”“Go ahead Bob.”“Phil, I have a question. Can you download a Hellslinth mind into a blank clone; say a clone of me, for example; or maybe Barb...ra; or one of my other wives? I mean you did it for Angel.”“Bob, I don’t know, but why are you asking?”“Well Phil, it will be winter soon and with winter comes a holiday I love, Christmas. This is a holiday that celebrates the birth of Christ, which is the deity that a lot of my world worshiped, but it is also a holiday where we give gifts to our friends. "Then Lana took over the story again. "I had some suspicions about what was going on because the things in the trunk were always rearranged. So one day, I took off work early and when I walked in the front door, I yelled that I was home. I took my time and finally went to my bedroom. When I got to the door, Jack walked out and asked what I was doing home early. I just said that they let us off early. Then I asked why he was in my room."Jill interrupted with, "I didn't know what to say, so I. Especially on this planet." Why?" I asked. "We like Ishtar." What?" Jennifer screamed. "You like being here? That makes no sense. I heard this was some death world that was used as a dumping ground."Shawna giggled. "Well, I don't remember who said it, but one of our citizens observed. 'Be it dank, dark and mysterious, Ishtar is our home."I looked at Jennifer. "How is it you know about Ishtar?" I asked. "The other captains just know that we exist."Jennifer blushed and looked at the floor. "Your. It wasn’t until the sun started to peek through the sky and the birds started to sing that my body finally let me escape into a state of nothingness that only sleep could bring. ************** I think the word numb best described my mood for the following weeks. I had been successfully avoiding Travis. Leaving classes we shared as soon as the bell rang to race out into the stampede of the hall losing him in the process. I knew I had to talk to him sooner or later, at least to explain my reason.