"I have to do what?"

Ezra knew she wouldn't take it well, but she had to tell her.

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to. But if you want the same power as me—to rule with me, to be allowed in the council meetings and to participate in everything else; than the binding ceremony is the only way they'll agree to it."

The binding ceremony involved three steps. First, a council member needed to be selected. Since they were part of the next generation of leaders, one of the future council members would have to participate. Second, the future ruler and the council member would have to engage in sexual activities—joining their bond as a couple to the bond of the council. Third, they'd have to seal that bond.

Ezra had to do it when he turned of age, and his parents before him. It was the way it had always been. To establish the strongest connection to the council through the head of the council, they must be connected in every way.

"But..." she shook her head. "You are asking me to have a sex with one of those old dudes?"

Ezra Shook his head, "no, of course not. I know how you feel about them."

Mira looked at him, confused. "Then who?"

Ezra took a deep breath. "You know how not all women died of the virus... how some of them survived?"

Mira nodded.

"I was thinking, maybe you'd be more comfortable performing the ceremony with a woman."

She was a little less terrified of the idea than banging a random old alien council member.

"Her name is Layzala. She is one of the council members apprentices. She is infertile, like all Jayku women that survived. But she is only a few years older than you, and she has already agreed."

It didn't take much convincing. Layzala had always been Ezra's friend, ever since they were young. She was the one he slept with to bond with the council several years ago. Afterwords, she told him she never wanted to have sex with a man again because it only reminded her of what she'd never have—a child. And ever since, she had preferred sleeping with women, which was difficult, given the very little population of them. But when Ezra had come to her and explained his situation with Mira and her prudeness, Layzala was intrigued by the idea of being with a human.

"I guess..." Mira decided, "I guess that would be tolerable." She swallowed hard. "But... doesn't she have to sleep with you?"

Ezra wasn't exactly looking forward to telling her this, afraid it might discourage her from the idea. "She already has."

Mira's eyebrows shot up to her forehead. "Oh."

"It was a long time ago, for my own binding ceremony. But she has preferred women ever since." He scrambled for the right words. "But if you want me to be there, I can be. I can just be there, kissing you or something, or I can just watch, or I can be gone. It's entirely up to you."

He knew the stereotypes and stigmas attached to threesomes on earth, and to the strange concept of labeling women who preferred women lesbians instead of just calling it a preference. But he had also been up all night with the earth cultural experts, researching how to handle the situation.

"Oh," Mira smiled. "You prepared for that, didn't you?"

Ezra laughed, exasperated. "Yes. I didn't want you to get the wrong idea."

Mira nodded, and turned away. "I guess I'll agree to this... have sex with a woman and be able to rule the colony with you. Doesn't seem like that bad of a trade." She wanted to laugh.

"Good," Ezra said, pulling her into his arms and holding her against his chest. "We can wait until you have the baby, if you'd like."

Mira shook her head. "No, lets just get it over with. The sooner I can rule with you, the easier running the colony will be." She looked up at him. "And I want you to be there... I want you to be an active participant, if that's okay with you."

"Very well," Ezra said, kissing the top of her head. "I'll let the council know."

Mira nodded, and as Ezra left her side, she slumped onto the bed. It wasn't going to be that bad. She hadn't ever had a threesome herself, but she had read stories and seen videos about it when she was still on earth. Usually there were two women, catering to the man's needs and desires. But if this Jayku woman preferred women, maybe it would be better for herself.

She shook her head, and tried to put the thoughts out of her mind. It didn't matter. She had come this far, and she wasn't going to let one more Jayku ceremony scare her off. She was doing it, and that was final.