“—we’ve piloted this sort of route before,” Tennal said, the train of thought switching seamlessly between them. He had to pull out of Surit’s double vision so he could glare at Istara. “Can’t believe I bought your line about architects are sensitive to space. That’s why you’re a good pilot, isn’t it? You might not be a strong reader, but you have some of the same senses as me.”

“I’m a good pilot because I trained!” Istara said. “You might be able to pull your mind out by its seams, apparently, but you don’t know the first thing about physics.”

“I know a bit. Stop that, Lieutenant,” Tennal said aloud to Surit, whom he could feel in Tennal’s head uncovering his scant knowledge of physics and looking at it in some alarm. “Anyway, I don’t need to know as much as you two. That’s why I’m the—”

“—assistant pilot,” Surit said, completing the thought. “Private Istara, please keep command of the navigation bench. Captain Halkana will be there to assist only.”

“Sir?” Basavi said uneasily.

Tennal and Surit now realized they had been passing sentences between each other, as if whose tongue touched the words were only a convenience.

“New course, then,” Tennal said, after a tense pause. It would be dangerous to explore the edge of chaotic space for a clear way in, but the rest of the group looked to Surit, who nodded, and there were no disagreements.

“We must be more careful,” Surit said to Tennal in an undertone, after the meeting. “This can’t be normal. I think we didn’t do it quite right.”

“You think?” Tennal said. “In a normal sync, you would have brought me gently under control like good little puppet. You’re not supposed to hurl yourselves at each other like two bits of space debris, bam, nothing left but mingled dust.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about,” Surit said. He didn’t meet Tennal’s eyes. “I’m worried it’s getting worse.”

“We’ll be fine,” Tennal said. “Pilots and architects hold these syncs for years.” He ignored the deep, rumbling current of doubt in Surit’s mind. They’d make it work for as long as they had to. Tennal couldn’t think more than a few hours ahead.

The ship was noisier, full of muttered conversations that died down when Surit or Tennal walked by, as the tense hurtle toward Orshan turned into a slow crawl into the outskirts of chaotic space.