Back to the Archive.
Vizh looked up from his undignified posture searching behind the sofa cushions for the remote control. "Oh, hi Miiri. I was just… conducting a standard security check. Routine."
"We are all packed and ready to go," the green-skinned Cephan slave-girl reported. "Nats has taken the others on with the big luggage, and Al B. Harper has prepared a conduit to transport us all to the Manga Shoggoth’s Lemurian sanctuary."
Vizh straightened up. "Splendid. I mean, I’ll be sorry to see you all go, of course. It was nice having you about the house. Not that I was looking at your skimpy outfits. I mean, I was looking at your outfits, not you, or maybe…"
"Thank you for your hospitality, Visionary," Miiri told him. "And for the Earth clothes you supplied us with."
"Cheryl would have wanted them to go to good homes," Vizh said tightly. "Anyway, I’m happy that you’ve all found somewhere good to settle, even if its not what you expected."
"We would have made good slaves for you," considered Miiri. "We would have made you happy."
Visionary swallowed again. "Well, I’ll always have my imagination," he admitted. "I think this is best. No real relationship will work unless there’s equality, and respect, and freedom of choice. And the upper parts of my body know that."
Miiri smiled. "Well, I’m no longer indentured to you. You’re not my master any more, are you?"
"No," Vizh sighed. "Another victory for truth and justice."
"Well then," Miiri said determinedly, grabbing him by the hand and hauling him out of the living room. "I must be doing this of my own free will, learning from the culture and customs of my new home world."
"Doing what?" Visionary asked as she dragged him up the stairs.
"Saying goodbye and thank you to a very nice man indeed," Miiri told him, pushing him into his bedroom and shutting the door. "My way."
