“On Tiralan, I was never able to uplink to any of the available databases, but here on the ship, I can.” He hesitated, wondering if he ought to go into the flashes of memory that were coming more frequently. “I’m not entirely sure why, but it could be because of Nita.”

“Who’s Nita?” Aevi asked.

So the AI hasn’t spoken with the little one.

“Nita is an AI who works with Praxys.” Nita had called herself a companion, much the way he had classified his tenure with Zylar. Sometimes he was unsure whether he was qualified to use the word “friend,” especially as the longer he occupied an organic form, the more he realized there were different considerations.

Some biological beings might say that friendship was impossible if one could not offer a comforting touch. Yet as he understood it, relationships could be conducted over long distance, where touch was also impossible due to geography, so sometimes it seemed to him their definitions were fluid, meant to restrict and exclude. An AI cannot befriend an organic because their goals are fundamentally disparate. Machine intelligence is cold, remote, and meant to serve. The words rang in his head, and he had no idea where they’d come from, but tinnitus followed, leaving him shaken and disoriented.

Aevi tapped on the side of his face. “You’re sick? Does it hurt when you connect to the ship database? Maybe you should stop, at least until you eat.”

A sharp intake of breath pulled his attention to Qalu, who hesitated before entering the lounge fully. The uneasy feeling returned, nothing he could identify or name, but it was as if she were moving farther away from him all the time, leaving without actually going. And he was fully aware of how fallacious that was, but it still felt true.

“If I understood correctly, it sounds like you’ve made friends with another AI and your implant is finally functioning properly. That’s wonderful!” The words sounded suitable, but her body language whispered of sorrow. She must have been listening for a while, enough to put the pieces together, and clearly her conclusions had caused injury.

Helix didn’t know what to ask. Or how.

Clearly, there was something wrong, but if she wanted to discuss her emotional state, would she not express that inclination? Perhaps this was a cue that one who had been born Tiralan would instinctively know how to read. When Aevi dashed over to Qalu to greet her and rub all over her, the moment was lost. Qalu bent and picked up the Pherzul, whispering and nuzzling and then she simply left the lounge, forcing Helix to eat alone.