Orex sighed and led their group to a dining room.“So, Zoey, Zani, do you know what you would like to do?”
Zoey smiled.“I am an investor.Master class.I have a few million credits set aside already and a trust account for Zani.She can educate herself or not.Aretta, I will start working on one for you.”
Zelda smiled.“Not necessary.She’s covered.Orex gave her quite the education stipend as well as a trust.If you want to, please, but don’t think it is urgent.”
Zoey smiled.“Thank you.That helps.”
Aretta cleared her throat.“Lord Orex, can you show me images of pets and riding animals available?”
Orex grinned and tapped the tabletop.A projector in the centre of the space showed the variety of pets.
Zelda saw his smirk and said, “Put something next to them for scale, like you.”
He chortled and did so.
“Now remove the ones that are venomous.”
He tapped, and two of the cuter ones were removed from the display.
Zelda snorted.“Remove any animal taller than your waist.”
“Mom.Wait.Under what circumstances do the venomous animals bite?”
“Ah, they are fiercely loyal.I would recommend antivenin for you and our household if you choose one of them.”
She grinned.“Good.I like this one.It reminds me of Mom.”She pointed at a huge feline with three eyes and two tails.“It also looks like a Pokémon but bigger.”
Zelda looked at it and sighed.“Everybody in the family gets injections.Are females or males better as pets?”
Orex shrugged.“They both have their plusses and minuses.The yendal are related to the khitans that one of my brothers is breeding, but yendal don’t fly.”
He made a note.“I will contact a breeder when we are closer to see what is available.I believe it will help Aretta’s trauma.Yendal are very therapeutic.”
Zani smiled.“Now, what can we ride, Lord Orex?I have been trapped in so much metal, I want to feel the air on my skin and a living being under me.”
He smirked.“May I recommend a defender?They are Hmrain descendants from other systems and use their strength and speed to care for populations.”He brought up images of a lot of burly men in bodysuits in different colours with wings and without.
Zani blushed.“Interesting options, but I was referring to something that could carry me across the landscape.”
Orex laughed.“They still all qualify.”
Zelda covered her mouth, and Aretta was giggling.
Zoey grinned.“Anything I can ride?It’s been a while since I had control of power.”
Zelda stared.
“Snowmobile, Zel.Get your mind out of the gutter.”
Aretta nodded.“Yeah, Mom.”
Orex looked at her and brought up more images.“Telepathic, wealthy, high regenerative properties that could be passed to a partner.They work at my think tank.Their minds created the slip drive.”
Zoey grinned.“You don’t say.”
Zelda watched as Zoey and Zaniah went through the offerings, one by one.Aretta yawned, and Zelda got up to take her to her room.
Aretta said, “Mom, this is weird, but it is a good weird.As long as I can be with you, I don’t care where we end up.”