Yangfan
Inactive Member
Henry was having a heated discussion with someone via a holographic screen. His desk is covered with a few rank pins, dozens of data pads, and several laptops. Beyond the desk, near the door to his office, two Nekos in gray panels stood helpless, waiting while clutching data pads to their bosoms.
"I don't care that she's on leave! Find her! Drag her out of the shower if you have to! Do you have any clue how few qualified doctors I have?"
With a snap of his fingers, Henry ended the call. He turned his tired gaze to the two Nekos.
"What?" he asked with a sneer. One of the Nekos winced.
The other Neko stepped forward. "Chen-Taisho, sir! The fortress's main medical station is reporting that it is dangerously under-crewed."
"Why? Has there been an injury? it is not like we're on the front lines."
"Quite a few Geshrin soldiers have queued up to receive upgrades, sir."
"Tell them to take a number and go home if the wait is too long. Inform all crew that harassment of Geshrin soldiers will be dealt with to the fullest extent of martial law. Anything else?"
The first Neko nodded timidly. "Several ships in the fleet are still without a chief medical officer, sir."
"I'm working on that," answered Henry as he rubbed his eyes. "In the mean time, if a ship is lacking a chief medical officer, inform the highest ranked doctor or medic aboard that she will serve as the acting chief medical officer until further notice."
"But sir!" The Neko protested, "Most of them are inexperienced! There are only nurses left on some of the smaller ships!"
"I'm aware of that," Henry answered with a groan. "We'll avoid combat zones until we get reinforcements, okay?"
Shina rushed into the room. "Sir! You'll want to take a look at this…"
Henry took the data pad she handed him. It displayed a news story about a certain 3XF Admiral disagreeing with certain recent orders from the Mistress Taisho in a private letter to a certain senator. It appeared that the senator had revealed the contents of the letter during a senate session. Another senator must have leaked it to the press.
"Oh fuck me!" Henry exclaimed.
The two gray-paneled Nekos looked at each other. One of them began to disrobe.
"I didn't mean that literally! … Get out of my office!"
The two Nekos scurried out. Henry half-heartedly threw a data pad after them, which landed on the soft carpet near the doorway.
Henry placed both of his hands on the edge of his desk. He felt ill.
"How old is the story, Shina?"
"it is been out for a few days, sir. I'm sorry. I should've caught it earlier."
"Don't worry about it. If Yui was really mad, I'd be dead by now… Ugh. What a mess," Henry said with a sigh.
Liam appeared through the doorway. He knelt down to pick up the data pad that Henry had thrown, and placed it back on Henry's desk. "Chen-Taisho, sir? I know you're busy, but could I talk to you for few minutes?"
"Depends. Is it about work?"
"No sir. it is a more personal matter."
Henry took a good look at Liam, a Nepleslian, just like him. They haven't seen each other since Henry left the Celia. "I can do better than a few minutes, Liam. Let's go find a café or something… Shina, could you please hold down the fort until I get back?"
"I'll try my best… By the way, sir, you've been working for 12 hours straight," said Shina. "Please get some rest after you've talked to Liam."
Henry answered her with an affectionate peck on her forehead, which left Shina blushing as he left the room.
"I could come back at another time if you're tired, sir," offered Liam as he followed Henry out of the office.
"it is all right, Liam. I can get a nightcap at a café before turning in…"
"I didn't know you drank, sir."
"I was thinking ginger ale."
"Oh."
It was a Western-styled coffee shop. Several Nekos were chatting excitedly at a table near the front of the café, which was brightly lit. A Yamataian couple were have a quiet discussion in the back, were the light was dimmer. All of the café's occupants, including the baristas behind the counter, were wearing Star Army uniforms.
Therefore, it was not surprising that everyone got up and bowed to Henry as he and Liam walked inside. Henry sighed and returned the bow. He was going to miss this level of fame and respect.
After Henry insisted that Liam order first, Liam ordered a cup of coffee, black. Henry then ordered a cup of ginger ale, which he requested to be heated until warm. The Neko barista handed them the steaming beverages in glass cups.
"Okay. What's on your mind?" asked Henry after they had sat down.
"it is about my upgrade, sir."
Henry flinched. He wasn't quite ready to have this conversation.
"You all right, sir?" asked Liam.
"Yeah… Um, I thought you had already made up your mind to go through with it. Having second thoughts?" Henry took a sip of his ginger ale.
"I'm rather attached to my body, sir." Liam looked down on his coffee.
"Aren't we all?" Henry smiled, but there was a hint of bitterness in it. "But consider the benefits: You'll be faster, stronger. Minor injuries won't incapacitate you as much. Your memory will improve and you'll become more productive. And let's not forget that it is the only way to keep your job." He leaned back in his chair.
Liam looked up, and stared into Henry's eyes. "Will it still be my job, though, sir?"
"Ugh. Must we go there?"
"It will be some clone of me, with my memories, won't it?"
Henry remained silent for a moment. "Well, I wouldn't go that far…"
"Oh come on!" Liam waved his hand dismissively. "Don't tell me you believe that superstitious drivel spouted by the Elysians."
"No, it is not that." Henry shook his head, and then clasped his hands together in front of his face. "What… what is life… but the survival of the mind?"
"I don't follow you, sir."
"We're the sum of our experiences, Liam. Is it absolutely necessary that all of those memories were experienced in one body? Hasn't that rule been broken already? In the old stories, when the hero finally slew the dragon, every reader who had ever read those words held his bloody sword in their hands. The actor, who sneaks past the guards and creeps into the king's bedchamber, makes murderers of us all, since we would all identify with his fear, if only for a moment. And… if I dreamt that I was a butterfly, isn’t it absurd to insist that I had somehow died in my dream, only to be re-born as I wake?"
Liam shook his head. "I still wouldn't be me anymore, sir…"
Henry took a moment to drink his ginger ale. "If it'll make you feel better, you can pay to have your old body cryogenically frozen. That way, there's always a way back after you end your military career."
"I don't know if I could afford that…"
Henry smirked. "I'm sure Sakai would be happy to help you with it… That brings me to my next point: What would Sakai do without you?"
"Her mandatory service period has been over for a few years now. I guess she really likes it here." Liam sighed. "A better question would be: What would I do without her?"
"She loves you, you know," said Henry. "Yuri tells me that, before Sakai met you, she never kept a boyfriend for more than a week. You guys have been together for… what? Two years?"
"Probably closer to three…" Liam gulped down his coffee.
"Don't make her choose between her career and her love."
"Forgive me, sir, but isn't that a little hypocritical of you? I mean, you're going to be leaving Shina behind… Why are you leaving the Star Army in the first place? I'm sure they'll let you stay if you just ask."
Henry drained what's left of the ginger ale in his cup, and then looked around. “I’d rather not talk about it in public. Suffice it to say that… I disagree with some of the decisions made by our leaders.”
"And I should stay in the Star Army… why?"
"Because, and I mean no offense, Liam, you're not rich enough to quit on principle. I can crash at my family's giant countryside estate for a few months while I figure out my next move. Can you say the same? Besides, you're one of the best engineers I've ever met. You're critical to the operation of the Celia."
"You are not expendable either, sir."
"No? Ha! You wouldn't believe how easy it is to replace a Taisho," said Henry as his voice shook ever so slightly. He looked away with a pained expression.
The two remained silent for a moment.
“What about Shina?” asked Liam.
“The difference in our ranks is too wide. Our relationship would be a lot healthier if one or both of us were not in the Star Army,” replied Henry. “Her eighth birthday is coming up, and I want her to decide for herself whether she stays in the Star Army or not. I might unconsciously influence her decision if I stayed.” He sighed. “I don’t want to lose her, Liam.”
“Then ask her out already! Um, sir.”
“I know. I know. And what if she wants to stay in the Star Army after her eight years of service?”
“You’ll cross that bridge when you come to it, sir. Or, um, jump off said bridge, if you so prefer,” quipped Liam with a grin.
Henry nodded with a tired smile on his face. “I’m gonna head home, man.”
“Of course, sir.”
As the two Nepleslians got up to return the cups, Henry suddenly felt the servos in his cybernetic right hand fail. He watched helplessly as the glass cup fell to the floor and shattered.
“Oh geez,” muttered Henry in embarrassment. “I’ll pay for the cup.”
“Don’t worry about it, Chen-Taisho,” said the barista as she rushed over with a broom to clean up the glass shards.
“I believe you’re hurt, sir,” Liam observed with concern as the glass shards that had managed to pierce Henry’s pants and embed themselves in his shins glimmered under the artificial light. A few dark red spots begin to appear on Henry’s pants where the shards had struck.
“Now, now, Liam. That’s for the doctors to decide,” said Henry as he examined his right hand. He could still move the arm and the wrist, but the fingers were stuck in the position where they had just barely failed to hold onto the cup. “damn it. I knew I shouldn’t have skipped that many maintenance cycles.”
“Speaking of doctors, sir, let’s get you to one, before you get a nasty infection or something,” answered Liam as he patted Henry on the back.
“Ah. So now you see the benefits of being a Yamataian,” said Henry as he placed his left hand on Liam’s right shoulder for support. His shins were starting to hurt. “Please assist me to the med bay, young lieutenant.”
“Gladly, sir.” Liam wrapped his right arm around Henry as they walked out of the café. “Err, sir?”
“Yes, Liam?”
“Will they have enough room at the med bay? There’s still a long queue for soul transfers.”
“They’ll make room for me. I’m still the frigging Taisho.”
“Right you are, sir.”
Henry wandered into his room, yawned, and entered the bathroom. He instinctively reached for the medicine cabinet, to open it as to obtain the toiletries within, only to feel his right hand uselessly clink against the lid.
“Oh. Right. The servos… Fuck.”
Henry looked down at his left hand. “I guess you’re up. Don’t embarrass me.”
“Henry? Is that you?” asked Shina as she sleepily rubbed her eyes. She stood at the restroom’s threshold wearing white underwear and a green teddy lingerie. “Celia told me that you were hurt. I was worried…”
“Na, eh aba a strah gah ha fega oah hoa da obah da dah,” mumbled Henry as he awkwardly tried to brush his teeth with his non-dominant hand.
“Don’t bother telling jokes with your mouth full, Henry.”
Henry spit out the toothpaste. “No, I am a stranger who figured out how to open the door.”
“Also, don’t quit your day job… Oh, wait…”
Henry chuckled. “Are you still mad?” he asked before rinsing his mouth.
“A little bit… Yeah… I guess I just figured that I had a say in the decision.” Shina turned around and began walking away from him.
Henry quickly wiped his mouth with a towel and followed her back into the main room. “I thought we already had this conversation, Shina.” He sat down next to her in the sunken nest in the middle of the room.
“Yeah. I know. You’re quitting on principle… but what about us?” Shina took a pillow and hugged it.
Henry leaned over and kissed Shina on the cheek.
“You’ve been doing that a lot lately, Henry,” said Shina as she smiled. “People are beginning to think that we’re more than friends.”
“Oh? And how would you characterize our relationship?” asked Henry.
“Hmm… Professionally, I’m an officer under your command, your assistant, your unofficial bodyguard. Socially, I’m your roommate, your nest buddy, your friend and confidante,” Shina replied and continued to smile coyly.
“And I suppose that if I resigned my commission with the Star Army, only that last part will remain true,” mused Henry. “We would be friends, and that’s about it.”
Shina frowned. “And that’s why I don’t want you to quit, Henry…” She leaned her head against Henry’s shoulder. “I like having someone to warm up my blankets, for starters.”
“What if… What if I want us to be more than friends, Shina?”
“Henry…” Shina blushed. “It wouldn’t be that uncommon, you know? Nekovalkyrja captains usually select one of her officers or soldiers to be her mate. I told you this before, right? We do choose mates, not just sleep around all our lives like some people think. Although I suppose Yamataian officers might find fraternization between ranks a bit distasteful…” Shina furrowed her brow and sat up. “That’s not why you’re quitting, right? I don’t want you to end your career over me, Henry.”
Henry smiled. “No, no. I’m really quitting because I’m pissed off at Yui. Completely selfish reason. Honest… Being able to ask you out on a date with a clean conscience, having a chance at a normal relationship with you… those are just nice bonuses.”
“Henry, are you…”
“Yes. At a fancy restaurant in Tania, tomorrow night. We’ll take a shuttle there after you‘re off duty. What do you say?”
“Henry… um, yes! Of course! But… what’s come over you? You‘re usually not this… well… forward.” Shina was quickly turning red.
“I… I’m not sure,” replied Henry, quite confused himself. “The servos? The ginger ale? No… I know it’s not the sight of you in your underwear, because I’ve seen that before…”
Shina playfully slapped Henry on his arm.
“I was talking to Liam…” continued Henry. “And we were talking about the choices that we make…” He yawned involuntarily. “Let me finish the story during our date tomorrow, okay? I’m ready to pass out.” He grabbed his pillow, lied down, and pulled his blankets over him.
Shina nodded. “Okay, Henry. Um, Celia, turn off the lights please.”
As the lights in the room dimmed to nothing, Shina lied down next to Henry and snuggled up to him, as she did every night. She also did something that she rarely did before, and certainly not when they were in the nest together: She took Henry’s organic left hand and squeezed it lightly.
Shina smiled as she felt Henry squeeze back.
"I don't care that she's on leave! Find her! Drag her out of the shower if you have to! Do you have any clue how few qualified doctors I have?"
With a snap of his fingers, Henry ended the call. He turned his tired gaze to the two Nekos.
"What?" he asked with a sneer. One of the Nekos winced.
The other Neko stepped forward. "Chen-Taisho, sir! The fortress's main medical station is reporting that it is dangerously under-crewed."
"Why? Has there been an injury? it is not like we're on the front lines."
"Quite a few Geshrin soldiers have queued up to receive upgrades, sir."
"Tell them to take a number and go home if the wait is too long. Inform all crew that harassment of Geshrin soldiers will be dealt with to the fullest extent of martial law. Anything else?"
The first Neko nodded timidly. "Several ships in the fleet are still without a chief medical officer, sir."
"I'm working on that," answered Henry as he rubbed his eyes. "In the mean time, if a ship is lacking a chief medical officer, inform the highest ranked doctor or medic aboard that she will serve as the acting chief medical officer until further notice."
"But sir!" The Neko protested, "Most of them are inexperienced! There are only nurses left on some of the smaller ships!"
"I'm aware of that," Henry answered with a groan. "We'll avoid combat zones until we get reinforcements, okay?"
Shina rushed into the room. "Sir! You'll want to take a look at this…"
Henry took the data pad she handed him. It displayed a news story about a certain 3XF Admiral disagreeing with certain recent orders from the Mistress Taisho in a private letter to a certain senator. It appeared that the senator had revealed the contents of the letter during a senate session. Another senator must have leaked it to the press.
"Oh fuck me!" Henry exclaimed.
The two gray-paneled Nekos looked at each other. One of them began to disrobe.
"I didn't mean that literally! … Get out of my office!"
The two Nekos scurried out. Henry half-heartedly threw a data pad after them, which landed on the soft carpet near the doorway.
Henry placed both of his hands on the edge of his desk. He felt ill.
"How old is the story, Shina?"
"it is been out for a few days, sir. I'm sorry. I should've caught it earlier."
"Don't worry about it. If Yui was really mad, I'd be dead by now… Ugh. What a mess," Henry said with a sigh.
Liam appeared through the doorway. He knelt down to pick up the data pad that Henry had thrown, and placed it back on Henry's desk. "Chen-Taisho, sir? I know you're busy, but could I talk to you for few minutes?"
"Depends. Is it about work?"
"No sir. it is a more personal matter."
Henry took a good look at Liam, a Nepleslian, just like him. They haven't seen each other since Henry left the Celia. "I can do better than a few minutes, Liam. Let's go find a café or something… Shina, could you please hold down the fort until I get back?"
"I'll try my best… By the way, sir, you've been working for 12 hours straight," said Shina. "Please get some rest after you've talked to Liam."
Henry answered her with an affectionate peck on her forehead, which left Shina blushing as he left the room.
"I could come back at another time if you're tired, sir," offered Liam as he followed Henry out of the office.
"it is all right, Liam. I can get a nightcap at a café before turning in…"
"I didn't know you drank, sir."
"I was thinking ginger ale."
"Oh."
It was a Western-styled coffee shop. Several Nekos were chatting excitedly at a table near the front of the café, which was brightly lit. A Yamataian couple were have a quiet discussion in the back, were the light was dimmer. All of the café's occupants, including the baristas behind the counter, were wearing Star Army uniforms.
Therefore, it was not surprising that everyone got up and bowed to Henry as he and Liam walked inside. Henry sighed and returned the bow. He was going to miss this level of fame and respect.
After Henry insisted that Liam order first, Liam ordered a cup of coffee, black. Henry then ordered a cup of ginger ale, which he requested to be heated until warm. The Neko barista handed them the steaming beverages in glass cups.
"Okay. What's on your mind?" asked Henry after they had sat down.
"it is about my upgrade, sir."
Henry flinched. He wasn't quite ready to have this conversation.
"You all right, sir?" asked Liam.
"Yeah… Um, I thought you had already made up your mind to go through with it. Having second thoughts?" Henry took a sip of his ginger ale.
"I'm rather attached to my body, sir." Liam looked down on his coffee.
"Aren't we all?" Henry smiled, but there was a hint of bitterness in it. "But consider the benefits: You'll be faster, stronger. Minor injuries won't incapacitate you as much. Your memory will improve and you'll become more productive. And let's not forget that it is the only way to keep your job." He leaned back in his chair.
Liam looked up, and stared into Henry's eyes. "Will it still be my job, though, sir?"
"Ugh. Must we go there?"
"It will be some clone of me, with my memories, won't it?"
Henry remained silent for a moment. "Well, I wouldn't go that far…"
"Oh come on!" Liam waved his hand dismissively. "Don't tell me you believe that superstitious drivel spouted by the Elysians."
"No, it is not that." Henry shook his head, and then clasped his hands together in front of his face. "What… what is life… but the survival of the mind?"
"I don't follow you, sir."
"We're the sum of our experiences, Liam. Is it absolutely necessary that all of those memories were experienced in one body? Hasn't that rule been broken already? In the old stories, when the hero finally slew the dragon, every reader who had ever read those words held his bloody sword in their hands. The actor, who sneaks past the guards and creeps into the king's bedchamber, makes murderers of us all, since we would all identify with his fear, if only for a moment. And… if I dreamt that I was a butterfly, isn’t it absurd to insist that I had somehow died in my dream, only to be re-born as I wake?"
Liam shook his head. "I still wouldn't be me anymore, sir…"
Henry took a moment to drink his ginger ale. "If it'll make you feel better, you can pay to have your old body cryogenically frozen. That way, there's always a way back after you end your military career."
"I don't know if I could afford that…"
Henry smirked. "I'm sure Sakai would be happy to help you with it… That brings me to my next point: What would Sakai do without you?"
"Her mandatory service period has been over for a few years now. I guess she really likes it here." Liam sighed. "A better question would be: What would I do without her?"
"She loves you, you know," said Henry. "Yuri tells me that, before Sakai met you, she never kept a boyfriend for more than a week. You guys have been together for… what? Two years?"
"Probably closer to three…" Liam gulped down his coffee.
"Don't make her choose between her career and her love."
"Forgive me, sir, but isn't that a little hypocritical of you? I mean, you're going to be leaving Shina behind… Why are you leaving the Star Army in the first place? I'm sure they'll let you stay if you just ask."
Henry drained what's left of the ginger ale in his cup, and then looked around. “I’d rather not talk about it in public. Suffice it to say that… I disagree with some of the decisions made by our leaders.”
"And I should stay in the Star Army… why?"
"Because, and I mean no offense, Liam, you're not rich enough to quit on principle. I can crash at my family's giant countryside estate for a few months while I figure out my next move. Can you say the same? Besides, you're one of the best engineers I've ever met. You're critical to the operation of the Celia."
"You are not expendable either, sir."
"No? Ha! You wouldn't believe how easy it is to replace a Taisho," said Henry as his voice shook ever so slightly. He looked away with a pained expression.
The two remained silent for a moment.
“What about Shina?” asked Liam.
“The difference in our ranks is too wide. Our relationship would be a lot healthier if one or both of us were not in the Star Army,” replied Henry. “Her eighth birthday is coming up, and I want her to decide for herself whether she stays in the Star Army or not. I might unconsciously influence her decision if I stayed.” He sighed. “I don’t want to lose her, Liam.”
“Then ask her out already! Um, sir.”
“I know. I know. And what if she wants to stay in the Star Army after her eight years of service?”
“You’ll cross that bridge when you come to it, sir. Or, um, jump off said bridge, if you so prefer,” quipped Liam with a grin.
Henry nodded with a tired smile on his face. “I’m gonna head home, man.”
“Of course, sir.”
As the two Nepleslians got up to return the cups, Henry suddenly felt the servos in his cybernetic right hand fail. He watched helplessly as the glass cup fell to the floor and shattered.
“Oh geez,” muttered Henry in embarrassment. “I’ll pay for the cup.”
“Don’t worry about it, Chen-Taisho,” said the barista as she rushed over with a broom to clean up the glass shards.
“I believe you’re hurt, sir,” Liam observed with concern as the glass shards that had managed to pierce Henry’s pants and embed themselves in his shins glimmered under the artificial light. A few dark red spots begin to appear on Henry’s pants where the shards had struck.
“Now, now, Liam. That’s for the doctors to decide,” said Henry as he examined his right hand. He could still move the arm and the wrist, but the fingers were stuck in the position where they had just barely failed to hold onto the cup. “damn it. I knew I shouldn’t have skipped that many maintenance cycles.”
“Speaking of doctors, sir, let’s get you to one, before you get a nasty infection or something,” answered Liam as he patted Henry on the back.
“Ah. So now you see the benefits of being a Yamataian,” said Henry as he placed his left hand on Liam’s right shoulder for support. His shins were starting to hurt. “Please assist me to the med bay, young lieutenant.”
“Gladly, sir.” Liam wrapped his right arm around Henry as they walked out of the café. “Err, sir?”
“Yes, Liam?”
“Will they have enough room at the med bay? There’s still a long queue for soul transfers.”
“They’ll make room for me. I’m still the frigging Taisho.”
“Right you are, sir.”
Henry wandered into his room, yawned, and entered the bathroom. He instinctively reached for the medicine cabinet, to open it as to obtain the toiletries within, only to feel his right hand uselessly clink against the lid.
“Oh. Right. The servos… Fuck.”
Henry looked down at his left hand. “I guess you’re up. Don’t embarrass me.”
“Henry? Is that you?” asked Shina as she sleepily rubbed her eyes. She stood at the restroom’s threshold wearing white underwear and a green teddy lingerie. “Celia told me that you were hurt. I was worried…”
“Na, eh aba a strah gah ha fega oah hoa da obah da dah,” mumbled Henry as he awkwardly tried to brush his teeth with his non-dominant hand.
“Don’t bother telling jokes with your mouth full, Henry.”
Henry spit out the toothpaste. “No, I am a stranger who figured out how to open the door.”
“Also, don’t quit your day job… Oh, wait…”
Henry chuckled. “Are you still mad?” he asked before rinsing his mouth.
“A little bit… Yeah… I guess I just figured that I had a say in the decision.” Shina turned around and began walking away from him.
Henry quickly wiped his mouth with a towel and followed her back into the main room. “I thought we already had this conversation, Shina.” He sat down next to her in the sunken nest in the middle of the room.
“Yeah. I know. You’re quitting on principle… but what about us?” Shina took a pillow and hugged it.
Henry leaned over and kissed Shina on the cheek.
“You’ve been doing that a lot lately, Henry,” said Shina as she smiled. “People are beginning to think that we’re more than friends.”
“Oh? And how would you characterize our relationship?” asked Henry.
“Hmm… Professionally, I’m an officer under your command, your assistant, your unofficial bodyguard. Socially, I’m your roommate, your nest buddy, your friend and confidante,” Shina replied and continued to smile coyly.
“And I suppose that if I resigned my commission with the Star Army, only that last part will remain true,” mused Henry. “We would be friends, and that’s about it.”
Shina frowned. “And that’s why I don’t want you to quit, Henry…” She leaned her head against Henry’s shoulder. “I like having someone to warm up my blankets, for starters.”
“What if… What if I want us to be more than friends, Shina?”
“Henry…” Shina blushed. “It wouldn’t be that uncommon, you know? Nekovalkyrja captains usually select one of her officers or soldiers to be her mate. I told you this before, right? We do choose mates, not just sleep around all our lives like some people think. Although I suppose Yamataian officers might find fraternization between ranks a bit distasteful…” Shina furrowed her brow and sat up. “That’s not why you’re quitting, right? I don’t want you to end your career over me, Henry.”
Henry smiled. “No, no. I’m really quitting because I’m pissed off at Yui. Completely selfish reason. Honest… Being able to ask you out on a date with a clean conscience, having a chance at a normal relationship with you… those are just nice bonuses.”
“Henry, are you…”
“Yes. At a fancy restaurant in Tania, tomorrow night. We’ll take a shuttle there after you‘re off duty. What do you say?”
“Henry… um, yes! Of course! But… what’s come over you? You‘re usually not this… well… forward.” Shina was quickly turning red.
“I… I’m not sure,” replied Henry, quite confused himself. “The servos? The ginger ale? No… I know it’s not the sight of you in your underwear, because I’ve seen that before…”
Shina playfully slapped Henry on his arm.
“I was talking to Liam…” continued Henry. “And we were talking about the choices that we make…” He yawned involuntarily. “Let me finish the story during our date tomorrow, okay? I’m ready to pass out.” He grabbed his pillow, lied down, and pulled his blankets over him.
Shina nodded. “Okay, Henry. Um, Celia, turn off the lights please.”
As the lights in the room dimmed to nothing, Shina lied down next to Henry and snuggled up to him, as she did every night. She also did something that she rarely did before, and certainly not when they were in the nest together: She took Henry’s organic left hand and squeezed it lightly.
Shina smiled as she felt Henry squeeze back.