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“Ohmygod. I thought she was gone.”

Hazor asked, “Why?”

“They took her away after she stopped a fight on the Education Station. She walked in, and they just slowed and then stopped fighting.”

“A soother? Interesting. That is a very specific mindset.” Hazor smiled. “The Zowoth usually snap them up for their warriors in rut. They can be soothed every few days and keep fighting.”

“What is soothing... exactly?”

“Mental relief. Taking the heat and roaring of thoughts away from the afflicted.”

“Wow. That’s a job?”

“It is offered on space stations in Zowoth space, but the fact that she is here is astonishing. They never release their soothers. They are far too valuable.”

The music swirled and rioted in the square. Dancers whirled and laughed, no matter the species. The fiddle and drums thudded and spurred the feet.

When the song ended, Cloudy was going to walk to the stage, but her father rushed up with his arms open. Aya Merryweather went to hug her brother. Auntie Aya was laughing, and Thunder hugged her and spun her around.

Cloudy was moving. “Auntie!”

Aya grinned, and she pried herself from her brother’s arms. “Cloudy!”

Cloudy rushed up and hugged her. “Auntie. You look amazing!”

“Thanks. Clean living. Forced confinement. You know. The basics.” Aya hugged her back.

“I love the outfit.” The dress was floaty and wrapped around her waist snugly.

“Thanks. In my other job, I was stuck in a tent, another tent, and a cloak. It was heavy and way too warm.”

“What was your job?”

“Ask your husband. He’s looking me up.”

Hazor smiled and shrugged. “There is quite the reward for your safe return.”

“I am not going to be stuck there again. He can jerk off to relieve tension like normal guys.”

Cloudy blinked and then snorted.

Thunder winced. “Amaya.”

“Aya. I am not following the silly family name thing.” She looked at her brother. “I get to be difficult, like the bastard I am.”

Thunder sighed. “Aya.”

“I know, I know.”

Hazor frowned.

Cloudy said, “Aya was conceived by my grandfather and one of his coworkers during an overseas business trip. Her mother was remorseful for the lapse in judgment, but she died during delivery. Her father named her in the family tradition but for the country she was conceived in.”

“Wow, that was polite.”

Cloudy smirked. “I get etiquette classes, or I don’t get to go to work.”

Aya looked at her and burst into laughter. “Well, that does sound like that is what it would take.”