“You were paying attention.”
“Of course.One more office exam and I can court you as I would like.”
Salat blinked.“What?”
“He’s my obstetrician.”
Salat looked at her abdomen.“You are...”
“I was.The new family has the baby as of this morning.They are over the moon and probably very busy.”
Salat blinked.“I see.Boy or girl?”
“Yes, one of those.”
He looked at her and snorted.“You look exactly like your mother.”
She grinned.“I know.I think it’s on her business card.”
Salat laughed.“Do you share an activation?”
“Yes and no.Same activation but slight differences in execution.”Diena shrugged and kept snacking.
She sighed when the hunger eased.
Salat looked at the devastation.“You are confident.”
“Oh, the food disaster?Yes.I am.”She lifted her hand, and the remaining offerings moved into a lovely spaced-out pattern.
Salat’s eyes widened.“You are telekinetic?”
“Among other things.I have gotten around the requirement for need.If I think it is safer that a thing happens, I have a need, and the thing happens.”
Salat’s eyes widened.“That’s...”
“A helluva loophole.”She grinned.“I knew about Lorn, I knew about Ithal, and I knew that the baby with me would not be safe if that asshole were left in charge, so there was a need to remove him.That would stop him from coming after my mother and brother.”
Salat nodded slowly.“I see.”
“Yes, and because there was a genuine need, I was able to summon the energy to do what was needed.”She smiled.“And I know Alody is telling your mother the same thing.”
Salat smiled.“She is.So, you are really a reproduction?”
Jenaki inhaled.Diena put her hand on his arm.“I am, but my skills were shaped by an early life being stimulated to mimic Katta’s performance.I wouldn’t give those fuckers the satisfaction, so I am registered as Active Without Manifestation, and that is how I am still classified.It meant I had to wait for access to Aksalla, but once I was here, I could relax a little.”
Salat nodded.“Right.Khytten has had similar issues with the capitol.She has a tremendously powerful activation, but it is non-standard, and her appearance is easy to sexualize.Here she is.Khytten, mother to thousands.”
“And I am Diena, power of need.”
Salat grinned.“You know our families are going to do a lot more stuff together if Alody is agreeable.”
“Yeah, well, it is to be expected.”
Salat tilted his head.“Here they come.”
She looked, and two full-speed toddlers pelted toward him with three unsteady ones following behind.Salat crouched and caught the fastest ones.“Diena, this is Cira and Ciro.Our second and third eldest.Baola is herding the littlest ones, also known as Salat’s folly.”
Khytten walked close, wearing a sundress with a bustier over it.“Yes, or Salat’s lack of judgment made flesh.We are negotiating for the next pregnancy now.”
