My Man Bova by Raederle
	Uranians hum. If you notice, they do it, which is understandable, considering they store pure electricity inside them. I've gotten used to it though, which is also understandable considering I just spent the past six years living with one on the Christa. That's why I asked My Man Bova to dance. He isn't mine, though, just a really good friend. He'll always fix any electrical problem in your dorm, if you ask. Most people won't ask. They just don't want to be around Uranians because they don't think they're fun. Bova can be a blast, if you bother to get to know him. And so I press up against Bova. He's humming, and I hum, too. It's not really intimate dancing, but comfortable. It's about vibrations. Cheery dancing. Cheery dancing is the best. But right away, my friend Sunni comes up and frowns at us for dancing so close. Bova frowns, but I kind of expect him to. But Sunni, my long time friend from Mercury, younger than me, who knows too well how warm I am to everyone. Mommy Rosie, they'd teased me on the Christa. But she frowned at me! Which isn't right, because Bova just rolls his eyes and won't defend himself because he thinks that there's no point. That, of course, he'll lose. "What are you two laughing about?" Sunni demands. It's actually kind of funny to see a demanding Mercurian. "That you were laughing so loud?" I smile, like I always do, no matter what. And don't stop dancing. "Drums," I say. "Drums?" Sunni looks at me skeptically, and I hear Nerik, a first year Saturnian who I'd just befriended say to Catalina that I'd had too much to drink. Which isn't fair because I don't drink. We were talking about drums, too. I told Bova that since he'd been working out with Harlan and Radu, his stomach was like a drum. And he could play it, and I could play my Minbari Zither, and we could have a little duet. Bova doesn't laugh often, but he laughed at that. Catalina looks at us as if to say Don't put up with this and then she walks away. Sunni and Nerik pull me away into another room. "Please, Rosie," Sunni pleads convincingly. "We care about you and don't want you embarrassing yourself by dancing like that." "Dancing like what?" I wish I hadn't asked. "Like a bitch in heat," Nerik says bluntly. With friends like these. Radu would never say anything that mean to me. I don't say anything because I'm Mercurian, and can't afford to get angry and upset. I know I'll cry if I speak. "He's a Uranian. He's your polar opposite, the negative dregs of our gene pool. You can do better." "Is this what they call a generation gap?" I ask him. That was a pretty nasty thing to say about Uranians. "Generation gap." Nerik checked himself before he rolled his eyes, which would make him like Bova. "That's an Earther concept for an Earther phenomenon. There isn't a generation gap among Rigelians." "Never mind that nonsense," Sunni says, dismissing the importance of Nerik's bigotry. "That dress is too short, Rosie, and too low cut for your age. You should be more modest." "Yeah, you're too young to be dancing like that." Nerik says harshly. "You've been plastered to that damned Uranisu for four songs. How do you think that makes you look to the STARDOG officials? For a girl your age?" There weren't that many STARDOG officials there. There were a few, of course, this being the Finale Dance. Graduation would be soon, and they like to come and see their new officers and upcoming graduates at leisure. If the Commander had been any indication, they probably didn't care. They'd been around Uranians, even fought alongside them in the war, so long ago. They'd probably get more irritated if I danced with Radu. "How old am I?" I ask lightly. "What?" My friends say in unison. "Well, you keep saying I'm too young? How old am I? I'm older than both of you." "I wish you'd wear a hood," Nerik grumbled. He'd complained earlier that I should wear less on my head, like a regular Mercurian girl. But I wasn't a little girl anymore. And that wasn't the point. "How old am I?" I repeat for them. "Fourteen, or... " Sunni guesses. That's pretty sad. She should know. "I'm nineteen, Sunni. And I can take care of myself," I say gently. I turn to go back out to the dance floor. "Thanks for your concern, though." As I walk back to Bova, who is leaning on the wall with no particular expression on his face, I see Nerik gaping at Catalina, who is dancing with Radu. I figure that he must be scandalized. I walk up to Bova. "Let's get out of here," I say. Harlan walks up and grabs me from behind. "Yeah, we've made an appearance. I know an awesome place we all can go. Get away from these idiots." Bova nods, and we go get Catalina and Radu. People are always talking about how we need to keep in better touch with all the races in the UPP. They talk about going around and trying to get more alien students involved in the STARDOGS. Sunni frowns again as we leave. And I smile, like I always do. No matter what.