Broad paved paths ran between the panels to allow foot traffic and maintenance, lined with thyme and yarrow, clover and lucerne. Orfeus strode down one with renewed energy, going from a steady lope to something hastier so even Rivasoa with her longer legs had to hurry to keep pace.

It seemed a short way from the outskirts of the fields to the squared bases of the towers, narrower than one would expect from such tall buildings. Orfeus walked up to one and danced her fingers across the interface. The lift doors hissed open, and Orfeus gestured.

Rivasoa stepped in and craned her head upwards. “There is nothing on these lower levels?”

“Maintenance and so on, and storage,” Orfeus said, following her. The doors closed, and Orfeus braced herself against one wall, grinning. “Everything worth happening happens near the sky.” And they lurched upwards, up and up and on into the towering pillar, until the lift capsule came to a stop, some twenty seconds and three hundred metres later.

Orfeus slammed her hand cheerfully on the console, and the doors opened once more. Rivasoa, to her credit, looked only faintly sick.

Orfeus bounced out into the hall of the complex. “There are slower lifts, for those with need,” she said a little apologetically. “We can take one of those down if you like.”

Rivasoa clasped her hands together as she strode, so her draping sleeves made one connected triangle. “I do not have need.”

“No needs at all?” Orfeus said. “Are you fully an android? What do you dream of?”

“I’m not an android,” Rivasoa said, and then paused. “Not exactly.”

Orfeus didn’t stop, but did cast a stare over her shoulder. “Are you joking? Because I can’t tell.”

Rivasoa did not smile.

At the eleventh door along, Orfeus stopped and held her hand up to the panel. It beeped as it recognised her handprint, informing the occupants of the visitor.

Rivasoa produced her book. “Is this a place of business?” she said. “Or residential?”

“Yes,” Orfeus said. “Both. You need to be efficient with space to live in such narrow buildings.” She didn’t mention that most of those who wanted to work and live in Farflung weren’t the sort to sleep separated from their passions, however healthier that might be.

The door opened to show a tall white woman with long, sleek chestnut hair and pristine overalls. “She’s working,” Em said with a look of slight exasperation. “But it’s good to see you.”