Page 70 of Mazorium Buys a Human

“Explain to me what you’ve discovered so far,” Damascus said as he escorted Maz up the ramp. At the same time, Iris hooked her arm in mine and led us off, away from the ships. Mia danced past us and rushed over to a pile of rocks. They were discarded samples from all over the planet.

“Your timing is really good,” I commented. “It’s been raining for days. It only stopped earlier this morning.”

“Does it rain here often?” Iris asked.

“That was the first time it’s been like that since we got here,” I said. Why did this conversation about the weather feel so surreal? “Before Maz, I’d only been to industrial planets. I’d never experienced rain before. Did you know it can come in different forms? Sometimes it’s light and like a mist, and other times so much of it can fall from the sky it's as if a cistern is being emptied.”

Iris chuckled. “I know exactly what you’re talking about. I grew up on an agricultural planet with regular rainfall. It must’ve been shocking to experience it for the first time.”

“Iris!” Mia said, running back to us with several stones clutched in her hands. “Look at my treasure! Can I keep them?”

Iris pointed at me. “Ask Mika. They’re her rocks.”

Mia turned to me. “I know these are pretty rocks, but can I have them?”

“Those are some really nice rocks!” I agreed. “I’d like to give them to you as a gift.”

Mia looked delighted and tucked them into her already bulging pockets. I had a feeling she’d already picked out a bunch of rocks, but to make sure it was okay she’d shown us the two in her hands.

“No more rocks than what you already have,” Iris warned her. “Your collection is getting out of hand.”

“IIIIIIrrrriiiiissss!” Mia moaned. “I need them all!”

As Iris and I chuckled, she ran off to explore the rock pile some more. Iris guided us to two crates Maz used to transport samples. She let go of my arm and sat down on one, so I did the same.

“The sun feels good,” Iris murmured. “I’ve been traveling with Damascus for a few years, and sometimes I miss my old life, but only for moments like this.”

“Where was your old life?” I asked, trying to figure out how to ask someone if they’d always been a slave or had been forced into it later in life.

“Omanal,” she said, making me gasp. She gave me a knowing look. “I guess you heard about it?”

“Not much, only that the human colony on that planet was decimated,” I said.

Omanal had been one of the few thriving human colonies for so long that news of its demise had sent ripples through all the humans struggling to survive. It was Nadia’s sperm donor that told me about it, although he didn’t have many details. Only that the terraforming was failing and the planet’s corrupt elements had taken over.

“Then you were free before?” I asked.

Iris tilted her head at me, as if considering how to answer. “I’m still free.”

I didn’t expect her to say that. She wore a collar similar to the one Maz had first put on me then dramatically broke in half getting it off. Captivity with him had reorganized my concept of ownership even before his change of heart.

“I guess being free of hunger or other insecurities is a type of freedom,” I agreed. My answer made her chuckle.

“What about you?” she asked.

I winced. “I was born free, but the station I worked for was sold, and they decided to list me as one of the assets.”

Iris’s eyes went wide. “I’ve heard that happens, but you’re the first person I’ve ever met that went through it.”

“Same,” I said with a grin. “I got lucky. Maz was there to buy me and Nadia.”

The moment I said her name, I knew I’d messed up. We were trying so hard to keep my baby girl a secret, and here I was, blurting out her name.

Apparently there was no need to torture me for information; just give me a friendly face and I’d spew out everything.

“Nadia?” Iris asked, her voice soft and her expression suddenly intense. “Who’s Nadia?”

“Um, well, uh,” I looked around, trying hard to figure out what to say or how to deflect when Mia suddenly let out a pained wail.