The Time from Before

Another Step to Functionality

"Sure, Dad." Harper then laid back down on the grass.

"It's Mark, to you." He chuckled. "Unless you weren't being sarcastic."

Harper raised an eyebrow.

"Gotcha." The now-named Mark cleared his throat.

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After a little while, a disguised Marina got up from her seat and sat next to Allen. With Callie on his right, and now Marina on his left. Each with a disguise that barely obfuscated their identities.

Marina was dressed in a black vest with a small zipper on the front, which she paired with a complementary skirt. She had her tentacles in, what he could only explain as, a ponytail. She then wore a pair of fake glasses.

"Hey, just wondering if you're doing alright." Marina smiled as she got comfortable.

"Doing fine." Allen responded.

"That's good. Uhm, say, you saw–" She paused, taking a deep breath. "Uh, never mind. So, are you excited about this mission? I sure am!"

"I get the excitement, but I'm under contract. I'll get excited when it ends." Allen leaned back into the seat.

Marina took a breath out of her nose, a slight smile displayed on her face.

"Whatever you say, soldier boy." Marina got back up and left back to her original seat.

> What was that all about?

Before Allen realized it, Callie managed to slip his PDA out of his hands and ask him a question.

> It wasn't anything interesting, if you're wondering.

> Right... Tell me, what's your relationship with Marina? It's been the talk of our group for weeks now, and she won't spill a single drop of ink of detail.

> Well, what has she told you?

> That you guys are friends. She's just doing a favor or something.

> Yep, that's it. She's definitely a friend, and she's fulfilling a favor.

> Give me more than just that!

> Alright... I'm sure you don't know the story of how a couple of humans happened to still be alive, but in short, Me, Harper, and Sasha were all in cryo-pods. I managed to wake up and get to the others before they perished just like the thousands before them. Whatever, point being, after the three of us walked past you all when you were standing in front of the entrance, our food situation was dire. So, I took the other two into the city and waited for Marina, the only Octoling I knew really, to leave that news building. Or whatever it's used for. Coincidentally, Marina happened to leave the side door I was waiting next to. Then, I asked her a favor, and she agreed.

Callie took a moment to read everything, pausing after she was done.

> Wait, so, Marina knew English, or whatever?

> That's right.

> And she's just providing you and the other two a place to live.

> Also right.

> So... How many times have you and Marina fucked?

Allen nearly choked on his saliva when he read her question. He took a moment to recover.