“No.” Her tone was curt for a reason.

“You missed the deadline to apply to extend your research period. I’m afraid the coalition has no choice but to cut your funding.” Gravitch appeared to enjoy that revelation far too much, like he expected her to grovel or beg him to intervene since he was so very important.

Before Qalu could respond, Helix did. “Do you know this person?”

Their memory was perfect, so they must be teaching Gravitch a lesson.

“Unfortunately,” she murmured.

“I see.” Helix addressed their next statement to Gravitch, icy as only a former AI could be. “Please refrain from speaking to us in the future. My mate doesn’t like you, and you’ve made a poor impression on me as well.”

“You can’t treat me like that! I’ll see you blacklisted. Your funding—”

“If it wasn’t clear, I’ll be funding her research from this point on. She has no need for you or any organization that thinks an unctuous helminth like you ought to occupy any important role. Now if you’ll excuse us, our Pherzul is waiting.”

Helix swept her away, leaving Gravitch to choke on his own outrage. Maybe she should try to explain why cutting connections in that way was impolitic, but mostly, she was too busy basking in the satisfaction of the moment to care.

“Was that too far?” Helix asked eventually, when they were in the pod heading home. “Should I not have said that?”

She considered. “If it had been anyone else, maybe so. But with Gravitch? No. It was perfect. I loved it.”

“Excellent, because I fear I’ve learned that I have a temper. I will have little patience or tolerance for anyone who mistreats you. I will crush them without mercy.”

“I love you,” she said, because the feeling bubbled up irresistibly.

“And I, you. You are my life,” Helix said.

The pod was private enough. She leaned in and let their head tendrils lace together, all heat and tingly nerves.

“I don’t think I’ll ever tire of hearing that.”

“Do you want to expand our love group?” they asked suddenly.

“Right this moment?”

“No, that would be difficult. The pod is rather small. But I’ve been thinking on it, and this body is fully capable of producing offspring. I wondered if you wanted them.”

“Eventually, I think. Do you?”

“Yes. It would give me great joy to create life with you, to nurture our little one and teach them, just as we do Aevi.”

Such a beautiful future. Qalu couldn’t wait to get started on living it with her other half. It could be argued that the ability to love was embedded in her DNA, and their love was etched in her genetic material, as her imprint could be found in the code that made Helix who they were.