Diplomacy Squared

By Sydney Blackburn

When Fold pilot Diego is assigned to space station Mikesi, he expects his biggest problem will be boredom, even if it is circling a recent First Contact alien home world. Much of the Human speculation aboard the place revolves around the mystery of Antho females, as all those encountered so far seem to be male. Being gay, it's not a question Diego gives a lot of consideration.

All his attention is soon taken, anyway, by station admin Portya. Though they have many physical differences, they also have enough in common that Diego is confident they'll get along just fine—and they do. The sex isn't just amazing, it's addicting.

Until Portya winds up pregnant, a surprise for which Diego was not remotely prepared.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Half Past Three Publishing
• Release date: Aug 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393996538

Sydney Blackburn

SYDNEY BLACKBURN writes stories of love and emotional connection in a variety of settings from contemporary to fantasy to sci-fi to historical. If you enjoyed this short, you may enjoy Syd’s other stories. Authors today live and die by reviews, so please take the time to review an author you like!

Book preview

�N0abook_preview_excerpt.htmluZђ�6���n^z��h��X��b%9V�)���$����[�������������=#_�Ɔ�C�����_��^���ϡ���B����K���B̭kr�ӜCq/��/���?<��8x�K�M���a�c��+�8�<9?���5���8�/s�Z���>���l�s��~��?�]��bq�G��ɥ��%u-~.�o�6 _��/ޕ�?ж6�1t�̕�M�%���O1 w����7�Î�!�ob�yؼ���+w��C����C#�{?��ܵ�& �mn�������q���:zrJ��K����}�G?���]��;�����޻�ǔ[<��e������ጻ�g��9����y�&�6��.�6��<�`��2广:r��W�� ��wnT��؝��E%�&�n�=�1�a��r�����>�P��'�)w�B�`���2��>":��7�ޏ��Ý����1�h�X�����7��sﶙ�!�����G��;�-��O��"}�S�A��؆2
�ONέOp�.�� �(�3����{Ӈ�d���
���G� �x7v�W�u�{�t��o�.6��5myf�6M�;�)�g�D�p���܀?�9D����qMGl!���Oer� ������ܧ��
�͓ lh!uG<�s�gVX<�8}��>�}��AV�"mRo� �Q����S\��.e"� ��eJ�-
�F2��Q�C��Vs]|�����2��XaĦ� ���Wp�6��Ƣ�hd<�D��M�T��Sw�����u~����CT��
b5�� ���ss�~S:lʆ�|�=��w�%0@�ۙPY�<�یD����b��o�oj��=X�[X����Vnb�GE\)���_�m���SfN��;V�&�ũ�0>I�O��n�UHF���~���!���gZr&�1��$z���G?���IƝ�lta�ܦ�'Fn���� Τ��\1��f�kc9��E���xS�`�|6�(5��)֕��e�m OUB.�ہX�@�]��\��1�N�&N�
��\�sڮg�Gh��ɚ��++��80�e�N���˽��5.�̯'?�>�>杕�Ĵ�ȅ����� �~�c�^�|3�<�-�b_�43Ү��i�6~��� ^!�E%�V��Zf�p6!&��<��]�ͮy��Շ:�.� !R)Ύg$;P�'��|>��h$j�<38n�F�%�x��ܧp�R�Mi�^�ʟy���Q?

�@��"`�>3(oc��e��r���Jg��U'�D+�p�� �^ W��1G�b��0�/�����}0֩ɽ"����b����!#E�P �q !�&ud����6C��Ա��zX�pq$Ҷ�ʎ�a�8/��wv5R��lȢ|��y��������À��%�`5?�4�K��y[�(cu�ZPj��j,�\*�x�1AI�I>,klkĈ�A�:�e�ZAf���Z��ױv���\b���Lf)� �K��l\tJv�9��JC���!��� MH쥅��H Z ^���r����H�ƹ~��B����Ɯ>cy�$���P�b`�^º�9��M Y��?�4����_/5�����!�ʵ�e���cK�� �\.�&�X���S���H�gHr�.Qܾa�����**V.��o���SFzQ$,�5;jD��_=���Ye�@�a`Sa�VیtX?�ɫ�ڱN�`Z� KT��1�I�j�U <;4g�M>�s�F��k���\�L�s���
+�� �,x� �8B������Oh����B�󉲪�K[�o�������{����������b�0�<d?v�w������XO;1�z�Ŗd�;Ył�
��Н�̋���=�Jf�ȉ��t��41XT��𻶌��(�\��g����vL�係)����jE����D��X$���K�n��o���0�A�H>ax��N��X�D���y�5ڣ���f��9�'���߹�d=��|�M�E�m��ў�o��b� ���"R�� ��!T�� ��^,xz�?V5�Oj��� x�/I*Zͥ��JTq�P�2d8k놵�7� ߗZ|������ζ5��~�[5Z��j+��oa|D��^��׺�D�` ;D����bp��i��a�Ǜ�j��S����<��c�4Oح������%|�{�#�=ُU�/sNqᵧ6������9�O�%i�!9� ��`�*zL�0�d^_T�I2�c��'`:��>L�"ۻ�~N—�l��5���Sٴ2�<�k����8�=�7ւ`��dR ��-U �u�c�Uf Ib"�kNgl�m%���)X:%����z�y0w�G!��Q�q��N���7;�ߓ/�j��W�t�3�k����.�ڳ�i-��ҫ��E|5��\�9Mep7�M�,Z�6t�xTe�;�1�ÞS9��m���06�䶴L]�^�Zu3�`
Uu V�oC;@ܡ��"P]��0ơ��|n��o�cK U�f��c�5Oc(��,����$DB�䖒x��R��خ�;Mx�-U8�bH�Y�'��>�+M��`#%x�*��3#���sC�����b2q�PGI�X�L�l-�&�õ��+�F�9Ɇ1G�P'<��
����St�Nz�P��ay�6�'y�q�:��E�bC������02�5�Ğ�3-_�����$���_�f�).�Qh1�[ �|�����W0�r�a�.٬�R4}g��ܒ
�L���%�f�r��ߡ����Q�jB� �ћ ���"��Y�d!Z��eS�2����2���;�Ϣ��{/��5��sF��B~9�P��F�̦(
U����-�V���ڷF������2�O4|��G!��{N��:�Tb^Ɨ��05j�T�(�m���Nc?�s�%���-�SԼ��y�t�D�:;��,���1�e�fف��,7(:̂��՚����+�p/ujƞW��[XW��%��Ll�xׅw���{��bae[��O��Ac7+�t��_������=���1
�ո�;u�Z�)�{�V���:�[�Z���`x;gjԧ|���c7�T�#�#m{�����!M�Q���u8*^��;^��:��/���e%���쀗[/A���:;��!l���խ ��;I�7�ZS6��E� ��\�߬��ny��֒A�ϡ��=ij��1��e�ݒ�=��e֜Q�,[�:�xd`y�tLJ��;?�X�[ϴ%2�,7\��:��;Q�U6,ۥH�}����^�^����Ѐ|����#��y��*|l���n"fx���=���\��#�s U&�O�C�̥�l��5����I^iL\� Mqnl��3� �uX�O��2inޝ}�ϝAi�'o�/�!�3"R��ذ{��{>1-S���mK�#����������:{���˸�KH����,���q@�{]��Y�(e��۞�n�����հ\e�K���*������E���t���9�=6W�}:u ͜y7�6B�1�����i�BJE�/ò#)Y������ ��������NA���w=)����Ln�����.l����9G�IL������>T�ܹ�j�1&��r�zKw����A�^�@z^��~�>�jU=/��ǎ�E6�^&�j�`��D���~�Yҷl�����6��ͷ�,_�H1���ѣ��A�+mf2Fj��ⷅ����P �bL�A+�;[G)2���$T������T���].S~R�4fi,�� t �D�p�V}��4ӁZ}*�9��\�$�>��-�1��qw�|r�V�$"�Ԏ��S��7��J��P\�Bx��J�5H��OXo��d�B5̆;�x$�騧˒���E�`%�Q)�� ]���Wā�R�<s���W���6��yQj��z6���]k�ȶH�����~�-�}�����Pe
?� ������Aֻ�M%[����b.�rqfA��.(7/� ������K#5}G�P�� �YkUvQ~cW�dĎ�'F�29� �W�߿T}�7�l�}�Siƫ����f��!2 Bw�� ��?�1�,