Yule Planet by Angel Martinez

Author:Angel Martinez [Martinez, Angel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mischief Corner Books
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

The floor lights around the perimeter of the room came on at half intensity in the morning. Sofia stretched, wonderfully warm, comfortable, and replete. Part of her wanted to roll over and snuggle with a human furnace, but Sofia found she was restless. Marta looked too peaceful and too achingly lovely to wake, curled up on her side with one hand tucked under her chin. Carefully, Sofia eased out of bed and fished on the floor for clothes.

The shuttle base was warm enough that socks, pants, and undershirt were sufficient. Sofia swore softly at the creaky cabin door, but Marta didn't stir as she left the cabin. While she didn't think she'd be the only one up early, she was shocked to find Dieter the sole occupant of the kitchen.

His eyes half-closed, his shock of red hair a tousled mess, he smiled to himself and hummed softly as he stirred sugar into his coffee. "Oh, hi. Morning." He covered a yawn as he lifted the coffee in salute.

"Morning. I didn't expect you up. I mean, I thought you'd be exhausted." Oh, yeah. Not awkward at all. Sofia busied her hands with getting coffee to cover her chagrin.

"I am. Don't tell anyone, though. Would ruin my reputation." Dieter gave a vague wave and collapsed into a chair. "Don't worry about saying the wrong thing. I'll talk about anything. But if you say I'm a carrottop, we're gonna fight."

In for a credit, in for a full pay cycle. "Do you sleep with all of them?"

"All the work crews? Hell, no. I only really like a couple crews." Dieter stared into his coffee as if he'd forgotten the question until he shook himself. "All of this crew? No. Only the ones who'll have me. Marta isn't interested in male-type people. Fiero isn't interested in me. And Hecky only if Shara's also involved."

"She has a thing for Shara, doesn't she?"

He nodded. "Pretty obvious, right? It works for now, but Shar's afraid of letting the kid too close. Someday, they'll go back to their separate lives."

"But Petey and—"

"Ha. Yeah." Dieter grinned into the next sip of coffee. "The triad's different. They've committed to each other. They've made plans about what life will look like after. The ground after being released isn't so stable for everyone."

"Oh. Sure." Sofia drank, glowing trails of warmth painting their way down her throat. "You resent it ever? Being on the outside of their relationships?"

Someone else might have been angry at the question. Dieter considered, serious and lost in thought as he tapped the table. "Resent's probably not the right word. I'd be happy if they were here all the time. Alone too long is a bad look for me. But I wouldn't want to tie them to me. Or me to them. I want them all to go have lives they want when they're done here."

"Will they?" Sofia twirled her cup between her hands. She'd seen enough, heard enough by now that she had suspicions. "Do they have a chance?"

"Everyone gets a fair chance once their sentence is finished.

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