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“When do you expect the school kids will get here?” Rafe asked it.
“The children and their teacher have already eaten breakfast,” the bot replied.
“That poor woman,” Jade said, shaking her head. “Can you imagine taking that many children on an overnight field trip?”
“Actually, maybe I can,” Rafe laughed. “I was put in charge of the airfield cadets for a week during training for my last promotion. Those kids were a mess.”
“You have kids in your army?” she asked, looking horrified.
“All dragons need training, starting from a very young age,” he told her. “It’s very important to have control when you have the ability to turn into something so dangerous. But the boys don’t fight, not until they are of age.”
“So, what do they do?” she asked.
“We practice exercises to control the shift,” he said. “That’s the most important thing. But we also learn to take care of ourselves and maintain the ships. Most kids like it, once they get over the homesickness.”
She nodded, and nuzzled Gus’s soft curls as if to reassure herself that no one was taking him away.
“Want me to feed him?” Rafe asked.
“No, no, I’ll do it,” she said. “I need the practice.”
He watched as she carefully pulled a cell of milk out of her bag and used a portable heat pad to warm it.
When it was ready, she shook it, opened it, and deposited a drop on the inside of her wrist.
“Perfect,” she told Gus.
“Mah,” he yelled, very excited to get his milk.
She handed it to him, and he clutched it, drinking with his merry eyes fixed on hers.
“He’s a hungry little guy,” she said, smiling down at him.
“Yes, he makes up for all that sleeping time by eating lots when he’s awake,” Rafe said fondly.
He was surprised to feel as if his arms were cold and empty without the boy. For all that he had resented the break in his career, he actually missed the cuddling time.
If she says yes, and if everything else works out, maybe I’ll get to be his father, and hold him and help with him every day.
The bot slid back over with a tray of breakfast things, and Jade thanked it as it moved away.
“Oh, wow,” she moaned softly.
“Looks good?” Rafe asked.
“Really good,” she confirmed.
“I’ll fix you a plate while he eats, if you’d like,” Rafe offered.
“Sure,” she said.
“What do you want?” he asked.
“Surprise me,” she said. “It all looks and smells amazing.”
He put together a plate with a nice variety on it for her, then fixed one for himself.
“Coffee?” he asked, pointing to the kettle.
