When both Devan and Jazz are safely on their feet once more, Judge Fury delivers his verdict on the incident. The case is postponed a week while Fury decides what actions, if any, should be taken against Jazz for his unsuccessful attack. Jazz, in the meantime, is advised not to leave town. The court slowly disperses as Razz and I take charge of Devan once more, bringing him silently back to the jail, carefully refraining from discussion. The police chief is not especially pleased to house the turtle for another week, but we explain the situation and mention R.A.B.T. a few times and he is somewhat satisfied.
I part company with Razz a few minutes later, this time remembering to reclaim my clothing, color scheme and identity. I am suddenly just a little disheartened towards the R.A.B.T. life, and returning to the role of Zoe Cottontail is almost a welcome change. I catch a bus, return to my apartment, and let myself in, gladly noting that everything is just as I left it. There is a new hole in my ceiling which I deliberately ignore, and I happily fall into my bed; a marked improvement over the cold streets from the night before.

The next day starts out uneventfully. I have a completely successful encounter with my coffee, and get to work on time, where my boss has evidently not yet decided to fire me.
"How's your snow monkey?" he asks humorlessly, obviously not caring in the least. Uninterested in reinforcing my actual lack of pet, I cast around for a likely story.
"He had a small tantrum which was exactly what he needed. The doctor says he should make a full recovery in a few days."
He grunts, "Get to work, Zee," and I comply. Everyone is the same as they were two days ago, completely unaware of my adventures as #26 of R.A.B.T., which is exactly how they should be. Edward is once more without a tail, indicating that Rane must have gotten bored at some point during my absence, a theory which is reinforced by the smug look the pig carries. Alice is listening carefully to Edward describe a new shipment of torpedoes which we evidently just received, but she cuts him off when I enter the work room and comes over to me.
The brown rabbit has apparently decided to forget about my abrupt departure two nights ago, instead falling under the impression that we are now the best of friends. I shrug inwardly. It was not really Alice's fault what happened, and besides, it feels nice to have another person on my side. We talk together for much of the day, with the obvious interruptions caused by customers, and I enjoy the peaceful feeling immensely, sitting happily in a little circle of peace and friendship. At some point Edward joins us, eventually even coming up with enough nerve to talk of subjects other than those strictly required for business. Rane stands huffily in a corner, probably annoyed by our friendly discussion but knowing that it does not break any rules.
When our working day is over, Alice invites me to the bar again, and I accept after she assures me that Mr. Muttley will definitely not be making another appearance tonight. The 2706 "Speedster" blasts off into the night and deposits us safely a while later in front of the Bar and Bathrooms, which we enter with minimal interest from the rhino. It turns out to be dance night.
I am thirsty, and tell Alice so. Together we weave our way through the twisting and turning bodies which spin back and forth across the floor, reaching the bar soon afterwards and somehow avoiding any and all collisions. I lever myself into a stool, and the bartender comes up, taking me in with a deep stare. I stare back, confident I do not have to worry about the coffee stains this time.
"You've changed," he says, after a pause. "Something went right, didn't it?"
"Yeah."
"Mind if I ask what?"
I frown, and my brow furrows. I was accidentally locked out of my identity, almost raped, and the prosecution in the case I was overlooking attempted to kill the defendant. Other events could be classified at best as 'not having gone wrong'. So...
"I don't really know."
"You don't know if I can ask, or you don't know what that thing that went right is?"
I tell him I haven't the foggiest idea, and I laugh as he continues to watch me intently. I think I have the upper hand. After a few seconds, he shrugs, and delivers his opinion.
"You're feeling good," he says, "because you've regained control over your life. You're not just going through the motions of survival anymore. That, girl, is a state I admire. Here's your drink."
I stare in confusion as a foaming glass is placed on the counter in front of me. I begin to protest that I hadn't even ordered anything, but he has walked off to another portion of the counter, and is leaning on it, watching the dancers with his probing eyes. It does not feel right to have this man who I barely know understand me so well. I turn around to express this concern to Alice, but she has anticipated my speech and is there with a response.
"You shouldn't mind Alister," she says, "he's like that to everyone. His philosophy is that as long as you're sitting in his bar and drinking his drinks and watching his entertainment, he has the right to say what he wants to you." She takes a swallow of her own personal intoxicator, and continues, obviously completely at ease in this strange environment. "The funny thing is, he's nearly always right. What did happen to you while you were away, Zoe?"
"It's... it's not something I'd really want to repeat."
"Aw, you can trust me!" She tilts her head and smiles, her stump of a third ear catching a blue light and glowing strangely. "I've known you for a while, haven't I?"
I hesitate, and my mind runs backwards through the months of catching the bus each morning to spend the day with Alice, Edward and Rane. I focus on Alice, watching her, seeing her, judging her, as she cheerily interacts with everyone each day, providing what they need, and as she attempts to attach herself to me between customers, always assuming just a small bit too much, but never maliciously... I do not believe that she would take what I am going to tell her and transform it into gossip, as that is not a part of her. I am her friend, even as she now seems to be mine, and I can trust her in this.
"All right," I say, and I recount the story of my encounter with Dennis, editing out a few key points so as to hide my involvement with R.A.B.T. and giving no explanation regarding why I was without identification in the first place or how I got it back later on.
"...so I took him into the police station and they'll deal with him from there," I finish some minutes later. I look up from the cooling surface of my drink into Alice's face, and see a strong feeling of concern in her eyes as she grips the edge of the counter, staring at me. After a long pause, Alice manages, "Oh my... oh, Zoe, I am so sorry."
Before I can say anything, her hands grasp mine warmly, and she leans forwards, eyes closed, taking my lips in hers.
My eyes widen, although she cannot see that from behind her eyelids. It is a second before I realize what is happening, and another before I decide to react... negatively. I withdraw my head and hand from contact with the dirty brown rabbit sitting next to me. As I do so, Alice's eyes open again, and she looks at me with a strange mixture of sadness and puzzlement.
"Zoe, I thought..."
"No, Alice." I swallow, and there is a lump in my throat, but I continue. "I do like you... but not in that way, and I'm sorry."
It is the first time either of us has actually acknowledged any feeling of romance on the part of either - everyone has always been sure that Alice has little interest in the masculine gender, but she has never admitted it in any form, and nobody has ever questioned her on it. I am not happy that I had to answer her first admittance in such a fashion. "I'm sorry," I say again, and Alice says that she understands, turning away slowly.
I taste my drink experimentally. It tastes of mangos. I place the glass back onto the counter and stare fixedly into its foamy surface, wondering how I should feel, what I should do. My experience with Dennis had been very sobering, and even the bartender - Alister, she had called him - had accused me of being uncertain of my sexuality the last time I was here. Alice could not have missed these signs, any more than I had, however unconsciously.
But kissing her had felt so wrong.
Coming in high on that euphoria whose source I could not quite trace, I had readily accepted Alice's offer of companionship. But, I am sure now, it is not with her that I must live my life. I must find another direction, one which allows me to feel alive as I did standing over Dennis' defeated body, but still provides companionship in my times of need...
R.A.B.T. would fulfill those requirements. I could travel the galaxy, doing what needs doing, and with a squad around me to talk and share my life with. But no, as Margsly said, I will be ready to join R.A.B.T. full-time when I no longer ask or need to do so. So... what?
"Penny for your thoughts," a male voice says next to me, and I jump nearly out of my skin. I spin around, my eyes narrowing, my previously unengaged hands tensing into fists as I reflexively prepare to defend myself. Then I see the origin of the voice, and I blink.

To be continued again...