“He’s cute, Angela.”
“He’s a ladykiller, Bekka.”
“So, a bit stuck on himself, hunh?”
“No. He really kills ladies; something to do with his childhood and his Aunt.”
“Not his mother?”
“No, he killed her in childbirth. She still hasn’t forgiven him.”
“Oh. Why isn’t he in counseling?”
“He’s well adjusted; after he does the deed he usually picks up the recycling costs, so no hit to Universal Health. Government’s got nothing to hang him on: murder violates some gray laws, but it not likes it’s strictly illegal. Mostly harmless; it is like shoplifting from your own store.”
“Oh. Still…”
“Gotcha.” Angela pulled up the photo shopping app on her phone, “Shifting layers.”
Bekka closed her eyes, as the tingling of the layer shifting gripped her skin; she knew Angela was a professional photo shopper, still…
Bekka opened her eyes and looked around.
“An orgy?” said Bekka.
“Why not?” said Angela.
“I’m not dressed for an orgy, dear.”
“I told you not to wear that sweater…oh, quit pinching. Ok. Ok. I’m dropping layers.”
They dropped: into a party in Versailles, where Marie’s head looked quite fixed to her shoulders; up to the Kissimme-Dubai Orbital, where, after a quick shahada to save their immortal souls, they partied in low-g; to a party on Mars that ended in an Agreed Reality shootout over alleged patent violations (Angela shifted as soon as the first bullet flew); to the last Carnival held in Venice, before it slipped beneath the missiles and into the ocean.
They partied.
The summer sun rose early in Seattle; their cube turned to take advantage of the morning light. Bekka wrestled herself from under the covers and leaned back on her elbows. Angela snored beside her. Bekka groaned.
“You ok, babes?” said Angela from beneath the covers.
“My head. I think it’s going to explode.”
“I can fix that,” replied Angela’s muffled voice.
“No. It’s the price I pay…that was a great party.”
“Yeah. Megan throws the best parties in the Known Realities; and she’s very accepting of humans.”
“Mmmm. What, time is it? Oh, snap, I have to go back to work. Angela, be a dear and turn on the cameras.”
Angela reached from under the covers and turned on the cameras.
Bekka fell back into bed. She was back at work.
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