Free Titan (GAIA) by John Varley

about the real me. This is the first time I can do it, because it’s the first time I’ve really known myself. And I’m going to love. I’m going to care about people. And it looks like you’re it.” She raised her head and smiled at Cirocco.
    “What do you mean?” Cirocco asked, frowning slightly.
    “It’s a funny feeling, and I knew it as soon as I saw you.” She rested her head again. “I think I love you.”
    Cirocco could not say anything for a time, then forced a laugh.
    “Hey, honey, you’re still in that Hollywood heaven. There’s no such thing as love at first sight. Ittakes time. Gaby?”
    She tried several times to talk to her, but she was either asleep or faking it very well. She let her head fall back wearily.
    “Oh, my God.”

Chapter Six
    The smart thing would have been to post watches. Cirocco wondered as she struggled to wakefulness why she had so seldom managed to do the smart thing since she got to Themis. They would have to adjust to the strange timelessness. They couldn’t go on walking until they dropped.
    Gaby was sleeping with her thumb in her mouth. Cirocco tried to get up without disturbing her, but it wasn’t possible. She moaned, then opened her eyes.
    “Are you as hungry as I am?” she yawned.
    “That’s hard to say.”
    “You think it’s the berries? Maybe they’re no good.”
    “Impossible to tell so soon. But take a look over there. That might be breakfast.
    Gaby looked where Cirocco pointed. There was an animal down by the stream, drinking. As they watched, it raised its head and looked at them from no more than twenty meters away. Cirocco tensed, ready for anything. It blinked, and lowered its head.
    “A six-legged kangaroo,” Gaby said. “With no ears.”
    It was a fair description. The animal was covered with short fur and had two large hind legs, though not as large as a kangaroo’s. The four front legs were smaller. The fur was light green and yellow. It was not taking any special care to protect itself.
    “I’d like to get a look at its teeth. It might tell us something.”
    “The smart thing is probably to get the hell out of here,” Gaby said. She sighed, and looked around on the ground. She got up before Cirocco could stop her, and was walking toward the creature.
    “Gaby stop it,” Cirocco hissed, trying not to alert the animal. She saw now that Gaby had a rock in her hand.
    The creature looked up again. It had a face that would have been hilarious in other circumstances. The head was round, with no visible ears or nose—just two big soft eyes. But the mouth looked as if the creature was chewing on a bass harmonica. It stretched twice as wide as the rest of the head, giving the animal a foolish grin.
    It lifted all four front feet from the ground and bounded three meters in the air. Gaby jumped just about as high in surprise, and had time to twist wildly in the air before coming down on her buttocks. Cirocco reached her and tried to take the rock away.
    “Come on, Gaby, we don’t need meat that badly.”
    “Be quiet,” Gaby said through clenched teeth. “I’m doing this for you, too.” She wrenched her arm away and ran forward.
    The thing had taken two leaps, but each had been good for eight or nine meters. Now it stood quietly, forelegs touching the ground, head lowered. It was eating the grass.
    It looked up placidly as Gaby stopped two meters away. It seemed to have no fear of her, and resumed cropping as Cirocco came up behind Gaby.
    “Do you think we should—”
    “Hush!” Gaby hesitated only a moment longer, then stepped up to the beast. She raised her arm and brought the rock down hard on the top of its head, then jumped away.
    The beast made a coughing noise, staggered, and fell on its side. It kicked once, and was still.
    They watched it for a while, then Gaby walked over and prodded it with a toe. Nothing happened, so she went down on one knee beside it. It was no larger than a small deer. Cirocco squatted, elbows on her