Page 334 of Every Almost

Tavi flagged the event as an unresolved playback anomaly, assigned it the lowest diagnostic priority, and closed the file.

Maren’s shimmer held bright for three more seconds before it dimmed. The moment disappeared with it, and she archived it perfectly behind her eyes, where nothing was ever truly lost.

The ship hummed around them, old and steady.

The Emberkind felt exactly as it always had.

? EMBERKIND CV-0417, SECTOR HALCYON, REGION 5 ?

SIX MONTHS LATER

On the evening of what would have been New Year's Eve 1990 on Earth, Charlie sat at the desk in Reyna’s quarters with a piece of paper in front of her.

Just one

Completely blank.

And entirely too bright.

The paper had come from Orion. The pen rested beside it, made of dark metal and worn smooth near the grip. There were tiny stars set along the barrel in a pattern Charlie still couldn’t name. But all that mattered was that it was Reyna’s star pen. A loan for the task before her.

Charlie had been looking at the two items for several minutes.

Across the room, Charlie watched Reyna close the report she’d been reading and set her datapad aside.

She’d changed after dinner. Her captain’s jacket was hung up, the rank pin set on the small table by the closet. Just Reyna in a tank and soft cotton pants, her lilac hair let loose, cascading around her neck and shoulders.

Charlie still hadn’t gotten used to being allowed to see her like this. But she fully planned to make a serious effort over the next hundred years.

Reyna crossed the room and stopped behind the chair. Her hands came down on Charlie’s shoulders, slipping down and around Charlie to pull her close. Charlie raised her hands to hold Reyna's arms, the soft rose of her markings shimmering against her fingers.

Reyna's lips pressed a kiss to Charlie's temple.

“So," Reyna started, her lips next to Charlie's ear. "What's the verdict? Are you taking Orion’s advice tonight? Or Kess’s?”

Charlie looked at the paper.

“Does it matter? They basically suggested the same thing.”

“They did not,” Reyna scoffed, biting Charlie's neck gently. Charlie hummed in response.

“Well, Orion told me to write a letter.”

“Right, and Kess told you to find somewhere safe to put what you’re carrying. Metaphorically."

“Exactly, that is absolutely the same assignment. One of them just gave me office supplies.”

Reyna’s mouth curved against Charlie’s temple.

“That is an alarming interpretation of medical advice.”

“Then Kess should be more specific.”

“She is the most specific person I know.”

“Not about feelings. About feelings, she becomes annoyingly philosophical.”

Reyna laughed softly. Charlie felt it against her neck.