Puberty. Romy racked her brain for the answer. The term had a familiar ring to it, but she couldn’t quite place it.

“The physical change from child to adult,” Thrym said in a soft voice.

The reminder was all Romy needed to recall the reference. Houston’s cheeks puffed out. Romy held true concern he might explode.

He recovered. “Correct. Started by the release of hormones from your brain to your junk.”

“What does he mean by ‘junk’?” Elara whispered.

“Houston, you’re confusing them,” Atlas reprimanded.

“All right, from the top,” Houston said. “You…” He threw a glance at Atlas. “Space humans are harvested at twelve years old.” He looked over his glasses and nodded when they affirmed the fact. “But when you're fished out of your tank, you’re full-grown.” He ran his eyes over Elara. “And the hormones in the brain that would trigger puberty are repressed with your nanotech and supplements in your food.”

“This eliminates accidental reproduction,” Thrym said.

Houston pointed at him, pacing in excitement. “It does. It also makes you emotionally stable. Creating the perfect soldier, unhindered by lust, infatuation, and the moods associated with fluctuations in hormone levels.”

Romy could see no reason this was a problem. It made sense. She voiced her thoughts.

“Ah, Romy. It wouldn’t be a problem at all—aside from the whole ethical immorality thing—except without the supplemented hormone repressors in orbito food, you would start to experience the first tickles of puberty.” Houston clasped his hands together in front of his mouth, his eyes dancing as he observed them. “So I removed the suppressor nanos, too, so the process is short and sweet.”

Romy narrowed her eyes.

Phobos was fidgeting. “What would this make us feel?”

“Volatile anger, fatigue, attraction. Some are gender specific; males can experience rather interesting dreams, and regular thoughts of bow-chika-wow-wow, accompanied by—”

“Houston,” Atlas’s voice rumbled behind her. Romy jumped, having forgotten he was there.

“Sorry, sexual intercourse,” Houston amended. “Does any of this sound familiar, Phobos?”

Romy shot her friend a look, only to find his face drained of all blood. Had he experienced something other than volatile anger?

“It will also affect some of your responses to external stimuli. You may feel emotions more strongly and your body will react to those emotions differently,” Houston said.

“What about females?” Thrym asked.

Romy was grateful his question covered up Phobos’s embarrassment. She grabbed Thrym’s hand and squeezed it. Her knot mate tightened his hold, so their hands remained linked together.

Houston grinned evilly. “Oh, you know. They get periods and PMS.”

Romy exchanged a look with Elara. “What is a period?” she asked.

She heard Atlas shifting behind her.

Houston’s face deadpanned. “The shedding of the vaginal wall once a month.”

Suddenly Romy didn’t want to hold Thrym’s hand anymore. She dropped it and fixed her gaze on the wall behind Houston.