And maybe he gave some sign, some behavioral clue, because she stepped closer, her posture suddenly all amends. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.”

“It’s the truth,” he said tightly. “I have nothing, no useful memories, and cannot accomplish anything on my own. You shouldn’t have—”

“Don’t you dare say that,” she cut in. “No matter what happens, I will never regret saving you.”

Her sincerity washed over him, easing some of the rawness. How curious, he hadn’t known what it was to suffer internally. Before, it was only the crisp edges of information, the easy factoring of probability. All clean and clinical, devoid of sensory resonance.

“What am I supposed to do?” he asked, loathing the helplessness he heard in his own tone.

He wanted to be capable for her—to extricate them both from danger, but current circumstances were so beyond his extent capabilities as to be amusing.

“Right now, we do nothing.”

Helix registered the faint stress on the word ‘we’. Even when they argued, she ensured that he didn’t feel alone. Aevi dug her claws into his shoulder, a physical pain that distracted from the emotional one.

“Don’t scold Qalu,” she warned. “I like you more than most who are not Qalu but I will teach you a lesson if you bully her. I am small but I can make you sorry.”

“Get down and stop threatening him!” Qalu plucked the little one from his shoulder and set her down. “It would be more suspicious if we vanished after a casual visit from the ATA. Whatever we decide to do, we must be calm and measured about it.”

With effort, he steadied his respirations, realizing that he was nearly gasping in his agitation and his head tendrils were fluttering like he was about to take flight. She must know how upset he was, yet she was still gentle and patient.

“Do we have options?”

“It may be a challenge if we decide to leave Tiralan. But with any luck, the bounty hunter will conclude that your data was destroyed in the crash and leave. Without someone agitating for answers, I suspect the ATA agents will be happy to close the case and move on.”

“And if we are not?”

Qalu held silent for a long moment. “Then we run.”

“You would give up everything you have, your whole life, for me?” That was so inexplicable, a completely unreasonable decision, that he wanted to protest, and yet part of him glowed with the irrational brilliance of it.

I matter that much to her.

I do.

“Yes.” She didn’t elaborate, and he feared what she’d say if he queried. What if she declared dedication to her research or to the prototype she’d devoted so much time to developing? If her loyalty sprang from more esoteric and less personal motives, it would inflict deep psychic harm. So he let it stand where it was.