Sunday July 15, 2012
Book 13: Random Access Memorabilia — Part II: Write

Transcript

NARRATOR: Oisri Dig Base, Security Wing...

EBBY: Commander, Captain Tagon is still alive.  No weird symptoms.  Why'd he step out of the command chain?

ELF: It doesn't matter.  Acting Captain Andreyasn is in charge now.

EBBY: Your boyfriend.

ELF: Well, yes.

EBBY: And this doesn't make you sick?

ELF: No.

EBBY: Humans are lucky.

EBBY: If I had a mate, and she got promoted to a senior position, I'd turn jun.  I'd lose twenty kilos.  Sand and grit, I'd become sterile if it weren't for modern medicine.

ELF: Kevyn is not my mate, Ebbirnoth.

EBBY: Like I said, humans are lucky.

The two of you have mated.  The requisite biological work has begun.  For a unioc couple that would have ramifications.

ELF: Stop saying "mate," Lieutenant.

EBBY: But for humans there are no physiological consequences beyond a mild hormone addiction, and occasional episodes of irrational behavior.

EBBY: It's not until you throw a party and exchange some legalese that your fluid exchange has real significance.

ELF: You're worried that I'm going to get special treatment now that my boyfriend is in command.

EBBY: Mostly I'm amazed by your biology.

EBBY: A unioc female would have succumbed to the Oth-Min hormonal rage and clobbered me for talking about her relationship like this.

ELF: Oh, you nearly got clobbered.