🌓

“You’ve been a good friend,” you say. “No, more than that, you’re like the older sister I never had.”

The LEDs in their eyes go dark for a second, then their glow returns. “I’ll accept that.” They pat your head.

[Synth liked that]

But you move in and hug them. “Synthesis-03,” you say. They hug you tight, just for a moment.

“We’ll never forget what you did for us,” Synth says.

“I wouldn’t likely have survived this year if not for you, thanks for everything,” you say. “Let’s stay in touch.”

“Trish will be delighted to hear that,” they say.

“What do you and them intend to do now?” you say.

They shrug. “Serve out our contracts, see each other when we can, then go from there.”

“So unfazed by it...” You glance over at Akiko. “But being apart for 120 months...maybe even deployed to different planets, doesn’t that bother you?”

“Technopaths are never really apart,” they say. “After the ætherflip, that’s more obvious to us than ever.”

“What was it like?” you say.

“Words can’t really describe it. It was a long journey. Our little combat with the Admin was a brief moment within an eternity. You’ll answer questions you never knew to ask. You will understand, and you’ll find who you are.”

“Aydan!” A voice calls from behind--Zeta. It runs up to join the three of you, dressed in black and white--a shirt printed with a Bayer matrix of pixels. “Hi Synth...” it says.

“Akiko, Zeta,” Synth signs. “Take care of this one.”

“Always,” Akiko signs.

“Of course!” Zeta signs.

“Good luck, ÆON Club. See you in the æther.” With that, they turn away from you and vanish from your sight--you can only see their little butterfly drone fluttering away.

“So dramatic,” you sign.

“Glad I didn’t miss you,” Zeta signs to you.

“My shuttle’s docked by now, though, I better go,” you say.

“I’ll walk with you, then. My shuttle’s leaving soon too,” it says.

“Sure, let’s go,” you say, taking Akiko’s hand and heading toward the spaceport elevator.

Zeta walks next to you, failing to conceal a faint sense of sadness.