“I won’t do that.”
“I know.Now.”She nodded; her hands trembled.“I think I love you, Marcin.”
He touched her cheek.“More than my Craving, I feel things for you.You are the first person I wish to speak to when I open my eyes, and the last being I wish to see when I close them.”
“That sounds like love to me.”
“Then I love you.”
“That’s good,” she said.“May it last forever.”
“It will,” he said.He put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head."Especially if you keep those shoes."
She giggled.
They snuggled for a few minutes on the couch--behaving, mostly.
At least until he realized they didn't have much time before they were going to leave to get on the ship."We need to pack up our things so we can go."
She nodded."Yeah, let's get that done."
Vinka cameon the transport with Solkan.Everyone else was boarded, and they were the last to arrive.She looked around."Where is Tina?"
"She is not coming," Kolvin said.
"What?"Vinka asked.
"She is not coming to Sol.She wants to return to her family and take care of her elder relatives," Kolvin said.
It bothered Marcin how upset Kolvin sounded as he spoke.
"Don't even get me started," Gianna said, crossing her arms.Her anger was still ripe as well.
Vinka leaned forward."What happened?"
"I found some records when I was there, about our arrival.One of the things the doctor and Re-lee had said was that we had to wait thirty days before going back through the dimensional portal."
"Right," Vinka said."It could rip you apart if you did it too often.Common knowledge here."
"Well, evidently, there's no reason it will hurt me or Tina.Something about our chemistry being just different enough that we can do it without worry."
Vinka blinked."Wait, so she's going back?Already?"
Gianna nodded."She's sure that Kolvin will just get a new upload, and he'll forget all about her."
Solkan, who'd been silent, shook his head."That is not how that works."
"Right?"Gianna said."I tried to tell her."
Vinka pulled out her communicator.She looked at Gianna."You, come with me."
Kolvin stood."What are you doing?We are launching soon."
"Listen, you go do you.Get connected to Master System and get re-installed.I'll be in touch," Vinka said.
Kolvin nodded.
Gianna leaped out of her seat.Marcin grabbed her hand."Be careful."
