Free Swimming Without a Net by MaryJanice Davidson Page B

knew of that quality in bipeds. But I did not know one could build something so aesthetically pleasing. It is not at all like those horrid clunky things that search for other war makers.
    And, clear as thought, the image of a nuclear submarine left Tennian’s mind and popped into Fred’s. That’s a submarine, although war maker is as good a name as any. And you should see the inside of a Burger King if you think this is cool.
    Tennian was now pressing her face against one of the windows and tapping her long fingers on the glass. Except it probably wasn’t glass; it was probably some kind of durable—
    He sees me! He is waving!
    Of course, Fred thought sourly. Why am I not surprised he’s in there? He’s probably finding some other inappropriate HBO series for Mekkam to practice his vocabulary on. The Sopranos , maybe? Entourage ? Oh, the horror.
    Yeah, he’s spending a lot of time in the URV.
    He is beckoning for me to come in! May I?
    What do I care?
    It is allowed?
    Fred nearly swam into the URV’s smooth, curved corner. You’re asking me?
    Well. Tennian looked up at her. He is unmated and you are unmated. So that is acceptable. But His Highness the prince has explained that this biped also wishes to make you his, so I—
    Tennian. We’re just friends. He wants more, and I’m dealing with that. This felt like “not quite the truth,” and Fred tried to shrug off her unease.
    Not very well, as it clearly communicated to Tennian, who was frowning and keeping her distance. But—
    Go.
    Are you sure I will cause no offense?
    My God, Fred thought. I’m going to have to physically shove her into the URV or she’ll think I’m in love with Thomas.
    I’m sure! Go!
    Still, Tennian hesitated. I think that you are being kind.
    Then you haven’t been paying attention AT ALL.
    I think that if I go in I will cause offense. I will stay out here, with you.
    Tennian! I think it’s physically impossible for you to cause offense. Come on, I’ll introduce you.
    You will? There will be a formal introduction?
    Well, I don’t know about formal—
    I may go inside? It’s permitted?
    For God’s sake. Come on.
    Much later, Fred would come to bitterly regret that impulse. But for now, she was relieved (she was pretty sure) to see Tennian dart toward the air lock.

Eighteen
    “Thomas, this is Tennian. Tennian, this is Dr. Thomas Pearson.”
    “It is good to meet you, Thomas.”
    “You, too, Tennian.”
    “That reminds me…I noticed you guys don’t use last names. Do you even have them?”
    “Last…” Tennian had been looking eagerly around the URV, but managed to wrench her attention back to Fred. “Oh, you mean family names! We have them—I am Tennian of the Meerklet line; and Artur, like his siblings and his father, are of the Zennor line—but we do not use them.”
    “Why not?” Thomas asked.
    “Because…because we do not. It is not necessary. Normally,” Tennian added, staring with big adoring eyes at the coffeemaker in the galley.
    “Oh. Thanks for clearing that up.” Fred cleared her throat. “Usually among bipeds, you don’t call someone by their first name unless they ask you to, or you’ve known them for a while.”
    Tennian actually gasped in horror. “Then I have given offense!”
    “No,” Thomas breathed. “Not at all.”
    “Yeah,” Fred said sourly. “Not at all.”
    “It is good of you to overlook my lapse.”
    “No problem,” Thomas murmured.
    “Yeah, don’t even worry about it.”
    Thomas was trying not to gape, or leer, and Fred actually had a bit of sympathy for the guy. He’d been minding his own business in his underwater dorm room, and suddenly two naked women were dripping all over his tile.
    In fact, Thomas was so determinedly making eye contact and avoiding looking elsewhere, his own eyes were almost watering. Given that Tennian was lithe, exotic, and pretty, and had the nicest set of knockers Fred had ever seen outside of a Victoria’s Secret catalog, that was quite an