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Description
For once he was thankful for the patrol. He needed time to sort things out and six weeks on the Rim in a singleship would be a good start. He and his thoughts could debate for a while traveling at fifty-G and with luck, by the time he gets back, hearing her name won't feel like being shot.

Fortunately at this hour there weren't too many on the docking level. He passed the odd belter or cargo pilot as he made his way down to where his ship was berthed. He was so lost in thought he didn't notice the alien until he was a dozen paces past. He stopped for a moment and turned to look. It had been three years since he'd seen a Puppeteer and never one on this station before. He (or she) was conversing with woman about some trade negotiation or some such, the Puppeteer's voice like the singing of women in melodic harmony. Even this, though, was a minor distraction from his troubled mind. As he turned to leave one of the Puppeteer's heads watched him curiously. They were somewhat of a rarity and it seemed his lack of interest was something the Puppeteer didn't expect.

In the corridor across the intersection came the sound of a cycling lock. He froze as the pair came into view, his attention locked on the man and woman. They were intimate and attentive to each other and didn't notice him in the shadows as they walked. His blood ran cold. It was her. He knew she was coming to the station, but he had hoped to be gone before she got here. The man with her was as he expected. Important looking, well dressed. Rich. She could go places with him, and apparently he was much like her, for as soon as he saw the Puppeteer he stepped away from his partner to gush conciliatory greetings to the alien, leaving her behind.

His eyes were locked on her, but he forced himself to turn away before she saw it was him. It was all he could do, but he walked with purpose down the corridor towards his ship's docking bay. He longed to talk to her, to make her understand, but he had to go. On the bright side, he didn't have to say goodbye to her all over again....

Description
For once he was thankful for the patrol. He needed time to sort things out and six weeks on the Rim in a singleship would be a good start. He and his thoughts could debate for a while traveling at fifty-G and with luck, by the time he gets back, hearing her name won't feel like being shot.

Fortunately at this hour there weren't too many on the docking level. He passed the odd belter or cargo pilot as he made his way down to where his ship was berthed. He was so lost in thought he didn't notice the alien until he was a dozen paces past. He stopped for a moment and turned to look. It had been three years since he'd seen a Puppeteer and never one on this station before. He (or she) was conversing with woman about some trade negotiation or some such, the Puppeteer's voice like the singing of women in melodic harmony. Even this, though, was a minor distraction from his troubled mind. As he turned to leave one of the Puppeteer's heads watched him curiously. They were somewhat of a rarity and it seemed his lack of interest was something the Puppeteer didn't expect.

In the corridor across the intersection came the sound of a cycling lock. He froze as the pair came into view, his attention locked on the man and woman. They were intimate and attentive to each other and didn't notice him in the shadows as they walked. His blood ran cold. It was her. He knew she was coming to the station, but he had hoped to be gone before she got here. The man with her was as he expected. Important looking, well dressed. Rich. She could go places with him, and apparently he was much like her, for as soon as he saw the Puppeteer he stepped away from his partner to gush conciliatory greetings to the alien, leaving her behind.

His eyes were locked on her, but he forced himself to turn away before she saw it was him. It was all he could do, but he walked with purpose down the corridor towards his ship's docking bay. He longed to talk to her, to make her understand, but he had to go. On the bright side, he didn't have to say goodbye to her all over again....