"The only time a boy and a girl give each other jewelry is when they are very, very serious about each other," Kira said.

"What?" Jason's brief expression of terror almost caused Kira to laugh despite her upset. "No, that's not how it is on Earth. It's just a little thing. It doesn't mean— I wasn't trying to— I mean, it doesn't mean anything. No. That's wrong. Uh, friendship. It's just to supposed to…to symbolize friendship between our…worlds," he finished with a frantic note to his voice.

"We understand," Kira's mother said, her voice calm and reassuring. "Thank you for the thought. But it wouldn't be appropriate."

"Uh…but you have to…I have to…" Jason's expression changed. He looked down at the earring, his hands moving slightly before him. "Oh. Sure. Okay. I'm sorry. I wouldn't do anything to make…Kira…feel…anything."

"Welcome, Jason," Kira's father said. "We do not mean to intrude, and will leave you and Kira to talk."

"Me and Kira?" Jason got that panicked look again. "Senior Executive Vice President Talese Groveen asked me to…to let you know that she would like to talk to you again. In person. And…and if there's anything I can tell you to, uh, reassure you about our, um, intentions, to just, uh, ask."

"We're happy to offer you the hospitality of our home," Mari said. "I do admit that we were surprised to learn that your ship did not come from any government on Urth."

Jason shook his head. "No. It's private. That's happened before, back when Earth was being explored. A lot of expeditions weren't military or government, but run by private companies that were out for profit." He assumed the sudden expression of someone who realized he had said something that shouldn't have been said.

"What does your mother's company do?" Mari asked, sounding interested and encouraging.

"Um…" Jason waited, doubtless thinking before speaking this time. "Universal Life Systems has a lot of different subsidiaries, including spacecraft, communications, and some of the biggest defense manufacturers."

"Defense?" Alain asked.

"You know," Jason said. "Weapons. And defenses against weapons. Their primary business is still genetics, though. Mostly these days that means screening and combining the DNA of parents with gene pacs that offer benefits for health and, uh…appearance." He gave Kira a quick, apologetic look. "You know, so parents can make sure their kids fit in to physical fashion norms of the moment."

"Fashion norms?" Kira asked, trying not to sound revolted.