“I just need a clear line of fire,” Callie said. Shooting a sort-of-romantic-rival in the head might ruin her budding relationship with Elena, but it was better than the alternative. Having Elena hate her would be a small price to pay if it kept Elena free and alive.

Elena struggled against the machines, one on either side of her. They were shining metal icosidodecahedrons, skeletal spheres composed of numerous triangles, with pulsing blue globes floating in their centers. The machines expanded and contracted as they moved, and some of their triangles opened outward and unfolded into multi-jointed arms. The arms were ductile, too: two of them had wrapped around her wrists like rope or wire, and she was trapped in place, standing on her feet with her arms pulled down and outward at her sides.

Sebastien stood with his back to her, looking out the viewport at the sparks and flashes of the machines building his fleet. “I wish you hadn’t tried to run, Elena. I thought I could make you understand.”

Elena considered. Was there a pathway out of this? Perhaps, if she walked carefully. “Why assume my understanding is faulty? Maybe you just didn’t explain it properly.”

Sebastien turned, gave her a long look, and chuckled. For a moment, it was like seeing the old Sebastien again, calm and amused and charming. “That’s fair. This must be disorienting and frightening for you. You lack my perspective. That’s why the implant will help–”

“Sebastien, listen. I never had the chance to tell you how I felt. About you.” She looked at the floor, no longer struggling against her bondage. “I was too shy, too nervous, and I was afraid it would be unprofessional. During training, every time I looked at you, I lost my breath. When you talked, I admired your brilliance and eloquence, but I also just looked at your lips, and wondered what it would be like to kiss them. I came back to this station, at great risk and great cost, to save you. So please understand, all this, everything you’re telling me, about becoming a god – it’s hard for me.” She made a little gasp, like she was on the edge of crying. “How could I ever be worthy of you, if you’re going to remake the universe? How could I ever be good enough to kiss a god?”

He stepped toward her, smiling, and then stopped, almost close enough to touch her. “I think you’re trying to trick me, Elena. To get me to let my guard down.”

“I understand. But you could find out. You could kiss me. You’d be able to tell, if you kissed me, whether or not I was telling the truth.”