memory of what he’d been planning and he looked with interest at the little NeverBreeder.
“I’ve never seen him here and I’ve been working at the greenhouse a whole solar week,” he pointed out, frowning.
“Which only means he is overdue for an inspection!” the NeverBreeder supervisor exclaimed. “He will be here sometime this week—I can guarantee it! And if he sees what you have done to this fleezum tree—”
“Keep your tiny silver jumpsuit on,” V growled. “I’ll fix it—I’ll fix it!”
“See that you do!” Supervisor Poone shook a stubby orange finger in his face—or tried to, anyway. He was mostly shaking his finger at V’s abs. “Now, I am off to put a black mark on your record. You had better be careful, Worker V’rex or you will find yourself recycled.”
And with that, he flounced off, presumably to write a full-length report on how V had trimmed a tree the wrong way and ought to be made into hamburger for it.
“I’ll recycle you with my fist, you little asshole,” V muttered at the retreating supervisor. But he went to work, making the damn fleezum tree symmetrical again so that it matched the rows and rows of other fleezum trees with their perfectly round tops and long gray-green trunks disappearing into large, earthenware pots.
As he worked with his hands, his mind was forming and refining the plan which had first occurred to him the night before when he was speaking to Penelope.
So the GL was going to be here sometime this week, hmm? Well when he came, V would be ready for him.
Forty-Four
“Good morning, ladies! How is everyone on this beautiful day in the Compound?” Mother Toone asked brightly as they all stood in the perfectly manicured public park.
Penny had been surprised to see their attendant from the Breeding and Conception Center waiting to greet her and the other women who had just been joined to their Forever Mates. But the NeverBreeder had explained that she was free to help out in other areas until a new batch of breeders showed up in the Compound for her to take care of.
“Which they will, very soon—I can promise you that, my sweetie,” she’d said, giving Penny her Jack-o-lantern grin. “But until then, old Mother Toone is still here to help her girls! And today I’ll be helping by handing out your job assignments!”
Mother Toone was, at least, a familiar face but Penny was much happier to see who she had brought with her. Claudette was standing quietly beside the NeverBreeder attendant with a clipboard in her hands and a neutral expression on her face.
Penny had tried to catch her eye but she had only shaken her head—a quick movement anyone else would have mistaken for a twitch. So Penny assumed she didn’t think it was safe to talk right now. Still, it was nice to see the other woman again.
“Now, I trust everyone had a lovely first Mandatory Breeding?” Mother Toone asked brightly, speaking to all the assembled women who were standing in a semi-circle around her.
A “lovely” Mandatory Breeding might have been overstating things, Penny thought dryly. She could look down the line and see who had had it the worst. Shurla could barely walk and one of the other women had two black eyes. Further down she could see a woman who looked like her nose had been broken. But nevertheless, every single one of them smiled at Mother Toone and agreed eagerly that yes, their first Mandatory Breeding had been just wonderful.
Penny echoed their sentiments, feeling glad that she’d been matched with V’rex. At least the big Hybrid hadn’t violently raped her, as had clearly happened to most of the other women in her breeder group. She wondered if the violence of their encounters had to do with the Spice Claudette had told her about. She had believed that it was affecting V’rex as well, but maybe the big Hybrid was immune to its effects the same way he was immune to the hypno-whispers?
“I’m so glad everyone is happy with the Forever Mate our Glorious Leader picked for you,” Mother Toone said brightly, interrupting Penny’s musings. “Didn’t I tell you it you would be so? The Shining Star is never wrong!” She beamed at all of them. “And now, to compound your happiness, I’m excited to be announcing your job listings. Today you are finally going to become full members of our lovely Compound!”
A ragged cheer went up and Penny joined in, trying to grin as excitedly as the other