”

She let out a squeal as Joseph forced himself up and flipped her over and pinned her down. “A bet’s a bet.” He grinned a little as Sorcha wriggled trying to get free. “Besides, I got some sleep. You didn’t. I’ll be fine, you rest.”

He got up and threw the covers back over her and Sorcha rolled herself into them.

“Are you sure?” She asked.

“I am.” Joseph pulled on his underwear. “Besides, I’m not the one who’s running the show. You need to be sharp. I’ll be fine. Though I would like to sleep tonight though.”

“Don’t worry. This was a one off.” Sorcha said.

Joseph pulled on his trousers and a jumper. “Ok, well rest up boss. See you later.”

“Thanks again…” she said as Joseph turned off the light. “ And Joseph?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for listening…it was nice.”

“Any time Sorcha.” He said and walked out the door.

Joseph walked down the corridor and made his way towards the exit to the outside. He looked out the window, seeing it was still raining he pulled on one of the waterproof jackets hanging beside the door. Pulling the hood over his hair and tying the strings tightly. He headed out the door and down the hill towards the landing pad.

Despite the high wind, the lashing, penetrating rain and the dark grey sky Joseph couldn’t help but walk with a bit of a spring in his step. He smiled as flashes of the night before ran through his mind.

“There’s no way that was a one off.” He said.