Johnny, you've just asked her about her very favorite topic. Home. That earns another smile from the young Tradeliner. She takes a larger sip of champagne before she answers.

'It depends on the planet, and the organisation, but everywhere's got partnership contract, which is legally like marriage, I guess? Only it's time-limited. The couple can renew at the end of the term if they still want to be together, or if not, they part ways, no hard feelings. Some people care about whether children are born in contract and some don't, but a lot of children have two geneparents, and then those parents' subsequent contracted partners to consider extended family. Blood and contract. Adoption is contract, too. I was adopted, because my genemother didn't want a child out-of-contract so she gave me to the lab. And... I'm not gonna have a child myself, because it'd cost me about a standard year in seniority if I did, but if for some reason I ever did then they'd be raised on my homeworld, by my father, so I could go back to work. Other people in that situation ask siblings to help, so I guess family looks different depending on where you are, but it all comes down to blood and contract.'

Belatedly, she realises that what she's said might be a lot. 'I hope it makes sense? I know some things don't carry, across cultures. If you've got questions, I'll answer; none of it's sensitive.'