Page 16 of Yorix

“Do you think we can find a bathroom?” she asked me.

“You wish to bathe?” The thought of her naked and wet set my blood aflame once more, and the itching along my jaw flared up.

I scratch it idly as she blushed adorably once more. “No,” she whispered. “I need to pee. You know, um, empty my bladder.”

“Ah!” I tapped my kunnarskyn to activate it. “Xeranos, where is the nearest elimination chamber?”

“Two shops in front of you, there is a small walkway, do you see it?” came the Ai’s response.

“I do.”

“Turn down there. It’s behind Panda-monium.”

“Ohhh, I know where I want to eat at for supper!” she said, eyes glued to what the patrons were eating as we turned to go past Panda-monium. “The Chinese food there looks amazing!”

“Then that is where we shall go.” It was an easy request to grant, and if it made her happy, one worth giving.

“Okay, um, wait here, will you?”she asked, stopping in front of the elimination facility door.

“I find I must pee as well,” I informed her.

“But it’s the ladies’ room!”

I pointed to the door, which merely had a symbol depicting water drops. “The elimination and hand washing facilities are for everyone.”

“I hope there are stalls,” she murmured, as I pushed open the door. “Oh goody! There are!”

I chuckled. Surely she did not think we would all eliminate in front of each other? Only prisoners were allowed no privacy, for safety reasons.

“Don’t laugh at me,” she said, swatting my arm before ducking into a cubicle. “This is all new to me! We don’t have unisex bathrooms like this where I live. I’ve heard of them but never actually seen one.”

I took the next cubicle, two doors down. My mate was correct. She had a lot to learn about life within Galactic society in general and within the Fleet in particular, but I also had much to learn. She was a puzzle I got to solve until I knew her inside and out.