Afterward, I feel the need to stay busy to keep the thoughts at bay. I get up and dress, leaving my two mates lazing on the sleepdisk, sated expressions on their faces, and head to my crafting bench.
“I’ve been working on something new.” I pick up my latest creation and turn it over in my hands, examining the wires and metal. I compare it to the schematic on the comms unit, a flashing blue and silver digital map, and frown. The layout is acceptable, but I think I could reduce the amount of space needed if I moved the charging capacitor over—
“What is that?” Gorde, ever attentive, glances over.
“It’s a phaser.” I flush.
“What do you know about those?” His voice holds nothing negative—no contempt or anger. It’s just a question, but to answer it requires information I can’t quite explain.
“Nothing, when I started.” I put it down. “Drayn showed me how he’s building them, and as soon as I saw it, something just clicked in my brain. Like I automatically understood how they go together. So, because I need to do something, I offered to try and improve it.”
“But in your past you never did any tech work, right?” Gorde gets up and saunters over. I catch my breath at his naked torso, his cock impressive even now that he’s not erect, his thighs powerful.
“You know I was a sex slave.” I look back at the device in my hands. “No, I never had the chance.”
“And yet you”—he pauses. He knows I don’t like discussing my past. Refuse to—“have already learned to cipher?” his voice holds surprise.
I stick up my chin. I admit my ability to learn lately seems enhanced, but I’m not going to discuss that fact with my mates. “Bayla said humans learn fast, once we are given the chance. Yes. I did learn to cipher.”
“By the stars,” he muses, admiration written into his expression. “Do you know how long it takes Zandian children?”
“I’m no child.” I turn away, rubbing my belly.
“I know that. It’s just remarkable a being with no experience can do it so quickly.” There’s something in his tone I can’t quite place.
“Are you jealous?” I tease. “Feeling threatened by the clever little human?” I flip the device. “Who can learn Zandian tech so quickly that it makes you worried?”
He crosses his arms. “Threatened by a human? Not likely.” He scoffs. But then he touches my arm and his expression softens. “And you amaze me—us, every day. Absolutely.”
I shrug, glancing again at the digilayout. “We humans are actually pretty intelligent.” It’s true. On Zandia, I’ve come to find humans have skills at logical analysis and a vast, untapped creativity that—when unleashed—seems unstoppable. Bayla even told me, in an undertone, that some Zandians and humans are both starting to think that humans may even rival Zandians in intellectual ability. Once we are fully trained, there’s no telling what our capabilities will be.
I pick up my robotweeze and try to insert the cap into the new location, but it’s a tight squeeze. I frown and without warning and a small spark, the thing is complete in my hands.
I squeak and drop it onto the table, fingers trembling.
“Danica?” Gorde steps closer. “You okay?”
I take a deep breath and nod. “I’m fine.” There’s no mistaking it this time. I made it move with my mind. I touch my stomach and the creature inside stirs, either a kick or a press of the arm. I push back, and the baby presses again, as if sensing me and reacting. I repeat the action, and the young presses once again. Asking me. Telling me.
I put my other hand to my mouth and Gorde sees my face.
“Is it the young? It’s moving?” He strides closer. “Is he kicking?”
He comes forward and presses his hand to my belly. “Can I feel it?” His voice is reverent, and I think I see something else, though—a kind of worry, or anxiety. But he sounds excited enough. “Danica—he’s moving! Benn, get over here!”
“She.” The word comes out automatically as Benn jogs up and touches my belly.
“Dr. Daneth said it’s too early to tell.” Benn’s strong hand moves across my stomach. “He’s active.”
“It’s a girl. I can tell.” The feel of their two hands on my belly, protective, gentle, brings tears to my eyes.
“Most
Zandian young are males,” Gorde cautions me.
“I can tell.” She told me.
“We’ll see.” Benn seems unconvinced.