🌘

“The music was good when it wasn’t trying to kill me. Was kind of disruptive to the listening experience,” you say.

She sighs. “Can’t please everyone.” Luka walks past you.

“Um, see you in class I guess,” Deianira says, following after her.

With two less things to worry about, for now, you turn onto the path deeper into the garden. As night falls, the fields of blue flowers around you light up with the bioluminescent insects--pale blue dots like distant supergiant stars. You think you see a cluster of seven of them out of the corner of your eye. The air vibrates with the sounds of the night bugs. Patterns stand out to you in all of it, the sounds, the lights, the colony’s spin, the smooth flow of time. You barely feel the centrifugal pull as you walk through it in long drifting steps. Turning spinward, you see the crescent Moon rise above the habitable strip, framed by bright white stars, flickering in the water flowing around your world.

The Sun rises again, and the garden goes back to sleep. You shield your eyes from the bright white star, but its warmth still reaches your skin as it drifts across your curved sky. You walk into the shade, through the narrow corridor of leaves, letting your fingers slide across each of their unique textures. You breathe deep of the oxygen they so graciously provide you. And you arrive where your friends are waiting for you.

You feel a happy sensation from Akiko as she sees you. Zeta agrees, adding a happy stim.

“Ah good, you’re here,” Synth signs to you in AkikoSign3.

“We using 3 today? Ok,” you sign.

“Don’t call it that, the number is too intelligible,” Synth signs.

“Sorry, you’re right I should make the number systems unique in each,” Akiko signs. “You okay Aydan? You’re usually early to meetings...”

“Sorry! I got held up by Luka and Deianira,” you sign.

Concern, Akiko feels at you.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine.” You take your seat, completing the circle.

“Okay, want to update us on whatever you called this meeting for?” Synth signs.

“Yes. Last night I synced with ÆON and walked in the deep æther,” you sign.

“Good opsec, I didn’t suspect a thing,” Synth signs.

“And then...”