Home, sweet home

Being recalled to the home world is like what you call vacation. We have no vacation, but there is little of our work on Earth that can be done from here, so when not being briefed or instructed, our time is our own. It's maddening. My mate has lavished attention on me. I spent too much time in the suns, so my skin is dry and the slime brownish. Soon I'll start flaking dry bits. Luckily we erected a rock pole outside for just such an occasion. We'll have some well-fed insects.