The Kindness of Meat — T.J. Land

Tony is one of a hundred security guards stationed at Green Endeavors, a cutting-edge scientific research facility on a lush jungle planet.Like many of his co-workers, he's a convict, working on an uncolonized alien world in exchange for years off his sentence. But while most of them are simple burglars, poachers, and drug dealers, Tony, prior to his arrest, was heir to the infamously violent, staggeringly wealthy Red Vulture Cartel.It would be easy for him to feel out of place among a bunch of dumb uniformed grunts and xenobotany nerds.Luckily, one dumb grunt in particular has become his best (and only) friend: Thunder Skultz, disgraced veteran, fellow trans man, and cheerful idiot. (Possibly also the love of Tony's life. Jury's still out.)So Tony's less than thrilled when their bosses decide to expand the compound's security and add a third member to his previously two-man team.Her name's Carol.She's unbearable.Bubbly, chipper, naïve – everything Tony hates.Everything that Thunder, apparently, can't get enough of.SCIFI ROMANCE + DRAMA, M/M/F, POLY, TRANS MAIN CHAR