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“Why they made you all sleep, question?”
“Aw, you know, they expected we’d kill each other. It’s a long way to Tau Ceti.”
“Long way to Erid now. No kill me, please! - Is joke. Am too strong for you.”
“Heh. Yeah you are. Don’t wanna kill you, anyway. I’m - really glad you’re here.”
“Glad too. Mm. Need word.”
“For?”
“Gives good feeling.”
“Like. You like it.”
“Rocky like Grace.”
“Oh. Oh, I like you too, Rock.”
***
“Grace is tired.”
“'m ok, bud. Wanna do a couple more calculations now we’re past the asteroid belt, make sure Mary has our new trajectory nailed down.”
“Ship puts nails in flight path, question?”
“Earth saying.”
“Grace is yawning. All teeth, open throat, look scary. Many times now. Math will be wrong.”
“Yeah, fine, maybe I am tired. What about a movie before bed? You, me, laptop?”
“Watch Atlantis with explorer Thatch.”
“Third time! You really like that one.”
“Is good movie...Grace say ‘like’ for self and for movie. Is too soft word. Need stronger one.”
“Ah. Um. Stronger?”
“Feeling stronger for person. Grace is important.”
“R-respect? Person you take seriously.”
“Rocky feel respect for Grace. Come rest, give respect to brain.”
“Ha. Well. I respect you too, um, a lot, really.”
“Is very good. Show Milo Thatch go on adventure, find friend, get brave.”
***
“Exosuit will be finished soon. Then I can help you like Earth crew would. Help you get better.”
“You help me plenty. I'm just mopey. Um. Homesick, not actually sick. Not your fault.”
“Is actually sick. Thinking machine says humans social animals, need pack, get sick like this when they are not touched. You need hugs and cuddles. Exosuit will make me better crewmate.”
“You’re the best crewmate. You know, I, uh, I respected my crew, and I guess they respected me, but I never felt I belonged with them. I remember that now. I liked them, but I was lonely with them. Not like with you. ”
“Respect does not mean belonging, question?”
“No – um, no, not really. Means you give weight to what they say, who they are.”
“You don’t have weight. You are light like hatchling.”
“No, that’s – Hey.”
“Teasing you.”
“Yeah, got that. I’m a hatchling?”
“I could lift you, one hand, easy. You are baby. Need new word.”
“For?”
“Person you feel strongly for. More than respect. Belong together. Good to travel a long time together. Still know they are kind when they tease. Feel better with them near.”
“That’s – that’s trust. That’s – yeah.”
“Yes, Rocky trust Grace.”
“Thank you. Um.”
“Finish this exosuit, pick you up in one hand, okay. Show you are baby.”
“Fine. Fine, I trust you too. You finish that thing and you can throw me around all you want.”
***
“So. You like your house?”
“Oh, my God, Rocky. This – this is incredible.”
“The door is good?”
“I really like the door, bud.”
“The bed is too soft?”
“No, it’s great. I know it’s not how you guys sleep, not firm enough to perch properly on, but soft is heaven for sleepy humans.”
“Good, good. Come in here. Surprise! Sprouts from the ship growing in the ‘sunroom.’ Shaped like the don’t go crazy room, huh? But the plants are real this time, see?”
“God, they’re real. This is real. This is – tell Adrian, tell everyone, top-notch human habitat. Incredible choices. You even included Armando.”
“Good good good. We worried – you might not feel at home here.”
“You really were worried, huh? C’mere, fist bump. Of course I feel at home. Nobody ever worked this hard to set up a habitat for me. Man, and I used to wish Earth hadn’t trusted me so much. Never ever thought I’d make it like this. If five-year-old Grace could see me now! I live in space in a space house and my best friends are space aliens!”
“You are our best alien friend. But you say trust. Earth ‘trusted’ you?”
“Crazy, isn’t it?”
“But they sent you away. They can ‘trust’ and still force you to go?”
“Yeah. Yeah, if the job needs doing.”
“Mm. Hate that. Need a word.”
“What kind of word?”
“Something more than trust. Would not send you away. Would keep you close as long as you are happy. Would feel what you feel – would feel everything together.”
“Love. That’s – love.”
“Rocky love Grace.”
“Oh. O-oh.”
“Love, love, love Grace. Grace – you are crying? You are okay?”
“I’m good, Rock. I’m so good.”
“Love you. Always love. Could hug if you would sit down. Too soft to hug standing – will just knock you over. No stronger than a hatchling. Yes, good, thank you. Hugs make you cry more?”
“Make me this happy, pal, that’s just how it goes. I’m going to sit here and cry on your shiny little exosuit, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“Could pick you up with one hand.”
“But you won’t. You’ll let me cry all over you. Because you love me.”
“Leaky human.”
“Love you. Love you, Rock. Love you too.”