..”“Yes, it’s back.”Sonia raised her hand, wanting to touch it. She hesitated for a moment.“Touch,” Maya said. “It’s real.”Sonia ran...her fingers through Maya’s hair, making her smile. It felt so good when she stroked her like that. Sometimes Sonia rewarded her that way when she had been especially attentive or submissive, and she had come to yearn for it, just as she enjoyed being called a good girl.Sonia pulled a little on the hair, making sure it was not a trick.“Ow! Not so rough.”Sonia. That meant that the guest of honor was not sufficiently important or high enough up the diplomatic ladder to justify one of the more significant names from the administration.It didn't bother me that I was not higher on the ladder — I believed that the work I did was important and I felt good doing it. That marked me for some of the powers that be as not having enough eagerness and hunger to progress in politics. That was okay with me, too. I preferred to work in the background anyway.This. That's why I prefer a fixed contract. Don't want to 'settle', see?" Yes, I see that!" she told him with satisfaction. "You're a drifter?" I guess." And you're drifting away from what?"Rebecca now felt she had the advantage and was determined to press it home."I dunno," he shrugged. "I guess I'm not much good at the relationship stuff." You're not alone there," she said, more to herself."See?" he laughed. "We've lots in common." I guess we have," she laughed along with him. "You know? Remember. "Especially regarding human males. But why the difficulty in choosing your course? Most adults your age have long since discovered their own path in life." Well," the young woman started out tentatively. She was, after all, in the presence of the supreme ruler of the entire Solar System, and knew the value of discretion far better than most her age. "Where I've found myself most drawn each time I consider the issue may not be open to me. As such, I find myself conflicted on whether to pursue.