Kindness was a respected trait in the Volcano, but only amongst the local communities of the impoverished agricultural class into which Cal had been born, as they had nothing else to give. Otherwise, the culture was more firmly rooted in survival of the fittest. The average life expectancy, especially for women and children, was low. Over half of all infants died before their fifth birthday, and many women died in childbirth. This perceived ‘weakness’ of women explained workplace discrimination, especially within the army. Loyalty to the army and the ‘nation’ was considered more valuable than individual acts of kindness. Her lack of enthusiasm for this culture was part of what had driven Cal towards joining the common force in the first place – there, at least, she could help people. Theoretically.

She could think of few friends at home who would have responded as Flynn did then. Her mother would have told her to get a grip, and her father would have rumbled incoherently for a while before suggesting they go and weed the field – ‘hard work makes everything better’. Around her male friends on the force, she wouldn’t even have expressed distress for fear of never being taken seriously again. Except perhaps Tephra. Tephra would have gone redder than usual at the sight of a women in tears and told her to take a day off.

No, Flynn’s reaction was more in-keeping with her few female friends, like Vent. Cal wasn’t sure what that said about Flynn, or the wider culture of Shaman, or male Xarans. Perhaps Xara hadn’t progressed beyond insensitive masculinity. Perhaps Flynn was just exceptional.

A fresh bout of tears threatened to spill when he offered to take her back to his house, which she pushed back by pressing the heel of her hand against her eye. Some of the weight on her shoulders lifted with the warm rush of relief flooding through her body, tinted with rosy gratefulness. Buddy must have felt it too, because he snorted affectionately.

He must also have felt a bit upstaged by the fluffy, wide-eyed Denahi, because he pushed his velvety nose against the back of the dog’s head a little forcefully.

“Thanks, Flynn,” she exchanged his smile for one of her own – smaller than her usual trademark grin. “But I don’t think Buddy will fit – ”

Buddy snorted again, louder this time. “No way am I listening to you blather on all night, Cal. I’m going straight back to the stables for some man time.”

He stood up straight, his neck arched beautifully and his electric blue eyes smiling. It was a bare-faced lie, and they both knew it; the other aja on this planet bored him to tears. Xara was Buddy’s home too, and he’d undoubtedly also be hurting at the prospect of not being able to go back – but he wanted to make sure she was looked after. He was prepared to put up with some dull company if it meant Cal was where she needed to be that night.

She knew then, in that moment, that Buddy and Flynn had both been right. The two of them being together mattered more than anything else. If that meant they had to stay on Shaman until they could find a way to stay together on Xara, then that was what they had to do.

Reading in her face that he’d won, Buddy strutted off in the direction of the stables. Cal almost laughed at the sight of him.

“What’s wine?” She asked, wiping away the last of the tears and standing up.


CALDERA