Free Obedient by Viola Grace Page B

discharged an hour later, and she left the hospital with a slow and steady walk while the sun flirted with the horizon. Ten blocks to home and she crept up the stairs the moment her parents came out of their bedroom.
    “Zelia, why are you home so late?” Her mother scowled.
    “I had to go to hospital. I got shot. I am going to bed now.”
    Her parents’ voices followed her into her bedroom as she slowly closed the door. They didn’t want answers; they wanted to know if she would be ready for work that afternoon. She honestly didn’t know.
     

Chapter Two
     
     
    Zelia moved through the tables with care, trying not to pull her stitches. Her parents micromanaged as always, and she was used to the crowds by now.
    While her father was upset that she hadn’t cleaned up the night she had been shot, he loved the extra attention and business that resulted. Seven days after the incident and she was just about ready to have the stitches removed, and she was more than ready to have everything back to normal.
    Domas had taken to coming to the diner in the evenings. He picked up the order with Yassur acting as burger security. Every night, he asked her how she was doing, and every night, she said she was fine.
    The crowd around her held their breath every time the Tival agents of the Alliance entered the diner. It was the closest that most would get to an actual alien even if they looked nearly human. Zelia guessed that the crowd was hoping for the recruiter.
     
    When she was finally free of the stitches, Domas passed her a note with the money for the food. It requested her presence at the Volunteer Centre at five minutes after two.
    She smiled and handed Domas his change. “Good night.”
    He winked and headed out the door, back to the storefront of the Volunteer Centre.
    After the alien sighting, the rest of the crowd thinned out rapidly. Zelia began her cleaning routine, and by the time the last customer was gone, she was ready to attend to her meeting.
    She hung up her apron, said goodnight to Dave and turned out the lights. She locked the front of the diner and headed down the street.
    Two hundred twenty steps took her to the centre, and Domas opened the door to let her in, locking it once she was inside.
    “Recruiter Norz has worked hard on your little request, and he would like to speak with you about it.”
    She nodded. “I thought that might be it.”
    He led her into the depths of the facility, and she was surprised. She had thought it was just the front offices and not the warren of halls behind and underneath.
    Domas escorted Zelia into an office where the recruiter was pouring a cup of coffee for her.
    His hand wobbled, and she quickly moved to take the pot from him. “Please excuse me, but I am only up for half a cup today.”
    She set the pot down softly and took up the cup of coffee with a smile.
    He blinked his wide lids and nodded. “I am not used to this new beverage. The canisters of caf are much lighter, as you will see.”
    She sipped at one of the most monumentally bad cups of coffee and smiled at him. “Will I?”
    “Yes. I have found you a situation that will fit all of your requirements. I believe that you would thrive in that environment. There are other folk on that world, but they are distant and would not interfere with you, but they would give you an outlet if you needed assistance.”
    “You are serious. You found me an empty world.”
    He rocked his head slightly. “Almost empty.”
    She sipped at the horrible coffee. “What about the other matter? What about a baby?”
    “That is underway. You sign this contract and you will be on the way to the lunar base tonight.”
    She cocked her head. “Why so quickly?”
    “You have gained notoriety, and there is a plot to kill you for your alien-loving tendencies. We have stopped two attempts so far, but your life is in danger and Domas can’t keep watch for much longer. He’s getting tired.”
    Zelia blinked. “Oh. What do you need me to