He breathed in deep. We have a saying. “We want a drink of the new water.” The implant sometimes missed the subtleties, so he explained. “If there is a glass of water that nobody can use then why can’t we take some after we’ve cleaned it for all? They had more than they had before.”

There was something to that. And yet…

I pointed to the list of demands.

Some like access to their own islands. Others wanted Volardi technology. Some radicals wanted all Volardi off the planet. I couldn’t see the Volardi leaving. Nor did I really want them to. I was new to this culture, but there were my people now.

I like to believe there was nothing nefarious, but their points reminded me of the farmers back home. The banks and multinational farms took the water and sometimes the farm.

Which are they? The little guy or something else?

His fingertips caressed under my jaw. There was nothing cruel or even condescending and hence I leaned into his touch. “My love... my Femeni. I will never treat you like the others did with theirs.” He breathed in slowly. “However, you do not know these people. The ‘brine is not in your veins’ as we would say. We are not petty but we are not here to serve them. We are Volardi, and we come first. Give them something and they will ask for more. The fact that they ask after we saved their planet proves this.”

I fought a rumble in my stomach while I thought. The Volardi weren’t the devils like in human propaganda, but they weren’t exactly angels either. More good than bad and I suppose the same could be said about humanity. We certainly had our imperfections. I hoped a civilization that could travel the stars, would be better.

And yet, what would we do if we found these people? As much as it shamed me I couldn’t see my planet doing better.

I put my hand on my stomach while I thought.

“Yes,” I said, “They are prideful. They’re farmers. Just like I was–”

I got up faster than I would have thought possible. There’s a moment of pure panic where you don’t think. You simply do.

Tiny me shoved my line-backer of a husband out of the way while I sprinted to the bathroom. Form follows function and thankfully, a toilet is the same on Earth and here.

I made it with less than a second to spare.

Losing my food was bad. The minute of dry heaves after that was worse. My moans echoed off the wall with every stomach clench before they stopped. After a quick flush, I looked up into my mate’s eyes. His stare was on me and, yet he wet a cloth for my face.