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“Oh,” Signy said, because she owned no such thing. “Um—”

Smokey leaned in toward her and whispered, “Say you’d like to review the preflight checklist with your instructor.”

Signy swallowed her smile. The charade was ridiculous, but also appreciated. She was touched to see how willing everyone here was to bend the rules for Cora. Signy wasn’t the only one who wanted to give her a good day. “I’d like to review the preflight checklist with my instructor,” she said.

“Always a good call!” Smokey replied jovially as they checked something off their tablet. “All right, let’s start with emergency controls. You don’t have to know all of this—you just need to know which button to punch if Cora, like, exploded or something.”

“Do pilots explode often?” Signy asked.

“First time for everything,” Smokey said. “That’s why you’ve got to be prepared.”

* * *

Hello, Cora.

Hello, Colibri. Do you remember what we’re—whoa, whoa, hey.

Are we ready to go?

Colibri, I know you’re excited, but hush and steady, hush and still. You are too much for me right now. I can barely think around your eagerness.

Hush and steady, hush and still. I am sorry. I have been thinking. I have been thinking since you left.

I can tell. And I would love to know your thoughts and all they make you feel. We can open to each other fully when we are fetching ice on our own. But that is not what we are doing today. Do you remember?

Signy is of today. Today is of Signy. Signy is of today. Today is of Signy.

Warmth and light, dance and sky. Yes, Colibri, that’s right.

And today is of you. Today is of me.

Isn’t that always true?

Today is of us. Of us two and us three. Of you and me, as always. Of you and Signy, together. Of me, Colibri, alone.

Colibri, I need you to focus, please. We have to do preflight.

Yes, of course, of course. I shake away my buzzing and I remember my training. I am your rorqual. I am healthy and I am prepared.

I feel this in you, and I know it to be true. I am your pilot. I am healthy and I am prepared.

I feel this in you, and I know it to be true.

Good. Now, let’s go through our—

And you are in pain.

Colibri.

You are healthy and you are prepared, and you can focus on your task, because tasks make your mind clear, but even tasks that steady you are difficult, today. You are hoping this flight will bring both new and familiar joy, but you doubt. You are afraid you will not be able to leave the pain behind. You are afraid of the same for Signy. And this is true. You cannot leave it. She cannot leave it. Today, you and she are in pain.

Well. Okay. This is the opposite of helpful.

I disagree. Honesty is always a help.

I disagree.

Would you like me to flex my sail and report any weaknesses now?