“What do you mean by mate, Huw?” Lia eyed him curiously. Dr. Kerr Lenke, her Prime colleague, nodded his agreement with Lia’s clarifying question. “Be specific, Huw. Do you mean actual procreation? Because we know we can have offspring with Terrans—we did so in the distant past. There are family lines on our planet with Terran DNA, although it’s recessive. I also don’t expect too much of an issue with other hominids especially in light of Dr. Brianna Martin’s successful gene-splicing work with the Volusians. Or, do you mean actual production of a gemat-gemate bonding?” And wasn’t that the million-credit question. Nadia leaned back against the plush booth and surveyed her dinner companions, all of whom were focused on Kerr’s comments. To her right were Huw and then Iolyn. To their right was Royce Nowicki. On Royce’s right were Aeron, Kerr, and Lia. Sitting to Nadia’s immediate left was Joen Dakkin. The current topic of debate had begun during the required lecture for all Gold Squadron crews members: “Dating Dos and Don’ts.”
