“I’m glad.” She paused, trying to decide how to put this. “While I’m glad you appreciate your new life, please don’t feel frightened. This is real. I am too. And I’ll never abandon you. This is your home, for as long as you want it to be. And if you ever want to leave, I’ll help you do so. Your happiness is important to me.”

“Why?” he asked in a tight voice, as if the question pained him.

That was a difficult question to answer. She could have spouted some vague nonsense about the importance of her work, but the truth was, he had never been merely research to her, not even when he was fragile, beautiful code that she was desperately trying to transplant into a biosynthetic prototype. To her, he had always been a precious being, absolute proof that life flourished in many forms.

Before she could speak, he added, “Is it because I’m convenient? Because your mothers like me and they don’t beleaguer you anymore.”

“I am invested in you,” she finally responded.

“But what does that mean?”

She wasn’t ready to articulate anything, and thankfully, the pod set down outside their habitat just then. And in the bustle of disembarking, the question was lost. Aevi met them at the front door, chattering angrily.

“You were gone all day, most unfair. Foul play, very foul! I’m bored, and I tend to destroy things when I’m bored.”

“What did you do?” Qalu asked.

Immediately after asking, Qalu discovered one of her plants mostly uprooted and partially chewed. She knew better than to grow anything poisonous to Aevi’s species, as this was typical. Aevi was great company, but she could also be spoiled and temperamental. It was a bit surprising that she got on as well as she did with Helix. Two suitors that Inatol sent over had received nasty bites in sensitive regions.

“You should have taken me with you,” Aevi said, as Qalu tidied up.

“Next time. We can go for a walk now if you like?”

“I don’t want to.” Aevi flounced off to hide.

She beckoned to Helix. “In that case, let’s get you set up on the extranet.”

“Many thanks.”

“You don’t have to say it for every little thing.”

“But words are all I have,” he said. “If I don’t use them, I’m truly impecunious.”

“Then…you’re very welcome.” She settled at the terminal and he joined her, not giving her as much space as he once did. His forelimb was almost close enough to brush hers, their head tendrils only a whisper away from another sensuous entwinement.