Free Genus: Unknown Adaptation by Kaitlyn O'Connor Page A

least fifty-fifty that you'll get something good."
    "Maybe they ought to be," Kate said glumly, "but I've been fucked by the fickle finger of fate more times than I can count!"
    Sissy uttered another snorting laugh. "Well we'll just wait until they've knocked back a few drinks. Most guys have a hard time getting off when they've had a few. It'll give you more time to get yours."
    Kate considered that. "Yeah, but if I get any higher I'll pass out in the middle and start snoring … and if I get too sober I'll be tense."
    Sissy patted her hand. "I'll watch your back and keep you in the goldilocks zone."

    * * * *
    Finding himself in an empty corridor, Noo stopped as soon as they had stepped through the door the males had gone through and assumed the form of one of the security guards he had seen when he had entered the building. Dae and Rak followed suit, clearly relieved to discard the female forms they had taken. Noo glanced at them and frowned. We cannot all have the same face! They do not look the same!
    Shrugging, Dae summoned another face to mind and changed his appearance. Rak, he saw, was having some difficulty. He projected an image into his nest mate's mind.
    Rak shifted, but he was not happy. This is an ugly face, he said somewhat indignantly.
    What does it matter, Dae asked indifferently?
    I do not want to be ugly! Kate will not like this face!
    How do you know, Noo asked, equally indifferent?
    I think it is ugly! Why would she not think so?
    Because she is human? They have a different perception of what is appealing and what is not.
    Rak frowned, thinking that over as they proceeded along the corridor. I think Kate's face is very appealing and I am not human.
    I find her very appealing, too," Noo agreed.
    I also find her appealing. In fact, I believe she is what the humans think of as beautiful, Dae said.
    How would you know that?
    Dae shrugged. The way the human males look at her and the things they think when they look at her.
    Those others on the space station may not be suitable mating males, but they have thought about breeding her.
    Rak considered that indignantly for a moment before he recalled what had started the conversation. But this face belongs to one of them and clearly Kate does not consider it appealing, gods damn it!
    How do you know?
    Do not start that again, gods damn it! You just said they were not suitable mating males!
    We are assuming that because they did not. We do not know that for certain, Noo said somewhat distractedly. I think there is a lot more that we do not know than there is that we do know for certain.
    All three of them halted when they reached a room where the mating males had gathered. A little disconcerted that they had been so preoccupied with their discussion that they had not realized they would simply walk right up upon the males, they glanced around, trying to decide whether they should retreat or not.
    Discovering that the males were in the process of stripping the last of the skins off or replacing them with other skins, Noo decided they might as well discover what they could while the opportunity presented itself.
    It was something of a relief to see that the human males had members not unlike their own. They were not precisely the same, naturally, but he thought close enough in appearance and functionality. Of course, even the human males were not all the same. Just as they varied in height, breadth, overall shape and size and muscle mass-and the appearance of their face-their members also varied.
    Mindful of the effect his probing had had on the female at the entrance, Noo carefully skimmed their minds in search of the information they sought. He had just focused on one who clearly had mating on his mind when one of the males noticed them and uttered a string of sounds.
    "What's up?"
    "Problems?" another asked.
    Noo glanced at Dae and Rak for help.
    "No," Dae said, pleased with himself for a handful of moments that he seemed to have uttered the sounds correctly. The