## Chapter One — Again The Watson Safehouse had developed the very specific atmosphere of a room where everyone was technically working and absolutely nobody intended to remain professional for long. Mai had three O’Sullivan SAS panes open above the main table. Iris had two more. Kiro was buried in a technical-access brief. Reyes stood behind her chair, reading over one shoulder with the resigned expression of someone who had already found three things engineers had made unnecessarily complicated. Brenda had claimed half the couch. Shammy was in the kitchen with Panam. Ace occupied the other half of the couch in black shorts, cropped top, open jacket and tall boots, lying on her back with one knee raised and apparently contributing nothing except decorative menace. That part was misleading. She had been silent for almost ten minutes. Mai noticed. Iris noticed. Brenda definitely noticed. Nobody mentioned it. Yet. Mai expanded the orbital workload. “Adriana Pell is still active.” Iris nodded. “More active.” “How much?” “Enough that she stopped asking whether we handle independent orbital work and started asking when Maeve O’Sullivan will be available to discuss it.” Ace’s foot moved. Tiny. Brenda saw. Her mouth twitched. Mai ignored both. “Kiro.” Kiro looked up. “Mm?” “Mixed access architecture and physical security. If it develops?” Kiro rotated the brief. Reyes leaned closer. They read. Kiro pointed. “This part is mine.” Reyes tapped a second section. “And this part was written by someone who has never been responsible for putting an actual human being through one of these corridors.” Kiro glanced up at her. “You got that from six lines?” “It says ‘dynamic personnel rerouting under emergency isolation.’” “Yes.” “That means doors lock while people are still moving.” Kiro considered. Then nodded. “Fair.” Mai looked at them. “Both?” “Yes,” Kiro said. Reyes nodded. “Obviously.” Good. Mai moved the thread. Iris opened another. “Havel.” Mai read. Then stopped. Crystal Palace. Again. Ace sat up. Not much. Just enough. Brenda saw that too. Now she was smiling. Mai still said nothing. Iris opened the next. Another orbital inquiry. Crystal Palace preferred. Then another. Family office. Palace already scheduled. Then one from a private habitat operator whose principals would be there during the same window. Kiro looked at the cluster. “That’s getting stupid.” “Exactly,” Iris said. Reyes folded her arms. “How many?” “Enough that separate Earthside meetings become inefficient.” Ace sat fully upright. Brenda looked at her. “Oh.” Ace looked back. “What?” “Nothing.” “That was not nothing.” Brenda’s grin widened. “You heard Palace three times and your spine came online.” Panam came out of the kitchen carrying toast. “What?” Shammy followed with two mugs. Brenda pointed at Ace. “She’s getting hard for orbit.” Ace stared. Panam nearly dropped the toast. Shammy stopped dead. Mai closed her eyes. For one second. Then opened them. Ace pointed at Brenda. “I do not get hard.” Brenda nodded gravely. “True. Wrong equipment.” Reyes looked away. Kiro made a choking sound. Panam turned toward Shammy. “You people started before breakfast?” Shammy smiled. “This is after breakfast by our standards.” Ace folded her arms. “I was listening professionally.” Iris looked at her. “You were horizontal.” “That is not incompatible with professionalism.” Reyes muttered: “On Palace it probably isn’t.” Ace’s head snapped around. Brenda slapped one hand over her mouth. Panam stared at Reyes. “You too?” Reyes shrugged. “I’ve met Amber.” Kiro looked at her. “That answer covered a lot.” “It was meant to.” Ace narrowed her eyes. “Everybody’s very fucking brave today.” Iris took a drink. “We’re still on Earth.” Ace smiled slowly. “Exactly.” Panam looked at Shammy again. “I’m going to need context.” “No,” Mai said. Brenda said: “Yes.” Ace said: “Absolutely not.” Shammy said: “Later.” Panam looked around. “Great.” --- Mai expanded the calendar. “There’s a workable window.” That quieted the room. A little. Ace came off the couch. Brenda watched her do it. Then looked at Iris. Iris gave her the smallest possible nod. They were both enjoying this far too much. Mai ignored them. “Three weeks from now.” Kiro stood and came to the table. Reyes followed. Shammy leaned against Panam. Brenda remained on the couch. Ace stood beside Mai, trying to look like she had not just materialized there because orbit had appeared on a scheduling pane. Mai zoomed out. “Two weeks.” Silence. One beat. Ace inhaled. Brenda pointed at her instantly. “No.” Ace froze. “What?” “You were about to scream.” “I was not.” “You absolutely were.” “I was breathing.” “Like a fucking air-raid siren.” Panam laughed into her toast. Ace looked at Mai. Mai’s expression stayed neutral. Mostly. “Two weeks?” “Yes.” “Crystal Palace?” “Yes.” “Actual Crystal Palace?” Mai looked at her. “No, the other one.” Ace stared. Brenda folded over laughing. Mai’s mouth twitched. Ace pointed at Mai. “You’re all infected.” “By what?” “Assholery.” Reyes said: “Stable exposure.” Kiro nodded. “Chronic.” Ace turned. “Why are you two suddenly funny?” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Then Reyes said: “Low expectations.” That got Mai. Briefly. Enough. Ace stared around the room. “This trip is cancelled.” Mai said: “No.” Ace turned back immediately. “Good.” Brenda laughed so hard she had to put her coffee down. --- Mai reopened the calendar. “We are not stacking meetings.” Ace nodded. “Excellent.” Mai looked at her. “That was not aimed at you.” “It still benefits me.” Iris leaned back. “That sentence should worry all of us.” Ace smiled. “It shouldn’t.” Brenda looked at Panam. “It should.” Panam nodded. “I’m beginning to understand.” Ace pointed at her. “You have been here five minutes.” “Long enough.” Shammy kissed Panam lightly near the temple. “She learns fast.” Ace looked betrayed. “Et tu.” Panam frowned. “What?” “Never mind.” Reyes tapped the calendar. “How many structured work days?” “Five, probably.” Ace recoiled. “Five?” Mai looked at her. “Across fourteen.” “That is still five days where I am expected to behave.” Iris said: “No one said behave.” Brenda turned toward her. “Oh, don’t encourage her.” Iris looked innocent. “I was correcting scope.” Ace smiled. “Thank you.” Iris continued: “You only need to appear employable.” The room broke. Ace stared at her. Then at Brenda. Brenda was useless. Bent over. Panam was laughing openly now. Shammy had one hand over her mouth. Kiro looked down at the table. Reyes was smiling without shame. Mai sighed. Ace pointed at Iris. “You former fucking lieutenant.” Iris lifted her mug. “Precision under pressure.” Brenda managed: “I love you.” “I know.” Ace looked at Brenda. “You’re next.” Brenda straightened slightly. “For what?” “Retaliation.” Brenda smiled sweetly. “Promise?” Ace froze. Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked at the ceiling. Panam whispered: “Oh, fuck.” Shammy whispered back: “Exactly.” --- Mai dragged three empty days into the middle of the trip. “Those stay open.” Ace’s face changed. Instantly. Reyes saw it. “Don’t.” Ace looked at her. “I said nothing.” “You were about to make those three days pornographic.” Ace looked scandalized. “Reyes.” “What?” “I am a business owner.” “You are also Amber.” Brenda pointed. “There.” Ace looked around. “No. Fuck all of you. I am capable of having empty calendar space without immediately filling it with sex.” Silence. Everyone looked at her. Ace looked around slowly. “No.” Nobody moved. Panam bit the inside of her cheek. Shammy stared very carefully at her coffee. Kiro’s mouth was twitching. Reyes had folded her arms. Iris looked completely deadpan. Brenda finally asked: “How empty?” Ace narrowed her eyes. “What?” “Like actually empty?” “Yes.” “No dinner?” “Maybe dinner.” “With clothes?” Panam choked. Shammy slapped her back. Reyes turned away. Kiro covered her face. Mai closed one calendar pane before she accidentally threw it. Ace stared at Iris. Iris had not even moved. Ace said very quietly: “You’re going to pay for that.” Iris nodded. “Schedule it.” That killed the room. Brenda slid sideways against the couch laughing. Panam was coughing and laughing at the same time. Shammy leaned on the counter. Kiro had both hands over her face. Reyes muttered: “Administrative efficiency.” Mai finally laughed. There was no point pretending otherwise. Ace stood in the middle of all of them looking betrayed, furious and deeply pleased. Which was probably why nobody took the threat seriously. --- When the noise finally settled enough to continue, Mai said: “Can we please finish this?” Ace nodded. “Absolutely.” Brenda wheezed: “Professional.” Ace flipped her off without looking. Mai continued. “Business gets spaced out. Free days remain free unless something develops. Kiro and Reyes carry the specialist side where needed.” Reyes nodded. Kiro nodded too. “Jessie gets Evelyn’s infrastructure thread.” Brenda’s expression shifted. Warm. Proud. “Good.” “Not because she’s Amber’s cousin.” “I know.” “Because Evelyn asked for Jessie.” Brenda smiled. “That’s better.” Iris glanced at her. The affection in it was quick. Real. Ace saw. Said nothing. For once. Mai continued. “Sera and Panam are relatively open.” Ace turned immediately. “Imani.” Panam pointed without even looking. “No.” Ace stopped. “I only said the name.” “You said it like you were opening a betting market.” Shammy laughed. Ace looked at her. “Am I wrong?” Panam looked at Shammy. Shammy looked back. Panam smiled. “I want to meet her.” Ace’s eyebrows rose. Panam continued before she could say anything. “Yes, still.” “Good.” “Do not make face.” Ace covered her mouth with both hands. Brenda looked at Iris. “She’s going to explode.” Iris nodded. “Probably.” Panam looked at Ace. “You may speak.” Ace dropped her hands. “If you two end up naked and covered in paint, I want credit for emotional foresight.” Panam stared. Shammy closed her eyes. Brenda laughed. Mai looked toward the ceiling. Reyes said: “She lasted four seconds.” Kiro nodded. “Three point eight.” Ace pointed at Panam. “I am being supportive.” Panam smiled slowly. “If Sera and I end up naked and covered in paint, you’ll hear about it after I decide how much I enjoy making you suffer.” Ace went still. Panam looked at Shammy. Shammy’s smile became radiant. Ace whispered: “Oh, I like Palace Panam already.” “We’re not there yet.” “I know.” “Stop preheating.” Brenda made a strangled sound. Reyes looked down. Kiro muttered: “Strong wording.” Panam took another bite of toast. “Learned from the room.” --- Mai shifted to the practical question. “If we go, I want administrative flow handled properly.” Iris looked at her. There. Different subject. Real one. Mai continued. “Not because there’s too much work.” “Because everyone touching everything is stupid.” “Yes.” Ace looked offended. “I don’t touch everything.” Every head turned. Ace stopped. Then sighed. “Fine.” Iris looked at Mai. “What are you thinking?” “Something light.” “Define light.” “Filtering. Scheduling. Vendor noise. Travel coordination. Enough authority to stop stupid things reaching us.” Iris thought. Not long. “You’re asking me.” “Yes.” Brenda turned toward Iris. Ace did too. Iris ignored both. “For the whole trip?” “No.” Mai continued. “I want structure, not another job consuming you.” Iris nodded slowly. “Good.” “We’ll define it properly.” “Fine.” Brenda smiled. Iris looked at her. “What?” “Nothing.” “That was absolutely something.” Brenda leaned closer. “My hot administrative fiancée.” Iris stared. Ace made a delighted noise. Brenda continued: “Former lieutenant. Current inbox executioner. Future destroyer of useless meetings.” Iris said: “Stop.” Brenda smiled. “No.” Ace leaned toward Panam. “This is foreplay for them.” Iris looked at Ace. “That is rich coming from the woman who just reserved three blank days with her entire pelvis.” Silence. Then absolute collapse. Mai bent over the table. Reyes laughed openly. Kiro nearly dropped her slate. Shammy had to catch Panam’s toast because Panam had lost the ability to hold it. Brenda stared at Iris in naked adoration. Ace stood frozen. Then slowly looked at Mai. “You.” Mai managed to look up. “Yes?” “Fire her.” Iris lifted one eyebrow. “She hasn’t hired me into the role yet.” Mai laughed harder. Ace pointed. “This is exactly the problem.” --- Several minutes passed before oxygen returned to the room. Mai wiped under one eye. “Can we please, for the love of God, book the trip?” Ace folded her arms. “Fine.” Brenda looked at her. “You’re sulking.” “No.” “You got verbally fucked by Iris before Palace.” Ace looked at her. “Brenda.” “Yes?” “I know where you sleep.” Brenda smiled. “With Iris.” Ace opened her mouth. Stopped. Closed it. Panam whispered: “Fatal.” Shammy nodded. “Completely.” Reyes looked at Ace. “You want help?” Ace turned. “Yes.” Reyes smiled. “No.” Kiro laughed. Ace stared at her. “You’re enjoying this.” Reyes nodded. “Yes.” There. Direct. Ace sighed. “Fine.” Then looked at the calendar again. And despite all of it— the insults, the laughter, the shameless assumptions, the fact that half the room had already decided Amber’s libido was an operational variable— the grin at the corner of her mouth faded. Not into embarrassment. Not even anticipation in the old sense. Something steadier. Certain. Crystal Palace did not represent possibility anymore. She already knew the place. Knew the freedoms. Knew what kinds of people it collected. Knew what it felt like to be Amber there. Knew she liked attention. Liked being wanted. Liked wanting back. Liked walking into an evening with no plan and finding someone interesting enough to change it. This time she did not have to discover any of that. She could simply enjoy it. Mai saw the shift. So did Shammy. Brenda noticed a second later. Reyes did too. Ace pointed at the first week. “That evening.” Mai looked at her. “What about it?” “Leave it blank.” Brenda immediately inhaled. Ace turned. “Don’t.” Brenda raised both hands. “I didn’t say anything.” “Your tits did.” The room stopped. Brenda looked down at herself. Then back up. Iris covered her face. Panam made one disbelieving bark of laughter. Reyes turned away. Kiro whispered: “Oh no.” Brenda smiled. Slowly. “Interesting accusation.” Ace realized. Too late. Brenda leaned forward. “Were you looking?” Ace pointed at her. “Fuck you.” Brenda’s smile widened. “Palace hasn’t even started and you’re already offering.” Shammy slid down against the counter laughing. Mai gave up completely. Ace covered her face with both hands. “Jesus fucking Christ.” Iris calmly said: “Not on the travel manifest.” That did it again. --- Eventually Ace lowered her hands. Looked around the wreckage. Then at Mai. “Book it.” Mai smiled. “Demanding.” “Please book it.” “Better.” Ace moved closer. “Two weeks.” “Yes.” “Enough business to justify it.” “Yes.” “Enough free time to make everybody regret being this smug.” Brenda laughed. “That sounds like a threat.” Ace smiled. “It is.” Reyes asked: “Against whom?” Ace looked at her. “Depends who volunteers.” Reyes held her gaze. Then smiled. Small. Dry. Interested. Ace noticed. Oh. Kiro noticed Ace noticing. Kiro looked down instantly. Too late. Ace’s smile changed. Reyes saw that too. “Don’t.” Ace tilted her head. “I didn’t say anything.” Reyes stared. Ace smiled brighter. Brenda looked between them. Then at Iris. Iris looked back. Shammy saw that. Panam saw Shammy seeing it. And suddenly Mai realized she was surrounded by people who could communicate entire obscenities without opening their mouths. She tapped the booking confirmation. “Done.” The room quieted. For exactly one second. Crystal Palace. Fourteen days. Confirmed. Ace looked at the confirmation. Then at Mai. Then slowly around the room. Everyone knew. Nobody needed to say what Amber would almost certainly do while they were there. Not because sex was the point of Palace. Because Amber enjoying sex was simply one of the most reliable facts available to modern science. Ace smiled. Bright. Shameless. Already dangerous. Brenda pointed at her. “That.” Ace looked over. “What?” “That fucking face.” Ace leaned against Mai. “What face?” “The one where you’re already wondering who you’ll fuck first.” Panam covered her mouth. Reyes looked at the wall. Kiro froze. Shammy laughed. Iris took another calm sip. Ace considered denying it. Really considered. Then looked at Brenda. And smiled wider. “I wasn’t.” Brenda waited. Ace added: “Now I am.” The Safehouse exploded. --- ## Chapter Two — The Problem With Two Weeks The booking confirmation remained on the main display for another twenty seconds. Mostly because nobody had remembered to close it. Crystal Palace. Fourteen days. Confirmed. Ace was still staring at it. Brenda noticed. Naturally. “You know staring at it won’t make the shuttle leave sooner.” Ace looked at her. “I’m not staring.” “You’ve blinked twice.” “I’m thinking.” Reyes, still beside Kiro, said: “That’s what worries us.” Ace turned. “You’ve become awfully fucking mouthy.” Reyes shrugged. “Good morning.” “That is not an answer.” “It wasn’t meant to be.” Kiro looked down at her slate. Ace pointed at her. “And don’t you start.” “I haven’t.” “You’re smiling.” “I’m allowed.” “Debatable.” Mai closed the booking pane. Ace immediately looked at her. “Hey.” Mai stopped. “What?” “I was reading that.” “You know what it said.” “I liked looking at it.” Brenda groaned. “Jesus Christ. We’ve booked her Disneyland.” Ace turned. “Disneyland doesn’t have zero-g.” Silence. Reyes looked at her. Ace looked back. Something passed between them. Tiny. Fast. Kiro saw it. Mai saw Kiro see it. Brenda— Of course Brenda saw fucking everything. Her eyes narrowed. Ace noticed. “No.” “You haven’t even heard it.” “I know you.” Brenda smiled. Ace pointed harder. “Whatever filthy little thought just crawled into your head, kill it.” Brenda leaned back. “That sounds unnecessarily hostile to wildlife.” Iris snorted into her coffee. Ace stared at her. “You’re supposed to be the responsible one.” Iris lowered the cup. “According to whom?” Mai raised one hand. “Before this becomes another twenty minutes of everybody discussing Ace’s future sex life—” “Thank you.” “—we need to decide who is actually going.” Ace closed her eyes. “Fuck you too.” Mai kissed the top of her head in passing. “Later.” The room went dead silent. Mai stopped. Ace slowly looked up at her. Brenda’s mouth fell open. Panam whispered: “Oh, she walked into that one.” Shammy was already laughing. Mai looked around the room. Then at Ace. Ace’s grin became unbearable. Mai sighed. “I hate all of you.” “No, you don’t,” Ace said brightly. “No.” --- The practical list came together surprisingly quickly. Ace and Mai were obvious. Amber and Maeve were needed for several of the business meetings. Kiro and Reyes had actual specialist work waiting. Brenda had Evelyn’s infrastructure contact and enough established O’Sullivan credibility that leaving Jessie behind would have been actively stupid. Iris— Mai looked at her. Iris caught it. “We’re still discussing that.” “We are.” “Later.” “Yes.” Brenda raised a hand. “My fiancée is coming.” Iris turned. “That is not how staffing decisions work.” Brenda lowered her hand. “My extremely competent colleague is coming.” “Better.” “And if she happens to be my extremely hot fiancée while doing it—” “Brenda.” “Yes, ma’am.” Iris stared. Brenda’s smile became angelic. Ace leaned toward Panam. “She likes that.” “I heard you,” Iris said. Ace straightened. “I know.” Panam looked at Shammy. “Is there anyone here who doesn’t deliberately make things worse?” Reyes raised a hand. Everyone looked at her. Reyes lowered it. “Fair.” --- Shammy was next. Not because O’Sullivan needed Sera. Because Sera had unfinished Palace business of an entirely different kind. Mai looked at her. “Imani?” Shammy smiled. “Yes.” Panam glanced at her. Then away. Ace saw. This time she managed not to say anything. For nearly three seconds. Panam pointed without turning. “I can feel you.” Ace looked delighted. “I didn’t do anything.” “You were about to.” “Maybe.” Shammy looked at Panam. “You don’t have to decide anything before we get there.” Panam nodded. “I know.” That changed the room slightly. Not serious. Just real. The previous Palace trip had belonged to other people. This one would be Panam’s first. She knew stories. Too many stories, probably. She knew Sera had worked with Imani. She knew enough about the Palace to understand that nobody there was going to be impressed by her simply because she had arrived from Earth. And she wanted to go anyway. Panam looked at Mai. “I’m in.” Ace smiled. Panam immediately pointed. “Not one fucking word.” Ace put both hands behind her back. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” Brenda looked at Iris. “She’s going to last until the shuttle.” Iris shook her head. “Lift.” “Safehouse door.” “Probably.” Ace looked offended. “Your faith in me is touching.” Shammy kissed her cheek. “We know you.” “That is becoming a recurring fucking problem.” --- Nyx, Rhea and Sol were out. Not rejected. Simply not this trip. Marco and Lena had no reason to spend two weeks in orbit either. Lena would handle the cover preparation before departure and remain planetside with Marco. The Palace group was already large enough. More importantly, it had shape. Ace. Mai. Shammy. Panam. Kiro. Reyes. Brenda. Iris. Eight. Enough for the shared Palace unit to feel alive without becoming a fucking hostel. Mai looked over the list. “That’s it.” Ace frowned. “What?” “That’s the group.” “Oh.” Mai looked at her. “Problem?” “No.” Ace studied the names. Then smiled. “Good group.” Reyes muttered: “Ominous.” Ace looked at her. “You are literally on the list.” “That’s why.” Kiro laughed. --- The next problem was work. Specifically, how little of it Mai wanted them doing. That caused more resistance than expected. From Kiro. “We’re going because of work.” “Partly.” Kiro looked at the calendar. “We can fit more.” “I know.” “Quite a lot more.” “I know.” Reyes looked at Mai. Then at Kiro. “Kiro.” “What?” “Stop helping.” Kiro frowned. “I’m optimizing.” “You’re volunteering us for meetings.” “Technical meetings.” “Still meetings.” Kiro looked genuinely unconvinced. Reyes tapped one of the empty days. “That is a day where nobody asks me why their expensive door becomes a wall when the network fails.” Kiro thought. “That is an interesting failure mode.” Reyes stared. Kiro smiled. “Fine.” Mai nodded. “Five structured workdays maximum.” Ace raised one hand. Mai looked at her. “What?” “Does a dinner with a client count?” “Yes.” “What if dinner becomes social?” “Still yes.” “What if—” Brenda cut in. “What if Amber ends up under the client?” Ace spun. “Jesus fucking Christ.” Panam barked a laugh. Mai looked at Brenda. Brenda raised both hands. “Operational classification question.” Iris nodded solemnly. “Valid.” Ace stared at her. “You too?” Iris looked at Mai. “We may need a policy.” “We do not need a policy.” Kiro, unfortunately, had started thinking. “If intimacy begins after the business portion has clearly concluded—” Ace pointed at her. “No.” Kiro stopped. Reyes said: “Conflict-of-interest problem.” “There is no fucking problem because this hypothetical person does not exist.” Brenda smiled. “Yet.” Ace turned. “Why are you like this?” “Because you’re fun when cornered.” “I am going to corner you.” Brenda’s smile vanished. For half a second. Then returned considerably dirtier. Ace saw it. “Fuck.” Iris calmly took Brenda’s hand. “Careful what you threaten her with.” Ace looked at Mai. “Help.” Mai considered. “No.” “Partner.” “Employee.” Ace recoiled. “You fucking corpo bitch.” Mai smiled. “There’s Amber.” --- The joke passed. The point did not. Mai moved the business blocks farther apart. Five structured days. Never two fully loaded days back-to-back. Kiro and Reyes could add technical work if a real specialist problem developed, but they were not going to orbit to spend fourteen days inside conference rooms. Amber and Maeve would handle owner-level meetings. Jessie would take the infrastructure thread that genuinely belonged to her. Everything else would be filtered. Iris watched Mai move the blocks. Then quietly moved one herself. Mai looked at her. Iris pointed. “You put Pell immediately after the habitat review.” “Yes.” “Kiro and Reyes may need you afterward.” Mai looked at the schedule. She was right. Iris moved Pell to the following afternoon. Cleaner. No collision. No rushed transition. Mai looked at her. Iris noticed. “What?” “Nothing.” “That was something.” Mai smiled faintly. “We’ll talk later.” Iris understood. Ace did too. So did Brenda. For once, Brenda left it alone. --- The meeting dissolved gradually rather than ending. Kiro and Reyes took the specialist briefs to the other end of the table. Within two minutes they were arguing about emergency access. Good. That was where they were strongest. Kiro saw systems. Reyes saw what systems did to people and physical space when theory failed. Neither was subordinate to the other. They made each other harder to fool. Mai listened for a moment. Kiro said: “If local control remains powered, the door still opens.” Reyes said: “Assuming the person on the correct side of it has authorization.” “They should.” “Excellent. Fires are famous for checking credentials.” Kiro stopped. Looked at the diagram. Then: “Okay, that’s bad.” Reyes nodded. “Thank you.” Kiro changed a note. “You could have said that immediately.” “I did.” “No. You were sarcastic.” “I communicate efficiently.” Kiro looked at her. “Bullshit.” Reyes smiled. There. Mai liked that. She wanted more of it on this trip. Not less. --- Shammy and Panam had migrated back toward the kitchen. Brenda and Iris were still on the couch. Ace stood in front of the calendar again. Mai walked up behind her. Ace did not turn. “You’re thinking.” “Yes.” “Dangerous?” Ace smiled. “Probably.” Mai slipped an arm around her waist. Ace leaned back against her. For a few seconds there was no joke. No audience. Just familiarity. Mai looked at the two-week window. “You really want this.” Ace turned her head slightly. “Yes.” Not squealed. Not performed. Just true. Mai knew why. Palace had changed something the first time. Not their relationship. That had survived perfectly well. Something in Ace. Permission, perhaps. Not permission from Mai. Ace had never needed that. Permission from herself to stop treating curiosity as something that always required justification. The Flash had pushed that door wider. Palace had shown her what was on the other side. Ace looked up at Mai. “I’m not planning anything.” Mai smiled. “I know.” “That sounded sarcastic.” “It wasn’t.” Ace turned inside her arms. “Seriously.” “I know.” “I don’t want a fucking itinerary for fun.” “Good.” “If I meet someone interesting, I meet someone interesting.” “Yes.” “If I don’t—” Brenda called from the couch: “You will.” Ace closed her eyes. Mai started laughing against her forehead. Ace shouted: “Were you fucking listening?” Brenda answered: “You’re three meters away!” Iris added: “And not quiet.” Ace looked at Mai. “This is abuse.” “Terrible.” “I need compensation.” “File with administration.” Iris raised one hand. “Denied.” Ace stared. Then slowly flipped her off. Iris returned the gesture without changing expression. Brenda looked between them. “My two favorite women.” Ace pointed at her. “You are not helping.” “I’m not trying to.” --- Reyes and Kiro were still working. Ace looked over. Reyes had leaned across the table to reach Kiro’s diagram. Her red hair fell forward slightly. Kiro moved the slate toward her. Reyes pointed at something. Ace watched. Not long. Just long enough. Brenda noticed. Of fucking course. She leaned toward Iris. Whispered something. Iris looked toward Reyes. Then Ace. Ace saw. “Stop.” Brenda smiled. “I said nothing.” “You whispered.” “To my fiancée.” “About me.” “Possibly.” Reyes looked up. “What?” Ace answered too quickly. “Nothing.” Reyes looked at Brenda. Brenda smiled. Reyes looked at Iris. Iris took a drink. Then Reyes looked back at Ace. Ace smiled. Reyes narrowed her eyes. “What?” Ace shrugged. “Nothing.” “That doesn’t work when you say it.” “Why?” “Because your nothing usually ends naked.” Kiro froze. Panam turned from the kitchen. Shammy’s eyebrows went up. Brenda made a sound like she had just been handed a loaded weapon. Ace stared at Reyes. Reyes realized what she had said. Too late. Ace’s smile became slow. “Oh?” Reyes pointed at her. “No.” “You didn’t need to.” Ace’s smile widened. Reyes looked at Mai. “Control Ace.” Mai shook her head. “Not my department.” Ace looked delighted. Reyes muttered: “Fuck.” Brenda shouted: “Put that evening on the calendar!” Reyes turned. “Brenda.” “What? She wanted one blank.” “That was before.” Ace looked at Reyes. “Before what?” Reyes held her gaze. For a second the room fell away. Not romance. Not uncertainty. History. Trust. Attraction that had never needed explaining. Reyes finally said: “Before you became annoying.” Ace grinned. “So approximately ten years ago.” “Longer.” Kiro looked between them. Then very deliberately returned to her diagram. Smart woman. --- Panam came back carrying fresh coffee. She handed one to Shammy. Then sat. “So.” Everyone looked at her. Panam immediately regretted the opening. Ace smiled. Panam pointed. “No. Different subject.” “Fine.” “What do people actually do there when they’re not fucking?” Silence. Panam stared. Then: “Oh, fuck all of you.” Shammy laughed and leaned against her. Mai answered first. “Anything.” “Helpful.” “Restaurants. Galleries. Clubs. Low-g gyms. Private events. Spas. Studios. Shops. Places that don’t really have Earthside equivalents.” Reyes added: “Training.” Kiro said: “Technical exhibitions.” Brenda: “People-watching.” Iris: “Excellent food.” Shammy smiled. “Art.” Panam looked at Ace. Ace thought. Everyone waited. That alone made her suspicious. Finally: “Getting lost.” Panam blinked. “What?” Ace shrugged. “Not literally. Mostly.” Brenda muttered: “Mostly.” Ace ignored her. “You walk somewhere because something looks interesting. Then something else does. Then someone talks to you. Then suddenly it’s four hours later and you’re somewhere you didn’t know existed.” Panam listened. Ace continued. “That’s the good part.” No joke. Panam nodded slowly. “That actually sounds pretty fucking good.” “It is.” Shammy squeezed her hand. Panam looked at her. Then smiled. There. That was probably enough salesmanship. --- Mai finally closed the remaining work panes. “Done for today.” Kiro looked up. “We’re not done.” “You and Reyes aren’t.” “Right.” Reyes sighed. “Thank you.” Ace immediately moved toward the kitchen. Brenda called: “Where are you going?” “Food.” “Dressed enough for public?” Ace stopped. Slowly turned. Brenda was already laughing. Ace walked toward her. Brenda’s laughter changed. “Oh, shit.” Iris looked at Ace approaching. Then at Brenda. “Your problem.” Brenda scooted backward. “You love me.” “I do.” “Help.” “No.” Ace reached the couch. Brenda tried to escape around Iris. Ace caught her around the waist. Brenda shrieked. Not fear. Pure laughter. “You fucking bitch!” “You started it!” “I asked a question!” “You’ve been asking the same fucking question for half an hour!” Ace dragged her sideways. Brenda grabbed Iris. Iris almost lost her coffee. “Brenda.” “Mutual defense treaty!” “No such treaty exists.” “Create one!” Ace got Brenda onto her back across the couch. Brenda was laughing too hard to fight effectively. Ace straddled her hips. Stopped. Looked down. Brenda looked up. The laughter softened. Only slightly. Ace narrowed her eyes. “You were saying?” Brenda smiled. “I was wondering whether you planned to keep your clothes on for lunch.” Ace leaned closer. “Wrong answer.” Brenda looked at Iris. Iris watched them. Calm. Interested. Brenda saw that too. Her smile changed. Ace noticed. So did Iris. And suddenly the joke had acquired just a little more heat than anyone had planned. Ace held Brenda’s gaze for another second. Then kissed the tip of her nose. Got up. “Food.” Brenda lay there. Blinking. Ace walked away. Iris looked down at her fiancée. Brenda looked up. “You saw that.” “Yes.” “Bitch.” Iris smiled. “Later.” Brenda’s eyes widened. Ace heard. Turned. Pointed. “No. Whatever the fuck that becomes, leave me out of it.” Iris looked at her. Brenda looked at her. Ace stopped. Both women were smiling. Ace slowly lowered her hand. “Oh, fuck.” Panam looked at Shammy. Shammy was biting her lip. Panam whispered: “What?” Shammy whispered back: “Nothing.” Panam looked around the room. Then at the confirmed Palace dates still sitting in the corner of the display. Fourteen days. She took a long drink of coffee. “Yeah,” she said. Everyone looked at her. Panam shook her head. “Nothing.” Ace smiled. Panam immediately pointed. “Fuck off.” And this time even Reyes laughed. --- ## Chapter Three — Three Weeks Is Not Tomorrow The morning after Crystal Palace was booked, the Safehouse looked exactly the same. That irritated Ace. Not seriously. But enough. Same table. Same windows. Same distant Watson traffic. Same half-finished mugs. Same weapon case under the side table. Same Panam standing in the kitchen with the toaster open and looking at it like it had personally betrayed her. Ace walked into the common room, stopped, looked around, and frowned. Brenda noticed first. “What?” Ace looked at her. “Nothing.” Brenda narrowed her eyes. “That was a disappointed nothing.” “I’m not disappointed.” “You were expecting orbit overnight?” Ace pointed at her. “No.” Iris looked up from the table. “You checked the booking confirmation before brushing your teeth.” Ace slowly turned. “How do you know that?” “You left the display open.” Brenda grinned. “Oh my God.” Ace folded her arms. “I verified logistics.” “Before brushing your teeth.” “Priorities.” Reyes came in from the corridor carrying coffee. “Maintenance discipline.” Ace stared. Reyes took a drink. Nothing else. Ace looked around the room. “Three fucking weeks of this.” Kiro, already at the table, said: “Twenty days.” Ace turned. “That was not helpful.” “Accurate.” “Worse.” Panam shut the toaster. “Good news.” Ace looked at her. “What?” “You have time to calm down.” The room went silent. Ace stared at Panam. Panam stared back. Then Shammy appeared behind her, took one look at Ace’s face and started laughing before anybody said another word. Panam frowned. “What?” Shammy leaned into her. “You told Ace she has time to calm down.” “Yes.” “About Palace.” “Yes.” Shammy kissed her cheek. “I love you.” Panam looked suspicious. “That sounded like condolences.” “It was admiration.” Ace pointed at Panam. “I am calm.” Brenda immediately folded over. Iris closed her eyes. Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Panam sighed. “Right.” Ace looked around. “Fuck all of you.” --- Mai was already working. That was the other thing Ace found offensive. Palace had been booked yesterday. Yet apparently the world expected O’Sullivan SAS to continue existing until departure. Cruel. Mai had one live client pane open and another queued beside it. Iris was handling scheduling. Kiro had a systems brief. Reyes had joined her again. Not socially. Work. Actual work. Ace wandered toward the table. Mai looked up. “No.” Ace stopped. “I haven’t touched anything.” “You were about to.” “I was looking.” “You lean differently when you’re looking at work.” Ace stared. “That is invasive.” Mai smiled. “Useful.” Ace sighed. Then leaned against the edge of the table anyway. “What is it?” Kiro rotated the brief slightly. “Emergency access problem.” Reyes said: “Human trap disguised as architecture.” Kiro looked at her. “That description is dramatic.” “It locks three transit points simultaneously.” “Under isolation.” “Yes.” “That is the intended behavior.” “If the people are already between zones?” Kiro stopped. Looked again. Ace watched them. This was one of the things she liked about Reyes and Kiro working together. Kiro saw intent. Reyes saw consequences. Kiro trusted systems until the model failed. Reyes distrusted them until somebody proved they would not get a human being killed. They rarely arrived at the same problem from the same direction. Which was why they kept finding the same problem anyway. Kiro zoomed in. “That’s bad.” Reyes nodded. “Thank you.” “You could have said that without calling the architecture a human trap.” “It is a human trap.” “It’s an access-control topology.” “It can be both.” Ace smiled. Kiro noticed. “What?” “Nothing.” Reyes looked at her. “That face again.” Ace turned. “What face?” “The one where you’re pleased other people are fighting.” “They’re not fighting.” Kiro and Reyes looked at each other. Then both said: “We’re not.” Ace pointed. “See?” Reyes muttered: “Terrible evidence.” --- Iris moved one scheduling block. Then another. Mai looked over. “You changed the review window.” “Yes.” “Why?” “Because Kiro and Reyes will probably need a follow-up after this.” Kiro looked up. “We will?” Iris looked at the brief. “You have been arguing about one corridor for twelve minutes.” Reyes said: “Correct.” Kiro frowned. “That does not guarantee follow-up.” Iris raised one eyebrow. Kiro considered. Then: “Probably.” Iris nodded. “Exactly.” Mai looked at Iris. Not casually. Ace noticed. Brenda noticed Ace noticing. That was becoming a dangerous chain. Brenda leaned forward. “What?” Ace looked at her. “Nothing.” “You have face.” Ace pointed. “Stop stealing my line.” “It’s not your line.” “It is now.” Iris ignored both. Mai said: “You’ve been doing that all morning.” “What?” “Fixing collisions before I see them.” Iris looked at the calendar. “Somebody should.” There. Simple. No ceremony. Mai looked at the work panes. Then back at Iris. “You already know what belongs to Kiro.” “Yes.” “Reyes.” “Yes.” “Jessie.” “Yes.” “Us.” “Yes.” Ace leaned closer. “Me?” Iris looked at her. “You are included in us.” Ace smiled. “Mai owns me.” Mai did not even look up. “No.” Brenda laughed. Ace looked disappointed. “Worth trying.” Iris continued: “I know what should reach you and what shouldn’t.” Mai nodded slowly. “That’s useful.” Brenda looked between them. Then at Iris. Then at Mai. “Oh.” Iris turned. “No.” Brenda blinked. “I was about to admire you professionally.” “That is exactly what worries me.” Ace leaned toward Panam. “She means sexually.” Brenda pointed across the room. “I heard that.” Ace smiled. “I know.” Mai ignored them. “Would you be interested in taking formal ownership of some of this?” Iris looked back at her. Not surprised. Not immediately agreeing either. “What exactly?” “Administrative operations.” Ace’s eyebrows rose. Brenda’s did too. Iris stayed still. Mai continued. “Scheduling. Intake triage. Travel coordination. Vendor noise. Internal follow-up.” Iris nodded once. “And authority?” “Enough to make the role real.” “Define enough.” “Reject things that clearly don’t need owner attention.” Ace frowned. “Reject?” Iris looked at her. “Yes.” “My things?” “Possibly.” Ace looked horrified. Brenda whispered: “This is getting hotter.” Iris closed her eyes. Mai laughed quietly. Ace stared at Brenda. “You need help.” Brenda smiled. “I have Iris.” Iris looked at her. “That is not what she meant.” “I know.” “Worse.” --- Mai kept the conversation clean. “This is not a twenty-four-hour role.” “Good.” “It does not mean you become our assistant.” “Very good.” “It does not mean the entire household starts dumping logistics onto you because you’re competent.” Iris looked at Brenda. Brenda raised both hands. “I am innocent.” “No.” “Mostly.” “No.” Ace smiled. Iris looked back at Mai. “How much work?” “Enough to reduce ours.” “That wasn’t the question.” Mai nodded. “Fair.” She thought. “Maybe an hour most mornings while we’re groundside. Less if the structure is good. Palace could be lighter.” Iris frowned slightly. “Why lighter?” “Because I want you to have a fucking trip too.” That changed something. Small. Brenda’s expression softened. Ace stopped grinning. Iris looked at Mai. Mai continued: “I don’t want you flying to orbit to manage everyone else’s calendar.” “Good.” “I want the opposite.” Iris leaned back. “More structure so everyone works less.” “Yes.” “That I like.” Mai nodded. “Then build it with me.” Iris considered. Not long. “Trial it now.” Ace looked at her. “Now now?” “Yes.” “For three weeks?” Iris nodded. “That gives us time to find out whether your version of ‘don’t touch the inbox’ survives contact with reality.” Ace folded her arms. “I have restraint.” Brenda made a strangled sound. Ace spun. “Don’t.” Brenda shook her head. “I’m trying.” “No, you’re not.” “I’m trying not to say something.” “That’s new.” Reyes, still looking at the access brief, said: “Temporary failure state.” Brenda lost it. --- Iris took over the general queue. Not ceremonially. She just moved it. Ace watched the pane vanish from her side of the table. Then appear in front of Iris. Ace stared. “My inbox.” Iris looked at her. “Our general intake.” “My beautiful chaos.” “Your spam.” “Some of those people are interesting.” “That is exactly why you’re losing access.” Ace put one hand to her chest. “Oppression.” Mai smiled into her coffee. Brenda leaned toward Panam. “This is the happiest I’ve seen Iris all morning.” Iris said: “I can hear you.” “That’s part of the intimacy.” Panam looked at Shammy. “Is Brenda ever normal?” Shammy thought. “No.” Brenda looked pleased. “Thank you.” “That was not praise.” “Still counts.” Ace pointed at Panam. “See? You’re learning.” Panam looked at her. “Unfortunately.” --- The first test arrived seven minutes later. An inquiry. No emergency. No existing client. Somebody wanted “a brief exploratory conversation” with Amber O’Sullivan regarding luxury residential security positioning. Ace leaned forward. Iris opened it. Read six lines. Closed it. Declined. Ace stared. “You didn’t even show me.” “No.” “What if they were interesting?” “They used the phrase ‘brand-aligned security storytelling.’” Ace stopped. Kiro looked up. Reyes looked over. Panam frowned. “What the fuck does that mean?” Iris said: “Nothing.” Mai nodded. “Good decline.” Ace looked betrayed. “I could have made them explain it.” “That is exactly what we are preventing,” Iris said. Ace considered. Then sighed. “Fine.” Brenda looked at Iris. “My hot inbox executioner.” Iris looked at her. “One more phrase like that and I’m scheduling you for something.” Brenda’s smile became immediate. “Promise?” Iris froze. Ace made a delighted noise. Mai looked away. Panam slapped one hand over her mouth. Reyes laughed. Iris stared at Brenda for three long seconds. Then: “You make administration filthy.” Brenda leaned closer. “You make administration hot.” Ace pointed. “There. That’s the exact fucking problem.” Iris turned toward her. “You are wearing shorts smaller than my phone.” Ace looked down. Then back up. “That is unrelated.” “Nothing about you is unrelated.” Brenda covered her face. Panam muttered: “Jesus.” Shammy smiled. “Three weeks.” Panam looked at her. “Don’t remind me.” --- By late morning, the new structure had already done something noticeable. Mai finished one client review without checking scheduling. Ace stopped pretending she needed the general queue. Mostly. Kiro and Reyes finished their corridor analysis. They did, in fact, need a follow-up. Iris booked it. Nobody asked Mai. That was the point. Reyes looked at the confirmation. Then at Iris. “Tomorrow sixteen?” “Yes.” “Kiro?” Kiro checked. “Works.” Reyes nodded. Done. Ace watched. “That was disturbingly painless.” Iris looked at her. “That is what competence looks like.” Ace smiled. “I know competence.” Brenda coughed. Ace turned. “Do not weaponize your lungs again.” “I didn’t say anything.” “Your cough had intent.” Panam laughed. --- Lunch happened late. Not because of Palace. Because work existed. That was good too. The booking remained three weeks away. Nobody was blonde yet. Nobody had a suitcase open. Nobody had been fitted for anything slutty. Ace was still Ace. Mai still Mai. Shammy still Shammy. No cover voices. No Palace clothes. No countdown plastered across every conversation. Just one future trip sitting in the calendar and already affecting the shape of the room. Ace sat beside Reyes at the table. Not deliberately. Probably. Reyes looked at her. “What?” Ace looked back. “What what?” “You sat here.” “There was a chair.” “There were six chairs.” Ace smiled. Reyes stared. Kiro noticed. Then looked down at her food. Smart. Brenda noticed. Of course. She leaned toward Iris. Whispered something. Iris looked at Ace. Then Reyes. Ace saw. “Stop.” Brenda smiled. “I was talking to my fiancée.” “About me.” “Maybe.” Reyes looked at Brenda. Then Ace. Then back. “What?” Ace shrugged. “Apparently I sat dangerously.” Reyes nodded. “That tracks.” Ace smiled. “Does it?” Reyes looked at her. A beat. Then: “Palace in three weeks.” Ace’s smile shifted. Not filthy yet. Close. “Yeah.” Reyes took a drink. “Try to survive until then.” Ace leaned slightly closer. “Worried?” “No.” “Liar.” Reyes looked back. “Confident.” Ace’s eyes narrowed. That landed differently. Brenda saw. Iris saw Brenda see it. Mai, from the other side of the table, saw all of them. And decided not to save anyone. Good. Let it breathe. --- After lunch, Ace found Mai near the window. The work panes were closed. For once. Ace slipped an arm around her waist. Mai looked down. “Finished pretending you care about administrative design?” Ace rested her chin against Mai’s shoulder. “I care.” “Really.” “Yes.” “Why?” “Iris deleting things is funny.” Mai laughed softly. Ace smiled. Then looked toward the table where Iris was showing Brenda the new scheduling view. “You were right.” Mai glanced over. “About?” “She fits.” “Yes.” “And she won’t let us drown her in work.” “No.” Ace thought. “That matters.” “Yes.” Good. Ace leaned closer. Quiet for a moment. Then: “Three weeks.” Mai sighed. “There it is.” “I didn’t complain.” “No.” “I’m being patient.” “Terrifying.” Ace smiled. Then looked toward Reyes and Kiro. Both were back at the technical brief. Reyes said something. Kiro frowned. Then laughed. Ace watched for perhaps a second too long. Mai noticed. Ace noticed Mai noticing. Mai said nothing. Ace looked up. “What?” Mai smiled. “Nothing.” Ace narrowed her eyes. “That was something.” “Yes.” “What?” Mai kissed her forehead. “Three weeks.” Ace stared. Mai walked away. Ace remained by the window. Then slowly smiled. “Oh, fuck you.” From the table, Brenda shouted: “Who?” Ace turned. “YOU, IF YOU DON’T SHUT UP.” Brenda grinned. “Schedule it with Iris!” Iris calmly raised one hand. “Request denied.” The Safehouse exploded again. Three weeks away. --- ## Chapter Four — Deliberate Visibility Reyes discovered something useful the next morning. Ace was very easy to distract. Not from everything. Not from danger. Not from work that mattered. But from Kiro? Apparently. Reyes found this out at 09:18 while standing beside Kiro at the main table with the previous day’s access-control review reopened between them. Kiro had rebuilt the emergency routing model overnight. Of course she had. Reyes looked at the new version. Then at Kiro. “You changed the local override.” “Yes.” “Better.” Kiro glanced up. “That sounded almost complimentary.” “It was.” Kiro blinked once. Reyes smiled. Not much. Just enough. Across the room, Ace stopped halfway through stealing Mai’s coffee. Reyes saw. Excellent. She leaned slightly closer to Kiro. “Much better.” Kiro looked at her. Suspicious now. “You already said that.” “I wanted to make sure you heard me.” Ace slowly lowered the mug. Mai looked at Ace. Then Reyes. Then Kiro. Understood immediately. Said nothing. Dangerous woman. Kiro narrowed her eyes. “You’re doing something.” Reyes looked innocent. “Working.” “Bullshit.” “Also working.” From the couch, Brenda made a tiny delighted sound. Ace turned. “No.” Brenda smiled. “That was breathing.” “You sounded sexually impressed.” “You sounded sexually impressed.” Iris looked at Brenda. “She did.” Brenda pointed at Iris. “See?” “That was not support.” “Still useful.” Reyes looked back at the model. Then deliberately rested one hand on the back of Kiro’s chair. Close. Not touching her. Not accidentally intimate. Just visible. Ace’s eyes went there immediately. Reyes almost laughed. Kiro saw Ace looking. Then looked at Reyes. Then the hand. Then back at Reyes. “Oh, you bitch.” Reyes smiled. “There she is.” Ace stared. Kiro stared back. Then started laughing. “Seriously?” Reyes shrugged. “What?” “You’re flirting with me because Ace is watching.” Reyes glanced across the room. Ace immediately looked away. Far too late. Reyes looked back at Kiro. “No.” Kiro folded her arms. Reyes added: “I’m flirting with you because I want to.” Ace’s head turned back. Reyes continued, perfectly calm: “The fact that she’s watching is a bonus.” Silence. Then Panam barked out a laugh from the kitchen. Shammy covered her mouth. Brenda slapped the couch. Iris closed her eyes. Mai looked down at her work pane because apparently she had abandoned everyone. Ace stared at Reyes. Reyes held it. Then looked at Kiro again. “Anyway.” Kiro was smiling now. “Anyway?” “Your override logic.” “You are not getting away with that.” “With what?” “You know exactly what.” Reyes leaned closer to the model. Kiro looked at her. Then at Ace. Ace was still watching. Kiro’s smile sharpened. Oh. That was new. She moved the display toward Reyes. Their shoulders touched. Completely unnecessary. Ace’s eyebrows rose. Kiro said: “Better angle.” Reyes looked at her. Then at Ace. Then back. “Much.” Ace put Mai’s coffee down. “Okay.” Everyone looked at her. Ace pointed at both women. “No.” Kiro blinked. “What?” “That.” Reyes looked innocent. “What that?” “You two are doing it on purpose.” Kiro said: “Working?” Ace stared. Reyes added: “Efficiently.” Ace’s eyes narrowed. Brenda whispered: “She’s going to pop.” Iris whispered back: “Not yet.” Ace heard both. “YOU ARE THREE METERS AWAY.” Brenda laughed. --- The irritating part was that Kiro and Reyes actually were working. Very well. That robbed Ace of any credible complaint. Kiro handled the systems layer. Reyes kept finding places where elegant logic became stupid the instant bodies entered the model. They moved through the revision quickly. Too quickly for Ace’s comfort, because every few minutes Reyes found another excuse to lean toward Kiro, make some dry comment, or look at her in a way that was technically defensible and socially criminal. And every single time— Reyes checked whether Ace had seen. Not blatantly. Worse. Effortlessly. At 09:31, Kiro corrected a timing fault. Reyes looked at the update. Then at her. “Pretty.” Kiro paused. “The topology?” Reyes smiled. “You too.” Ace dropped a spoon. Panam turned. Shammy bit her lip. Kiro looked across the room. Ace was staring. Kiro looked back at Reyes. Then smiled. “You’re enjoying this far too much.” “Yes.” Ace pointed. “THANK YOU.” Reyes looked at her. “For?” “Admission.” “I admitted nothing relevant.” “You just said yes.” “To Kiro.” “Exactly.” Kiro covered her face. Brenda was laughing so hard she had stopped making sound. --- At 09:44, Reyes took Kiro’s slate from her hand. Their fingers brushed. Normal. Probably. Reyes did not need to look at Ace. She did anyway. Ace saw. Of course. Ace stared back. Reyes smiled faintly. Ace mouthed: **Bitch.** Reyes mouthed back: **Watching.** Ace froze. Kiro caught the exchange. “Oh my God.” Reyes looked at her. “What?” “You are flirting with me and taunting Ace at the same time.” Reyes considered. “Yes.” Kiro laughed. “That is disgustingly efficient.” Reyes nodded. “Thank you.” Ace shouted: “STOP PRAISING HER.” Kiro looked over. “I was praising process design.” “Bullshit.” Mai finally spoke. “Ace.” Ace turned. “What?” “You are supposed to be answering Adriana’s scheduling note.” Ace stared. Then at Reyes. Then Kiro. Then back at Mai. “This is sabotage.” Mai smiled. “Professional resilience test.” Iris nodded. “Useful.” Ace looked betrayed by the entire concept of employment. --- The flirting should have become less funny after the third time. It did not. Because Reyes kept changing methods. That was the problem. She never repeated herself exactly. No obvious routine. No exaggerated performance. Just small, deliberate insertions into normal work. A compliment delivered too softly. A hand briefly at Kiro’s shoulder when she stepped around her chair. An unnecessary “good girl” after Kiro solved one ugly branch in the access tree— which made the entire room stop. Kiro slowly looked up. Reyes realized. Ace inhaled. Brenda covered her mouth. Iris looked toward the ceiling. Panam whispered: “Oh, fuck.” Shammy smiled like she had just been handed a gift. Reyes closed her eyes briefly. “Wrong phrase.” Kiro stared at her. Then looked toward Ace. Ace was absolutely rigid. Kiro smiled. “No.” Reyes opened one eye. “What?” Kiro leaned back. “Keep it.” Ace stood. “KIRO.” Kiro started laughing. Reyes did too. Brenda collapsed sideways. Panam hit the counter with one hand. Mai abandoned the pretense of work entirely. Ace pointed at Kiro. “You traitorous little shit.” Kiro grinned. “I did nothing.” “You accepted it.” “I accepted positive feedback.” Reyes nodded solemnly. “Professional development.” Ace stared at both of them. Then: “Fuck Palace. I’m staying home.” Mai said: “No, you’re not.” Ace turned. “Stop undermining my threats.” “They’re bad threats.” “Partner.” “Owner.” Ace froze. Brenda whispered: “Hot.” Iris elbowed her lightly. --- By ten, the actual work was finished. That should have ended the problem. Instead Reyes looked at Kiro and said: “Coffee?” Kiro looked suspicious. “For work?” “No.” Ace looked up instantly. Reyes saw. There. Again. Kiro saw Reyes see Ace. Then Kiro smiled slowly. “Oh.” Ace pointed. “No.” Kiro looked at her. “I haven’t said anything.” “You’re about to.” Kiro turned back to Reyes. “Coffee sounds good.” Ace stared. Reyes nodded. “Excellent.” Ace looked at Mai. “Are you seeing this?” “Yes.” “And?” Mai smiled. “I think Reyes asked Kiro for coffee.” “That is not the point.” “What is the point?” Ace opened her mouth. Stopped. Because answering honestly would be fatal. Brenda leaned forward. “Yes, Ace?” Ace turned. “Shut the fuck up.” Brenda grinned. “Jealous?” Ace stared. The room went still. Not seriously. Dangerously. Ace looked at Reyes. Then Kiro. Then Brenda. Then Mai. Finally: “No.” Reyes raised an eyebrow. Ace saw. “Don’t.” Reyes smiled. Ace continued: “I am not jealous.” Brenda nodded. “Of course.” “I’m irritated.” “Very different.” “Yes.” “Because Reyes is flirting with Kiro.” “Yes.” “And making sure you see it.” Ace stopped. Everyone waited. Ace looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Then smiled. Tiny. Ace’s mouth curved despite herself. “Okay.” Brenda blinked. “That’s it?” Ace looked at her. “What?” “You’re letting it go?” Ace looked back at Reyes. “Not remotely.” Reyes smiled wider. There. That changed the room again. Kiro looked between them. Then: “Oh, this is going to become someone’s problem.” Panam nodded. “Definitely.” Shammy leaned against her. “Probably several people’s.” Ace looked at Kiro. “Enjoy your coffee.” Kiro’s eyebrows rose. “That sounded threatening.” “It was affectionate.” Reyes said: “Worse.” Ace smiled. “Much.” --- Kiro and Reyes left. Not for long. Not secretly. Just coffee. Ace watched them go. Brenda watched Ace watching them. Ace did not even turn. “Say it and die.” Brenda smiled. “I wasn’t going to.” “Bullshit.” “I was going to ask whether you want to reserve another blank evening.” Ace turned slowly. Iris closed her eyes. Panam muttered: “Here we go.” Ace stared at Brenda. Then looked toward the door Reyes and Kiro had used. Then back. “No.” Brenda waited. Ace smiled. “Zero-g doesn’t need an evening.” Silence. Absolute. Mai looked at her. Ace looked innocent. Reyes was already gone. That somehow made it worse. Brenda whispered: “Oh, you filthy little bitch.” Ace smiled brightly. “Three weeks.” Iris put her face in one hand. Panam looked at Shammy. Shammy’s smile said she understood exactly where this was heading. Mai looked at Ace for a long second. Then: “You already have an idea.” Ace shrugged. “Maybe.” “For Reyes?” Ace smiled. No denial. “For Palace.” Brenda pointed. “That is the same fucking answer with better grammar.” Ace laughed. --- ## Chapter Five — Twenty Days By the third day after booking Crystal Palace, the Safehouse had achieved a new equilibrium. Nobody mentioned Palace every five minutes anymore. Mostly because they had discovered more efficient ways to be unbearable. Reyes, for example, had turned flirting with Kiro into a precision instrument. Ace hated how good she was at it. Not the flirting. The targeting. Reyes never overplayed it. That would have been easy to ignore. Instead she waited until Ace was in the room. Then chose exactly one thing. A compliment. A touch. A look. Nothing large enough to justify complaint. Everything visible enough that complaint became inevitable. At 08:42, Kiro was standing at the kitchen counter with a systems diagram open beside her breakfast. Reyes came in. Looked at the diagram. Looked at Kiro. Then moved behind her. Close enough that Kiro noticed before she spoke. “You fixed the fallback loop.” Kiro nodded. “Last night.” Reyes leaned slightly past her shoulder. “Pretty.” Kiro looked at the diagram. “The loop?” Reyes looked at her. “No.” Ace, sitting across the room beside Mai, stopped chewing. Brenda made a tiny noise into her coffee. Iris immediately looked at Brenda. “Don’t.” Brenda whispered: “I didn’t say anything.” “You made a sound.” “It escaped.” Ace pointed at Reyes. “You’re doing it again.” Reyes looked over. “Doing what?” “That.” Reyes glanced at Kiro. Kiro was smiling. Then back at Ace. “Working?” Ace narrowed her eyes. “Fuck you.” Reyes smiled. “Noted.” Kiro looked between them. “Are we building a queue now?” Brenda lost it. --- Mai did not look up from the contract she was reading. “Twenty days.” Ace turned. “What?” “Until departure.” “I know.” “You’re counting.” “No.” Mai finally looked at her. Ace stared back. Then sighed. “Fine.” Brenda leaned forward. “How many hours?” Ace snapped her head around. “Fuck off.” “So you calculated.” “I did not.” Kiro said: “Four hundred eighty.” Ace looked at her. “Kiro.” “What?” “Stop helping.” Reyes added: “Twenty-eight thousand eight hundred minutes.” Ace slowly turned toward her. Reyes looked perfectly serious. Kiro looked at Reyes. Then started laughing. Ace stared. “You calculated that in your head just to annoy me.” Reyes shrugged. “Worth it.” Brenda pointed at her. “She’s getting dangerous.” Iris nodded. “Palace effect before Palace.” Ace looked at Iris. “You too?” Iris took a drink. “I’m administrative now. I observe trends.” Ace pointed. “That is abuse of authority.” “You approved the role.” “I was emotionally compromised.” “By what?” Ace stared. Iris waited. Brenda smiled. Ace finally muttered: “Orbit.” Reyes said: “Thought so.” --- Iris’s new role had settled faster than anyone expected. Mostly because she had refused to let it become large enough to require settling. One hour in the morning. Sometimes less. Intake. Scheduling. Travel. A few vendor messages. Anything technical went directly to the specialist who actually cared. Anything strategic went to Mai or Ace. Anything stupid died before it reached anyone. Ace had attempted to challenge one decline. Once. The inquiry had wanted “a brief alignment call concerning experiential prestige security branding.” Iris had simply opened the message. Read the line aloud. Ace had stared at it. Then said: “Kill it.” That had been the end of the rebellion. Mostly. This morning Iris closed the queue after forty-three minutes. Ace noticed. “Done?” “Yes.” “That’s it?” “Yes.” “You’re sure?” Iris looked at her. “Do you want me to invent work?” “No.” “Then yes.” Brenda leaned over from the couch. “Hot.” Iris closed her eyes. Ace pointed at Brenda. “See? This is why administration is dangerous.” Brenda smiled. “You’re just jealous because Mai didn’t promote you.” Ace stared. “Amber owns half the company.” “Exactly. No promotion path.” Panam laughed. Shammy leaned against her. Mai finally looked up. “That may be the first useful argument Brenda has made all week.” Ace turned. “Mai.” Mai smiled. “Darling.” Brenda gasped theatrically. “Corporate ceiling.” Ace pointed. “I will fire all of you.” Iris said: “You cannot fire the owners.” Ace looked betrayed. “Then what’s the point of power?” Reyes answered without looking up: “Zero-g access.” Silence. Ace stared. Reyes looked over. Their eyes met. There. Again. Kiro saw it. Then deliberately looked at her breakfast. Brenda whispered: “Ohhh.” Ace pointed at her without breaking eye contact with Reyes. “Not. One. Word.” Brenda whispered back: “I didn’t need one.” --- The specialist work became more concrete by midmorning. Not Palace work. Not yet. Actual O’Sullivan work. A client in Charter Hill had expanded a mixed physical and systems security review after a contractor discovered that three emergency doors, two local control nodes and one service corridor all depended on the same supposedly isolated backup bus. Kiro hated it immediately. Reyes hated it for different reasons. Which made them ideal. The two stood side by side at the main table. Kiro had topology. Reyes had the physical layout. Mai stood opposite. Ace sat nearby. Officially because she was part of the owner review. Unofficially because Reyes had become entertaining. Dangerously entertaining. Kiro highlighted one branch. “If this node drops, local access falls back to mechanical.” Reyes looked at the floor plan. “Where?” “Here.” “That door is inside the service alcove.” “Yes.” “So if the power fails while somebody’s outside the alcove—” “They use the second access point.” Reyes pointed. “That one?” “Yes.” “That corridor becomes smoke containment.” Kiro stopped. Looked. Then: “Fuck.” Reyes smiled. “Pretty when you swear.” Kiro slowly turned toward her. Ace inhaled sharply from across the table. Reyes looked at Ace. Exactly once. Then back at Kiro. Kiro saw. Her smile became dangerous. “You’re shameless.” Reyes shrugged. “I’m learning from specialists.” Ace stared. Mai looked down. Her mouth twitched. Ace caught it. “Do not encourage her.” Mai looked up. “I said nothing.” Ace looked around the room. “Why does everyone suddenly say that?” Brenda called from the couch: “Because it works on you.” Ace shouted: “NO IT DOESN’T.” Everyone laughed. Ace folded her arms. “Hostile workplace.” Iris said: “Documented.” --- The actual problem took another hour. No one noticed. That was the good part. When Kiro and Reyes were inside a specialist problem, the social noise dropped around them. Even Ace mostly shut up. Mostly. Reyes moved one section of the physical layout. Kiro objected. Reyes explained. Kiro disagreed. Reyes made her prove it. Kiro did. Reyes changed her mind. No ego. No hierarchy. Just work. Mai watched them. This was exactly why they were both going to Palace. Not because O’Sullivan needed extra bodies in meetings. Because there were problems where one of them alone would be good. Together, they were difficult to bullshit. Eventually Kiro leaned back. “That solves it.” Reyes looked at the revised model. “Almost.” Kiro frowned. “What now?” Reyes pointed at one emergency hatch. “The manual release is too high.” Kiro stared. “For whom?” “Ace.” Silence. Ace looked up. “What?” Reyes looked at her. “You can’t reach that comfortably.” Ace stood. “Excuse me.” Reyes smiled. “There she is.” Ace walked over. Stood beside the projection. Looked at the height. Then at Reyes. “I can jump.” Reyes nodded. “Excellent emergency procedure.” Kiro covered her mouth. Mai laughed. Ace stared. Reyes continued: “Fire. Smoke. Power failure. Just jump.” Ace pointed at her. “You tiny-phobic bitch.” Reyes looked down at Ace. “You’re the one with tiny.” Brenda made a noise so violent Iris nearly spilled coffee. Panam slapped the counter. Shammy turned away laughing. Ace froze. Kiro stared at Reyes. Reyes realized what she had done. Then very slowly looked at Ace. Ace’s smile was terrifying. “Oh.” Reyes pointed. “No.” “You said it.” “I meant height.” “Sure.” “I did.” Ace stepped closer. Reyes looked down. Ace looked up. The size difference made the whole thing worse. Ace smiled sweetly. “Maintenance discipline?” Reyes closed her eyes. “Fuck.” Brenda screamed. --- The laughter took several minutes to die. When it did, Kiro moved the manual release lower. Practical problem solved. Reyes looked at the new placement. “Better.” Kiro nodded. Then, without looking away from the model: “Pretty?” Reyes froze. Ace’s head snapped toward them. Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes slowly smiled. “You.” Ace slammed both palms on the table. “FOR FUCK’S SAKE.” Kiro laughed. Reyes laughed too. Mai leaned against the table, completely useless now. Iris looked at the clock. “Ten forty-seven.” Brenda turned. “What?” “Time of death.” Ace stared at Iris. “I’m still alive.” “Debatable.” Panam looked at Shammy. “I thought Reyes was the quiet one.” Shammy smiled. “She was.” Reyes looked over. “I’m right here.” Panam nodded. “Yes.” “That wasn’t flattering.” “No.” Ace pointed at Panam. “See? Palace training already.” Panam laughed. --- Lunch happened at the Safehouse. Nobody felt like going out. Work had actually been productive. That gave everyone a dangerous sense of entitlement to spend the next hour being stupid. Ace sat beside Mai. Brenda across from them. Iris next to Brenda. Shammy and Panam together. Kiro and Reyes at the end. Ace noticed their seating. Brenda noticed Ace noticing. Ace saw Brenda notice. “No.” Brenda looked innocent. “I haven’t said anything.” “You’re about to.” “I was going to ask how your food is.” “Liar.” “Fine.” Brenda smiled. “How’s Reyes?” Reyes looked up. Ace closed her eyes. Iris whispered: “Direct hit.” Panam covered her mouth. Ace looked at Brenda. Then at Reyes. Then back. “Competent.” Reyes nodded. “Thank you.” Brenda waited. Ace knew she was waiting. That made it worse. Finally Ace added: “Annoying.” Reyes smiled. “Better.” Brenda leaned forward. “Hot?” Ace stared. Mai looked down at her plate. Ace turned. “You’re supposed to help.” Mai said: “I’m eating.” “You can multitask.” “I choose not to.” Ace looked at Reyes. Reyes was watching her. Not smug. Just open. Ace held the gaze. Then smiled. “Yeah.” The room went silent. Brenda blinked. That was not the answer she expected. Neither did Reyes, apparently. Ace continued: “She’s hot.” Reyes’s eyebrows rose. Ace smiled brighter. “Was that the question?” Brenda stared. Then looked at Iris. Iris looked back. Brenda whispered: “She counterattacked.” Iris nodded. “Cleanly.” Reyes took a drink. Ace saw the tiny change in her face. Interesting. Kiro saw it too. Kiro looked at Reyes. Then at Ace. Then smiled to herself. Ace noticed. “Don’t.” Kiro said: “I said nothing.” Ace groaned. --- Panam leaned back. “So everyone knows everyone wants everyone?” Ace looked at her. “That is wildly inaccurate.” Panam waited. Ace thought. “Mostly.” Shammy laughed. Mai smiled into her drink. Panam looked around the table. “You all make this sound like logistics.” Iris said: “Sometimes it is.” Brenda looked at her. “Hot.” Iris sighed. Panam continued: “No, seriously.” That shifted the tone slightly. Not enough to kill the humor. Enough to make room. “You’re all just... fine with it.” Ace looked at Mai. Mai looked back. Shammy’s hand rested lightly against Panam’s thigh under the table. Brenda leaned into Iris. Reyes looked toward Kiro. Nobody seemed confused by the question. Ace answered first. “Fine with what?” Panam gestured vaguely. “This.” Ace smiled. “Wanting people?” “Yeah.” “Yes.” “Other people.” “Yes.” “No weird ownership shit.” Ace looked at Mai again. Then back. “No.” Mai added: “Choice matters more than exclusivity.” Shammy nodded. Panam looked at her. She knew that already. Still useful to hear in the room. Reyes said: “And sometimes wanting someone doesn’t mean doing anything about it.” Ace looked at her. Reyes met her eyes. There. Kiro noticed. Again. Panam nodded slowly. “Okay.” Brenda waited approximately two seconds before ruining the moment. “So Ace wanting Reyes doesn’t mean she’s fucked her yet.” Ace choked. Reyes dropped her fork. Iris put both hands over her face. Mai laughed so suddenly she nearly inhaled wrong. Panam stared. Shammy whispered: “Beautiful.” Ace coughed. Recovered. Then pointed at Brenda. “You absolute cunt.” Brenda smiled proudly. “Thank you.” “That was not praise.” “Still counts.” Reyes picked up her fork. Looked at Ace. Then at Brenda. Then: “Yet?” Silence. Ace froze. Brenda’s mouth fell open. Kiro slowly turned toward Reyes. Panam whispered: “Oh, fuck.” Shammy covered her mouth. Iris looked at Reyes. Mai looked at Ace. Ace looked at Reyes. Reyes shrugged. “What?” Ace’s smile arrived slowly. Very slowly. “Nothing.” Reyes smiled back. “Coward.” That finished the table. --- Later, when lunch had finally ended and everyone scattered, Kiro caught Reyes near the kitchen. Ace was in the common room. Visible. Naturally. Kiro leaned against the counter. “You’re getting reckless.” Reyes looked at her. “With what?” Kiro glanced toward Ace. Reyes followed the glance. Ace was talking to Mai. Still close enough to see them. Reyes looked back at Kiro. “Am I?” Kiro smiled. “Yes.” Reyes stepped closer. Not much. Enough. Kiro’s eyebrows rose. Reyes said: “You mind?” Kiro thought. Then smiled. “No.” Good. Reyes looked toward Ace. Ace saw. Her eyes narrowed. Kiro saw Ace see. Then Kiro reached out and adjusted Reyes’s collar. Completely unnecessary. Reyes smiled. “Oh.” Kiro whispered: “Bonus.” Reyes laughed. Ace shouted from across the room: “I CAN SEE YOU.” Kiro looked over. “That’s the point.” Ace stared. Reyes started laughing harder. Mai looked between all three of them. Then at Iris. Iris looked back. Mai said: “This is going to get worse.” Iris nodded. “Much.” Brenda appeared from the corridor. “What did I miss?” Ace pointed at Kiro and Reyes. “They’re conspiring.” Brenda looked. Reyes close to Kiro. Kiro’s hand still near Reyes’s collar. Ace watching. Brenda slowly smiled. “Oh.” Ace pointed at her. “No.” Brenda held up both hands. “I was only looking at the calendar.” “That is how your worst ideas begin.” Brenda looked at the calendar. Twenty days. Then at Ace. Then at Reyes. Then Kiro. Her smile widened. “I was just wondering whether Palace has group discounts.” Ace launched a cushion. Brenda ducked. Iris caught it one-handed. Looked at the cushion. Then at Ace. Ace stared. Iris calmly put it beside her. “Administrative confiscation.” Panam, from the kitchen doorway: “Okay, that was hot.” Brenda turned toward her. “See?” Iris closed her eyes. Ace laughed. --- ## Chapter Six — Visible Escalation Reyes and Kiro did not discuss escalating anything. That would have made it formal. Worse, it would have made it predictable. Instead, two mornings after Kiro had adjusted Reyes’s collar purely to make Ace suffer, Reyes walked into the common room carrying coffee, found Kiro already standing at the main table, and put one arm around her from behind. Not suggestively. Not dramatically. Just a brief, easy half-hug while leaning over to look at the technical display. Kiro glanced sideways. “Morning.” “Morning.” Reyes let go. That was it. Almost. Across the room, Ace stopped halfway through buttering toast. Mai saw. Immediately. Mai also saw Reyes glance toward Ace before looking back at the diagram. That nearly did it. She lowered her coffee very carefully. Ace looked at her. “What?” Mai kept her face neutral. “Nothing.” Ace narrowed her eyes. “You’re laughing.” “No.” “You are internally laughing.” Mai looked at her. “That is an impressive accusation.” Ace pointed the knife toward Reyes. “She hugged her.” Mai looked across the room. Reyes was now discussing local failover timing with Kiro as if nothing remotely interesting had happened. “Yes.” Ace waited. Mai waited too. Finally Ace said: “For no reason.” Mai took a drink. “People sometimes hug.” “Not Reyes.” From the table, Reyes said: “I can hear you.” Ace turned. “Good.” Reyes looked over. Then, very deliberately, put one hand briefly on Kiro’s shoulder. “Apparently I hug now.” Kiro looked at the hand. Then at Ace. Then smiled. Ace stared. Mai bit the inside of her cheek. Hard. --- Brenda entered approximately ten seconds later. That was unfortunate. For Ace. She took in the room. Ace holding a butter knife like an accusation. Mai looking suspiciously composed. Reyes standing close to Kiro. Kiro smiling. Brenda stopped. “Oh.” Ace pointed at her. “No.” Brenda’s smile began immediately. “I haven’t said anything.” “You made the fucking sound.” “What sound?” “The discovery sound.” Iris came in behind her. Looked around once. Then: “Oh.” Ace turned. “YOU TOO?” Iris raised one eyebrow. “I said one syllable.” “Same syllable.” Brenda leaned against the couch. “So we’ve moved to hugging.” Reyes looked at her. “Apparently.” Kiro nodded. “Experimentally.” Ace stared at Kiro. “Experimentally?” Kiro smiled. “Yes.” Panam appeared from the kitchen. “What are we experimenting with?” Shammy followed. Brenda answered: “Ace’s blood pressure.” Panam looked at Ace. Then Kiro and Reyes. Then back. “Oh.” Ace threw both hands up. “WHY DOES EVERYONE KEEP DOING THAT?” Shammy smiled. “Context.” Ace looked at Mai. “Tell them this is stupid.” Mai opened her mouth. Looked at Reyes. Reyes had now leaned her hip lightly against Kiro’s chair. Kiro had not moved away. Mai closed her mouth. Ace’s eyes widened. “You can’t even say it.” Mai turned her face aside. That was the mistake. Ace stared. “You’re fucking laughing.” Mai’s shoulders moved once. Brenda screamed. --- The problem was not that Ace was jealous. At least, that was what Ace kept saying. The problem was that everybody else had agreed not to believe her until she stopped explaining. Which naturally made her explain more. “I am not jealous.” Brenda nodded. “Of course not.” “I’m irritated.” Iris asked: “By what?” Ace pointed at Reyes. “That.” Reyes looked up from the work display. “What?” “You know.” “No.” Kiro looked at Reyes. “She knows.” Reyes nodded. “Probably.” Ace pointed harder. “THAT.” Panam leaned toward Shammy. “This is extremely entertaining.” Shammy smiled. “Yes.” Ace looked at Panam. “You were supposed to be new enough to have compassion.” “I was.” “What happened?” Panam looked at Reyes and Kiro. Then back. “This.” Ace stared. “Traitor.” Panam shrugged. “Adaptation.” --- For the next hour, nothing else happened. That was almost worse. Reyes and Kiro worked. Seriously. Professionally. No touching. No flirting. No deliberate eye contact with Ace. Ace gradually stopped watching them. Mai noticed that too. Then Kiro found a fault in an orbital-access simulation. Reyes leaned over. They argued for five minutes. Kiro proved her point. Reyes stared at the corrected model. Then looked at Kiro. “Fuck, that’s good.” Kiro smiled. “I know.” Reyes opened one arm. Kiro looked at her. Then stepped in. Full hug this time. Still brief. Warm. Completely natural. Ace dropped her fork. Brenda folded over the table. Panam slapped one hand over her mouth. Iris whispered: “Clean hit.” Mai looked down at her plate. Her shoulders were shaking. Ace turned slowly toward her. “Mai.” Mai could not answer. Ace stared. “You are supposed to be on my side.” Mai raised one hand. Wait. That made it worse. Brenda was making no sound at all now. Reyes let Kiro go. Kiro looked across the room. Saw Ace. And smiled. Not apologetically. Not even provocatively at first. Then the smile changed. Ace saw the exact moment. “Oh, you little shit.” Kiro laughed. “What?” “You waited until I was looking.” “No.” Reyes said: “She didn’t.” Ace looked at her. Reyes smiled. “I did.” The room collapsed again. --- Mai eventually recovered. Barely. Ace sat beside her afterward with both arms folded. Mai looked at her profile. Ace refused to look back. “You’re sulking.” “No.” “You are.” “I am contemplating betrayal.” “By whom?” Ace turned. “All of you.” Mai smiled. Ace pointed. “Do not.” Mai’s mouth twitched. Ace closed her eyes. “Now you’re doing it too.” “Doing what?” “The fucking nothing.” Mai leaned closer. “Maybe you’re easy.” Ace opened one eye. “Dangerous sentence.” “Yes.” Ace looked toward Reyes and Kiro again. Both were still working. No touching now. Ace looked back at Mai. “They’re doing this because they know it annoys me.” “Partly.” Ace froze. “Partly?” Mai regretted the word instantly. Too late. Ace looked back at Reyes. Then Kiro. Then very slowly at Mai. “Partly.” Mai took a drink. Ace stared. Brenda, from across the room: “OHHHHHH.” Ace whipped around. “HOW ARE YOU STILL LISTENING?” Brenda smiled. “I have ears.” Iris added: “And no shame.” Brenda kissed her cheek. “Exactly.” --- The next escalation happened the following afternoon. Not morning. That would have been too obvious. Kiro and Reyes had been out for a client site review. They returned together. Ace happened to be in the common room with Mai and Iris. Brenda was on the couch. Panam and Shammy near the window. Reyes came through the door first. Kiro behind her. Normal. Reyes put down the equipment case. Kiro closed the door. Then said: “You were right about the service route.” Reyes looked over. “I know.” Kiro’s mouth curved. “Annoying.” “Yes.” Then Kiro stepped closer. Put one hand lightly at Reyes’s upper arm. And kissed her. Briefly. Mouth to mouth. No drama. No performance. Barely a second. Then she stepped back. “Thank you.” Silence. Absolute. Ace stopped breathing. Mai saw it. Iris saw it. Brenda’s mouth fell open. Panam looked at Shammy. Shammy’s eyes had gone very bright. Reyes herself looked surprised. Only for half a second. Then she smiled. “You’re welcome.” And because Kiro had apparently decided one murder was insufficient— she looked straight at Ace. Ace stared. Kiro smiled sweetly. “Hi.” Mai made a strangled sound. That was it. She lost the fight completely. She folded forward laughing. Ace turned toward her in disbelief. “YOU.” Mai could not speak. Ace pointed at Kiro. Then Reyes. Then Mai. “You are all absolute fucking cunts.” Brenda slid off the couch. Panam was laughing openly. Iris had both hands over her mouth. Shammy leaned against the wall. Kiro looked delighted. Reyes looked at Ace. Then at Kiro. Then: “That was intentional.” Kiro nodded. “Yes.” Reyes’s eyebrows rose. Kiro added: “Mostly.” Ace made a sound of pure outrage. Mai laughed harder. --- When the room eventually regained function, Ace stood in front of Kiro. Not threatening. Mostly. Kiro looked up at her. Ace folded her arms. “Explain.” Kiro smiled. “Which part?” “The kiss.” “I kissed Reyes.” “I saw.” “That was the point.” Ace stared. Reyes, behind Kiro, started laughing. Ace turned. “Do not.” Reyes held up both hands. Ace turned back. Kiro continued: “She was right.” “So?” “So I thanked her.” “With your mouth.” “Yes.” Ace looked at Mai. Mai immediately looked away. Ace pointed. “NO. LOOK AT ME.” Mai looked back. Completely composed now. Almost. Ace said: “Is everyone insane?” Mai considered. “No.” Brenda called: “You’re just slow.” Ace turned. “What the fuck does that mean?” Brenda smiled. “It means Reyes has been flirting with Kiro for days and you’re acting like the kiss was a coup.” Ace stared. Panam nodded. “She has a point.” Ace turned toward Panam. “You stay out of this.” “No.” Shammy smiled proudly. Ace groaned. --- Reyes came closer. Not to Kiro. To Ace. That shifted the room. Ace looked up at her. Reyes stopped within easy reach. “Problem?” Ace narrowed her eyes. “No.” “You look like you have one.” “I don’t.” Reyes smiled. “Good.” Ace waited. Reyes did too. Then Ace said: “You’re enjoying this.” “Yes.” “Way too much.” “Yes.” “At my expense.” “Partly.” There was that word again. Ace caught it. So did Mai. Ace’s shoulders loosened. Less irritated. More curious. Reyes saw that. The room quieted slightly. Ace asked: “And the other part?” Reyes looked toward Kiro. Kiro met her eyes. No joke. Not quite. Then Reyes looked back at Ace. “I like flirting with her.” Simple. Kiro smiled. Ace stared at Reyes. Then Kiro. The anger drained out of the performance almost entirely. “Okay.” Brenda blinked. No punchline. Interesting. Ace continued: “Still assholes.” Kiro laughed. Reyes nodded. “Fair.” Ace turned away. Took three steps. Then looked back. “And if you kiss again when I’m not looking, I’ll be offended.” The room exploded. Reyes stared. Kiro’s mouth fell open. Mai covered her face. Brenda screamed. Panam bent double. Iris looked at Ace like she had just solved the entire problem. Ace smiled brightly. “What?” Kiro recovered first. “So you do want to watch.” Ace pointed. “I want consistency.” Reyes said: “Maintenance discipline.” Ace launched a cushion. --- The next few days settled into something new. Not constant kissing. That would have ruined it. Not even daily. A hug after work. Kiro leaning briefly against Reyes while reading something over her shoulder. Reyes touching the small of Kiro’s back as she passed behind her chair. Once, a kiss to Kiro’s temple. Once, Kiro kissing Reyes’s cheek after winning an argument. And occasionally— rarely enough to stay dangerous— another brief kiss on the mouth. Every time, Ace somehow happened to be somewhere she could see. Eventually even Ace noticed the statistical impossibility. At dinner, she put down her fork. “No.” Everyone looked at her. Ace pointed between Reyes and Kiro. “You two are positioning yourselves.” Kiro blinked. “For dinner?” “Yes.” Reyes looked at the table. “We’re sitting.” “You sit where I can see you.” Brenda whispered: “Tragic.” Ace pointed without looking. “Quiet.” A quick smile crossed Kiro’s face. “Ace.” “What?” “The room is open plan.” Ace stopped. Panam made a choking sound. Shammy hid her face. Reyes looked at Ace. Then at Kiro. Then: “She’s right.” Ace stared. Mai leaned back. This was going to be good. Ace looked around the room. The common room was, indeed, almost entirely open. No matter where Reyes and Kiro sat, Ace could probably see them. Ace considered. Then nodded. “Fine.” Brenda looked disappointed. Ace continued: “You’re still doing it on purpose.” Kiro smiled. “Yes.” Ace slammed one hand on the table. “HA.” Everyone looked at her. Ace looked triumphant. “She admitted it.” Reyes nodded. “Yes.” Ace froze. Reyes added: “Because it’s funny.” Kiro nodded. “Very.” Mai turned away again. Ace stared at both. Then slowly smiled. “Okay.” Brenda leaned forward. “Oh?” Ace looked at Reyes. Then Kiro. “You want escalation?” Mai’s head snapped back. Reyes’s eyebrows rose. Kiro looked delighted. Ace smiled sweetly. “Be careful.” Iris looked at Brenda. Brenda whispered: “She’s threatening foreplay now.” Ace turned. “I HEARD THAT.” Brenda grinned. “You were meant to.” --- Later, after dinner, Mai found Ace alone by the window. Not sulking. Thinking. Mai came beside her. Ace looked over. “You can laugh.” Mai smiled. “I already did.” “Asshole.” “Yes.” Ace leaned lightly against her. Mai looked toward the table. Kiro and Reyes were packing away work. No touching. For once. Ace watched too. Mai asked: “Actually bothered?” Ace thought. “No.” “Actually?” “No.” “Then what?” Ace smiled slowly. “They’re poking me.” “Yes.” “I like being poked back.” Mai laughed. Ace looked up. “Not like that.” Mai raised one eyebrow. Ace paused. Then sighed. “Fine. Also like that.” Mai laughed harder. Ace leaned against her more. After a moment: “Kiro’s enjoying Reyes.” “Yes.” “Reyes is enjoying Kiro.” “Yes.” Ace watched them. “And they’re both enjoying me watching.” “Yes.” Ace smiled. “That’s kind of hot.” Mai looked down at her. “There it is.” Ace pointed. “Do not look smug.” “You make that difficult.” Ace groaned. Then laughed. They stood together. Across the room, Kiro finished packing the slate. Reyes said something too quiet to hear. Kiro smiled. Stepped closer. Kissed Reyes briefly. Then— naturally— both looked toward Ace. Ace stared. Mai felt her tense. Then Ace raised one hand. Slowly. Middle finger. Kiro burst out laughing. Reyes blew her a kiss. Ace froze. Mai almost collapsed again. Ace looked up at Mai. “Three weeks was too fucking long.” Mai managed: “Eighteen days.” Ace closed her eyes. “Don’t count.” Across the room, Reyes called: “Twenty-five thousand nine hundred twenty minutes.” Ace shouted: “FUCK YOU.” Reyes smiled. “Still not scheduled.” Kiro leaned into her shoulder. Brenda appeared in the doorway at exactly the wrong moment. “What did I miss?” Ace pointed at Reyes and Kiro. “They’re dating for sport.” Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Neither answered. That silence was interesting. Everyone noticed. Ace noticed most. Then Kiro shrugged. “Maybe.” Reyes smiled. “Maybe.” Ace stared. Brenda whispered: “Ohhh, now we’re cooking.” Iris, behind her: “Do not.” Brenda grinned. Ace looked from Reyes to Kiro. Then smiled. Not irritated anymore. Interested. “Fine.” Reyes raised an eyebrow. “Fine?” Ace nodded. “Keep me entertained.” Kiro laughed. Reyes smiled slowly. Mai looked at Ace. Ace looked up. “What?” Mai shook her head. “Nothing.” Ace smiled. “Liar.” Across the room, Reyes slipped one arm around Kiro’s shoulders. Kiro leaned into her. No kiss this time. No need. And for the first time, nobody in the room was entirely sure whether the joke had started becoming something else. --- ## Chapter Seven — Eighteen Days Ace woke up to a message from Reyes. That alone was suspicious. She stared at the sender name for two seconds. Then opened it. > **REYES:** Morning. Ace frowned. That was all. No context. No question. No insult. Nothing. She typed: > **ACE:** Who died? Three dots. Stopped. Started again. > **REYES:** Nobody. Ace narrowed her eyes. > **ACE:** Then what do you want? This time the reply came immediately. > **REYES:** Nothing. Ace sat up in bed. “Bitch.” Mai stirred beside her. “What?” Ace turned the comm toward her. Mai read. Then covered her face with one hand. Ace stared. “You’re laughing already.” “No.” “You are.” Mai’s shoulders moved once. Ace pointed. “It is six in the fucking morning.” Mai opened one eye. “She said morning.” “That is not why.” “What is why?” Ace looked at the message again. Then at Mai. “She’s setting something up.” Mai smiled into the pillow. “Probably.” Ace narrowed her eyes. “You know.” “No.” “You know something.” “I know Reyes.” “That is worse.” --- The setup revealed itself forty minutes later. Ace entered the common room already suspicious. That was mistake one. Reyes was at the table. Kiro beside her. Normal distance. No touching. No smiling. No visible evidence of conspiracy. That was mistake two. Ace stopped in the doorway. Reyes looked up. “Morning.” Ace stared. “You already said that.” “Yes.” “Why?” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Then both looked at Ace. Ace pointed. “No.” Kiro blinked. “What?” “Whatever.” Reyes looked innocent. “There is no whatever.” Ace walked toward the kitchen. “I hate both of you.” Panam, already there with coffee, looked over. “What did they do?” “Nothing.” Panam paused. Then smiled. “Oh.” Ace turned. “You’re doing it too.” “What?” “The fucking oh.” Panam looked delighted. “I understand it now.” Ace stared at Shammy. Shammy smiled. “You created a culture.” “I created nothing.” Brenda walked in from the corridor. “Bullshit.” Ace closed her eyes. “Good morning to you too.” Brenda looked at Reyes and Kiro. Then Ace. Then: “Oh.” Ace screamed into the ceiling. --- Breakfast remained calm. Too calm. Ace kept waiting. Reyes drank coffee. Kiro ate. Mai worked. Iris filtered the morning queue. Brenda sat beside her, periodically pretending she was not reading over Iris’s shoulder. Panam and Shammy shared fruit. Nothing happened. Ace gradually relaxed. That was mistake three. Kiro stood to get more coffee. Reyes looked up at her. “Mine too?” Kiro looked at her cup. Then Reyes. “Lazy.” “Yes.” Kiro smiled. “Fine.” She walked past Reyes. Then stopped. Turned back. Bent down. Kissed her. Brief. Soft. Easy. No warning. Then continued toward the kitchen. Ace froze with toast halfway to her mouth. Brenda slapped both hands over her face. Panam bent forward. Shammy looked at the ceiling. Iris quietly said: “Contact.” Mai looked down at her tablet because she had no fucking chance otherwise. Reyes calmly picked up her cup. Ace slowly lowered the toast. “You sent me good morning for this.” Reyes looked at her. “Yes.” Silence. Then the room detonated. --- Ace stood. Reyes stayed seated. Bad choice. Or excellent one. Ace walked toward her. Not angry. Not really. But committed enough to the performance that everyone gave them space. Mostly because everyone wanted to see what happened. Reyes looked up. Ace stopped in front of her. “You’re escalating.” “Yes.” “Kiro is escalating.” “Yes.” “You are coordinating.” Reyes considered. “Loosely.” Ace stared. Brenda whispered: “Oh, that’s worse.” Iris whispered back: “Much.” Ace did not turn. “I hear both of you.” Brenda smiled. “Good.” Ace looked back at Reyes. “You’re doing this because I watch.” Reyes smiled. “Partly.” Ace’s eyes narrowed. “That fucking word again.” Reyes leaned back. “You like it.” Ace froze. The room went quiet. Reyes held her gaze. No joke now. Not fully. Ace looked at Kiro. Kiro had returned with two coffees. She stopped. Watched. Ace looked back at Reyes. Then: “Maybe.” Brenda made a strangled noise. Mai turned away. Panam whispered: “She admitted it.” Shammy whispered back: “She’s growing.” Ace pointed without looking. “Shut up.” Reyes smiled. “Good.” Ace leaned closer. “Don’t push it.” Reyes looked past her. At Kiro. Then back. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” Kiro came up beside Reyes and handed her the coffee. Then rested one hand lightly on her shoulder. Ace stared at the hand. Kiro looked at Ace. Smiled. Ace exhaled slowly. “Fuckers.” Kiro laughed. --- Work saved everyone from escalation. For almost two hours. O’Sullivan SAS had an actual client issue. A real one. The kind that needed more than banter. Kiro and Reyes took the lead immediately. Iris routed supporting material. Mai stayed owner-side. Ace joined because the contract had commercial implications. Brenda stayed out because it was not Jessie’s lane. Good. The room changed. No flirting. No bullshit. Kiro walked Reyes through a new access topology. Reyes mapped human movement through it. Mai asked what failed first. Kiro said: “Identity propagation.” Reyes said: “Stairs.” Kiro looked at her. “What?” “If the local lift dies.” Kiro stared. Then checked the architecture. “Fuck.” Reyes smiled. “There.” Kiro looked at her. “Don’t.” Reyes’s expression softened slightly. “Good catch.” Kiro paused. Then smiled. “Thank you.” Ace watched. No deliberate glance. No performance. That was different. Interesting. Reyes and Kiro went back to work. Ace looked at Mai. Mai had seen it too. Of course. Ace said nothing. --- The problem took ninety minutes. When it finally resolved, Kiro leaned back. “Done.” Reyes looked over the full model. “Done.” Mai nodded. “Send it.” Iris handled the dispatch. Clean. No one touched it twice. Ace looked at Iris. “That is disturbingly satisfying.” Iris nodded. “Yes.” Brenda leaned in. “Hot.” Iris turned. “Stop.” Brenda smiled. “No.” Ace said: “Let her enjoy her job.” Brenda looked at Ace. “I am.” Iris sighed. Panam laughed. Normal returned. Then Kiro stood. Stretching. Reyes looked up at her. “You hungry?” “Yes.” “Lunch?” “Yes.” Ace looked over. Reyes saw. There. Again. Ace pointed. “You are incapable of asking her for food normally.” Reyes looked at Kiro. “I asked normally.” Kiro nodded. “She did.” Ace stared. “Bullshit.” Kiro smiled. Then opened one arm. Reyes stood. Stepped in. Hug. Longer this time. Still not intimate enough to claim anything. Long enough to make Ace’s eyes narrow. Kiro’s chin rested briefly near Reyes’s shoulder. Reyes’s hand settled at Kiro’s back. Then they let go. Ace watched. Brenda watched Ace. Mai watched Brenda watching Ace. Iris watched all of them. Panam said: “This is fucking ridiculous.” Shammy nodded. “Yes.” Panam smiled. “I love it.” --- Lunch became an argument about where to go. Not because anyone cared. Because Ace rejected three options on principle. Mai finally looked at her. “What do you want?” Ace thought. Then: “Burgers.” Reyes said: “Of course.” Ace turned. “What?” “Nothing.” “That sounded judgmental.” “It was.” Kiro’s mouth curved. Ace looked at her. “You’re biased.” “Yes.” Ace froze. Kiro shrugged. “You wanted honesty.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Then slowly smiled. Ace saw. “Oh no.” Kiro looked innocent. “What?” “You like her agreeing with you.” Reyes nodded. “Yes.” Kiro looked at Reyes. Then leaned in and kissed her cheek. Ace threw both hands into the air. “There!” Panam looked at Shammy. “What is she objecting to exactly?” Shammy thought. “I don’t think she knows anymore.” Ace turned. “I know.” Mai asked: “What?” Ace opened her mouth. Stopped. Brenda leaned forward. “Yes?” Ace looked at Reyes. Then Kiro. Then at everyone. Finally: “They’re smug.” Silence. Then everyone laughed. Ace pointed. “THAT IS A VALID COMPLAINT.” Reyes nodded. “Very.” Kiro kissed Reyes’s cheek again. Ace screamed. --- They went for burgers. Of course. The walk through Watson helped. Real streets. Traffic. Noise. People. No Palace. No countdown. For twenty minutes the future stopped being the only subject. Brenda and Iris walked ahead. Shammy and Panam behind them. Mai beside Ace. Kiro and Reyes farther back. Ace looked over her shoulder once. Saw Reyes laughing at something Kiro said. No touching. No audience check. Just them. Ace looked forward again. Mai noticed. “What?” Ace shook her head. “Nothing.” Mai smiled. Ace looked up. “Do not.” “I’m listening.” “That is worse.” “Yes.” “Dangerous?” “A little.” Ace sighed. Then after a beat: “They might actually like each other.” Mai looked back once. Then forward. “Yes.” Ace nodded. No jealousy. No joke. Just processing. Then: “Still funny.” Mai laughed. “There she is.” Ace smiled. --- At the restaurant, seating became war. Not openly. Subtly. Ace arrived at the table first. Chose a chair. Reyes noticed. Then chose the chair opposite. Kiro sat beside Reyes. Ace stared. Reyes stared back. Kiro looked between them. Panam stopped halfway into her own seat. “Oh my God.” Brenda looked delighted. Iris immediately said: “No.” Brenda whispered: “You look very calm.” “I’m not.” Ace looked at Reyes. “You did that.” Reyes looked at the chair. “Sat?” “You positioned Kiro.” Kiro looked offended. “I positioned myself.” Ace paused. “Fair.” Kiro nodded. Then leaned against Reyes’s shoulder. Ace stared. Kiro smiled. “Better?” Ace narrowed her eyes. “No.” Reyes said: “Yes.” Ace pointed. “You don’t get a vote.” Reyes looked at Kiro. “Apparently I do.” Kiro smiled. Then rested her head fully on Reyes’s shoulder. The whole table went silent. Reyes looked down at her. Not surprised. Not uncomfortable. She adjusted slightly. Made room. Ace stared. Brenda whispered: “Oh, fuck.” Panam whispered: “Yeah.” Mai looked at Ace. Ace looked back. Mai was trying so hard not to laugh that it physically hurt. Ace saw. “You.” Mai nodded. “I know.” “You are enjoying my suffering.” “Yes.” Immediate. Ace stared. Then laughed despite herself. “Bitch.” Mai smiled. “And you love me.” Ace’s expression softened. “Yeah.” --- The food arrived. That helped. For eight minutes. Then Kiro stole one of Reyes’s fries. Reyes looked at her. Kiro ate it. Reyes took one from Kiro’s plate. Kiro slapped her hand lightly. Reyes smiled. Ace watched. Brenda watched Ace. Ace noticed. “No.” Brenda looked innocent. “I was going to ask whether this counts as foreplay.” “That is exactly why I stopped you.” Kiro choked. Reyes laughed. Panam nearly dropped her burger. Iris covered her face. Ace stared at Brenda. Then at Kiro and Reyes. Then: “Honestly?” Everyone waited. Ace smiled. “Kind of.” Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Then both laughed. That was new. Nobody was sure whether it was a joke anymore. Good. No one needed to decide. --- On the walk back, Kiro and Reyes lagged behind. Not dramatically. Just enough. Ace noticed. This time she did not say anything. Mai noticed that too. Then Kiro caught up briefly. Walked beside Ace. Ace looked at her. “What?” A quick smile crossed Kiro’s face. “You okay?” Ace blinked. Actual question. “Yes.” Kiro nodded. “Good.” Ace narrowed her eyes. “That sounded suspiciously sincere.” “It was.” Ace looked toward Reyes behind them. Then back. “You like her.” Kiro smiled. “Maybe.” Ace waited. Kiro added: “She’s fun.” Ace nodded. “Yes.” Kiro looked at her. “You like her too.” Ace smiled. “Yes.” No need to pretend. Kiro’s expression softened. Then she kissed Ace’s cheek. Brief. Easy. Ace froze. Kiro walked backward for two steps. Smiling. Then turned and went back to Reyes. Ace stood still. Mai stopped beside her. Brenda turned around. Panam turned too. Shammy covered her mouth. Iris looked interested. Reyes saw Kiro returning. Raised one eyebrow. Kiro shrugged. Reyes smiled. Ace touched her cheek. Then slowly looked at Mai. Mai was already gone. Emotionally. She turned away laughing. Ace shouted: “OH FUCK OFF.” Brenda screamed. Panam bent double. Iris laughed openly. Shammy leaned against the wall. Reyes looked at Kiro. “What did you do?” Kiro smiled. “Nothing.” Ace pointed down the street. “THAT FUCKING WORD.” Kiro started laughing. Reyes slipped an arm around her shoulders. Ace stared. Then laughed too. --- Back at the Safehouse, the day finally settled. No more escalation. Not visibly. Kiro and Reyes went back to work. Brenda and Iris disappeared into their room for a while. Shammy and Panam cooked. Mai sat with Ace near the window. Ace leaned against her. Quiet. Content. Mai looked down. “Still eighteen days.” Ace sighed. “I know.” “Patient?” “No.” “Calm?” “No.” “Jealous?” Ace thought. Then smiled. “No.” Mai nodded. “Good.” Ace looked across the room. Kiro said something. Reyes smiled. No kiss. No deliberate performance. That somehow felt more important. Ace watched for a moment. Then: “They’re going to fuck eventually.” Mai choked. Ace looked up. “What?” Mai covered her mouth. “You said that very confidently.” Ace shrugged. “Look at them.” Mai looked. Then back. “No comment.” Ace smiled. “Coward.” Mai leaned closer. “Maybe they won’t.” Ace considered. “Maybe.” “Maybe it stays funny.” “Maybe.” “Maybe they decide they’re better like this.” Ace nodded. “Could.” Mai smiled. Ace looked at her. Then back toward Kiro and Reyes. Reyes reached for a slate. Kiro handed it over. Their fingers touched. Both smiled. Ace sighed. “Yeah, no.” Mai started laughing again. Ace grinned. “I give them a week.” Across the room, Reyes looked up. “What?” Ace shouted: “NOTHING.” Kiro laughed. --- ## Chapter Eight — Four Days Seventeen days disappeared without demanding much attention. That was probably healthy. O’Sullivan SAS continued to operate. Clients continued to want things. Iris’s administrative role stopped feeling new somewhere around the end of the first week. Kiro and Reyes completed three specialist reviews, rejected one proposed scope as fundamentally stupid, and discovered a fourth client had apparently paid an architect to make emergency access more dangerous than the emergency itself. Brenda continued to refer to Iris’s intake filtering as “hot bureaucracy.” Iris continued threatening consequences. Brenda continued interpreting that as encouragement. Panam and Shammy spent enough time together that the Safehouse stopped distinguishing between “Panam is visiting” and “Panam is here.” And Reyes and Kiro— Well. That had continued too. Not into some dramatic announcement. No declaration. No sudden change in relationship architecture. Just more ease. Hugs became ordinary. Short kisses stopped causing the entire room to freeze. Mostly. Reyes still occasionally made sure Ace saw. Kiro still occasionally helped. Ace still reacted. The difference was that by the second week, Ace had stopped pretending she disliked the game. That somehow made it worse for everybody. Or better. Depending on who was laughing. --- Four days before departure, Lena sent one message. > **LENA:** Tomorrow. 10:00. Everyone who needs orbital cover maintenance. Do not make plans. Ace read it at breakfast. Then looked at Mai. “Tomorrow.” Mai nodded. “Yes.” Ace smiled. Mai immediately pointed at her. “No.” Ace blinked. “I smiled.” “Like you had already undressed the afternoon.” Across the table, Brenda looked delighted. Ace turned. “Don’t.” Brenda raised both hands. “I’m just happy for you.” “That sentence has never been safe.” Panam looked between them. “What happens tomorrow?” Shammy answered before Ace could. “Cover prep.” Panam nodded. Then understood. “Oh.” Ace smiled. Panam pointed. “No.” “I haven’t done anything.” “You are about to become Amber.” “Yes.” “And you’ve been waiting three weeks.” Ace smiled wider. Panam looked at Shammy. “Do I need protective equipment?” Reyes answered from the other end of the table: “Probably.” Ace turned toward her. Reyes was sitting beside Kiro. Of course. Their shoulders touched. Ace looked down. Their hands were not visible. Ace narrowed her eyes. Reyes noticed. Slowly lifted both hands above the table. Empty. Ace stared. Kiro lifted hers too. Also empty. Brenda started laughing. Ace pointed. “I didn’t ask.” Reyes smiled. “You checked.” “I looked.” “At our hands.” “They were under the table.” “That is where hands often are.” Kiro nodded. “Anatomically convenient.” Ace stared at both of them. Then: “Four fucking days.” Reyes smiled. “Can’t wait?” Ace leaned back. “For Palace?” Reyes held her gaze. Ace smiled. “Among other things.” That shut Reyes up for approximately one second. Kiro saw. Her eyebrows rose. Ace noticed. “There.” Kiro smiled. “What?” “Nothing.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Then Reyes laughed. Ace pointed triumphantly. “Got you.” Reyes took a drink. “Once.” “Counts.” --- The actual departure preparation had finally started. Not covers yet. Not clothing. Logistics. Actual logistics. Mai had the travel package open. Iris had already done most of it. That was the point. Transport. Palace lodging confirmation. Shared unit. Eight occupants. Separate private rooms inside the same residential unit. Business meeting windows. Access credentials. Technical equipment declarations for Kiro and Reyes. Jessie’s infrastructure material. Sera’s art equipment. Panam Cruz’s cover documentation ready for activation. Everything boring enough that Ace had no reason to touch it. Which was why Iris had been able to finish most of it in peace. Mai looked through the packet. “This is done.” Iris nodded. “Yes.” “All of it?” “Yes.” Ace leaned over. Iris closed the pane. Ace stared. “That was rude.” “You don’t need it.” “I was curious.” “I know.” Brenda smiled. Ace looked at her. “Not one word.” “I was going to say she knows you.” “That is technically one sentence.” “Still true.” Mai looked at Iris. “You’re taking tomorrow and the day after mostly off.” Iris raised an eyebrow. “Am I?” “Yes.” “Administrative decree?” “No. Owner request.” Ace added: “And if you open work during the fitting tomorrow, I will personally confiscate your comm.” Iris looked at her. “You?” “Yes.” Brenda leaned forward. “Can I watch?” Ace stared. Iris stared. Panam made one strangled laugh. Shammy covered her face. Ace pointed at Brenda. “Four days from Palace and you’re already fucking impossible.” Brenda smiled. “You say that like it’s new.” Fair. --- Kiro and Reyes had one final Earthside specialist review before departure. Remote. Simple. Supposedly. Kiro opened the package. Reyes leaned over. Then stopped. Looked at the first page. “No.” Kiro glanced at her. “What?” “They changed the hatch placement.” Kiro zoomed. “They did.” “To where?” Kiro followed the new plan. Then stopped. “Oh, fuck.” Ace looked up from across the room. “That sounds promising.” Reyes pointed at the diagram. “They put the emergency manual release behind the emergency containment panel.” Ace stared. Panam frowned. “Isn’t that bad?” Kiro nodded. “Yes.” Brenda leaned toward Iris. “Technical term?” Iris nodded. “Extremely.” Reyes sat. Kiro sat beside her. Work mode. Immediate. Ace watched them for a few seconds. No flirting. No visible game. The shift was still one of the things she liked most about them. When the work mattered, it mattered. Kiro mapped failure states. Reyes traced physical access. They spoke quickly. Interrupted each other without friction. Corrected assumptions. No ego. Mai joined only when commercial scope became relevant. Iris remained out of the technical conversation entirely. Correct. Brenda went for coffee. Panam and Shammy disappeared toward the kitchen. Ace stayed. Not because she had to. Because she wanted to hear where the problem landed. Twenty-three minutes later, Kiro leaned back. “This needs redesign.” Reyes nodded. “Not patch.” “No.” Mai asked: “How bad?” Reyes looked at her. “If the containment panel deploys, the manual release becomes inaccessible.” Kiro added: “Which defeats the fallback path.” Mai nodded. “Reject revision.” Kiro: “Yes.” Reyes: “Yes.” Done. Iris routed the response. No meeting. No forty-minute explanation. No bullshit. Ace smiled. Reyes noticed. “What?” Ace shook her head. “You two are good.” Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Then: “Yes.” Ace groaned. “There’s the fucking smugness.” Kiro leaned over and kissed Reyes’s cheek. Ace pointed. “AND THAT.” Reyes started laughing. Normal restored. --- By afternoon, something else had changed. The trip felt close. Not theoretical. Not “three weeks.” Four days. Clothes needed deciding. Equipment needed packing. Night City work needed handing off. Safehouse routines needed enough coverage that nobody would return to a disaster. Ace stood in their room looking at an empty travel case. Mai walked in. Stopped. Looked at the case. Then Ace. “What are you doing?” Ace looked at her. “Thinking.” “That is an empty suitcase.” “Yes.” “You do not have cover clothes yet.” “I know.” “So what are you packing?” Ace looked at the case. Then back. “Potential.” Mai stared. Ace smiled. “Good line.” “No.” “It was.” “You’re standing over an empty suitcase four days early.” Ace sighed. “I’m excited.” There. No joke. Mai smiled. “I know.” Ace sat on the edge of the bed. “Two weeks.” “Yes.” “No operation.” “Not primarily.” “Work, but not too much.” “Yes.” “Panam’s first time.” “Yes.” “Sera gets Imani.” “Yes.” “Kiro and Reyes get specialist work.” “Yes.” Ace paused. “Reyes gets low-g.” Mai looked at her. Ace smiled faintly. There was more inside that sentence. Mai knew. Ace knew Mai knew. Neither needed to touch it yet. Then Ace continued: “Iris gets to actually enjoy the fucking trip instead of running our lives.” “Yes.” “And me…” Mai waited. Ace looked at the empty case. Then smiled. “I get to be Amber again.” There. That mattered. Not just clothes. Not blonde hair. Not contacts. Amber had become something more than disguise during the previous visits. A version of Ace that did not have to compress appetite into acceptable shapes. Brighter. More openly social. More willing to follow curiosity simply because curiosity felt good. Mai sat beside her. Ace leaned lightly against her shoulder. No cover layer between them yet. Just them. Mai said: “You’re already planning to be trouble.” Ace smiled. “No.” Mai looked at her. Ace corrected: “I’m planning not to plan.” “That sounds worse.” “Exactly.” --- The next morning Lena arrived at 09:56. Four minutes early. Ace opened the door. Looked at Lena. Then at the garment cases behind her. Then at the cover kit. Then back. Lena immediately said: “No.” Ace blinked. “I haven’t said anything.” “I know you.” Ace smiled. “Excellent.” Behind her, Brenda called: “DID YOU BRING THE SLUTTY WARDROBE?” Lena closed her eyes. Ace looked over her shoulder. Panam burst out laughing somewhere inside. Iris said: “Brenda.” “What? We have established terminology.” “No, _you_ established terminology.” Ace looked back at Lena. Lena stared at her. Ace smiled brightly. “Welcome.” Lena stepped inside. “I already regret this.” From the common room, Reyes called: “Four days late.” Kiro laughed. Ace stared down the corridor. “You’ve all been rehearsing.” Reyes answered: “No.” Kiro added: “We don’t need rehearsal.” Ace looked at Lena. “You see what I live with?” Lena looked at her. Then toward the Safehouse full of people already laughing. “Yes.” A beat. “You caused most of it.” Ace smiled. “Fair.” Lena set the first case down. Tomorrow was no longer preparation in theory. Amber was coming back. And this time, everybody knew exactly what kind of trouble she intended not to plan. --- ## Chapter Nine — Two Wardrobes Lena made one tactical error. She opened the business case first. Ace looked inside. Paused. Then looked at Lena. “Where’s the other one?” Lena stared at her. “We have been doing this for eleven seconds.” “I know.” “You haven’t even looked at these.” “I looked.” “You glanced.” Ace looked into the case again. Longer this time. Then nodded. “Very nice.” Lena waited. Ace smiled. “Where’s the other one?” From the couch, Brenda made a delighted noise. Lena turned. “No.” Brenda blinked. “I didn’t say anything.” “You have been saying it since yesterday.” Panam was sitting beside Shammy, coffee in hand, clearly prepared to treat the entire morning as live entertainment. “What exactly did she say?” Iris answered without looking up. “Slutty wardrobe.” Brenda pointed at her. “See? Official terminology.” “It is not official terminology.” Ace looked at Lena. “Can we make it official?” “No.” “Why?” “Because I am not labeling a garment case SLUTTY.” Kiro looked over from the table. “Could use an internal classification.” Lena slowly turned toward her. Kiro immediately looked back down. Reyes, beside her, kissed her temple. “Good effort.” Ace pointed. “Stop rewarding bad behavior.” Reyes looked at her. “Jealous?” Ace stared. Then at Kiro. Then back. “No. I just think positive reinforcement should be distributed fairly.” Brenda sat upright. “Oh, that sentence has applications.” Ace closed her eyes. “I walked into that.” Iris nodded. “Completely.” Mai was standing beside the garment cases. She had said nothing yet. Mostly because watching Lena discover that the entire Safehouse had spent three weeks becoming worse was entertaining enough. Lena looked at her. “Help.” Mai considered. “No.” Ace smiled brightly. “There she is.” --- The business wardrobe was first because Lena had standards. Amber O’Sullivan had meetings scheduled. Actual meetings. With actual clients. And while Amber had considerable latitude in how Amber looked, there remained a useful distinction between _memorable principal of a security company_ and _woman everyone assumed had arrived directly from a nightclub_. Ace held up a short fitted jacket. Black. Sharp without being severe. “Mine?” “Amber’s.” Ace looked at Lena. “I am Amber.” “Not yet.” Ace paused. Then nodded. “Fair.” That mattered. No cover was active yet. The hair remained Ace’s. The face remained Ace’s. No blue contacts. No Amber voice. They were selecting what Amber would wear once they reached that point. Lena pulled out the matching trousers. Ace’s enthusiasm visibly declined. Brenda saw. “Look at her face.” Ace turned. “What?” “You saw trousers.” “I own trousers.” “You tolerate trousers.” “I wear them.” “When socially required.” Ace pointed. “That still counts.” Lena held them against her. “They work.” Ace looked in the mirror. They did. Fitted. Clean. Not overly formal. The jacket sat high enough that Amber remained Amber rather than becoming a miniature version of Maeve. Ace tilted her head. “Okay.” Lena nodded. “Good.” “Can we shorten—” “No.” “I hadn’t finished.” “No.” “What if I was going to say sleeves?” “You weren’t.” Ace smiled. “No.” --- The next business combination worked better. Short skirt. Structured top. Light jacket. Boots. Professional enough for Palace. Bright enough for Amber. Ace looked at the projection. Then at Mai. Mai nodded. “That one.” Ace smiled. “You like legs.” Mai stared. Brenda inhaled. Iris immediately put one hand over Brenda’s mouth. Brenda made an outraged muffled noise. Ace looked over. “Thank you.” Iris nodded. Brenda pulled Iris’s hand away. “Oppression.” “You were about to make it worse.” “Yes.” “That is why.” Panam looked at Mai. “So business Amber can still look like Amber.” “Has to,” Mai said. Lena nodded. “That’s the point.” Shammy looked at the projection. “If you clean her up too much, she looks wrong.” Ace looked offended. “Clean me up?” Shammy smiled. “You know what I mean.” “I absolutely do, and I reject the phrasing.” Panam leaned toward her. “You’re defending your slut credentials now?” Ace froze. Brenda screamed. Lena put both hands over her face. Shammy stared at Panam. Then started laughing. Panam looked around. “What?” Ace pointed at her. “You have been here too long.” Panam smiled. “I’m adapting.” Reyes said: “Fast.” Kiro nodded. “Impressively.” Ace looked at both. “Stop grading her.” Reyes put one arm around Kiro. “Positive reinforcement.” Kiro kissed her cheek. Ace stared. Then sighed. “Fine. That one was good.” Kiro looked genuinely pleased. Which somehow made Reyes laugh harder. --- Business Amber took another hour. Not because there were many outfits. Because Lena insisted on combinations. Meeting. Restaurant. Informal client drinks. A technical walkthrough where Amber might actually have to move. A slightly more formal evening where Maeve and Amber were present as owners. Ace took that one seriously. Dark fitted skirt. Soft pale top. Short jacket. Minimal jewelry. Boots she could actually walk in. She studied herself in the mirror. Mai came beside her. Ace looked at their reflection. Not covers. Not yet. Still Ace and Mai. But the silhouettes were beginning to suggest something else. Ace smiled. “That’ll work.” “Yes.” “Maeve beside me?” “Yes.” Ace’s smile warmed. “Good.” Lena made the selection final. Then closed the business case. Ace’s entire posture changed. Brenda saw. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Ace looked at her. “What?” “You’re wagging an invisible tail.” “I do not have a tail.” “Emotionally you do.” Panam nodded. “Definitely.” Ace stared. “Et tu, Panam?” Panam looked at Shammy. “What does that mean?” Shammy whispered an explanation. Panam looked back at Ace. “Yes.” Ace sighed. --- Lena reached for the second case. Every single person in the room watched. She stopped. Looked around. “No.” Brenda frowned. “What?” “This is clothing.” “Yes.” “Not a public execution.” Ace smiled. “Depends how short the skirt is.” Lena stared at her. Mai made the mistake of laughing. Ace looked delighted. Lena opened the case. Brenda whispered: “Slutty wardrobe.” Iris whispered back: “After-hours wardrobe.” “Slutty.” “After-hours.” “Slutty after-hours.” Iris considered. “Closer.” Lena looked at the ceiling. “Why did I come here?” Reyes answered: “You were invited.” Kiro added: “And paid.” Lena nodded. “Right.” --- The difference was immediate. The first case had been clothes Amber could wear while people listened to what she said. The second contained clothes that accepted some people might need a moment before achieving that. Ace leaned over. “Oh, yes.” Brenda pointed. “There. Case closed.” “No case has been closed,” Lena said. “That noise was evidence.” Ace pulled out the first top. Black. Soft. Cropped. Very little structure. Then the shorts. Extremely short. Ace held them up. Panam stared. “Those are shorts?” Ace looked at her. “Yes.” “Where’s the rest?” Ace looked into the case. Then back. “Hopefully nowhere.” Brenda folded over. Iris pinched the bridge of her nose. Reyes looked away. Kiro laughed. Shammy leaned against Panam. Lena pointed at Ace. “You asked for freedom of movement.” “I did.” “These provide it.” Ace smiled. “Extensively.” Mai turned away. Too late. Ace caught the smile. “Oh?” Mai looked back. “No.” “You like.” “I haven’t seen them on you.” “You don’t need to.” Brenda whispered: “Callback.” Iris elbowed her. --- Ace disappeared to change. Lena used the opportunity to pull out another set. Deep red. Minimal. A short skirt with a side closure. A top that Panam studied for several seconds before asking: “How does that stay on?” Lena answered: “Engineering.” Kiro looked over. “Actually—” Everyone said: “NO.” Kiro froze. Reyes kissed her temple. Kiro smiled. “Worth it.” Ace called from the bedroom: “WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITHOUT ME?” Brenda shouted: “DISCUSSING STRUCTURAL SUPPORT.” Ace answered: “OF WHAT?” Brenda opened her mouth. Iris covered it again. Panam collapsed laughing. --- Ace came back. Conversation stopped. Black cropped top. Shorts. Boots. Nothing elaborate. Nothing costume-like. Nothing screaming for attention. Which was precisely why it worked. Ace walked to the mirror. Turned slightly. Checked movement. Then looked at Mai through the reflection. Mai had gone very still. Ace smiled. “There.” Mai narrowed her eyes. “What?” “That look.” “I’m looking at the fit.” “Of course.” Lena stepped around Ace. “Move.” Ace crouched. Stood. Turned. Took two quick steps. Raised one knee. Reyes nodded. “Functional.” Lena looked at her. “Thank you.” Ace bent slightly to check one boot fastening. Brenda made a sound. Ace straightened. Slowly. Looked at her. “What?” Brenda was grinning. “Nothing.” “Your nothing just had cleavage.” Iris choked. Panam slapped both hands over her mouth. Shammy bent forward laughing. Kiro stared at Ace. Reyes whispered: “That doesn’t even make sense.” Brenda managed: “It did emotionally.” Ace pointed. “Exactly.” Lena sighed. “Can we evaluate the clothes?” Mai said: “Keep them.” Too fast. Everyone turned toward her. Mai froze. Ace smiled. Very slowly. “Oh.” Mai looked at Lena. “The fit works.” Brenda whispered: “Sure.” Mai turned. “Brenda.” “Yes?” “Don’t.” Brenda smiled. Ace walked toward Mai. Stopped close. “Professional assessment?” “Yes.” “Very professional?” “Yes.” Ace smiled. “Good.” Then turned away. Mai watched her go. Brenda saw. Of course. “Professional.” Mai looked at Brenda. Brenda raised both hands. “I admire your commitment to process.” Iris said: “You are going to die.” “Worth it.” --- The red combination was worse. Or better. Nobody agreed on terminology. Ace came back wearing the short skirt and top. Panam looked at her. Then at Shammy. Then back at Ace. “No.” Ace blinked. “No good?” “No, it’s good.” “Then what?” Panam gestured at her. “That is absolutely the slutty wardrobe.” Lena said: “Goddammit.” Brenda stood and pointed at Panam. “THANK YOU.” Ace looked down at herself. Then turned toward the mirror. The skirt was short. Very. The top left enough bare skin that the outfit clearly had no professional aspirations whatsoever. Ace smiled. “I see the argument.” Lena stared. “You are not helping.” “I’m the wearer. I have standing.” Iris looked at Lena. “She unfortunately does.” Brenda walked around Ace once. Ace tracked her. “What?” Brenda stopped. “Nothing.” “You are inspecting me.” “Yes.” “Why?” Brenda looked at Iris. Then back. “Quality control.” Ace stared. Brenda smiled. “Very high quality.” Ace laughed. “Fuck you.” Brenda’s eyebrows rose. Ace immediately pointed. “FIGURATIVE.” Brenda looked disappointed. “For now.” Ace froze. Iris covered her face. Panam whispered: “Holy shit.” Shammy whispered back: “She walked straight into it.” Ace looked at Mai. “Save me.” Mai smiled. “No.” “Coward.” “Yes.” --- They tried several more. Not dozens. Amber did not need a costume change every six hours. She needed options. One short black dress that Mai approved suspiciously quickly. A dark metallic skirt with a minimal top. Shorts in two cuts. A loose off-shoulder layer that could be worn over almost nothing and still somehow look intentional. One red dress Ace loved and Lena hated until Ace moved in it. Then Lena reconsidered. Reyes watched Ace test the range. “Good.” Ace looked over. “Professional opinion?” “No.” Ace smiled. Reyes held her gaze. Kiro noticed. Naturally. She leaned closer to Reyes. Ace saw. Reyes saw Ace see. Kiro kissed Reyes. Brief. Ace stared. Then looked down at her own outfit. Then back at them. “Really?” Kiro smiled. “What?” “I am standing here half-dressed and you two are still making this about you.” Reyes laughed. Brenda nearly fell off the couch. Panam stared at Ace. “Half?” Lena immediately said: “Do not answer.” Ace looked down. “Fair.” --- Eventually the two wardrobes stood side by side. Business. After-hours. Lena refused every alternative label. Brenda continued using hers. Ace stood between the cases. Looked at one. Then the other. Mai came beside her. Ace pointed at the business case. “Amber O’Sullivan.” Mai nodded. Then Ace pointed at the second. “Amber O’Sullivan.” Mai smiled. “Exactly.” That was the important part. Not two personalities. Not professional Amber and some fabricated sexual version. Same woman. Different context. Amber could negotiate a contract at noon, walk out, change clothes, find a club at midnight, meet someone she liked and follow the evening wherever she wanted. Neither invalidated the other. Ace looked at the second case again. “Still slutty.” Lena made a wounded sound. Brenda shouted: “VICTORY.” Iris sighed. Panam laughed. Shammy applauded exactly twice. Reyes leaned into Kiro. Kiro kissed her cheek. Ace looked over. “Yeah, yeah. Cute.” Kiro blinked. “No reaction?” Ace smiled. Then looked at Reyes. “Saving energy.” Reyes raised an eyebrow. “For Palace?” Ace’s smile changed. “Among other things.” Reyes went quiet. Kiro looked at her. Then at Ace. Then smiled. Mai saw the whole exchange. Of course. And for once she managed not to laugh. Barely. Lena closed the cases. “Clothes are done.” Ace immediately looked at the cover kit. Lena followed her gaze. “No.” Ace stared. “What now?” “Lunch.” Ace looked offended. “We have four days.” “Exactly.” “And you’re stopping?” “Yes.” “Why?” Lena looked around the Safehouse. At Brenda. Iris. Panam. Shammy. Kiro and Reyes still standing unnecessarily close. Mai trying not to smile. Then finally Ace. “Because I need ninety minutes away from all of you before we start putting Amber’s face together.” Ace considered. Then nodded. “Reasonable.” Lena blinked. “That easy?” “Yes.” Ace smiled. “Also I’m hungry.” Brenda immediately said: “With clothes?” Ace grabbed the nearest cushion. Brenda ran. And the fitting ended exactly as professionally as everyone had expected. --- ## Chapter Ten — No Damage Done The funniest part was that nobody was actually worried. Not Mai. Not Ace. Not Kiro. Not Reyes. Not even a little. That was why everyone else had so much fun with it. There was no fragile line being crossed. No relationship hanging by a thread. No jealousy emergency. Just four people with enough history, enough trust and enough previous intimacy that Reyes kissing Kiro in front of Ace was less a romantic crisis than a very effective method of ruining Ace’s concentration. And lately, Reyes had become very committed to the craft. --- Lena was still at the Safehouse after lunch. Mostly because she had one more fitting note to verify before packing the wardrobe cases. Ace was back in her normal clothes. Good. The entire room needed the break. Mai was checking one last Palace logistics item with Iris. Brenda was helping Lena fold something she had absolutely not been asked to touch. Panam and Shammy were in the kitchen. Kiro and Reyes were near the main table. Too near, according to Ace. Perfectly normal, according to everyone else. Ace sat on the couch with one leg tucked under herself, pretending to read a client summary. Reyes glanced over. Ace saw. “No.” Reyes blinked. “What?” “You looked.” “Yes.” “At me.” “Yes.” “Why?” Reyes smiled. “No reason.” Ace narrowed her eyes. Kiro looked between them. Then slowly smiled. Mai saw that and had to look away immediately. Ace caught it. “Don’t.” Mai kept her face neutral. “I’m not doing anything.” “You’re pre-laughing.” Brenda turned. “That’s a thing now?” Ace pointed at Mai. “With her, yes.” Mai looked back. “You are very confident for someone who has spent a week losing to two people standing near each other.” Reyes covered her mouth. Kiro looked delighted. Ace stared at Mai. “Betrayal.” Mai smiled. “Observation.” Brenda leaned toward Iris. “Hot.” Iris sighed. --- Kiro stepped closer to Reyes. Not much. Just enough. Ace saw. Obviously. Reyes saw Ace see. Also obviously. Kiro looked at Ace. Then at Reyes. Then put both arms around her. A proper hug. Reyes laughed softly and hugged her back. Ace lowered the client summary. “Really.” Kiro rested her chin on Reyes’s shoulder. “What?” “You know what.” Reyes looked over Kiro’s shoulder. Straight at Ace. Ace pointed. “That. That exact fucking look.” Reyes smiled. Kiro started laughing against her shoulder. Mai turned away. Too late. Ace saw. “My God, you’re all twelve.” Brenda looked up from the clothes. “No, if we were twelve this would be very different.” Silence. Iris slowly looked at her. Brenda froze. Ace stared. Mai stared. Panam appeared in the doorway. “What?” Shammy behind her. Brenda covered her face. “Bad phrasing.” Iris nodded. “Extremely.” Ace said: “Historic levels.” Reyes closed her eyes. Kiro let go of her just so she could laugh properly. Good. Everyone recovered. Mostly. --- Then Kiro kissed Reyes. Brief. Easy. No buildup. Just because she could. Reyes kissed her back. Also brief. Also easy. Ace stared. Brenda stared at Ace staring. Panam stared at Brenda staring at Ace staring. Shammy saw all of it. Mai saw everything. Iris looked like she wanted hazard pay. Ace finally said: “You two have really committed to workplace morale.” Kiro smiled. “Yes.” Reyes nodded. “Important metric.” Ace looked at Mai. “See?” Mai said: “I see two specialists demonstrating excellent cross-team cohesion.” Ace stared. Then slowly smiled. “Oh, fuck you.” Mai laughed. Reyes leaned toward Kiro. “Cross-team cohesion.” Kiro nodded solemnly. “Strong.” Ace pointed. “Do not turn that into a phrase.” Too late. Brenda had already heard it. “Oh, I’m absolutely turning that into a phrase.” Iris said: “No.” Brenda looked at her. “Cross-team cohesion.” “No.” “Between us?” Iris stared. Brenda smiled. Panam whispered to Shammy: “She makes everything sexual.” Shammy smiled. “Yes.” Panam nodded. “I respect consistency.” --- The thing that kept the joke clean was how little it threatened anything real. Ace knew Kiro. Really knew her. Not just the version across a table. Mai knew her too. Different history. Different closeness. Different trust. Reyes was the same. Ace and Reyes already had too much history for a few kisses between Reyes and Kiro to mean anything destructive. If anything, it gave Ace one more thing to react to. One more excuse to look. One more dynamic to enjoy without pretending she was above it. That was the actual danger. Not jealousy. Entertainment. And Ace was very bad at resisting entertainment. --- Later, Kiro sat on the arm of Reyes’s chair while they reviewed one last technical packet. Ace walked past. Stopped. Looked down. Kiro looked up. “Yes?” Ace glanced at Reyes. Then back. “You have a chair.” Kiro looked at the empty chair beside them. “Yes.” “Yet you’re sitting there.” “Yes.” “Why?” Kiro thought. Then leaned lightly against Reyes. “Better view.” Reyes looked at Ace. Ace stared. Brenda made a tiny sound behind them. Ace did not turn. “Don’t.” Brenda whispered: “I didn’t say anything.” Ace looked at Kiro. “Better view of what?” Kiro smiled. “Depends.” Ace narrowed her eyes. Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Then both smiled. Ace sighed. “Fuckers.” Reyes said: “Affectionately.” Ace nodded. “Very.” That was the thing. Very. --- Mai came up beside Ace later while Lena was packing the last case. Ace leaned toward her. Quietly: “They know I’m not actually bothered.” “Yes.” “That’s why they keep going.” “Yes.” Ace smiled. “And you find this hilarious.” Mai looked at her. “No.” Ace waited. Mai’s mouth twitched. Ace stared. Mai lost it. Ace sighed. “Hopeless.” Mai laughed softly. Ace continued: “You know, Kiro does this with you too.” That changed Mai’s expression. Not much. Enough. Ace saw. “Ah.” Mai looked at her. “What?” “Nothing.” “No.” Ace smiled. “You are very calm about Reyes kissing Kiro.” “Yes.” “Because?” Mai raised one eyebrow. Ace smiled wider. “No reason.” Mai looked at Kiro across the room. Then back. Ace saw the thought pass. There. Not jealousy. Not concern. Just awareness. Different closeness. Different history. Ace leaned closer. “See?” Mai looked at her. “Yes.” “Exactly.” Mai smiled. And that was enough. --- Lena closed the final case. “Done.” Ace looked over. “All?” “Yes.” “Business and—” Lena pointed. “No.” Ace smiled. “After-hours.” “Thank you.” Brenda shouted from the couch: “SLUTTY.” Lena closed her eyes. Panam laughed. Iris looked at Brenda. “Let it die.” “No.” Shammy smiled. “It won’t.” Reyes leaned back in her chair. Kiro still half-sitting against her. Ace looked over. Reyes caught her eye. Then put one arm around Kiro’s waist. Ace stared. Reyes smiled. Ace pointed. “Do that again in Palace and I’m charging admission.” Kiro burst out laughing. Reyes looked delighted. Brenda sat upright. “Finally, a business model.” Iris said: “Denied.” Ace looked at Iris. “My cover owns the company.” Iris nodded. “And I run administrative operations.” Ace stared. Mai smiled. Brenda whispered: “Power struggle.” Panam whispered: “Hot?” Brenda looked at her proudly. “You’re learning.” Iris covered her face. --- By evening, the wardrobe cases were sealed. Cover prep was next. Not tonight. Lena had enough sense to stop before the Safehouse collectively melted her patience. Three days remained. Ace stood by the door as Lena left. Lena looked at her. “Tomorrow.” Ace smiled. “Amber.” “Yes.” “Maeve.” “Yes.” “Jessie.” “Yes.” “Ms. B.” “Yes.” “Sera.” “Yes.” “Panam Cruz.” “Yes.” Ace looked toward Kiro and Reyes. Lena followed her gaze. “Black hair. Graphite brown.” Ace nodded. Then smiled. “That’ll be fun.” Lena looked at her. “You have a dangerous definition of fun.” Ace looked back. Inside the room, Reyes said something to Kiro. Kiro laughed. Then kissed her cheek. Ace saw. Naturally. She smiled. “Yeah.” Lena looked between them. Then back at Ace. “Right.” Ace stepped aside. Lena left. The door closed. Three days. Not enough time for anyone to get bored. Reyes looked over. Ace looked back. Kiro was still close to her. Reyes smiled. Ace smiled too. Then: “Keep it up.” Kiro raised an eyebrow. “Permission?” Ace laughed. “No.” Reyes said: “Challenge?” Ace looked at her. Now that was interesting. “Maybe.” Mai covered her face. Brenda immediately shouted: “OH, FUCK.” Iris sighed. Panam laughed. Shammy leaned into her. --- ## Chapter Eleven — Amber Returns Lena arrived the next morning with the expression of someone who had already decided none of them deserved freedom. Ace opened the door. Lena looked at her. Ace smiled. Lena pointed immediately. “No.” Ace blinked. “I haven’t done anything.” “You’re excited.” “That is not illegal.” “Debatable.” Behind Ace, Brenda called: “Did you bring the slutty hair?” Lena closed her eyes. Ace turned. “What the fuck is slutty hair?” Brenda appeared around the corner. “I don’t know. I’m improvising.” Iris followed. “Poorly.” Brenda looked at her. “You still love me.” “Yes.” “Then support the process.” “No.” Ace looked back at Lena. “Come in before she invents slutty contact lenses.” Brenda brightened. “Oh.” Lena stepped past Ace. “No.” --- Cover prep took over the common room. Not the clothes this time. Identity. Hair systems. Contacts. ChromeLock. Face adjustments where needed. Voice reminders. Public behavior. Not disguise as performance. Disguise as maintenance. Everyone had done this before except Panam, who watched the first ten minutes with the focused suspicion of someone being introduced to a system she had not yet decided whether she respected. Lena noticed. “You’re fine.” Panam looked at her. “I didn’t ask.” “You were about to.” Panam looked at Shammy. Shammy smiled. “She does that.” Panam nodded. “Useful.” Ace leaned toward Panam. “Annoying.” Lena looked at Ace. “Sit.” Ace froze. Brenda started laughing. Ace slowly turned. “Excuse me?” “Sit.” Ace looked around the room. Everyone was watching. Reyes smiled. Kiro absolutely did not smile. Which was worse. Ace sat. “Temporary compliance.” Lena nodded. “Historic.” Brenda whispered: “Hot.” Iris elbowed her. --- Amber came first. Mostly because Ace would otherwise become unbearable while waiting. Lena started with hair. The blonde had to be right. Not generic bright blonde. Not too polished. Not too soft. Amber’s color. Vivid. Expensive-looking without seeming salon-perfect. Short. Alive. Ace watched in the mirror as her reflection shifted. Not all at once. Gradually. The familiar shape changing. Mai stood behind her. Watching. Ace saw her in the reflection. No cover yet. Still Mai. That made the transition stranger. Ace touched one strand when Lena finally allowed it. “Hi.” Lena looked at her. “Do not talk to your hair.” Ace smiled. “Amber likes it.” “You are not Amber yet.” Ace looked at the mirror. “Closer.” That was true. --- Contacts next. Blue. Clean. No honey tint. No theatrical brightness. Just Amber’s eyes. Ace blinked them into place. Looked up. And there. The room shifted slightly. Brenda saw it first. “Oh.” Ace looked at her. “What?” Brenda stared for one second. Then smiled. “There she is.” That landed differently than the jokes. Ace smiled back. Not Ace’s exact smile. Brighter. Lighter. Not fake. Just released. Mai saw. Shammy saw too. Panam noticed both of them noticing. Interesting. Lena tilted Ace’s chin. “Voice.” Ace sighed. “Do we really have to?” “Yes.” Ace looked at the mirror. Then: “Amber O’Sullivan.” Different cadence. Not radically. Just lighter. More socially open. A little more musical. A little less sharp at rest. Brenda smiled. “Yep.” Iris nodded. “Clean.” Lena looked satisfied. Ace looked at Mai through the mirror. Then smiled. “My—” She stopped. The whole room went silent. Ace’s smile widened. Not yet. Mai was still Mai. Ace looked delighted with herself. “Almost.” Brenda pointed. “Good catch.” Ace looked at her. “Unlike some people, I learn.” Brenda stared. “Rude.” Iris nodded. “Accurate.” --- Mai was next. Copper-red. Maeve. The change worked differently. Less visible in personality. More in control. Maeve was not louder than Mai. Not brighter. If anything, slightly more polished. More socially finished. The kind of woman who looked like she had already decided what mattered before entering the room. Ace watched. Very carefully. Lena adjusted the final color balance. Mai opened her eyes. Maeve looked back through the mirror. Ace froze. Brenda saw. “Oh, that is fucking unfair.” Iris smiled. Ace stared at Maeve. Maeve looked at her reflection. Then at Ace. Amber. There. Covers active. Ace smiled. “My wife.” Maeve looked at her. “Yes.” The room reacted immediately. Brenda made a delighted noise. Shammy smiled. Panam looked between them. Kiro looked up. Reyes folded her arms. Amber stepped closer. “My wife.” Maeve raised one eyebrow. “You said that already.” “I know.” “You’re enjoying it.” “Yes.” Brenda leaned toward Iris. “Cover marriage high.” Iris nodded. “Severe.” Amber looked at both. “Jealous?” Brenda smiled. “Of the legal paperwork?” Amber laughed. Maeve looked at her. “Careful.” Amber turned. “What?” “You’re already getting louder.” Amber smiled. “Better acoustics.” Reyes muttered: “Worse judgment.” Amber looked over. Reyes was still Reyes. Not yet cover hair. Amber smiled slowly. “Oh, don’t worry.” Reyes narrowed her eyes. “That sounded threatening.” “It was affectionate.” Kiro laughed. --- Jessie came next. Brenda disappeared under cover and returned familiar. Honey-amber contacts. Hair. Face. Voice. Jessie O’Sullivan. Amber looked at her. “Cousin.” Jessie looked at her. “Menace.” Amber smiled. “Family.” Jessie nodded. “Unfortunately.” Ms. B followed. Iris changing always felt slightly stranger because the face-mesh did more than hair and contacts. The transition was smooth. Natural. Warm. Expressive. Never mask-like. Brenda— Jessie now— watched closely. Ms. B opened her eyes. Jessie smiled. “My hot administrative fiancée.” Ms. B stared. Amber folded over laughing. Maeve looked away. Panam whispered: “She waited all morning for that.” Sera, still not yet Sera, said: “Yes.” Ms. B looked at Jessie. “You have exactly four minutes before I revoke personal calendar privileges.” Jessie smiled. “Foreplay.” Ms. B closed her eyes. Amber clapped once. “Perfect.” --- Sera was easier. Shammy became Sera with less visible friction than the others. Artist cover already fit too closely to require effort. Panam watched. That one mattered. Sera opened her eyes. Looked at Panam. Panam smiled. “Yeah.” Sera smiled back. “What?” “Nothing.” Sera raised one eyebrow. Panam laughed. “Okay, fine. I get it.” “Get what?” “Why people believe this.” Sera’s expression softened. “Good.” Panam stared. Then: “Do not make that word weird.” Amber shouted from across the room: “TOO LATE.” Everyone groaned. --- Panam Cruz took longer. Not because the cover was complicated. Because it was newer. And because there was almost nothing visual for Panam to hide behind. No cover-colored hair. No contact-lens identity. No invented second face. Cruz lived where it actually mattered: documents, introductions, access, and the public relationship to Sera. Panam still had to feel like Panam because, visually, she still was. Sera stayed beside her. Not coaching. Just there. Lena finished the last public-name and credential checks. Panam looked in the mirror anyway. Then frowned. Amber leaned over. “What?” Panam looked at herself. “Nothing.” Amber smiled. “You have face.” Panam turned. “Fuck you.” Sera laughed. Panam looked back. Then: “I look expensive.” Amber nodded. “Yes.” “That’s weird.” Maeve said: “You’ll survive.” Panam looked at her. “Comforting.” Sera leaned in. “You look good.” Panam’s mouth softened before she could stop it. “Yeah?” “Yes.” Panam smiled. Done. --- Reyes went black. Not red. Not auburn. Black. The change sharpened her face differently. Made her look cooler at first glance. More controlled. Kiro watched. Far too openly. Amber saw. Naturally. Reyes opened her eyes. Looked at Kiro. Kiro smiled. “Fuck.” Reyes raised one eyebrow. “Good fuck or bad fuck?” Amber made a choking sound. Kiro looked at her. Then back at Reyes. “Good.” Reyes smiled. Amber stared. “Oh, we’re starting early.” Kiro looked innocent. “What?” “You haven’t even finished.” Reyes looked at Lena. “Am I finished?” Lena checked one detail. “Yes.” Reyes stood. Kiro stepped closer. Looked her over. Slowly. Reyes watched. Amber watched Kiro. Maeve watched Amber. Jessie watched everyone. Ms. B looked like administration had failed to prepare her for this. Kiro finally said: “Black suits you.” Reyes smiled. “You too.” Kiro blinked. “I’m not black yet.” Reyes looked at Lena. “Fix that.” Amber put both hands on the table. “Oh, fuck off.” --- Kiro’s graphite-brown cover hair came last. Cold. Dark. Not black. Distinct enough beside Reyes. Subtle enough that the difference mattered more up close. Lena finished. Kiro opened her eyes. Reyes looked. Stopped. Amber saw. Smiled. Kiro looked at Reyes. “Well?” Reyes stepped closer. Amber sat forward. Maeve saw. Nearly laughed. Reyes touched one lock near Kiro’s cheek. “Very.” Kiro smiled. “Very what?” Reyes looked at her. Then kissed her. Brief. Mouth to mouth. Clean. Easy. Right there. Amber slapped both hands on her knees. “THERE IT FUCKING IS.” Lena stared. Panam laughed. Sera folded into her shoulder. Jessie shouted: “CROSS-TEAM COHESION.” Ms. B covered her face. Maeve finally gave up and laughed openly. Amber looked at her. “My wife.” Maeve was still laughing. Amber pointed at Kiro and Reyes. “Look at them.” Maeve nodded. “I am.” “They waited until the cover hair.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Then Kiro kissed her again. Amber made a strangled sound. Jessie fell against Ms. B. Panam stared. “Okay, this is fucking excellent.” Sera nodded. “Yes.” Amber looked at Panam. “SEE?” Panam laughed. “I’m on your side.” Amber froze. “Really?” “No.” Everyone lost it. --- When the covers were fully active, the room felt subtly different. Not because anyone had become someone else. Because the public layer had clicked into place. Amber. Maeve. Sera. Panam Cruz. Jessie. Ms. B. Reyes with black hair. Kiro graphite brown. The Palace group. Real enough to function. Familiar enough not to feel theatrical. Amber stood beside Maeve. Looked around. Then smiled. “Okay.” Maeve looked at her. “What?” Amber’s eyes moved across the group. Sera and Panam. Jessie and Ms. B. Kiro and Reyes. Then back. “We look dangerous.” Reyes said: “You look short.” Amber turned. Silence. Kiro immediately covered her mouth. Jessie screamed. Panam doubled over. Sera grabbed the table. Maeve closed her eyes. Amber stared at Reyes. Reyes smiled. Black hair. Calm face. Completely unrepentant. Amber walked toward her. Reyes stayed still. Kiro moved one step aside. Smart. Amber stopped close. Looked up. Reyes looked down. Amber smiled. “Three days.” Reyes raised an eyebrow. “Threat?” Amber looked at Kiro. Then back. “No.” Her smile widened. “Promise.” That changed Reyes’s face. Tiny. There. Kiro saw. Maeve saw Kiro see. Jessie saw everyone. Ms. B sighed. Panam whispered: “Oh, this trip is fucked.” Sera smiled. Amber looked over. “Not yet.” Panam stared. Then laughed so hard she had to sit down. And with three days left before departure, the Palace group was finally wearing the faces that would carry them back into orbit. --- ## Chapter Twelve — Tomorrow By the time Crystal Palace was one sleep away, Amber had stopped pretending she was calm. This was an improvement. Not for Maeve. For everyone else. Amber stood in the Safehouse common room with one travel case open in front of her, another beside it, and the expression of a woman confronting a serious logistical injustice. Maeve walked past. Stopped. Looked inside the first case. Then at the second. Then at Amber. “No.” Amber folded her arms. “What?” “You are not taking all of that.” “All of what?” Maeve pointed. “That.” Amber looked down. Business clothes occupied perhaps one third of the first case. The remainder belonged to the considerably less diplomatic half of her wardrobe. The second case contained boots. Mostly. Amber looked back up. “My wife.” “No.” “You haven’t heard my argument.” “I have eyes.” “That is not due process.” Jessie came out of the corridor carrying her own much smaller bag. Took one look. Stopped. “Oh my God.” Amber turned. “What?” Jessie pointed at the second case. “You have an entire suitcase of footwear.” “No.” Jessie stared. Amber corrected: “Almost.” Ms. B appeared behind Jessie. Looked. Then at Maeve. “You let this happen?” Maeve raised one eyebrow. “Let?” Amber pointed at her. “Correct answer.” Jessie crouched beside the case. Started counting. Amber immediately said: “Do not.” “One, two—” “Jessie.” “Five.” “Those are different use cases.” Ms. B leaned against the doorframe. “For feet.” Amber stared. Maeve looked away. Too late. Amber caught the smile. “You’re supposed to support your wife.” “I am supporting you.” “By laughing?” “Emotionally.” Jessie made a strangled sound. Amber pointed. “Family disloyalty.” Jessie looked up. “I’m your cousin. It’s traditional.” Maeve nodded. “That sounds credible.” Amber stared at both. “This marriage has become structurally hostile.” Ms. B said: “You were the one who wanted spouse realism.” Amber turned. “Administrative personnel do not get to weaponize cover architecture.” Ms. B smiled. “I’m off duty.” That was worse. --- Across the room, Reyes and Kiro had accomplished the impossible. They were packed. Completely. One compact case each. Technical equipment separately declared. No open clothing piles. No last-minute charger hunt. No argument over shoes. Amber looked at them. Then at her own cases. Then back. “Suspicious.” Reyes glanced up. “What?” “You’re done.” “Yes.” Kiro nodded. “Yesterday.” Amber stared. “You packed yesterday?” “Yes.” “Without making an event out of it.” Kiro frowned. “It’s packing.” Amber looked at Maeve. “Do you hear this?” Maeve said: “Yes.” “She thinks packing is just packing.” Kiro looked genuinely confused. Reyes smiled. Amber saw the smile. Narrowed her eyes. “No.” Reyes blinked. “What now?” “You’re about to flirt.” “I’m sitting.” “That has never stopped you.” Kiro looked at Reyes. Then deliberately put one arm around her shoulders. Amber slapped one hand against her own thigh. “SEE?” Kiro smiled. “You predicted it.” “That does not make it less criminal.” Reyes leaned into Kiro. Only slightly. “Good prediction.” Kiro kissed her temple. Amber stared. Then slowly turned toward Maeve. Maeve was already losing the fight. Amber pointed. “My wife.” Maeve pressed her lips together. Amber continued: “Do not laugh.” That was fatal. Maeve laughed. Hard. Jessie sat down on Amber’s boot case because standing had become too ambitious. Ms. B covered her mouth. From the kitchen Panam called: “What happened?” Sera answered from somewhere closer: “Kiro touched Reyes.” Panam appeared. “That’s it?” Amber turned. “No. They did it smugly.” Panam looked at Kiro. Kiro still had an arm around Reyes. Reyes looked extremely comfortable. Panam looked back. “Yeah, okay.” Amber pointed. “Thank you.” Panam finished: “Still your problem.” Amber’s face fell. Sera came in laughing. --- Panam had refused to let packing become complicated. Her own visual presentation remained hers. No newly invented hair color. No contact-lens experiment. No last-minute attempt to turn her into a polished stranger. Cruz existed where Cruz actually mattered: documents, introductions, access, and the public relationship to Sera. Panam herself remained the woman standing in the kitchen wearing a jacket she liked, boots she trusted and an expression suggesting anybody who called her Sera’s assistant was going to receive exactly one opportunity to correct themselves. Amber had approved instantly. Possibly too enthusiastically. Panam had told her to fuck off. Everything was healthy. Sera looked toward Panam’s case. “That all?” “Yes.” “For two weeks?” Panam looked at Amber’s footwear case. Then at Sera. “Yes.” Amber pointed from across the room. “Do not use me as a negative metric.” Panam smiled. “You’re not negative.” Amber relaxed. “You’re absurd.” Amber stared. Jessie collapsed again. --- The covers themselves had settled overnight. That was another difference from the first time. Nobody kept checking the mirror every twenty minutes. Amber was blonde. Blue-eyed. Short-haired. Still 145 centimeters of bad intentions disguised as sunshine. Maeve’s copper-red presentation had settled just as naturally. Jessie moved differently from Brenda without becoming some separate woman. Ms. B’s face-mesh remained exactly what it was supposed to be: warm, expressive and uninteresting as technology because it simply worked. Sera had already stopped thinking about being Sera. Reyes looked unfairly good with natural-black cover hair. Kiro’s graphite-brown had become a daily source of entirely unnecessary Reyes commentary. And Panam— was Panam. Cruz when the public structure required it. Nothing more needed inventing. Good. --- Maeve finally crouched beside Amber’s cases. “Two pairs.” Amber stared. “What?” “Boots.” “No.” “Three.” “No.” Maeve looked at her. Amber folded her arms. “I require diversity.” “In boots.” “Yes.” “For fourteen days.” “Yes.” Jessie looked at Ms. B. “Should I be taking notes?” Ms. B said: “No.” Amber looked offended. Maeve picked up one pair. “These are almost identical.” Amber gasped. The room stopped. Not because of the boots. Because of Amber’s face. “You take that back.” Maeve looked at the second pair. Then the first. “Black.” Amber stared. “Different buckles.” Maeve looked. There were, technically, different buckles. Maeve sighed. Amber smiled triumphantly. “Exactly.” Reyes muttered: “Operational distinction.” Kiro nodded. “Visually significant at close range.” Amber pointed at both. “Thank you.” Reyes added: “To approximately six people.” Amber froze. Kiro kissed Reyes’s cheek. “Good.” Amber slapped the case shut. “I hate orbit already.” Panam laughed. “You haven’t left.” “That is not relevant.” --- Ms. B checked the travel administration once. Only once. That had been one of the important rules. Her new role had not become an excuse to turn her into everyone’s mother. Travel package confirmed. Corporate access confirmed. Shared Palace lodging unit confirmed. Separate rooms inside it. Business bookings spaced. Technical clearances for Kiro and Reyes. Jessie’s consultant credentials. Public O’Sullivan structure. Sera. Panam Cruz. Done. Ms. B closed the interface. Amber saw. “That’s it?” “Yes.” “For two weeks?” “That is how preparation works.” “You don’t have anything else?” Ms. B smiled. “I have a trip.” Jessie looked at her. Something warm crossed her face. “Good.” Ms. B leaned in and kissed her. Short. Familiar. Amber made a tiny pleased sound. Jessie broke the kiss. Looked over. “Really?” Amber raised both hands. “What?” “You made noise.” “I support love.” Ms. B said: “You support watching.” Amber smiled. “Also true.” Jessie looked at Maeve. “Do something.” Maeve looked at Amber. “My wife.” Amber immediately brightened. Maeve continued: “Stop harassing my wife’s cousin and her fiancée.” Amber put one hand to her chest. Panam whispered: “Jesus.” Sera smiled. Amber said: “That was extremely married.” Maeve raised one eyebrow. “That was the point.” Amber stepped closer. Hooked both arms lightly around Maeve’s waist. “My wife is hot when she does family administration.” Ms. B stared. Jessie shouted: “DO NOT MAKE ADMINISTRATION SEXUAL AGAIN.” From beside Kiro, Reyes said: “Too late.” Kiro nodded. “Long gone.” Ms. B looked toward the ceiling. “My role has been contaminated.” Jessie smiled. “I warned you.” --- The afternoon should have remained packing. Instead Kiro received a technical message. She opened it. Reyes noticed. Looked over her shoulder. “What?” “Palace.” Amber appeared beside them so quickly nobody saw her cross the room. Kiro looked down. Then at Amber. “How?” Amber smiled. “Palace.” Reyes looked at Kiro. “She responds to the word now.” “Conditioning.” Amber pointed. “Whatever it is, read.” Kiro reopened the message. One of their scheduled technical contacts had sent preliminary diagrams ahead of the review. Nothing urgent. Nothing wrong. Just useful. Kiro scrolled. Reyes leaned closer. Immediately serious. Amber watched the transition. There. Same as always. Play vanished when work mattered. Kiro expanded one system view. Reyes studied the physical layout. Maeve joined them. “What do we have?” “Probably nothing,” Kiro said. Reyes pointed. “That area?” “Maintenance access.” “Public?” “No.” Reyes nodded. “Fine.” Amber looked between them. “No disaster?” Kiro shook her head. “Not yet.” Reyes smiled. “Disappointed?” Amber looked at her. “No.” Then smiled. “I have two weeks to find trouble in other ways.” One of Reyes’s eyebrows lifted before she smoothed it away. Small. Amber saw. Kiro saw Amber see. And because Kiro had apparently developed a taste for gasoline— she leaned over and kissed Reyes. Mouth. Brief. Reyes smiled against it. Then Kiro looked directly at Amber. Amber closed her eyes. The whole room waited. Amber opened them. “Tomorrow.” Reyes raised one eyebrow. Kiro smiled. “Tomorrow what?” Amber looked at Reyes. Then down at Kiro. Then back. “Zero gravity exists.” Silence. Maeve made a sound like she had been hit. Jessie put both hands over her mouth. Ms. B stared. Panam whispered: “Oh, fuck.” Sera’s smile became enormous. Reyes held Amber’s gaze. No joke. Not entirely. “Does it?” Amber smiled. Bright. Sweet. Criminal. “I checked.” Kiro looked from one to the other. Then: “I’m staying out of this one.” Amber stared at her. Everyone stared at her. Kiro paused. Then sighed. “Fine. That sounded ridiculous.” Reyes laughed. Amber pointed. “Extremely.” Kiro leaned against Reyes again. “Carry on.” --- Much later, when the cases were finally closed and stacked near the door, the Safehouse settled. Last night before departure. No party. No big farewell. They were leaving for two weeks, not emigrating. Marco had already sent a message that mostly consisted of telling them not to break orbit. Lena had responded separately that Amber was not allowed to lose any of the expensive clothes. Amber had replied: > Define lose. Lena had not answered. Probably wise. Panam and Sera disappeared first. Jessie and Ms. B followed eventually. Kiro and Reyes stayed in the common room. Of course. Maeve sat beside Amber on the couch. Amber had one bare foot tucked under herself now. Her boots safely imprisoned in the cases. Maeve looked at her. “Tomorrow.” Amber smiled. “Finally.” “Still planning not to plan?” “Yes.” Maeve looked across the room. Kiro was saying something quietly. Reyes laughed. Amber followed her gaze. Maeve noticed. Amber looked back. “What?” Maeve smiled. “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. Then smiled too. “Tomorrow.” Across the room, Reyes looked up. “Twenty-one hours.” Amber shouted: “FUCK YOU.” Kiro collapsed against her laughing. Jessie shouted from down the corridor: “KEEP IT DOWN.” Amber yelled back: “YOU’RE NOT ASLEEP.” Ms. B answered: “WE WERE TRYING.” Panam’s voice came from farther away: “NO YOU FUCKING WEREN’T.” Silence. Then absolute chaos. Maeve leaned back into the couch laughing. Amber stared toward the corridor. Sera’s laughter joined Panam’s. Jessie started shouting something about privacy. Ms. B contradicted her. Kiro could barely breathe. Reyes looked delighted with herself. Amber finally smiled. Tomorrow. --- ## Chapter Thirteen — Departure Departure morning was quieter than anyone expected. For approximately six minutes. Amber woke before the alarm. Lay still. Looked at the ceiling. Then at Maeve beside her. Then at the time. Then back at Maeve. Maeve opened one eye. “No.” Amber smiled. “I didn’t say anything.” “You’re vibrating.” “I am lying completely still.” “You are vibrating internally.” Amber considered. “Fair.” Maeve closed her eye again. Amber waited. Three seconds. “Crystal Palace.” Maeve opened both eyes. Amber smiled brightly. “Good morning, my wife.” Maeve stared at her. Then laughed. “There she is.” Amber leaned over and kissed her. Not hurried. Not escalating. Just happy. Maeve kissed her back. When Amber pulled away, she was still smiling. “Today.” “Yes.” “Orbit.” “Yes.” “Two weeks.” “Yes.” “Business.” “Yes.” “Not too much business.” Maeve narrowed her eyes. “Amber.” Amber laughed and rolled out of bed. “Shower.” “Good.” “Then clothes.” “Yes.” “Then shuttle.” “Yes.” Amber stopped halfway to the bathroom. Looked back. Maeve knew that look. “What?” Amber smiled. “Then I start not planning.” Maeve threw a pillow. Amber ducked. “HOSTILE MARRIAGE.” --- The common room was suspiciously organized. Cases near the door. Technical equipment separately tagged. No loose chargers. No missing documentation. No last-minute crisis. Ms. B stood beside the travel queue with coffee. Amber entered. Stopped. Looked around. Then at her. “What did you do?” Ms. B looked up. “Administration.” “This is unnatural.” “Everything is ready.” “Everything?” “Yes.” “Nothing missing?” “No.” “No one forgot anything?” “Not yet.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “That sounds threatening.” Jessie came out of their room with one case. “Mine’s done.” Amber looked at the case. Then at Jessie. “That’s all?” “Yes.” “For two weeks?” “Yes.” Amber looked offended on behalf of luggage. “You people have no imagination.” Jessie looked toward Amber’s cases. “You packed enough boots to establish a small colony.” “Different uses.” “For feet.” Amber pointed. “Ms. B already made that joke.” Jessie smiled. “Good joke.” “Lazy cousin.” “Overpacked cousin.” Amber gasped. Ms. B took a sip. “Family realism.” Amber stared. Then smiled. “Okay, that was good.” --- Sera and Panam arrived from the kitchen carrying food. Amber looked at Panam’s case. One. Of course. She sighed. Panam saw. “What?” “Nothing.” “You looked at my bag.” “Yes.” “Why?” Amber gestured at it. “That’s it?” Panam looked at Amber’s luggage. Then back. “Yes.” Amber shook her head. “Minimalist.” Panam smiled. “Functional.” Sera leaned against her. “Sexy.” Panam turned. Amber immediately covered her mouth. Panam pointed without looking. “Do not.” Amber’s shoulders started shaking. Sera smiled. Panam looked at her. “You too.” “I said nothing.” “Everyone has ruined that phrase.” Amber lowered her hands. “Correct.” --- Reyes and Kiro entered together. That was not suspicious anymore. Which was suspicious. Amber looked at them. Then down. Their hands were visible. Not touching. She looked back up. Reyes caught the inspection. “Morning.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “You’re too normal.” Kiro frowned. “What does that mean?” “It means I don’t trust this.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Amber immediately pointed. “No.” They had not even moved. Reyes smiled. Amber groaned. “You’re doing it with eye contact now.” Kiro laughed. Maeve entered behind Amber carrying coffee. Saw the situation. Stopped. Already smiling. Amber turned. “My wife.” Maeve took a drink. “Good morning.” “They’re starting.” Reyes said: “We’re standing.” Kiro nodded. “Near luggage.” Amber pointed. “Exactly. Innocent environment. Suspicious.” Jessie whispered: “She’s developing detection criteria.” Ms. B said: “Poorly.” Amber turned. “I hear you.” Panam leaned toward Sera. “Does this continue on the shuttle?” Sera smiled. “Probably.” Amber looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Then very slowly put one arm around Kiro’s waist. Kiro leaned in. Amber closed her eyes. Maeve laughed. “There.” Amber opened them. “I knew it.” Reyes nodded. “Excellent threat detection.” Kiro kissed her cheek. Amber slapped one hand against her thigh. “SEE?” Panam started laughing. --- Transport arrived on time. That should have been the most boring sentence of the morning. It was not. Because getting eight people, several cover identities, specialist equipment and Amber’s absurd shoe ecosystem from Safehouse to orbital departure without attracting unnecessary attention required actual discipline. Ms. B did not manage everyone. She merely had the manifest. Everyone managed themselves. The difference was visible. Jessie carried her own case. Sera and Panam theirs. Kiro and Reyes checked specialist equipment together. Maeve handled principal documentation. Amber— stood beside her cases looking offended. Maeve looked at her. “What?” Amber pointed at the larger one. “It has wheels.” “Yes.” “And yet I still resent it.” “Why?” “It knows too much.” Maeve stared. Jessie walked past. “Your suitcase is not judging you.” Amber looked at her. “You didn’t see what Lena packed.” Jessie smiled. “I helped.” Amber froze. “Oh.” Jessie continued walking. Amber looked at Maeve. “She knows.” Maeve smiled. “Everyone knows.” Amber looked around the group. Jessie. Ms. B. Sera. Panam Cruz where needed. Kiro graphite brown. Reyes black-haired and insufferably calm. Everyone. Amber smiled. “Good.” Maeve raised one eyebrow. “That sounded dangerous.” “Probably.” --- The ride to orbital departure stayed almost disappointingly normal. No attack. No last-minute client emergency. No forgotten document. No Rogue message. No mystery. Just Night City sliding past outside. Amber sat beside Maeve. Reyes and Kiro opposite. That had happened accidentally. Possibly. Amber looked at them. Reyes looked out the window. Kiro checked one technical message. Nothing. Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve ignored her. Amber leaned closer. Whispered: “They’re planning something.” Maeve whispered back: “They’re sitting.” “That’s how it begins.” Maeve laughed quietly. Across from them, Kiro looked up. “Problem?” Amber smiled. “No.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Then Amber. Then leaned over and kissed Kiro. Brief. Completely unnecessary. Amber slapped Maeve’s knee. “THERE.” Maeve folded over laughing. The driver glanced back once. Ms. B said calmly: “Nothing operational.” The driver looked forward again. Jessie nearly choked. Panam whispered: “Nothing operational.” Sera smiled. “Useful phrase.” Amber pointed at Ms. B. “That better not become a category.” Ms. B looked at her. “Already is.” Amber stared. --- Orbital processing took longer. Security. Identity verification. Equipment declarations. Transit handling. Nothing difficult. Just enough friction to remind everyone that Palace did not begin when they felt excited. It began when orbit actually accepted them. Amber behaved. Mostly. Business Amber helped. That was the interesting part. The same woman who had spent the transport reacting to Reyes and Kiro like a deeply committed sports spectator stepped into formal processing and became clean, bright, pleasant and efficient. No wasted friction. No joke where a joke would slow things down. Maeve noticed. Of course. So did Panam. Panam leaned toward Sera once while Amber was answering a documentation question. “She really does switch.” Sera nodded. “Not switch.” Panam looked at her. Sera smiled. “Select.” Panam watched Amber sign one confirmation. Then grin at the officer when he made some dry comment. Bright. Easy. Still Amber. Just focused. “Yeah,” Panam said. “I see it.” --- Kiro and Reyes had technical equipment flagged for secondary review. Not unexpected. Reyes sighed. Kiro looked interested. Amber noticed both. “Do you two need us?” “No,” Kiro said. Reyes shook her head. “Go.” Maeve looked at them. “Sure?” “Yes.” Kiro held up the documentation. “This is boring.” Reyes added: “Painfully.” Amber looked disappointed. “I enjoy supporting specialists.” Reyes looked at her. “You enjoy watching.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Kiro laughed. Maeve took Amber’s arm. “Come.” Amber looked back at Reyes. Reyes raised one hand. Then put it around Kiro’s shoulders. Amber stopped walking. Maeve pulled. Amber pointed. “CHEATING.” Reyes smiled. Kiro kissed her cheek. Amber looked at Maeve. “They’re doing this in security.” Maeve could barely keep a straight face. “That demonstrates commitment.” “Criminal commitment.” Ms. B, walking ahead: “Not according to current orbital regulations.” Amber stared at her. “Why do you know that?” Ms. B did not turn. “Administration.” Jessie laughed so hard she had to stop walking. --- They reached the departure lounge with forty minutes left. That was when the trip changed. Not because anything happened. Because there was nothing left to do. No paperwork. No luggage. No Safehouse. No Earthside work. Just the group and the wait. Amber stood at the window looking at the orbital shuttle. Panam came beside her. For once, no one interrupted immediately. Panam looked at the vehicle. Then at Amber. “So this is it.” Amber smiled. “Almost.” “You’ve done this enough that it’s normal?” Amber thought. “No.” Panam looked at her. “No?” “Departure never is.” Amber looked back at the shuttle. “Once you’re there, yes.” “Palace?” “Yes.” “You stop thinking about the distance.” Panam nodded. Then: “Nervous?” Amber smiled. “For you?” Panam frowned. “For me.” “A little.” Panam stared. Amber laughed. “Not because I think you’ll hate it.” “Then why?” “Because you’re about to discover what kind of version of you Palace gets.” Panam went quiet. Sera joined them. Heard enough to understand. Panam looked at her. Sera took her hand. No joke. No push. Just there. Panam smiled faintly. “Hopefully one with good judgment.” Amber said: “Absolutely not.” Panam turned. Amber smiled brightly. “Terrible standard.” Sera laughed. Panam shook her head. “There she is.” --- Reyes and Kiro finally arrived from secondary review. Amber saw them. Counted. Both. Equipment. Fine. Then looked at their hands. Kiro caught it. She lifted one eyebrow. Amber smiled. Kiro smiled back. Reyes saw the exchange. Walked closer. Stopped in front of Amber. “Miss me?” Amber looked up at her. “Deeply.” Reyes smiled. “Twenty-three minutes.” “Painful.” Kiro said: “She checked the corridor twice.” Amber turned. “How do you know?” Kiro smiled. “I saw you.” Amber looked at Reyes. Reyes looked pleased. Amber narrowed her eyes. “You two are ruining departure.” Reyes leaned closer. “Not yet.” Amber went still. Kiro looked at Reyes. Maeve saw. Jessie saw. Ms. B saw Jessie seeing. Panam whispered: “Oh.” Amber heard. Turned. “NO.” Panam started laughing. --- Boarding call. Finally. The group moved. No ceremony. No collective declaration. No slow-motion moment. Just eight people picking up hand luggage and walking toward the gate. Amber beside Maeve. Sera with Panam. Jessie with Ms. B. Kiro and Reyes together. As they reached the boarding tunnel, Reyes slipped one arm around Kiro’s shoulders. Amber saw. Did not react. Reyes noticed. That was new. Kiro noticed too. Reyes looked at Amber. Amber smiled. Then blew her a kiss. Reyes stopped. Kiro laughed. Amber turned and kept walking. Maeve looked at her. “That was retaliation.” Amber smiled. “Delayed.” “Effective.” “Yes.” Behind them Reyes called: “Coward.” Amber turned while walking backward. “Catch me in zero-g.” Silence. Kiro’s eyebrows went up. Reyes smiled. Slowly. Panam looked at Sera. Jessie looked at Ms. B. Maeve looked at Amber. Amber’s smile widened. Then she turned forward again. No explanation. No schedule. No promise beyond exactly what had been said. The shuttle doors closed behind them. Earth stayed where it was. Crystal Palace waited above. --- ## Chapter Fourteen — Up Amber lasted nine minutes before unfastening her restraint. Maeve looked at her. Amber froze with one hand still on the release. “What?” “The indicator is still on.” Amber looked overhead. It was. She looked back. “I was checking.” “No.” “Testing.” “No.” “Preparing.” “Sit.” Across the aisle, Reyes looked up. Amber slowly turned toward her. Reyes smiled. Amber pointed at Maeve. “See how she talks to me?” Reyes nodded. “Effective.” Kiro, beside her, added: “You did sit.” Amber looked down. She was, in fact, still sitting. “That is not the point.” Maeve reached over and clicked Amber’s restraint firmly back into place. Amber stared at her. Maeve smiled. “My wife.” Amber’s indignation melted into a grin. “Okay, maybe a little effective.” Jessie laughed from behind them. Ms. B said: “Fourteen seconds.” Jessie looked at her. “What?” “From complaint to surrender.” Amber twisted around as far as the restraint allowed. “Administrative personnel are not authorized to time my marriage.” Ms. B raised one eyebrow. “Noted.” Jessie whispered: “She absolutely logged it.” “I heard that.” “Good.” --- The ascent itself had none of the novelty of Amber and Maeve’s first Palace trip. For Panam, it did. Amber noticed about halfway through the initial climb. Panam had gone quiet. Not frightened. Not visibly uncomfortable. Just watching. Sera sat beside her, close without crowding. Night City fell away beneath them. The urban mass stopped looking like streets. Then districts. Then even a city. Cloud broke some of it apart. The horizon began curving into something the human eye knew was true and still found mildly offensive. Panam stared. Amber watched her for a moment. Then looked away. Good. The silence belonged to Panam. Sera understood too. She simply rested one hand palm-up between them. Panam saw. Took it. Kept watching. Several minutes passed. Then: “Fuck.” Amber smiled. There it was. Panam looked toward her. “You could have warned me.” “About Earth?” “Yes.” Amber considered. “It’s large.” Panam stared. Maeve closed her eyes. Sera laughed. Panam pointed at Amber. “That was fucking useless.” “I tried.” “No, you didn’t.” “Correct.” Panam looked back through the window. Then quieter: “Fuck.” Sera squeezed her hand. --- The cabin indicator changed. Amber’s head snapped up. Maeve saw. “No.” Amber looked at her. “It changed.” “I can see.” “That means—” “I know what it means.” Amber looked across the aisle. Reyes had already released her restraint. Kiro was doing the same. Amber’s eyes narrowed. “Race.” Reyes stared. “To what?” Amber released herself. “Nothing.” Then pushed away from the seat. Too enthusiastically. Maeve caught the back of her jacket before she could turn enthusiasm into impact. Amber stopped in midair. Slowly looked back. Maeve had one hand hooked into the fabric. Reyes started laughing. Kiro covered her mouth. Amber stared at Maeve. “You have me by the scruff.” “Yes.” “I am an owner of a security company.” “You were about to headbutt the ceiling.” “Allegedly.” Maeve pulled her gently back. Amber rotated in the air until she was facing her. Then smiled. “Hi.” Maeve sighed. “Hello.” Amber put both hands lightly on Maeve’s shoulders. No floor. No standing. Just contact. Her grin softened. “Now it feels like Palace.” Maeve smiled. “Not there yet.” “Close enough.” Amber kissed her. Brief. Warm. Then pushed away properly this time. Controlled. Mostly. --- Panam had released her restraint but had not moved. Sera floated in front of her. Panam looked down. Which was pointless. Then sideways. Also pointless. Then at Sera. “I hate this.” Sera smiled. “No, you don’t.” “I hate that my body thinks I’m falling.” “You’ll adjust.” “How long?” Amber drifted past upside down. “Depends how stubborn you are.” Panam looked at her. “You are upside down.” Amber glanced around. “No.” Panam stared. Amber smiled. “You are.” Panam looked at Sera. “Can I hit her?” Sera thought. “Later.” Amber rotated lazily. “Catch me first.” Panam pushed away from the seat. Far too hard. Sera caught her around the waist. Panam made a noise that caused half the cabin to turn. Amber burst out laughing. Panam grabbed Sera. “Do not let go.” “I won’t.” “This is fucking stupid.” “Yes.” “People pay for this?” “Yes.” Panam looked toward Amber. Amber was now hanging onto the back of a seat with one hand, hair floating slightly around her face. Panam narrowed her eyes. “You like this.” Amber smiled. “Very much.” Panam looked at Sera. Sera was smiling too. “Oh, fuck both of you.” Amber called: “PALACE.” Maeve caught Amber by one ankle as she drifted past. Amber rotated slowly until she was hanging upside down in front of her. “Again?” Maeve looked at her. “You were escaping.” “I was moving.” “Toward the crew section.” “Exploration.” “No.” Amber folded her arms while upside down. “This marriage is extremely restrictive.” Reyes said from nearby: “Fourteen seconds.” Ms. B replied: “Already recorded.” Amber gasped. --- Kiro adapted faster than Panam. Reyes had clearly expected that. Kiro moved carefully at first. One hand. One push. Wait. Correct. Then another. Within several minutes she had enough confidence to move between seat rows without grabbing everything in reach. Reyes watched. Amber watched Reyes watching. Maeve watched Amber watching Reyes watching. There were layers now. Amber drifted closer to Maeve. Whispered: “She’s going to do it.” Maeve did not ask who. “No.” “She is.” “Leave them alone.” “I am nowhere near them.” “You are staring.” “That is legal.” Kiro reached the opposite handhold. Turned. Reyes floated toward her. Kiro smiled. Amber grabbed Maeve’s arm. Maeve looked down at the hand. Then at Amber. “Seriously?” “Shh.” Reyes reached Kiro. Stopped herself neatly with one hand. Kiro caught her jacket. Their bodies drifted closer. Amber’s eyes widened. Kiro kissed Reyes. Amber slapped Maeve’s arm. “There.” Maeve started laughing. Reyes broke the kiss. Looked directly toward Amber. Amber pointed. “I FUCKING KNEW IT.” A crew member several meters away looked over. Amber smiled politely. “Sorry.” The crew member had the expression of someone who had seen much worse. He looked away. Kiro laughed. Reyes pushed gently away from her. Amber called: “Zero-g counts double.” Reyes raised an eyebrow. “According to?” “Physics.” Kiro looked offended on behalf of science. “No.” Amber turned. “You’re a netrunner, not a physicist.” “That is still wrong.” “Prove it.” Kiro opened her mouth. Reyes put one hand over it. “No.” Kiro looked at her. Reyes smiled. “We’re on vacation.” Kiro pulled Reyes’s hand away. “We have specialist meetings.” “Later.” Kiro thought. Then nodded. “Fair.” Amber looked at Maeve. “That was hot.” Maeve laughed. “Which part?” “Yes.” --- Panam eventually let go of Sera. For approximately three seconds. Then grabbed her again. Amber did not laugh. That surprised everyone. Especially Panam. Panam noticed. “You can laugh.” Amber shook her head. “First time.” “So?” “So first time gets amnesty.” Panam stared. Amber smiled. “Second time I’m destroying you.” “There she is.” Sera kissed Panam’s forehead. Panam relaxed another fraction. Then tried again. This time she pushed almost correctly. Drifted. Caught a handhold. Stopped. Her eyes widened. Sera smiled. “See?” Panam looked back. Then down at herself. Then around. A grin started. Small. Amber saw it. “Oh no.” Panam turned. “What?” “You got it.” Panam pushed toward Sera. Cleaner. Sera caught her. Panam laughed. “Okay.” Amber nodded. “Yep.” “Okay.” Sera smiled. Panam looked around the cabin. “Okay, this is fucking cool.” Amber spread both arms. “WELCOME.” Maeve caught her jacket again before she drifted away. Amber looked back. “Do you intend to keep me on a leash for the entire flight?” Maeve paused. Everyone close enough heard it. Jessie’s head snapped around. Ms. B closed her eyes. Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked at Amber. Sera covered her mouth. Panam whispered: “Oh, that was a mistake.” Amber went very still. Maeve realized. Too late. Amber slowly turned in her grip. Her smile was radiant. “My wife.” “No.” “You said leash.” “I meant—” “I know exactly what you meant.” “Amber.” Jessie was shaking. Ms. B said: “Do not.” Jessie whispered: “I’m trying.” Amber leaned closer to Maeve. “Palace hasn’t even started.” Maeve released her jacket. “Go away.” Amber laughed and pushed off. “LOVE YOU.” Maeve covered her face. --- The flight settled after that. Gravity returned gradually for the later transfer phase. Panam complained that this was somehow worse. Amber agreed. Then denied agreeing. Food appeared. Coffee appeared. Earth moved farther away. Crystal Palace moved closer. Actual Palace briefing material came up on their shared travel panes. Maeve reviewed the first-day schedule. Amber looked over her shoulder. Arrival. Residential-unit access. Orientation update. Lunch. Nothing mandatory afterward. Amber stared. Then smiled. Maeve saw. “No.” Amber pointed. “Nothing after lunch.” “Yes.” “Blank.” “Yes.” “Completely blank.” “Intentionally.” Amber looked around. “Everyone.” Several heads turned. Maeve sighed. Amber held up the schedule. “First afternoon is free.” Jessie smiled. “That was the plan.” Sera nodded. Panam looked interested. Kiro said: “Good.” Reyes looked at Amber. That was all. Just looked. Amber saw. The zero-g exchange returned instantly. Maeve saw that too. Amber smiled. Reyes smiled back. Kiro looked between them. Then leaned toward Reyes. “Should I leave now or later?” Reyes laughed. Amber pointed. “You stay exactly where you are.” Kiro’s eyebrows rose. Maeve slowly turned toward Amber. Jessie made a noise. Ms. B looked at the ceiling. Panam whispered: “I have no idea what that means.” Sera whispered: “Neither does Amber.” Amber turned. “I know exactly what I mean.” Maeve asked: “Do you?” Amber paused. Then smiled. “No.” Everyone laughed. Good. That was the point. --- The first view of Crystal Palace came twenty minutes later. Conversation died on its own. Even for them. The station appeared against black. Artificial. Impossible. Familiar to most of the group now. New to Panam. She leaned toward the window. Sera beside her. Panam stared. Long enough that Amber did not interrupt. Then: “That’s it?” Amber smiled. “That’s it.” Panam looked at her. “You spent three weeks acting like a horny idiot because of that?” Silence. Reyes turned away. Kiro covered her mouth. Jessie folded forward. Ms. B stared very carefully at nothing. Maeve bit her lip. Sera looked at Panam in disbelief. Amber stared. Panam realized. Then smiled. “Oh.” Amber pointed. “YOU HAVE BEEN HERE TOO LONG.” Panam started laughing. Sera leaned against her. Maeve finally gave up. Amber looked around at all of them. “You’re all fucking awful.” Reyes said: “Orbital morale.” Kiro kissed her cheek. Amber groaned. And outside the window, Crystal Palace kept getting larger. --- Docking was almost disappointingly smooth. Then came the familiar sequence. Pressure. Connection. Clearance. Doors. Amber stood first. Maeve beside her. The others gathered their hand luggage. No dramatic speech. No announcement. Just the small shift from transit to arrival. The door opened. Crystal Palace air. Crystal Palace corridor. Crystal Palace gravity. Amber stepped across the threshold. Stopped. Maeve nearly walked into her. “What?” Amber looked down the corridor. Then back at the group. Her expression had changed. Not just excitement. Recognition. Amber was home in this environment in a way Ace never quite was anywhere else. Bright. Curious. Unashamed. She smiled. “Okay.” Reyes stepped through behind Kiro. “What?” Amber looked at her. Then at Kiro. Jessie. Ms. B. Sera. Panam. Maeve. Everyone. “Now.” Panam frowned. “Now what?” Amber’s smile widened. “Now we stop behaving.” Maeve sighed. Jessie laughed. Ms. B said: “I was never informed of this policy.” Sera smiled. Panam looked down the corridor again. Kiro leaned lightly against Reyes. Reyes looked at Amber. Amber caught it. And smiled. The Palace had them. Two weeks. No emergency. No infiltration. No hidden war waiting to consume the trip. Work, yes. Clients, yes. Specialist problems, certainly. But those could wait. Their shared residential unit was ahead. Lunch after that. Then an empty afternoon. And Amber O’Sullivan had been waiting three weeks to find out what happened when nobody gave her a reason to stop. --- ## Chapter Fifteen — Back The residential unit recognized Maeve first. That was enough to make Amber complain. The door opened. Amber stopped on the threshold. Looked at Maeve. Then at the access panel. Then back. “Favoritism.” Maeve walked inside. “Ownership.” “I’m also an owner.” “You were standing farther away.” “Technicality.” Kiro walked past Amber carrying her case. “Proximity-based authentication.” Amber stared after her. “I know how doors work.” Reyes followed Kiro. “Evidence is mixed.” Amber turned. Reyes kept walking. Black hair. Straight face. No hesitation. Amber pointed after her. “We have been here seventeen seconds.” Reyes looked back. “Long enough.” Kiro laughed. Amber looked at Maeve. “My wife.” Maeve smiled. “You said we stop behaving.” “I meant me.” “That was not specified.” Amber considered. “Fair.” Then she stepped inside. And stopped joking. For a moment. --- Same unit. Not the same _kind_ of unit. Not merely the same residential tier. The same place they had occupied before. Common room opening toward the Palace beyond. Kitchen. Shared social space. Private rooms branching away from it. No separate accommodation for Kiro. No separate suite tucked somewhere down a corridor. She lived here for the duration, same as the others. Amber walked farther in. Set down her case. Looked around. Maeve watched her. “Good?” Amber nodded. “Yeah.” Jessie entered behind them. “Oh, fuck.” Amber turned. Jessie was staring toward the windows. Ms. B came in beside her. Sera and Panam followed. Panam stopped. Completely. Nobody laughed. Not this time. The view deserved better. Night City could make a person feel small. Crystal Palace did it differently. The city overwhelmed by accumulation. Palace overwhelmed by absence. Black beyond glass. Earth suspended where no human instinct expected to find it. Light where there should have been nothing. Panam walked slowly toward the window. Sera stayed beside her. Not holding her. Available. Panam reached the glass. Looked down. Then immediately corrected herself. “Fuck.” Amber smiled. Panam pointed at the planet. “That is not down.” “No.” “It feels like down.” “Yes.” “I hate that.” “You’ll stop.” Panam looked at Amber. “Did you?” Amber thought. “No.” Panam frowned. Amber walked closer. “I just started liking it.” Panam looked back toward Earth. A few seconds. Then: “Yeah.” Sera smiled. There. --- Reyes and Kiro had already found their rooms. Not because anyone had assigned them separately from the group. Because they had remembered where everything was. Kiro came back first. “No changes.” Reyes appeared behind her. “Bed’s still too soft.” Amber looked over. “You tested it already?” Reyes stared. “I sat on it.” Amber grinned. “Sure.” Reyes narrowed her eyes. Kiro said: “Eight seconds.” Amber turned. “What?” Kiro smiled. “You lasted eight seconds before making that sexual.” Jessie called from near the luggage: “Slow start.” Amber stared at her. “You are supposed to be family.” Jessie nodded. “Exactly.” Ms. B looked at the cases. “Rooms first.” Amber looked at her. “Administrative command?” “No.” “Good.” “Common sense.” Amber sighed. “Worse.” --- They split. Not formally. Just luggage disappearing into rooms. Amber and Maeve together. Jessie and Ms. B. Sera and Panam. Reyes and Kiro each had their own private room within the same unit. That lasted approximately three minutes before Kiro walked into Reyes’s carrying something she had apparently decided belonged there. Amber happened to be passing. Of course she happened to be passing. She stopped. Kiro looked over. “What?” Amber looked at the small bag in her hand. Then into Reyes’s room. Then at Kiro. “Nothing.” Kiro stared. Amber smiled. “I am practicing.” “Practicing what?” “Not commenting.” Reyes appeared behind Kiro. Looked at Amber. Then at Kiro. Then took the bag from Kiro’s hand. “Good girl.” Amber’s eyes widened. Kiro froze. Reyes froze. Silence. Amber slowly put one hand against the wall. “Oh.” Reyes closed her eyes. Kiro looked at her. Then smiled. Amber inhaled. Reyes opened one eye. “No.” Amber pointed. “You did that to yourself.” “Accidental.” “Still counts.” Kiro leaned closer to Reyes. “Positive reinforcement.” Amber slapped the wall. “YOU REMEMBERED.” Kiro kissed Reyes’s cheek. Reyes laughed. Amber turned and walked away. “I hate this place.” From behind her: “No, you don’t.” Amber turned while still walking. Reyes was smiling. Kiro beside her. Amber smiled back. “No.” Then pointed between them. “But I may hate you two by dinner.” --- Amber entered her room. Maeve was unpacking. One case open. Efficiently. Amber looked at her own. Then at Maeve’s. Then sat on the bed. Maeve glanced over. “You’re not unpacking.” “I’m supervising.” “No.” “I’m acclimatizing.” “You were here before.” “Re-acclimatizing.” Maeve kept unpacking. Amber watched. Ten seconds. Twenty. Then: “My wife.” Maeve did not look around. “What do you want?” Amber smiled. “I like saying it here.” That made Maeve stop. She turned. Amber was no longer performing. Just sitting there. Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Amber outside. Ace underneath. Both real enough for the moment. Maeve’s expression softened. “I know.” Amber’s expression warmed. “We could actually do it.” Maeve understood immediately. No joke. No need to ask what. “Yes.” Amber looked down at her hands. “Except everything around it would be a fucking nightmare.” “Yes.” “Names.” “Yes.” “Records.” “Yes.” “Covers.” “Yes.” “People asking questions.” “Yes.” Amber looked up. Maeve smiled. Amber laughed softly. “Romantic.” “Extremely.” Amber stood. Walked to her. Put her arms around Maeve. Maeve held her. No rush. No audience. Amber rested her forehead against Maeve. “Don’t need it.” “No.” “Wouldn’t mind it.” “No.” Amber smiled. “Good.” Maeve kissed her. And that was enough. No foreshadow. No plan. No decision waiting to become a plot. Just one practical impossibility sitting beside one very simple truth. Neither of them objected to the idea. They simply had no need to force it into reality. Amber pulled back. Then looked at the still-open luggage. “Can we have sex instead of unpacking?” Maeve stared. Amber’s expression warmed. “Efficient use of time.” “We have lunch.” “Later.” “In forty minutes.” Amber considered. “That is a lot of time.” Maeve laughed. “Unpack.” Amber sighed dramatically. “This cover marriage is dead.” --- Twenty-eight minutes later, Amber had unpacked. Mostly because Maeve threatened to let Lena inspect the cases remotely. Cruel. Effective. Amber emerged into the common room wearing Palace-casual rather than business. Not the full after-hours arsenal. Not yet. Shorts. Cropped top. Loose layer. Boots. Enough. Jessie saw her. Looked down. Then up. “Lunch.” “Yes.” “You know that?” “Yes.” “Just checking.” Amber looked at Jessie’s outfit. “You’re not exactly wearing a nun’s habit.” Jessie smiled. “Never claimed to.” Ms. B came out behind her. Amber looked. Paused. Jessie saw. “Don’t.” Amber smiled. “I said nothing.” “You looked at my fiancée.” “Yes.” Ms. B raised an eyebrow. Amber spread her hands. “I have eyes.” Jessie stared. Then laughed. “Fine.” Amber smiled. “Palace.” Ms. B sighed. “That word is going to excuse a lot, isn’t it?” Sera answered from behind them: “Probably.” --- Panam had changed nothing except what travel required. Good. No sudden Palace makeover. No invented visual disguise. Cruz existed where Cruz needed to exist. Sera came out beside her. Panam looked around the group. Then at Amber. “Is this lunch clothes?” Amber looked down at herself. “Yes.” Panam stared. Amber looked at Sera. “Help.” Sera studied Amber. Then Panam. “Yes.” Panam pointed at Amber’s exposed midriff. “For lunch.” Amber nodded. “Yes.” “In space.” Amber waited. Panam realized. “Okay, that last part was stupid.” “Very.” “Fuck you.” Amber grinned. “You’re adapting beautifully.” --- Reyes entered. Kiro behind her. Amber looked at Reyes. Then Kiro. Then their mouths. Both noticed. Kiro folded her arms. “What are you checking?” Amber smiled. “Nothing.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked at Reyes. Then Reyes kissed her. Amber closed her eyes. “Too easy.” Kiro laughed. Reyes looked at Amber. “You set yourself up.” “I know.” That was the problem. She enjoyed it now. Everyone knew. Which meant the old reaction no longer worked quite as well. Reyes had apparently realized that too. She looked at Amber. Thought. Amber saw. “No.” Reyes smiled. “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. Then Reyes walked past Kiro. Past Amber. Toward the door. No touch. No kiss. Nothing. Amber stared after her. Kiro followed. Also nothing. Amber waited. Maeve came up beside her. “Problem?” Amber whispered: “They’re withholding.” Maeve made one sound. Tiny. Amber turned. “Do not fucking laugh.” Maeve lost it. --- Lunch was not in the unit. That was deliberate. Nobody had come all this way to eat every meal in residential privacy. The route there became Panam’s first real walk through Palace. That changed everything. Arrival corridors were infrastructure. This was Palace. Open architecture. Artificial gravity tuned so subtly nobody thought about it until some distant movement reminded them. Glass. Light. Human bodies moving through spaces designed with the assumption that Earth was not the default reference. Art that could not exist comfortably under full gravity. Clothing ranging from corporate to spectacular to nearly theoretical. Nobody stared at Panam. That was perhaps the first important lesson. Nobody cared. Panam noticed. Amber noticed Panam noticing. She said nothing. Sera did not need to explain either. They walked. Amber gradually brightened. Not because she was trying. Because this environment gave her more room. A woman passed them wearing a translucent outer layer over something that barely qualified as eveningwear. Amber looked. Not rudely. Interested. The woman caught her eye. Smiled. Amber smiled back. Kept walking. Maeve saw. Of course. Amber looked at her. “What?” Maeve smiled. “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. Then smiled too. There it was. First one. No plan. No chase. Just awareness. --- The restaurant recognized the O’Sullivan booking. That went smoothly. Maeve and Amber at the front for exactly as long as necessary. Then the group became simply the group. Their table looked out over one of Palace’s internal open volumes. Panam sat down. Looked over the edge. Immediately leaned back. “No.” Sera laughed. “What?” “That.” Amber looked. Several levels below, people moved across a transparent section of floor. “Oh.” Panam pointed. “Why?” “Because they can.” “That is not an answer.” Kiro said: “Structurally it’s—” Reyes touched her arm. “No.” Kiro stopped. Looked at her. Reyes smiled. “Vacation.” Kiro sighed. “Fine.” Then kissed Reyes’s cheek. Amber saw. Waited. Reyes did not look at her. Amber stared. Still nothing. Maeve noticed. Jessie noticed Maeve noticing. Ms. B saw the entire chain. Amber finally said: “This is psychological warfare.” Panam looked confused. “What?” Amber pointed at Reyes. “She didn’t check whether I saw.” Reyes looked over. “Oh. You saw?” Amber stared. Reyes smiled. Kiro folded over laughing. Jessie slapped the table. Ms. B covered her mouth. Sera leaned into Panam. Panam looked between everyone. Then understanding arrived. “Oh, that’s fucking mean.” Amber pointed at her. “THANK YOU.” Panam smiled. “I like her.” Amber’s face fell. “Goddammit.” --- Food arrived. Conversation spread. No work. Not yet. Palace plans existed, but nobody needed to solve them over the first lunch. Imani tomorrow. That got Sera’s attention. Panam too. Kiro and Reyes had their first specialist meeting the following afternoon. Maeve had one client coffee the next morning. Amber was expected there. Nothing heavy. Jessie had infrastructure work later in the week. Ms. B had no administrative obligation beyond whatever she personally chose to touch. Good. Amber listened. Then realized something. “Wait.” Everyone looked. She put down her fork. “We actually have nothing after this.” Maeve nodded. “We established that.” “No, I know.” Amber’s expression warmed. “But now we’re here.” Jessie slowly smiled. Sera did too. Panam looked around. “What?” Amber leaned back. “Free afternoon.” “Yes.” “No fitting.” “Yes.” “No transit.” “Yes.” “No Lena.” Maeve raised an eyebrow. Amber corrected: “I love Lena.” “Mm.” “No work.” Kiro started to speak. Reyes looked at her. Kiro stopped. Amber pointed. “See? Even Kiro.” Kiro sighed. “Fine.” Amber smiled. “Perfect.” Panam looked suspicious. “What are you planning?” Amber stared at her. Then smiled. “Nothing.” Maeve immediately laughed. Panam looked at Sera. Sera nodded. “That’s worse.” --- The meal ended slowly. No rush. Coffee. Dessert shared across half the table. Amber stole from Maeve. Jessie stole from Amber. Amber objected on legal grounds. Ms. B informed her no relevant jurisdiction recognized dessert theft. Reyes stole one bite from Kiro. Kiro responded by taking twice as much back. Normal. Easy. Then the woman Amber had noticed earlier walked past again. Different direction. Same translucent layer. She saw Amber. Paused. Only slightly. “Welcome back.” Amber blinked. She remembered her. Not a name. Face. Previous visit. One conversation at a bar. Nothing more. Amber smiled. “Thank you.” The woman looked at Maeve. “Maeve.” Maeve nodded. “Good to see you.” Then at the table. “Enjoy your first day.” She continued. Panam looked at Amber. “You know her?” Amber watched the woman leave. “Barely.” Jessie smiled. “She knows you.” Amber looked at her. “Apparently.” Maeve took a drink. Amber saw the expression. “What?” Maeve smiled. “Nothing.” Amber leaned closer. “Was that jealousy?” “No.” “Disappointment?” “No.” “Interest?” Maeve looked at her. Amber grinned. Maeve said: “Eat your dessert.” Amber brightened. “Oh, definitely interest.” Jessie groaned. --- They left the restaurant with nowhere they had to be. That was the first truly dangerous moment of the trip. The corridor offered two directions. One led back toward the residential unit. The other deeper into Palace. Amber stopped. Looked left. Then right. Everyone stopped behind her. Maeve knew immediately. “No schedule.” Amber’s expression warmed. “No schedule.” Sera looked at Panam. Panam shrugged. Jessie slipped her hand into Ms. B’s. Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked at Amber. Amber caught it. For once, neither woman did anything. Amber smiled. “Fine.” Reyes raised an eyebrow. “What?” Amber pointed deeper into Palace. “Walk.” Panam looked at Sera. “That’s the plan?” Amber started moving. “No.” Panam frowned. Amber looked back over her shoulder. “That’s why it’s good.” Maeve followed. Then the others. No destination. Just Palace. --- ## Chapter Sixteen — No Destination The first fifteen minutes without a destination were almost suspiciously peaceful. Amber walked slightly ahead. Not leading. Not really. Just the person most visibly delighted by the absence of a plan. Maeve stayed beside her. Sera and Panam drifted behind them. Jessie and Ms. B together. Kiro and Reyes near the back. Nobody needed to fill the silence. Palace did that for them. Movement. Light. Sound that never quite became noise. Open spaces layered above and below. People crossing between galleries, restaurants, private clubs, lounges and places none of them could identify at a glance. Panam looked around. Frequently. Not gawking. Almost. Amber noticed. Said nothing. That restraint deserved recognition. Probably later. --- They passed a low-g movement space first. Not the serious training facility Reyes had bookmarked. Something public. Casual. People moving through a broad chamber where gravity had been tuned low enough to make jumps ridiculous and landings forgiving. Amber stopped. Reyes saw. “No.” Amber turned. “I didn’t say anything.” “You stopped.” “I looked.” “At low-g.” “Yes.” Reyes folded her arms. Amber smiled. Kiro looked between them. Then at the chamber. Then back. “This feels relevant.” Amber pointed. “Thank you.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro smiled. “Professionally.” “Coward.” “Efficient coward.” Amber laughed. Maeve looked at Reyes. “You already have training scheduled.” “Yes.” Amber turned. “When?” “Tomorrow.” “With Talia?” Reyes looked at her. “Yes.” Amber smiled. There. Not mocking. Interested. Reyes saw the look. “So?” “So nothing.” “That sounded like something.” Amber looked at Maeve. “Everyone has ruined that phrase.” Maeve smiled. “Correct.” --- They kept walking. Amber lasted another three minutes before finding trouble. Not trouble. Opportunity. A lounge opened onto the corridor with no visible front wall at all, just a soft boundary in flooring and sound. Inside, people sat in low seats facing an internal view. Not Earth. Something abstract. A projected orbital sculpture slowly changing shape. Amber slowed. Maeve noticed. “You want to go in.” Amber looked at her. “Maybe.” Panam looked at the lounge. “What is it?” Sera answered: “No idea.” Panam looked at Amber. “That’s enough for you?” “Yes.” Panam laughed. “Of course.” Amber stepped in. Everyone followed. Not because Amber had authority. Because nobody had a better plan. Good enough. --- The lounge was quieter than expected. Drinks. Small plates. No formal seating assignments. No one cared who they were. That was useful. Amber chose a seat. Maeve beside her. Sera and Panam opposite. Jessie and Ms. B farther down. Kiro and Reyes at the end. That arrangement lasted maybe twenty seconds. Reyes shifted closer to Kiro. Kiro let her. Amber saw. Said nothing. Reyes looked toward her. Amber grinned. Reyes smiled back. Then deliberately did absolutely nothing. Amber narrowed her eyes. Maeve saw. “Do not start.” “I’m not.” “You are starting internally.” Amber looked at her. “That phrase is invasive.” Maeve smiled. --- Drinks arrived. Panam took one sip. Paused. Looked at Sera. “What?” Panam looked at the glass. Then back. “This is actually good.” Sera smiled. “You sound offended.” “I expected Palace drinks to taste expensive and useless.” Amber nodded. “Reasonable.” Maeve looked at her. “Helpful.” Amber smiled. “I try.” Jessie leaned toward Ms. B. “Do you think she rehearses these?” “No.” “Worse.” Amber heard. “Family betrayal again.” Jessie smiled. --- A woman at the next table recognized Sera. Not dramatically. Just a glance. Then another. Finally: “Sera?” Sera turned. “Yes?” The woman smiled. “I thought so.” Sera smiled back. “Hi.” No panic. No secrecy problem. Public cover. Fine. The woman looked at Panam. “Panam Cruz?” Panam paused. Then: “Yes.” Good. Simple. No overacting. No visual disguise to maintain beyond what had already been established. The woman nodded. “Imani mentioned you might be coming.” Panam looked at Sera. Then back. “She did?” The woman smiled. “Only that Sera was bringing someone she thought would understand the work.” That landed. Sera went still for half a beat. Panam saw. Amber saw. Maeve too. Panam looked at Sera. “You said nothing.” Sera smiled. “I didn’t know she had.” The woman stood. “I’m Celia.” Amber nodded. Celia continued: “Imani’s studio is chaos this week.” Sera smiled. “That sounds normal.” “She’ll be happy you’re here.” Panam looked at Sera again. This time the interest was unmistakable. Celia left. No forced connection. No exposition dump. Just enough. --- Panam looked at Sera. “You told her about me?” Sera shook her head. “Not like that.” “What did you say?” Sera thought. “That you’d get it.” Panam looked at her. “Get what?” Sera smiled. “Tomorrow.” Panam stared. Amber leaned forward. “I know.” Panam turned. “No.” Amber sat back. “Fine.” Maeve looked at Amber. “You’re enjoying this.” “Yes.” Panam looked between them. “Do all of you know something I don’t?” Sera answered: “No.” Amber answered at the same time: “Maybe.” Panam pointed at Amber. “You.” Amber smiled. “I am a terrible source.” “That’s the first accurate thing you’ve said.” Maeve whispered: “Not remotely.” Amber looked at her. “My wife.” Maeve smiled. Warm. Easy. Cover language where it belonged. --- Kiro and Reyes had become suspiciously quiet. Amber noticed. Of course. She looked toward them. Kiro was explaining something. Reyes was listening. No touching. No performance. Amber watched for a second. Then looked away. Maeve saw. “Learning?” Amber frowned. “What?” “Not every interaction is for you.” Amber stared. Then smiled. “I know.” “Good.” Amber leaned closer. “Some are just better when I see them.” Maeve laughed. “That’s not the same.” “No.” --- Reyes looked toward Amber. Caught her looking away. Interesting. Then leaned slightly toward Kiro. Kiro noticed. “What?” Reyes smiled. “Nothing.” Kiro narrowed her eyes. “That word is contaminated.” “Yes.” Reyes touched Kiro’s hand. Just fingers. Light. Kiro looked down. Then back up. No joke. No audience check. She turned her hand. Laced their fingers briefly. Amber happened to look back. Stopped. Saw. Reyes still did not look at her. Neither did Kiro. That changed the reaction. Amber smiled. Small. Maeve noticed. No laughter this time. --- They left the lounge without deciding what came next. Again. Amber liked that more than expected. No checklist. No “Palace attraction number three.” Just moving. The corridor opened toward a larger social level. Music somewhere ahead. Not loud. Enough to pull attention. Amber heard it. Maeve heard Amber hear it. “Oh no.” Amber looked at her. “What?” “You have dance floor face.” Panam looked at Sera. “That’s a thing too?” Sera nodded. “Yes.” Amber pointed. “Stop validating her.” Jessie looked ahead. “There is a club.” Amber’s mouth curved. Ms. B looked at Jessie. “You want to go.” Jessie smiled back. “Maybe.” Amber looked between them. Then at Maeve. Then at Sera and Panam. Then Reyes and Kiro. Nobody objected. Amber’s smile widened. “Excellent.” Panam looked suspicious. “That sounded planned.” “It wasn’t.” “Worse.” --- The club was not full. Too early. Perfect. Enough people to make it alive. Not enough to make movement difficult. Amber entered first. The sound changed immediately. Her posture too. Maeve saw. So did Reyes. Panam noticed maybe ten seconds later. Amber moved differently here. Not performed. Not exaggerated. Just less contained. Bright. Physical. Social. She looked at people openly. Smiled easily. Accepted looks back. No hesitation. No need to decide whether every glance meant anything. Most meant nothing. Some meant maybe. That was enough. Maeve watched. Pleased. Not possessive. Never that. Amber turned. Caught Maeve looking. Walked backward for two steps. Smiled. Maeve raised one eyebrow. Amber mouthed: **What?** Maeve mouthed back: **Nothing.** Amber laughed. --- Sera pulled Panam toward the floor. Panam resisted for exactly one second. Then went. Jessie followed. Ms. B looked at her. Jessie held out one hand. Ms. B smiled. Joined. Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked at the floor. Then at Kiro. “No.” Kiro laughed. “You train in low-g and you’re afraid of dancing?” “I am not afraid.” “Then?” Reyes looked at Amber. Amber was already watching. Reyes sighed. “Fine.” Kiro took her hand. Dragged her in. Amber clapped once. Reyes pointed at her. “Do not.” Amber smiled. “No promises.” Maeve came up beside her. “You’re not dancing?” Amber looked at her. “I’m observing.” Maeve stared. Amber smiled. “For ten seconds.” “Better.” Amber took Maeve’s hand. Then pulled her onto the floor. --- The group did not stay grouped. That was good. Sera and Panam found their own rhythm. Jessie and Ms. B stayed close. Reyes danced with Kiro badly enough to be funny and well enough to survive it. Amber and Maeve moved together for a while. Then apart. Then back. No fixed pairs. No choreography. Palace. Amber turned once. Caught a stranger watching. Woman. Tall. Dark silver dress. Maybe mid-thirties. Confident. Not staring. Interested. Amber smiled. The woman smiled back. No approach. Not yet. Amber turned away. Maeve saw. Of course. Amber looked at her. Maeve’s expression softened. No jealousy. No prompt. Just awareness. Amber’s grin sharpened. There. First real possibility. Good. Not because it had to become anything. Because it could. --- Reyes touched Kiro’s waist. Kiro leaned closer. Amber saw. Reyes did not check. A quick smile crossed Amber’s face. Then Kiro looked over. Caught Amber. Smiled too. This time no taunt. Just shared amusement. Amber raised her glass slightly. Kiro returned the gesture. Reyes saw. Looked between them. Then laughed. Maybe they were all getting better at this. Or worse. Same thing. --- Panam suddenly appeared beside Amber. Slightly breathless. “This place is bullshit.” Amber laughed. “Bad?” “No.” Panam looked around. Then at Sera dancing a few meters away. “Everything works too well.” Amber smiled. “That’s kind of the point.” Panam looked at the stranger in silver. Then Amber. Then back. “Oh.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “What?” Panam smiled. “Nothing.” Amber stared. Panam’s smile widened. “You have face.” Amber closed her eyes. “Fuck.” Panam laughed. Sera came up behind her. “What?” Panam leaned toward her. “I understand the game now.” Sera looked at Amber. Then toward the woman in silver. Then back. “Oh.” Amber pointed at both. “NO.” Maeve arrived. Looked at the three of them. Then toward the woman. Then at Amber. Amber stared. Maeve smiled. “My wife.” Amber folded her arms. “Yes?” Maeve leaned closer. “Go dance.” Amber blinked. “With you?” Maeve smiled. “Not necessarily.” Amber froze. Panam’s eyebrows went up. Sera smiled. Maeve stepped away. No command. No ownership. No push. Just opening space. Amber looked toward the woman in silver. The woman was still there. Still interested. Amber looked back at Maeve. Maeve raised one eyebrow. Amber smiled. Slowly. “Dangerous wife.” “Yes.” Amber laughed. Then turned. Walked toward the stranger. No rush. Just curiosity. Exactly as promised. And the first afternoon had barely begun. --- ## Chapter Seventeen — Her Name Was Marisol The woman in silver watched Amber approach. She did not move to meet her. Good. Amber crossed the last few meters at her own pace, letting the music fill the space neither of them needed to fill with words yet. Up close, the woman was perhaps a little older than Amber had first guessed. Mid-thirties, maybe. Tall enough that Amber had to tilt her head considerably. Dark hair cut just below the jaw. Silver at one ear. The dress was exactly what Palace did well: elegant from across the room, considerably less innocent from nearby. Amber stopped. The woman smiled. “You came over.” Amber smiled back. “You noticed.” “I was hoping.” “That obvious?” “A little.” Amber laughed. “Good.” The woman offered her hand. “Marisol.” Amber took it. “Amber.” Marisol’s smile changed. “I know.” Amber raised an eyebrow. “Should I be worried?” “No.” “Disappointed.” Marisol laughed. There. Amber liked the laugh. Not polished. Not carefully seductive. Actual amusement. “Dance?” Amber looked down at Marisol’s hand still holding hers. Then back up. “Yes.” --- Maeve watched from where Amber had left her. Panam watched Maeve. Sera watched Panam watching Maeve. Maeve eventually turned. “What?” Panam shook her head. “Nothing.” Maeve smiled. “You’ve been here less than a day and you’re already terrible at that.” Panam looked toward Amber. Marisol had one hand at Amber’s waist now. Not pulling. Amber had closed the remaining distance herself. Panam looked back at Maeve. “You really don’t mind.” “No.” “Not even—” Panam stopped. Maeve waited. Panam tried again. “I know how all of you work. Mostly.” Sera smiled. “Mostly is ambitious.” “Fuck you.” “Later.” Panam froze. Sera froze. Maeve slowly turned toward her. Sera closed her eyes. Panam started laughing. “Oh, that was fucking terrible.” Sera nodded. “Yes.” Maeve took a drink. “Welcome to the problem.” Panam looked toward Amber again. “So you really just…” Maeve followed her gaze. Amber was laughing at something Marisol had said. “Yes.” Panam waited. Maeve smiled. “That’s the whole answer.” --- Amber liked how Marisol danced. No immediate attempt to turn proximity into entitlement. No assumption that because Amber had approached, everything afterward had already been decided. Marisol gave her room. Amber kept taking less of it. Eventually there was almost none. Marisol looked down at her. “You’re trouble.” Amber laughed. “You’ve known me for four minutes.” “I knew before you crossed the floor.” “That seems prejudicial.” “Pattern recognition.” Amber smiled. “You technical?” “No.” “Damn.” “Why?” “I have one of those already.” Marisol looked briefly confused. Amber glanced across the floor. Kiro was dancing with Reyes. Or attempting to. Reyes caught Amber looking. Amber nodded subtly toward Marisol. Reyes looked. Then back at Amber. A smile. Approval? Maybe. Then Kiro said something and Reyes’s attention returned to her. Amber looked back at Marisol. “Friend.” “I guessed.” “She’s actually the technical one.” “Which one?” Amber looked again. “Kiro.” Marisol followed her gaze. Then: “The one Reyes just kissed?” Amber snapped her head around. Too late. Kiro had one hand at Reyes’s neck. Reyes was smiling. Amber stared. Marisol looked between them. “Something wrong?” Amber slowly looked back. “No.” Then: “They’re assholes.” Marisol laughed. “Friends?” “Very.” “That explains it.” Amber pointed vaguely toward them. “They’ve been doing that for weeks.” “Kissing?” “No. Being smug.” Marisol laughed again. Amber grinned. Yes. Definitely liked the laugh. --- Across the floor, Kiro broke away from Reyes. “Did she see?” Reyes looked toward Amber. Amber was talking to Marisol again. “No.” Kiro looked offended. “That’s disappointing.” Reyes smiled. “You’ve become invested.” “You started it.” “Yes.” “You trained me badly.” Reyes slipped an arm around her waist. “I think I trained you extremely well.” Kiro looked at her. Reyes realized. “Oh.” Kiro’s smile became dangerous. “Good girl?” Reyes closed her eyes. Kiro started laughing. “You walked into that.” “Shut up.” Kiro kissed her. Reyes kissed her back. This time neither checked for Amber. --- Jessie had noticed something else. She leaned toward Ms. B. “Maeve’s watching.” Ms. B looked toward her. “Yes.” “No, watching.” Ms. B followed Maeve’s gaze. Amber. Marisol. Back. “I see.” Jessie smiled. “You like this too.” Ms. B looked at her. “What?” “Watching people you care about enjoy themselves.” Ms. B considered. “Yes.” Jessie smiled wider. “Good.” Ms. B narrowed her eyes. “Why did that sound like groundwork?” Jessie looked innocent. “No reason.” “Jessie.” “Palace.” “That is not an answer.” “It worked for Amber.” Ms. B looked toward Amber again. Marisol had bent closer to say something near her ear. Amber listened. Then laughed. Then touched Marisol’s shoulder. Ms. B smiled. Jessie saw. “There.” Ms. B looked back. “What?” “Nothing.” Ms. B sighed. “That answer has become useless.” --- Marisol leaned down. “Drink?” Amber considered. “Yes.” They left the dance floor together. Not toward the others. Toward the bar. Amber noticed Maeve watching. Their eyes met. Amber smiled. Maeve smiled back. Nothing else needed. Marisol caught the exchange. “Your wife?” Amber looked up. “Yes.” Marisol glanced at Maeve. Then back. “And she knows?” Amber laughed. “Knows what?” “That I’m interested.” “Probably before I did.” Marisol smiled. “That confident?” “In her? Yes.” Marisol considered that. Then nodded. “I like that answer.” Amber climbed onto one of the bar seats. Marisol took the one beside her. The height difference became ridiculous. Amber looked at her. Marisol looked back. Amber said: “Don’t.” “I didn’t say anything.” “Your face did.” Marisol smiled. “I was going to say cute.” Amber stared. “Dangerous.” “Cute and dangerous.” “Better.” “Small and—” Amber pointed. “Do you want to survive the drink?” Marisol laughed. “Understood.” The bartender arrived. Amber ordered. Marisol did too. No elaborate Palace nonsense. Something cold. Something simple. Amber turned on the seat until she was facing Marisol more directly. “So.” “So.” “You know me.” “Not personally.” “O’Sullivan?” “Yes.” “Work?” “Partly.” Amber raised an eyebrow. “Partly?” Marisol took her drink. “Your first Palace visit was not exactly invisible.” Amber paused. Then laughed. “Fair.” “No scandal.” “Good.” “Mostly people remembering you.” “That sounds worse.” “Mostly fondly.” Amber smiled. “Mostly?” Marisol took a drink. “One man described you as exhausting.” Amber brightened. “Excellent.” Marisol laughed. “He meant it as criticism.” “Even better.” --- Maeve eventually joined the bar. Not because Amber summoned her. Because she wanted another drink. She stopped beside Amber. Amber turned. Her smile immediately warmed. “Hi.” “Hi.” Marisol stood. Maeve gestured lightly. “You don’t have to.” Marisol sat again. “Maeve.” “Marisol.” They shook hands. Amber watched. Marisol looked between them. Then at Amber. “You weren’t exaggerating.” “About?” Marisol nodded toward Maeve. “Her.” Amber looked delighted. Maeve looked at Amber. “What have you been saying?” “Nothing bad.” “That is not reassuring.” Marisol smiled. “She said you probably knew I was interested before she did.” Maeve considered. Then looked at Amber. Amber waited. Maeve said: “Yes.” Amber slapped the bar lightly. “SEE?” Marisol laughed. Maeve smiled. “You were staring.” “I was appreciating.” “You walked across the floor.” “Eventually.” “You smiled at her twice before that.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “You were counting?” Maeve took Amber’s drink and stole a sip. Amber gasped. “My drink.” “My wife.” Amber froze. Marisol laughed. Amber looked at Maeve. “That was dirty.” Maeve handed the glass back. “Effective.” Amber smiled. “Very.” --- Marisol looked between them. No discomfort. No sudden attempt to negotiate their relationship. Better. Just understanding. Maeve looked at her. “First time meeting Amber?” “Yes.” “Then one warning.” Amber turned. “Oh, fuck off.” Marisol smiled. “What?” Maeve kept a perfectly straight face. “If she says she has an idea, ask whether medical services are involved.” Amber stared. “That happened once.” Maeve looked at her. “More than once.” “Technically—” Marisol laughed. Amber pointed at Maeve. “You are sabotaging me.” “No.” “You are.” “I’m improving informed consent.” Marisol almost spilled her drink. Amber stared at both of them. Then started laughing too. “Fine.” She looked at Marisol. “Your turn.” “My warning?” “Yes.” Marisol thought. “I bite.” Amber went still. Maeve’s eyebrow rose. Marisol saw both reactions. Then laughed. “Metaphorically.” Amber closed her eyes. “Jesus Christ.” Maeve took another sip from Amber’s drink. Amber looked at her. “You knew.” “No.” “You looked too calm.” “I was waiting.” “For what?” “The correction.” Amber stared. Marisol smiled. “I can revise the warning.” “Please.” “I get competitive.” Amber considered. “Better.” Maeve said: “Worse.” Amber looked at her. “Interesting.” Maeve smiled. “Exactly.” --- The music changed. Marisol looked toward the floor. Then back at Amber. “Another?” Amber looked at Maeve. Not for permission. Just connection. Maeve understood. “Go.” Amber smiled. Then looked at Marisol. “Yes.” She slid off the seat. Marisol offered her hand. Amber took it. Before leaving, Amber leaned toward Maeve and kissed her. Short. Soft. Maeve touched her cheek. Amber pulled away. Marisol waited. No impatience. Amber liked that too. Then they went back toward the floor. Maeve watched them go. Panam appeared beside her almost immediately. Maeve did not turn. “You are terrible at subtlety.” Panam laughed. “I wasn’t trying.” Sera joined her. “Marisol?” Maeve nodded. Sera looked toward the floor. “Pretty.” Maeve smiled. “Yes.” Panam looked at her. “You said that very easily.” Maeve finally turned. “Why wouldn’t I?” Panam thought. Then shrugged. “Fair.” Sera slipped one arm around Panam. Panam leaned into her. Maeve looked back toward Amber. Marisol had both hands at Amber’s waist now. Amber’s arms rested loosely around her shoulders. Closer. Still dancing. Nothing rushed. Good. --- Amber became aware of Marisol’s attention changing. Not stronger. Clearer. The difference mattered. Marisol leaned closer. “Can I kiss you?” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Simple. Marisol bent. Amber rose slightly onto her toes even though it achieved almost nothing. That made her laugh against the first touch. Marisol smiled too. Then kissed her properly. Warm. Unhurried. Amber’s hand moved to the side of Marisol’s neck. No urgency. No demand for the moment to become anything beyond itself. When they separated, Marisol stayed close. Amber looked up. “Well.” Marisol smiled. “Good?” “Yes.” “Exhausting?” Amber laughed. “Give me time.” Marisol kissed her again. A little longer. Amber accepted it. Then returned it. Across the room, Reyes finally noticed. She nudged Kiro. Kiro followed her gaze. Saw Amber. Marisol. Kiss. Kiro smiled. Reyes did too. Then Reyes looked toward Maeve. Maeve caught the glance. Raised her glass. Reyes returned it. No crisis. No surprise. Just Amber being Amber. --- When Amber finally returned to the others, Marisol came with her. Not attached. Not claimed. Just included for the moment. Jessie smiled. Ms. B offered a greeting. Sera introduced herself. Panam did the same. Kiro and Reyes— Amber looked at them. They looked back. Amber narrowed her eyes. “What?” Reyes smiled. “Nothing.” Amber stared. Kiro looked at Marisol. Then Amber. Then: “Nice lipstick.” Amber froze. Her hand went to her mouth. Marisol started laughing. Reyes lost it. Jessie shouted. Panam doubled over. Sera grabbed her. Maeve covered her mouth. Amber stared at Kiro. “You.” Kiro smiled. Amber looked at Reyes. “You trained her.” Reyes nodded proudly. “Yes.” Kiro leaned over and kissed Reyes. Amber pointed. “AND NOW YOU REWARD HER.” Marisol looked around the group. Then at Amber. “Is this normal?” Every single person answered: “Yes.” Amber stared at them. Then at Marisol. “Run.” Marisol smiled. “No.” Amber paused. Then smiled too. “Good answer.” The music kept going. The afternoon had nowhere to be. And Amber had absolutely no intention of wasting it. --- ## Chapter Eighteen — No Reason to Rush Marisol stayed. Not because anyone formally invited her. Because nobody gave her a reason to leave. That was different. Amber liked different. The group shifted toward one of the quieter edges of the club where conversation could survive the music without everyone having to shout directly into each other’s faces. Jessie claimed a low seat beside Ms. B. Sera and Panam took another. Kiro and Reyes ended up together. Again. Amber looked at them. Reyes caught it. Amber pointed. “Don’t.” Reyes smiled. “I’m sitting.” “You’re thinking.” Kiro looked at Amber. “That accusation is spreading.” Maeve nodded. “Yes.” Amber turned. “My wife is supposed to be on my side.” Maeve sat beside her. “I am.” “That sounded false.” “It wasn’t.” Marisol looked between them. Then: “Do you all do this constantly?” Panam answered first. “Yes.” Amber looked offended. “You have been here one day.” Panam shrugged. “Pattern recognition.” Marisol laughed. Amber stared. “Oh, great.” “What?” “She’s using your language.” Panam smiled. “Adaptation.” Sera kissed her cheek. Panam looked at her. “Do not reward me in front of Amber.” Kiro said: “Too late.” Then Reyes kissed Kiro’s temple. Amber slapped one hand against her own knee. “SEE?” Marisol looked at Kiro. Then Reyes. Then Amber. Then slowly smiled. “Oh.” Amber turned toward her. “No.” Marisol’s smile widened. “I understand now.” “You understand nothing.” “Reyes does it because you react.” Amber stared. Kiro started laughing. Reyes leaned back. Comfortable. Marisol continued: “And Kiro helps because she thinks it’s funny.” Amber pointed. “Stop being observant.” Marisol laughed. Maeve looked pleased. Amber saw. “You’re enjoying this.” “Yes.” “Of course.” --- Drinks arrived. Nobody had ordered anything complicated. That helped. Marisol sat close enough that her knee occasionally touched Amber’s. Not constant. Not accidental either. Amber noticed every time. Marisol noticed Amber noticing. Good. Maeve noticed both. Obviously. Amber glanced at her. Maeve took a drink. No comment. Amber smiled. Dangerous woman. --- Jessie leaned toward Marisol. “So how long have you known Amber?” Amber turned immediately. “No.” Jessie looked innocent. “It’s a normal question.” “You’re not normal.” “Still a question.” Marisol smiled. “About an hour.” Jessie’s eyebrows rose. Amber pointed. “Do not make face.” Jessie looked at Ms. B. “I’m being oppressed by family.” Ms. B nodded. “Good.” Amber stared. “Administrative betrayal again.” Ms. B smiled. Marisol looked at Amber. “Cousin?” “Yes.” Jessie smiled. “Unfortunately.” Amber looked at her. “Family realism is getting fucking old.” Maeve said: “No, it isn’t.” Amber looked at her. “My wife.” “Yes?” “Control your relatives.” Maeve smiled. “Wrong branch.” Panam burst out laughing. Sera leaned against her. Marisol looked around. “Okay.” Amber looked at her. “What?” “This group is dangerous.” Amber smiled. “Now you’re learning.” --- Reyes stretched one arm along the back of Kiro’s seat. Amber saw. Ignored it. Reyes noticed. Then Kiro leaned closer. Amber still ignored it. Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Both smiled. Marisol followed the entire exchange. Then leaned toward Amber. “You’re trying not to look.” Amber whispered: “I am succeeding.” Marisol looked directly at Reyes and Kiro. Kiro kissed Reyes. Amber’s eyes flicked over instantly. Marisol laughed against her shoulder. Amber turned. “You set me up.” “Yes.” “Traitor.” “Already?” “Fast learner.” Marisol smiled. Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve was openly laughing now. “My wife.” Maeve shook her head. “No defense.” Amber sighed. “Hopeless.” --- The club changed around them. More people arriving. Lighting shifting gradually toward evening. Music becoming heavier. Still not crowded enough to make anyone feel trapped. Amber liked the transitional hour. Before the room decided what kind of night it intended to become. Marisol looked toward the floor. Then at Amber. “You staying here?” “For now.” “Later?” Amber’s expression warmed. “I don’t know.” Marisol nodded. That answer seemed to please her. No itinerary. No demand that this encounter become the entire afternoon. Amber liked that too. Marisol took another drink. Then: “I have dinner plans.” Amber looked at her. “When?” “Two hours.” “Work?” “Friend.” Amber nodded. No disappointment. Not much. Marisol noticed. “You expected me to cancel?” Amber laughed. “No.” “Good.” Amber looked at her. “Would you?” Marisol smiled. “No.” Amber’s smile widened. “Better.” There. That was attractive. Someone with a life. Not orbiting Amber because Amber happened to be interested. Good. --- Panam leaned toward Sera. “Why does everyone here talk like they’re negotiating consent forms?” Sera nearly choked. Amber looked over. “What?” Panam gestured vaguely toward Marisol and Amber. “You two.” Marisol smiled. “We’re talking.” “Yes.” Amber raised one eyebrow. Panam continued: “It’s just very... clear.” Maeve looked at her. “That’s bad?” “No.” Panam frowned. “Just different.” Sera touched Panam’s hand. “People here don’t have to pretend they don’t know what they want.” Panam looked around. Then at Amber. Then Marisol. Amber smiled. “That helps.” Panam nodded slowly. Then: “Still weird.” Amber laughed. “Also yes.” --- Kiro got up. Reyes looked at her. “Where?” “Drink.” Reyes lifted her empty glass. Kiro looked at it. Then Reyes. “No.” Reyes smiled. “Kiro.” “No.” “Please.” Kiro stared. Then took the glass. Reyes smiled. “Good girl.” Silence. Amber froze. Kiro froze. Reyes closed her eyes. Marisol looked confused. Jessie covered her mouth. Ms. B turned away. Panam whispered: “Oh no.” Sera was already laughing. Kiro looked at Reyes. Slowly. “Again?” Reyes opened one eye. “Accidental.” Amber slapped both hands on her knees. “BULLSHIT.” Reyes looked at her. “It was.” Amber stared. Kiro leaned down. Kissed Reyes. Long enough to make the entire room go quiet. Then pulled back. “Positive reinforcement.” Amber folded forward. Maeve laughed beside her. Marisol looked from Kiro to Reyes. Then Amber. Then: “Okay.” Amber pointed at her. “No commentary.” Marisol smiled. “I finally understand the specialist morale program.” Jessie screamed. Ms. B covered her face. Panam nearly fell sideways. Amber stared at Marisol in absolute betrayal. “WHO TAUGHT YOU THAT?” Marisol looked innocent. “No idea.” Kiro, still standing: “Spread organically.” Reyes nodded. “Healthy culture.” Amber pointed at both. “I hope your drinks are terrible.” Kiro picked up Reyes’s empty glass. “Affectionately?” Amber smiled. “Deeply.” --- By the time Kiro returned, Marisol’s dinner was getting closer. She checked the time. Amber saw. Did not pretend not to. “You have to go.” “Soon.” Amber nodded. Marisol looked at her. “You’re not going to ask me to stay.” “No.” “Why?” Amber smiled. “Because you said you have dinner.” Marisol held her gaze. Then nodded. “Good.” Amber laughed. “You keep saying that.” “You keep doing things I like.” “Dangerous precedent.” “Yes.” Marisol leaned closer. “Coffee tomorrow?” Amber paused. There. Not sex. Not immediate continuation. Coffee. Interesting. “Yes.” “Morning?” Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve raised one eyebrow. Amber looked back. “Late morning.” Marisol smiled. “Recovering?” “From Palace.” “Already?” Amber looked around the club. Then at Reyes and Kiro. Then Jessie and Ms. B. Panam and Sera. Maeve. Then back. “Preventive scheduling.” Marisol laughed. “Eleven?” “Yes.” “Good.” Amber pointed. “There it is again.” Marisol smiled. “Get used to it.” --- She stood. Amber slid off the seat too. Marisol looked down at her. “Walk me out?” “Yes.” Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve nodded lightly. No more. Amber and Marisol left the group together. Not dramatically. No one watched. Except everyone. Jessie whispered: “They’re all watching.” Ms. B whispered back: “So are you.” Jessie smiled. “Yes.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Maeve took a drink. Panam looked around. Then: “You’re all fucking nosy.” Sera nodded. “Yes.” Panam smiled. “Good.” --- Amber and Marisol reached the edge of the club. The music softened behind them. Marisol stopped. Amber stopped too. No rush. Marisol touched Amber’s hand. “Today was fun.” Amber’s expression warmed. “Yes.” “I wasn’t expecting that.” “What were you expecting?” Marisol thought. “Less laughter.” Amber laughed. “Wrong group.” “Clearly.” Marisol looked at her. Then: “Can I kiss you goodbye?” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Marisol bent. Amber met her halfway as much as height permitted. The kiss stayed soft. Warm. Long enough to matter. Short enough not to pretend dinner did not exist. When they separated, Marisol stayed close. “Eleven.” “Eleven.” “Don’t be late.” Amber raised one eyebrow. “Me?” Marisol smiled. “Yes.” Amber leaned closer. “You are very brave for someone who met me today.” “Pattern recognition.” Amber laughed. “Fuck off.” Marisol smiled. “Tomorrow.” Then left. Amber watched her go. Not dramatically. Long enough. Then turned. Maeve was standing several meters away. Amber stopped. “You followed me.” Maeve looked at her. “No.” “You are standing here.” “I wanted the corridor.” Amber smiled. “Liar.” Maeve smiled back. Amber walked toward her. Maeve looked past her once. “Coffee tomorrow.” Amber raised one eyebrow. “You heard?” “No.” “Then?” Maeve smiled. “Your face.” Amber stopped. Then laughed. “My fucking face.” “Yes.” Amber slipped one arm around Maeve’s waist. “Jealous?” “No.” “Curious?” “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Good.” Maeve looked down at her. “Interested?” Amber thought. “Yes.” No joke. “Very.” Maeve nodded. Then: “Happy?” Amber looked back toward the club. Then toward the corridor where Marisol had gone. Then up at Maeve. “Yes.” Maeve kissed her forehead. Amber’s expression warmed. “Dangerous wife.” Maeve looked innocent. “Why?” “Because you’re happy I’m happy.” Maeve’s expression softened. “That’s dangerous?” Amber smiled. “For everyone else.” Maeve laughed. There she was. --- They returned to the group. Jessie immediately looked at Amber. Amber pointed. “No.” Jessie blinked. “I didn’t say anything.” “You were about to.” “I was going to ask whether she’s coming back.” Amber sat beside Maeve. “Tomorrow.” Panam leaned forward. “Already?” Amber looked at her. “Coffee.” Panam smiled. “Sure.” Amber stared. “What does that mean?” Panam held up both hands. “Nothing.” Sera looked proud. Amber looked around. “This place is corrupting everyone.” Reyes said: “You brought us.” Amber turned. Reyes had one arm around Kiro again. Kiro looked comfortable. Amber smiled. “Fair.” Then leaned back against Maeve. Nothing needed to happen faster than that. --- ## Chapter Nineteen — The First Evening The group did not leave the club together. That would have implied coordination. They had none. Jessie and Ms. B left first. Not for any dramatic reason. Jessie wanted food. Ms. B wanted quiet. Neither felt obligated to justify the combination. Sera and Panam stayed longer. Panam had stopped pretending she was only observing Palace. That was another improvement. Kiro and Reyes disappeared somewhere deeper into the club for fifteen minutes, returned with drinks, and refused to explain where they had found them. Amber noticed. Naturally. “What is that?” Kiro looked at her glass. “Drink.” “I know that.” “Then why ask?” Amber narrowed her eyes. Reyes smiled. Amber pointed. “See? Smug.” Reyes took a drink. “Still.” Maeve laughed. --- By early evening the club had become busier. Not crowded. Alive. Enough bodies that movement mattered now. Enough attention that Amber could disappear into the room for several minutes without the group losing track of her. She liked that. The first Palace visit had taught her to notice how much freedom anonymity could create even while everyone knew her cover name. The third visit added something else. Confidence. She did not need to wonder whether a look meant permission to approach. She could smile. Wait. Move on. Return. Let someone else decide. Let herself decide. No need to convert every spark into an event. That made the whole room more interesting. --- Maeve danced with her again. Not continuously. Just when it happened. Amber came back from somewhere near the bar carrying two drinks. Handed one to Maeve. Maeve looked at it. “What is this?” Amber smiled. “I have no idea.” Maeve stared. “You ordered something without knowing what it was?” “The bartender said I’d like it.” “You trusted that?” Amber took a drink from her own. “Yes.” Maeve tried hers. Paused. Amber watched. “Well?” Maeve looked at the glass. Then Amber. “Annoyingly good.” Amber’s expression warmed. “There.” Maeve pointed. “Do not make that word weird again.” “Too late.” --- Reyes appeared beside them. Kiro with her. Amber looked at Reyes. Then Kiro. Then their drinks. Then their mouths. Reyes saw. “No.” Amber smiled. “I said nothing.” “You checked.” “I observed.” Kiro looked at Maeve. “Is there a technical distinction?” Maeve thought. “No.” Amber stared. “My wife.” Maeve smiled. Reyes laughed. Kiro leaned into Reyes. Amber saw. Waited. Reyes did not look. Amber’s expression warmed. Progress. Then Kiro kissed Reyes. Brief. Still no glance. Amber’s smile changed. Maeve noticed. “That one was not for you.” Amber looked at her. “I know.” “Okay?” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Reyes looked over then. Caught the smile. Something softened. Then she raised her glass. Amber raised hers. Done. --- Panam and Sera returned from the floor. Panam was flushed. Not drunk. Moving. Alive. Amber looked at her. “Still hate it?” Panam stared. “No.” “Good.” Panam pointed. “Do not.” Amber laughed. Sera leaned against Panam’s shoulder. Panam accepted it without thinking. Maeve saw. Amber saw Maeve see. No need to say anything. --- A little later, Amber noticed the woman in silver again. Not Marisol. Someone else. Different table. Different energy. Late twenties perhaps. Short dark hair. Sharp jaw. No attempt to hide that she was looking at Amber. Amber looked back. Held it. The woman smiled. Amber smiled too. Then turned away. Maeve saw. Of course. Amber looked at her. “What?” Maeve smiled. “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. Then leaned closer. “You approve too easily.” Maeve looked at her. “Of what?” “Me being interested.” Maeve took another drink. “I don’t approve.” Amber paused. Maeve continued: “You decide.” There. Amber’s expression softened. “Yes.” That was better. She kissed Maeve. Short. Then looked back toward the woman. The woman was still there. Still interested. Amber smiled. No move yet. Fine. --- Jessie messaged. > **JESSIE:** We found food. Amber read it. Then looked at Maeve. “She announces discoveries now.” Maeve looked over. Amber turned the screen. Maeve smiled. > **JESSIE:** Ms. B says this is not a discovery. Another message. > **MS. B:** It is a restaurant. Amber laughed. Panam looked over. “What?” Amber showed her. Panam smiled. “Administrative precision.” Maeve looked toward the ceiling. “Please do not restart that.” Amber grinned. “No promises.” --- Kiro sat down near them. Reyes remained standing. Amber looked up. “Separated?” Kiro looked at Reyes. Then Amber. “No.” Reyes put one hand on Kiro’s shoulder. A quick smile crossed Amber’s face. “There.” Kiro looked at her. “What?” “Nothing.” Kiro laughed. Then reached up and took Reyes’s hand. No kiss. No performance. Just contact. Amber watched. Something about it looked easy enough that she forgot to be funny for a second. Reyes saw that. Held her gaze. Amber smiled. Then looked away. Good. --- The woman with short dark hair finally approached. Not directly. She stopped near the edge of their space first. Looked at Amber. “Hi.” Amber’s expression warmed. “Hi.” Maeve looked over. Panam looked over. Sera definitely looked over. Kiro and Reyes stopped talking. Amber glanced around. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.” The woman laughed. “Friends?” Amber sighed. “Unfortunately.” Panam smiled. Amber pointed. “You are not helping.” The woman stepped closer. “I’m Rina.” Amber smiled. “Amber.” “Amber.” “I know.” Amber laughed. “Apparently everyone does.” Rina looked at Maeve. “Maeve.” Maeve nodded. “Hello.” No weirdness. No surprise. Rina looked back at Amber. “I was going to ask if you wanted to dance.” Amber’s expression warmed. “Now?” “Yes.” Amber looked at Maeve. Not permission. Connection. Maeve smiled. Amber stood. “Then yes.” --- Rina danced differently from Marisol. Less patient. More direct. Not aggressive. Just decisive. Amber liked that too. She did not compare. No need. Different people. Different energy. Rina touched her waist early. Amber accepted. Moved closer. Rina smiled. “Okay.” Amber looked up. “What?” “You’re exactly what I expected.” Amber laughed. “That sounds dangerous.” Rina leaned closer. “Small.” Amber stared. Rina froze. Amber narrowed her eyes. Then Rina added: “And difficult.” Amber smiled. “Better.” Rina laughed. Good recovery. --- Maeve watched from the side. Panam came beside her again. “This is becoming a habit.” Maeve looked over. “What?” “Me asking if you mind.” “Yes.” Panam smiled. “Fine.” Maeve looked back at Amber. Rina had one hand at Amber’s lower back. Amber looked comfortable. Interested. No issue. Panam watched too. Then: “I think I get it.” Maeve smiled faintly. “What?” Panam shrugged. “You don’t give her freedom.” Maeve looked at her. “No.” “She has it.” “Yes.” Panam nodded. “That’s different.” Maeve smiled. “Yes.” Sera came up beside Panam. “Progress.” Panam looked at her. “Do not make that sound educational.” Sera laughed. --- Rina leaned closer. “Kiss?” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Brief. Immediate. Warm. Rina broke first. Amber looked up. Rina smiled. “Again?” Amber laughed. “Yes.” The second lasted longer. Still nothing rushed. No assumption that the night had to become more. Amber liked that. When they separated, Rina stayed close. “You here long?” “Two weeks.” Rina’s eyebrows rose. “That’s dangerous.” Amber grinned. “For who?” Rina laughed. “Fair.” --- Reyes looked toward Amber. Then Maeve. Maeve saw. Reyes smiled. Maeve raised one eyebrow. Reyes nodded toward Amber and Rina. Maeve smiled back. Kiro noticed. “Are you two communicating around me now?” Reyes looked at her. “Yes.” Kiro frowned. “Rude.” Reyes kissed her cheek. Kiro smiled. “Fine.” Amber saw. From the dance floor. Of course. She pointed at them. Rina looked. “What?” Amber laughed. “Nothing.” Reyes saw the point. Smiled. Then kissed Kiro properly. Amber stopped. Rina looked at her. “Friends again?” Amber sighed. “Yes.” “You like watching them.” Amber looked at Rina. Then smiled. “Yes.” No need to pretend. Rina smiled too. “Good.” Amber laughed. “Do not start.” “Start what?” “That word.” Rina looked confused. Amber shook her head. “Long story.” --- The evening stretched. Not rushed. Rina stayed with Amber for a while. Then left to rejoin friends. No number exchange. No promise. Just: “Maybe later.” Amber smiled. “Maybe.” Good. Marisol tomorrow. Rina maybe never again. Both fine. Amber returned to Maeve. Maeve looked at her. “Good?” Amber nodded. “Yes.” “Interested?” “In Rina?” “Yes.” Amber thought. “Enough for tonight.” Maeve nodded. No disappointment. No expectation. Amber’s expression warmed. “Marisol tomorrow.” “Yes.” “Rina maybe later.” “Yes.” “And before you ask—” Maeve raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t.” Amber laughed. “Fine.” --- By the time they finally left the club, it was late enough that the Palace had changed tone. Not quieter. Deeper. More private. Amber walked beside Maeve. Reyes and Kiro behind them. Panam and Sera slightly ahead. No Jessie or Ms. B. They had already sent another message. > **JESSIE:** We’re back. Then: > **MS. B:** We are not waiting up. Amber had replied: > **AMBER:** Cowards. Ms. B answered: > **MS. B:** Adults. Amber had not responded. Because that was fair. --- They reached the residential unit. Door opened. Everyone entered. No one looked exhausted. Good sign. Panam stood in the common room. Looked around. Then at Sera. “So that was one afternoon.” Sera smiled. “Yes.” Panam looked at Amber. Then Reyes. Then Kiro. Then Maeve. “Jesus.” Amber smiled. “First day.” Panam pointed. “No.” Amber laughed. Reyes dropped into a chair. Kiro sat beside her. Not on her. Progress. Amber noticed. Reyes noticed Amber noticing. Amber lifted one hand. No comment. Reyes smiled. Then Kiro leaned over and kissed her. Amber slapped Maeve’s shoulder. “FUCKERS.” The common room exploded again. And Palace had still not made it to day two. --- ## Chapter Twenty — Day Two Amber woke up alone. That was unusual enough that she opened her eyes properly. Maeve’s side of the bed was empty. Not cold. Recently empty. Amber stared at it. Then at the ceiling. Then toward the bathroom. Nothing. She reached for the time. 09:17. Amber frowned. Coffee with Marisol at eleven. Plenty of time. Maeve— A smell reached her. Coffee. Amber smiled. Of course. She climbed out of bed, found the loose shirt she had abandoned the night before, pulled it on and walked barefoot toward the common room. She made it halfway down the corridor before hearing Maeve laugh. Amber stopped. Not because Maeve was laughing. Because Kiro had caused it. Interesting. Amber continued. --- Maeve sat at the table with Kiro. Both had coffee. A technical pane floated between them. Amber leaned against the doorway. Nobody noticed her immediately. Kiro was explaining something. Not Palace work. Amber could tell from the way Maeve was listening. More casual. Kiro pointed at one section. “If you do it there, yes.” Maeve looked at the diagram. “But?” Kiro smiled. “But you’re going to hate the interface.” “I already hate the interface.” “Then you’re prepared.” Maeve laughed. Kiro took a drink. Amber watched. There was something she liked about Kiro with Maeve. Different from Reyes. Different from herself. Kiro relaxed around Maeve in a particular way. Not passive. Not diminished. Just willing to let Maeve take conversational control when Maeve wanted it. And Maeve— Maeve noticed everything. Amber knew where that could go. Maybe nowhere. Maybe somewhere. No need to push. Amber stepped into the room. “Morning.” Both looked over. Maeve smiled immediately. “Morning.” Kiro looked Amber up and down. Bare legs. Oversized shirt. Hair slightly destroyed. Then: “You look terrible.” Amber stared. Maeve looked away. Kiro smiled. Amber walked to the table. “You have become dangerously confident.” “Yes.” “Reyes did this.” “Partly.” Amber took Maeve’s coffee. Drank. Maeve stared. Amber handed it back. “My wife.” “That does not make my coffee communal.” “It absolutely does.” Kiro nodded. “Cover-marriage asset pooling.” Amber froze. Maeve froze. Kiro realized. Then: “Actually, no. That sounded like paperwork.” Amber pointed. “Never again.” “Agreed.” --- Reyes appeared. Already dressed. Already awake. Unfair. She walked behind Kiro. Put one hand on her shoulder. Amber watched. Reyes saw. Paused. Then continued walking. No kiss. Amber narrowed her eyes. Reyes went to the kitchen. Amber waited. Nothing. Kiro looked at her. “What?” Amber whispered: “She’s doing it again.” Maeve laughed. Kiro frowned. “Doing what?” “Withholding.” Kiro looked toward Reyes. Then back at Amber. “Oh.” A smile. Amber pointed. “Do not help her.” Kiro immediately called: “Reyes.” Reyes looked over. Kiro crooked one finger. Amber stared. Reyes came back. Stopped beside Kiro. Kiro caught the front of her shirt and pulled her down into a quick kiss. Amber threw both hands up. “YOU FUCKING—” Kiro broke away laughing. Reyes looked confused for half a second. Then saw Amber. “Oh.” Amber pointed at Kiro. “She weaponized you.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro smiled. Reyes kissed her again. Amber slapped the table. Maeve nearly lost her coffee. “THIS IS WHY WE CAN’T HAVE BREAKFAST.” --- Sera appeared next. She looked toward the noise. Then at Amber. Then Kiro and Reyes. “Again?” Amber stared. “Why does everyone automatically assume it’s them?” Panam came out behind Sera. Looked at Kiro. Reyes. Amber. “Because it’s them.” Amber folded her arms. “You’re all terrible.” Panam walked to the kitchen. “Coffee?” “Yes.” That ended the complaint. --- Jessie and Ms. B emerged several minutes later. Jessie looked rested. Ms. B looked offensively composed. Amber narrowed her eyes. Jessie noticed. “What?” “You look pleased.” Jessie smiled. “I slept well.” Amber stared. Jessie’s smile widened. Amber looked at Ms. B. Ms. B took a drink. “No.” Amber blinked. “I didn’t ask.” “You were going to.” “Maybe.” “No.” Amber looked at Jessie. Jessie laughed. “Administrative confidentiality.” Amber gasped. Ms. B closed her eyes. “Please don’t.” Too late. Panam started laughing into her coffee. --- Breakfast happened by accumulation. Nobody had planned it. Food appeared. People sat. Amber finally found trousers— No. Shorts. Obviously. Maeve had her first client coffee at ten. Amber was expected. That temporarily ruined Amber’s morning. She looked at the time. Then at Maeve. “Do I have to?” Maeve looked at her. “Yes.” “Why?” “You own half the company.” “I own half the company specifically so I can make other people attend meetings.” Ms. B said: “That is not how ownership works.” Amber turned. “Why are you even working?” “I’m eating.” “You corrected me administratively.” Ms. B considered. “Reflex.” Jessie leaned against her. “Hot.” Everyone groaned. Jessie smiled. “Consistency.” --- Maeve finished breakfast. “Business clothes.” Amber looked down at herself. “No?” Maeve stared. Amber sighed. “Fine.” She stood. Reyes watched her. Amber saw. “What?” Reyes smiled. “Nothing.” Amber pointed. “You’re checking my ass.” Reyes did not even blink. “Yes.” Silence. Amber froze. Kiro slowly looked at Reyes. Maeve covered her mouth. Panam whispered: “Holy shit.” Amber looked down at herself. Then back. “Well.” Reyes smiled. Amber put one hand on her hip. “Professional assessment?” “No.” Amber laughed. “Good.” Kiro looked at Reyes. “You did that on purpose.” “Yes.” “You’re getting worse.” Reyes leaned closer. “You like it.” Kiro thought. “Yes.” Amber pointed at them. “No kissing. I have to change.” Reyes immediately kissed Kiro. Amber walked away. “FUCK YOU BOTH.” Kiro called after her: “Have a good meeting!” --- Business Amber returned twelve minutes later. The shift was immediate. Short structured skirt. Fitted top. Light jacket. Boots. Blonde hair corrected. Blue eyes. Bright, but clean. Panam looked at her. Then toward the corridor Amber had disappeared into. Then back. “That’s fucking weird.” Amber smiled. “What?” “You changed clothes.” “Yes.” “And somehow now you look like you charge people by the hour.” Silence. Panam froze. Sera folded forward. Maeve put one hand over her face. Jessie made a sound somewhere between choking and dying. Amber stared at Panam. Panam closed her eyes. “Consulting.” Amber’s mouth twitched. Panam pointed. “I meant consulting.” Amber lost it. So did everyone else. Panam stared at the ceiling. “I hate all of you.” Amber walked over and hugged her. “That was beautiful.” “Fuck off.” “Never.” --- Maeve and Amber left at 09:46. The client coffee was only a few levels away. No transport. No security theater. Just Palace. Amber walked beside Maeve. For the first time since arrival, they were alone in public. Amber noticed. Maeve noticed her noticing. “What?” Amber smiled. “Nothing.” Maeve raised one eyebrow. Amber laughed. “Fine. It’s nice.” “What?” “This.” She gestured between them. “Just us.” Maeve smiled. “Yes.” Amber slipped her hand into Maeve’s. Easy. Public. Married covers. No need to exaggerate it. They walked. --- The meeting was exactly what it should have been. Thirty-eight minutes. A current O’Sullivan SAS client expanding orbital operations. Nothing secretly catastrophic. Nothing that required Kiro. Nothing that required Reyes. Mostly questions about how the client should structure access-control review before expanding staff. Maeve handled most of it. Amber contributed when useful. Neither performed competence. They simply had it. The client asked one question about whether O’Sullivan could scale specialist support if their orbital footprint doubled. Maeve answered: “Yes, within limits.” Amber looked at her. Good answer. Not sales bullshit. The client nodded. “What limits?” “People,” Maeve said. “Good specialists don’t become less rare because a contract gets larger.” Amber added: “And we don’t fill seats just to make a staffing chart look reassuring.” The client smiled. “That may be why we’re talking to you.” Amber smiled back. “Probably.” Maeve glanced at her. Amber caught it. No reprimand. Good. Thirty-eight minutes. Done. --- Outside, Amber exhaled. Maeve looked at her. “That painful?” “No.” “You complained for an hour.” “I enjoy complaining.” “I know.” Amber checked the time. 10:42. The complaint vanished from her face. Maeve saw. “Marisol.” “Eleven.” “You have eighteen minutes.” Amber looked down at her business clothes. Then at Maeve. “No.” Maeve laughed. “What?” “I am not meeting her dressed like this.” “Why?” Amber stared. Maeve smiled. “You look good.” “I look employable.” “You are.” “Maeve.” Maeve laughed. Amber looked at the route back. Then at the time. Then at Maeve. “I can make it.” “You’re going back to change.” “Yes.” “For coffee.” “Yes.” “With a woman who kissed you yesterday while you were wearing less.” Amber pointed. “Exactly.” Maeve stared. “That argument makes no sense.” “It makes emotional sense.” Maeve started laughing. Amber grabbed her hand. “Come on.” --- They made it back at 10:49. Amber entered at speed. Everyone looked up. Reyes immediately checked the time. “Eleven.” Amber pointed while moving. “Shut up.” Kiro smiled. “Eleven.” “Fuck you.” Jessie looked at Amber’s business outfit. “Changing?” “Yes.” “For coffee?” “Yes.” Panam stared. “I thought that looked expensive.” Amber kept walking. “It looks responsible.” Panam frowned. “What’s wrong with responsible?” Amber stopped. Turned. Everyone waited. Amber said: “Nothing.” Then continued. Panam looked at Sera. “Bullshit.” Sera nodded. “Completely.” --- Amber came back four minutes later. After-hours wardrobe had not been deployed. Not fully. That would have been ridiculous. Instead: Very short fitted black shorts. Soft cropped top. Loose black jacket. Tall buckled boots. The silhouette was unmistakably Amber. Casual. Sharp. And considerably less interested in discussing access-control governance. Reyes looked her over. Amber saw. “Again?” Reyes smiled. “Again.” Kiro looked at Reyes. Then Amber. “You’re both impossible.” Amber grinned. “Jealous?” Kiro considered. “Of which one?” Silence. Amber’s eyebrows rose. Reyes slowly turned toward Kiro. Maeve stopped walking. Jessie whispered: “Oh, shit.” Kiro realized she had everybody. Then smiled. “Exactly.” Amber pointed. “THAT WAS DELIBERATE.” Kiro laughed. Reyes pulled her into a hug. “You’re learning.” Amber looked at Maeve. “My wife, they’ve become self-sustaining.” Maeve smiled. “Go. You’re going to be late.” Amber checked the time. 10:55. “Fuck.” --- Marisol was already there. Of course. Not sitting. Standing near the edge of a café overlooking one of Palace’s internal gardens. Amber saw her. Marisol saw Amber. Looked at the time. Then smiled. Amber walked over. “Don’t.” “You’re early.” “Five minutes.” “I’m impressed.” Amber stopped in front of her. “Pattern recognition failed?” Marisol laughed. Then looked Amber over. Slowly enough to be obvious. Amber noticed. “Well?” Marisol looked at her. “You changed.” Amber froze. “How do you know?” Marisol smiled. “I saw you and Maeve leaving the meeting level.” Amber stared. “You were stalking me.” “I was walking.” “In Palace?” “Yes.” “Suspicious.” Marisol laughed. “You were wearing a skirt.” “Business.” “I guessed.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “You prefer this?” Marisol looked down again. Shorts. Boots. Bare midriff. Back up. “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Good answer.” Marisol raised an eyebrow. Amber froze. Then both started laughing. --- Coffee became food. Not because either planned it. Marisol had skipped breakfast. Amber had eaten but discovered she could apparently eat again. They sat opposite each other. No group. No Maeve. No Reyes/Kiro sideshow. That changed Amber slightly. Not quieter. More focused. Marisol noticed. “You’re different alone.” Amber looked at her. “Bad?” “No.” “How?” Marisol thought. “You listen longer.” Amber laughed. “That sounds like an insult.” “It isn’t.” “My friends are loud.” “You’re loud.” Amber smiled. “Fair.” Marisol leaned back. “Yesterday you were tracking seven people while talking to me.” Amber paused. Accurate. “Today?” “Just me.” Amber held her gaze. “Yes.” Marisol smiled. There. --- They talked. Actual conversation. Marisol worked in orbital logistics analysis. Not security. Not corporate executive level. She moved between Palace and two smaller stations often enough that Earth had stopped being the center of her working life years ago. Amber listened. Asked questions. Marisol asked about O’Sullivan. Amber answered within cover. No hesitation. No holes. Maeve. Jessie. Work. Night City. Palace. Nothing sounded rehearsed because the cover had enough lived history now that Amber did not need to construct every sentence. Then Marisol asked: “Why two weeks?” Amber smiled. “Because last time wasn’t enough.” “Work?” “Some.” “And the rest?” Amber took a drink. “Whatever happens.” Marisol looked at her. “That answer again.” “Yes.” “You mean it.” “Yes.” Marisol smiled. “I like that.” Amber laughed. “I know.” --- Coffee lasted almost ninety minutes. Neither noticed until Marisol checked the time. “Shit.” Amber looked. 12:27. “Oh.” Marisol smiled. “You have plans?” “Imani.” “When?” Amber checked. “Later.” Marisol nodded. “I have work.” Amber sighed dramatically. “Terrible.” “Yes.” “Quit.” “No.” “Good.” Marisol stared. Amber smiled. “Got you.” Marisol laughed. --- They stood. Marisol stepped closer. Amber looked up. No need to ask this time? Marisol still did. “Kiss?” Amber’s expression warmed. “Yes.” Marisol kissed her. Amber’s hands settled at her waist. The kiss deepened naturally. Still public. Still unhurried. When they separated, Amber stayed close. Marisol looked at her. “Tonight?” Amber thought. Not coyly. Actually thought. “I don’t know.” Marisol nodded. No disappointment used as pressure. Amber liked that. “Tomorrow?” Amber smiled. “Message me.” “I can do that.” Marisol touched the edge of Amber’s jacket. “Have fun with Imani.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. “You know Imani?” “Everyone knows Imani.” “Apparently everyone knows everyone except me.” Marisol smiled. “You’ve been here one day.” “Excuse.” “Fact.” Amber laughed. Then stepped back. “Go work.” “Yes, ma’am.” Amber froze. Marisol froze. Amber slowly smiled. Marisol pointed. “No.” Amber laughed. “Go.” Marisol left. Amber watched her for a moment. Then turned toward the residential levels. Still smiling. --- Her comm pinged. Reyes. > **REYES:** Alive? Amber stared. Typed. > **AMBER:** Unfortunately. Immediate response. > **REYES:** Good coffee? Amber smiled. > **AMBER:** Very. Pause. Then: > **KIRO:** Reyes wants to know if “coffee” means coffee. Amber stopped walking. Looked at the message. Then: > **AMBER:** Kiro. > **KIRO:** Yes? > **AMBER:** You have betrayed me. > **KIRO:** Affectionately. Amber laughed out loud in the middle of the corridor. People walked past. Nobody cared. She typed: > **AMBER:** Tell Reyes I kissed Marisol twice and she still has to work for the rest of the report. Three dots. Then Reyes: > **REYES:** Twice? Amber smiled. > **AMBER:** Jealous? Longer pause. Amber kept walking. Then: > **REYES:** Maybe. Amber stopped. Oh. Another message immediately followed. > **KIRO:** She smiled when she typed that. Amber stared. Then started laughing again. > **AMBER:** I FUCKING LOVE YOU, KIRO. Kiro: > **KIRO:** I know. Reyes: > **REYES:** Traitor. Kiro: > **KIRO:** Affectionately. Amber put the comm away. Still smiling. --- ## Chapter Twenty-One — Pigment Imani’s studio smelled exactly like Panam expected an artist’s studio not to smell. Clean. Not sterile. Just clean enough to make her suspicious. No solvent haze. No chemical bite. No pigment permanently embedded into every available surface. Nothing resembling the kind of glorious workshop disaster she had prepared herself to tolerate because Sera liked the woman. Panam stopped just inside the door. Looked around. Then at Sera. “This is bullshit.” Sera smiled. “What?” “It’s organized.” Imani looked over from deeper in the studio. “That sounded accusatory.” Panam turned. Imani was barefoot. Loose dark trousers. Sleeveless top. Hair tied back. No dramatic artist uniform. Good. Panam relaxed by perhaps half a degree. “I expected worse.” “From Sera?” Panam looked at her. “From artists.” Sera gasped. “Rude.” “You leave brushes everywhere.” “They’re working.” “They’re abandoned.” “They’re resting.” Imani nodded. “Artist answer.” Panam stared at both of them. “Great.” --- Amber arrived a minute later with Maeve. Still wearing the black shorts, cropped top, loose jacket and buckled boots from coffee with Marisol. Panam looked at her. Then at the time. Then back. “You changed for coffee and kept that for paint.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” “That makes no sense.” “It makes emotional sense.” Maeve laughed. Panam pointed. “There. That exact bullshit phrase again.” Amber stopped. Then laughed. “Fair.” Imani looked Amber over. Not suggestively. Professionally. “Much better than the meeting outfit.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. “You saw me?” “Palace.” Amber looked at Maeve. “That word has become surveillance.” Maeve smiled. “You were in public.” “Technicality.” Imani looked toward Panam. “Ready?” Panam folded her arms. “No.” Sera smiled. “Yes.” Panam looked at her. “Traitor.” “Artist.” “Same thing.” --- The center of the studio had been cleared. Two broad low platforms. Adjustable lighting. A wall display. Several pigment cartridges laid out in a line. Water. Towels. A compact scanner. Nothing theatrical. That helped. Panam looked at the platforms. Then at Sera. “Explain.” Sera stepped closer. “Movement study.” “Paint.” “Yes.” “Body paint.” “Yes.” Panam stared. Sera smiled. “Still yes.” “How much?” Imani answered: “As much as you agree to.” Panam looked at her. Good answer. Then at Sera. “And you?” Sera’s smile changed. “I’m doing it too.” Panam nodded once. “Same amount.” Sera’s eyebrows rose. “Exactly?” “Yes.” Imani looked between them. “Interesting.” Panam pointed. “Do not artist that.” Imani smiled. “I said one word.” “Dangerous word.” Amber leaned toward Maeve. “I like Palace Panam.” Panam turned. “I can hear you.” Amber smiled. “I know.” --- Sera took off her jacket first. Then her top. No performance. Just preparation. Panam watched. Amber watched Panam watching. Maeve saw Amber notice. Amber looked at her. “What?” Maeve smiled. “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. Then deliberately looked back at Panam. Panam had not moved yet. Sera stood in front of her in a simple bra and trousers. Waiting. Not coaxing. Panam exhaled. “Fine.” She removed her jacket. Then her shirt. Stopped. Looked at Sera. “Still same amount.” “Yes.” Panam nodded. She stepped onto the second platform. Amber quietly sat down. Maeve beside her. Imani looked over. “You two are observers.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” “Observers do not direct.” Amber stared. Maeve laughed softly. Amber looked at her. “My wife.” Maeve smiled. “Excellent rule.” “Betrayal.” Panam said: “Best rule so far.” Amber folded her arms. “Hostile studio.” --- Imani started with Panam. Cool pigment. Panam flinched. Not much. Enough. Imani stopped immediately. “Temperature?” Panam shook her head. “Just unexpected.” “Continue?” “Yes.” Simple. Imani worked across Panam’s shoulder first. Dark graphite. Nearly matte. Thin pathways breaking into wider geometric fields near the upper arm. No picture. No symbol. Nothing trying to turn Panam into somebody else. Sera watched. Focused now. Artist first. Partner second. Maybe both. Panam saw that. Her expression softened slightly. Amber noticed. Said nothing. Imani moved across Panam’s upper back. Then one side. Panam stayed still. Eventually: “How long?” “Ten minutes.” “That’s it?” “For first pass.” Panam looked at Sera. “That sounds ominous.” Sera smiled. “It isn’t.” “You smiled.” “I like the design.” “Different problem.” --- Amber leaned closer to Maeve. Whispered: “She likes being watched by Sera.” Maeve whispered back: “Yes.” Panam, without turning: “I can hear both of you.” Amber froze. Maeve looked away. Panam continued: “And yes.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. Panam finally looked over her shoulder. “Happy?” Amber smiled brightly. “Very.” Sera laughed. Imani said: “Hold still.” Panam immediately faced forward again. Amber looked at Maeve. “Authority.” Maeve covered a smile. --- When Panam’s first pass was finished, Imani stepped back. “Move your shoulder.” Panam did. The pigment changed. Not dramatically. A faint metallic line surfaced where muscle shifted beneath the skin. Then faded. Panam stopped. Looked. “Okay.” Sera leaned closer. “Again.” Panam rolled the shoulder. This time she watched. A second trace emerged. Not gold exactly. Warm metallic. Gone when she settled. Panam looked at Imani. “That’s the point.” “Yes.” “Movement makes it show.” “Pressure and heat too.” Amber sat forward. Imani pointed without looking. “No direction.” Amber slowly sat back. Maeve smiled. Amber whispered: “I hate competent women.” Maeve looked at her. “No, you don’t.” Amber smiled. “Correct.” --- Sera’s turn came next. Panam stepped down. Did not dress. She stayed beside the platform. Imani looked at Sera. “Same amount?” Sera looked at Panam. Panam nodded. “Yes.” Sera removed the remaining outer layer she did not need. Then stepped up. Panam watched. Not artistically. Not entirely. Amber saw. This time she managed to keep her mouth shut. Maeve noticed that too. Amber looked at her. Do not praise me. Maeve’s smile said she was thinking about it. Amber narrowed her eyes. --- Imani gave Sera a different pattern. Finer. More layered. Longer traces running along the side of the torso. Across one shoulder blade. Down the outer arm. Panam watched every change. Sera caught her looking. Smiled. Panam frowned. “What?” “Nothing.” “You’re doing face.” Amber made a tiny delighted noise. Panam pointed at her without looking. “No.” Amber covered her mouth. Maeve laughed. Sera looked at Panam. “You like it.” Panam thought. “Yes.” Sera smiled. Panam immediately added: “Do not get smug.” “Too late.” --- When Imani finished, she stepped back. “Both of you. Floor.” Panam frowned. “Why?” “Move.” Sera stepped down. Panam followed. Imani changed the lighting. Not darker. Flatter. Enough that the pigments nearly disappeared. Amber leaned forward again. Maeve did too. This time Imani did not stop them. Good. Music started. Low. Steady. Panam looked at Sera. Sera held out one hand. Panam stared at it. Then smiled. “Of course.” She took it. --- The first few movements were awkward only because Panam was paying attention to the pigment. That lasted perhaps thirty seconds. Sera pulled her closer. Panam laughed. “Stop trying to make me dance.” “You’re already dancing.” “I’m moving.” “That’s dancing.” “Artist propaganda.” Sera turned her. Panam followed badly. Then better. The pigment woke. A line flashed along Panam’s shoulder. Faded. Sera shifted her weight. Fine metallic traces appeared along her side. Gone again. Panam saw. Stopped. “Oh.” Sera stopped too. Looked down. Imani said: “Keep moving.” Panam looked at her. “You’re enjoying ordering people around.” Imani smiled. “Occupational hazard.” Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve looked back. Neither said anything. That restraint was heroic. --- Sera moved first. Panam followed. No choreography now. Just music. Hand at waist. Turn. Step. Closer. Panam’s patterns flashed differently when Sera touched her. Pressure. Heat. Contact. Not every line. Only some. Panam noticed. Her eyes dropped to where Sera’s hand rested at her side. A metallic trace deepened beneath the fingers. Panam looked at Sera. Sera had seen it too. Neither moved for a second. Imani stayed quiet. Amber stayed very quiet. Maeve glanced at her. Amber whispered: “I’m behaving.” Maeve whispered back: “Miracle.” Amber smiled. --- Panam touched Sera’s ribs. The pigment answered. Fine warm lines surfaced beneath her fingertips. Sera inhaled. Panam noticed that too. Curiosity replaced the caution in her face. Not embarrassed. Interested. She traced one line lightly. It brightened. Then faded after her hand moved away. Panam looked at Imani. “This reacts to touch.” “Yes.” Panam looked back at Sera. “Fuck.” Sera smiled. “Problem?” Panam’s hand returned to her side. “No.” There. Amber leaned closer to Maeve. “This is fucking beautiful.” Maeve nodded. “Yes.” No joke. None needed. --- The dance stopped being a test after that. Not because anything became explicit. Because Panam stopped thinking about Imani. Or Amber. Or Maeve. Or the wall display. She looked at Sera. Moved with her. Sera responded. Sometimes leading. Sometimes following. Neither stayed in control long enough for the distinction to matter. Their bodies wrote light into each other. Shoulder. Ribs. Back. Hands. Every contact appearing briefly and disappearing again. Evidence without permanence. Panam laughed once when Sera spun away and nearly lost her balance. Sera caught her. Both pigments flared at the contact. Panam looked down. Then up. “That’s showing off.” Sera smiled. “Wasn’t me.” Panam stared at the lines. Then at Imani. Imani raised both hands. “Physics.” Kiro would have objected to that phrasing. Amber thought it. Then laughed quietly to herself. Maeve looked over. “What?” “Nothing.” This time Amber actually meant it. --- The music slowed. Sera and Panam slowed with it. Not stopping. Closer now. Panam’s forehead touched Sera’s. Their hands rested at each other’s waists. Movement reduced to breathing. Tiny shifts. The pigment nearly disappeared. Then resurfaced wherever contact changed. Panam looked down. A line under her own ribs glowed where Sera’s thumb moved once. She smiled. Sera saw. “Still hate artists?” “Yes.” “Good.” Panam laughed softly. Then kissed her. Brief. Warm. When they separated, the pigment at their contact points was already fading again. Amber made no sound. Imani glanced at her. Surprised. Amber looked offended. “What?” “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. Maeve bit her lip. Panam turned. Saw them. “You were quiet.” Amber folded her arms. “I have range.” Sera smiled. “Apparently.” --- Imani ended the test before anyone could turn curiosity into three additional experiments. “Enough.” Panam looked at her. “That’s it?” “Yes.” Panam stared. Imani smiled. “Interesting reaction.” Panam looked at Sera. Then back. “I was asking technically.” “Of course.” Amber laughed. Panam pointed. “You have no standing.” “I’m an observer.” “Exactly.” --- Removal was almost disappointingly easy. Water. A neutral solution. Towels. Most of the pigment came away immediately. A few traces remained until the second pass. Panam watched one metallic ghost along her shoulder disappear. Then looked at Sera. “Temporary.” Sera nodded. “Yes.” Panam smiled. “Good.” Imani looked at her. “Why good?” Panam thought. “Because if I want it again, I choose it again.” Sera’s expression softened. Imani nodded once. “Exactly.” Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve looked back. There was something in that answer both of them liked. No one explained it. --- Sera dressed first. Panam took longer. Not because she needed to. She looked at herself in the mirror once after the last trace disappeared. Then at Imani. “Okay.” Imani raised an eyebrow. “Okay what?” “I get it.” Sera smiled. Panam pointed at her reflection. “Do not make artist face.” “I’m not.” “You are.” Amber laughed. Panam turned. “You too.” Amber held up both hands. “Nothing.” Panam sighed. “You all say that like a threat.” --- Imani started cleaning the work surface. Amber stood. Panam saw. Immediately: “No.” Amber blinked. “What?” “You have face.” “I’m getting up.” “You have _idea_ face.” Maeve looked at Amber. Amber froze. Imani slowly looked over. Sera smiled. Panam folded her arms. “What?” Amber looked at the pigment cartridges. Then at Imani. Then at her own bare midriff. Everyone saw it. Panam pointed. “Absolutely fucking not today.” Amber laughed. “I didn’t ask.” Imani smiled. “But you were going to.” Amber looked at Maeve. “My wife.” Maeve stood. “No.” Amber stared. “You don’t even know what.” “Yes, I do.” Amber looked around. “This place is oppressive.” Imani laughed. “You can have your turn later.” Amber stopped. “Oh.” Maeve closed her eyes. Panam looked at Sera. “We’ve created a problem.” Sera smiled. “No.” Panam looked toward Amber. Amber was staring at Imani with bright blue eyes and an expression that had already moved several steps ahead. Sera corrected: “Okay. Maybe.” Amber smiled. “Later.” Imani nodded. “Later.” That was enough. For now. --- They left the studio together. Sera and Panam ahead. Amber beside Maeve. Imani stayed behind. Panam looked at Sera while they walked. “That was better than I expected.” Sera smiled. “How much better?” Panam considered. Then slipped one arm around Sera’s waist. “Enough.” Sera leaned into her. Amber saw. Smiled. Maeve noticed. “Happy?” Amber looked at them. “Yes.” Then at Maeve. “And horny.” Maeve nearly walked into the wall. Amber burst out laughing. Panam turned around. “What?” Maeve pointed at Amber. “She—” Amber covered Maeve’s mouth with one hand. “No.” Maeve pulled the hand away. “My wife.” Amber smiled. “Yes?” “You are impossible.” Amber leaned closer. “Palace.” Maeve laughed. Panam looked at Sera. “Does that actually work as an excuse?” Sera smiled. “Apparently.” Panam nodded. “Good to know.” Amber pointed. “Do not make that word weird.” Panam stared. Then started laughing. --- ## Chapter Twenty-Two — Gravity Reyes received Talia’s message while they were still halfway back to the residential unit. She stopped walking. Kiro nearly walked into her. Amber noticed immediately. “What?” Reyes looked at the message. Then at Amber. “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “That word has been dead for weeks.” Kiro leaned slightly around Reyes. “Talia?” Reyes looked at her. “Yes.” Amber’s face changed. “Oh.” Reyes pointed. “No.” Amber smiled. “I said one syllable.” “You made the syllable filthy.” Panam looked at Sera. “Can syllables be filthy?” Sera nodded. “With Amber, yes.” Amber looked betrayed. Maeve laughed. Reyes checked the message again. > **TALIA:** Heard you’re back. Low-g room at sixteen if you haven’t gotten soft. Reyes smiled. Kiro saw. Amber saw Kiro see. And because apparently nobody in this group respected peace— Kiro leaned closer. “Gotten soft?” Reyes looked at her. “Her wording.” Amber folded her arms. “Convenient.” Reyes looked over. “You want to read it?” “Yes.” “No.” Amber stared. Reyes put the comm away. Amber pointed. “Suspicious.” Kiro smiled. “Jealous?” Amber looked at her. “Of Talia?” Kiro shrugged. Amber paused. Then smiled. “Depends what she does with Reyes.” Reyes stopped. Panam made a tiny sound. Sera covered her mouth. Maeve looked toward the ceiling. Kiro’s eyebrows rose. Amber smiled brightly. “What?” Reyes stared at her. Then: “You’ve been here less than two days.” “Yes.” “And you’re already like this.” Amber looked offended. “I was like this before we arrived.” Kiro laughed. “That is true.” --- They reached the residential unit twenty minutes later. Ms. B and Jessie were already there. Jessie looked at Sera. Then Panam. “Paint?” Panam nodded. “Gone.” Jessie frowned. “That fast?” “Temporary.” Sera smiled. Jessie looked disappointed. Panam saw. “What?” “Nothing.” Ms. B said: “She wanted to see it.” Jessie turned. “Betrayal.” “Transparency.” Amber entered behind them. “Hot administration?” Jessie pointed. “Do not restart that.” Amber laughed. --- Reyes went toward her room. Amber watched. Maeve saw. “What?” Amber looked at her. “Nothing.” Maeve raised one eyebrow. Amber sighed. “Fine. Talia.” “Yes.” “Low-g.” “Yes.” Maeve waited. Amber smiled. “I’m curious.” “About Talia?” “About Reyes.” Maeve looked at her. Amber’s smile changed. Not coy. Not really. “I know what she moves like on Earth.” There. Maeve understood. Amber continued: “I want to see what low-g does to her.” Maeve’s mouth twitched. “You could ask.” Amber looked toward Reyes’s room. Then back. “That sounds too easy.” “Everything with you has to become a campaign?” “No.” Amber smiled. “Some things become sport.” Maeve laughed. Kiro, passing behind them, said: “She’s going at sixteen.” Amber turned. Kiro stopped. “Oh.” Amber stared. “You just volunteered information.” “Yes.” “Why?” Kiro smiled. “Gravity-assisted collaboration.” Amber covered her face. Maeve lost it. --- At fifteen forty-five, Reyes came out dressed for training. Amber was in the common room. Waiting. Reyes saw her. Stopped. “No.” Amber blinked. “What?” “You’re coming.” “Maybe.” “No.” “Why?” “Because you have face.” Amber looked at Maeve. “My wife, she’s discriminating against my face.” Maeve did not look up. “Reasonably.” Amber stared. Reyes folded her arms. Kiro came out of her room. Saw Amber. Then Reyes. Then smiled. Amber pointed. “You know.” Kiro nodded. “Yes.” “What did she tell you?” “Nothing.” Amber glared. Kiro laughed. “Seriously. I know you.” Reyes sighed. “Fine.” Amber brightened. Reyes pointed. “You watch.” “Yes.” “You do not heckle.” Amber froze. “That is an unreasonable restriction.” “You do not heckle Talia.” Amber considered. “Can I heckle you?” “No.” Kiro said: “Probably impossible.” Reyes looked at her. Kiro smiled. “Statistically.” Amber held up one hand. “I can behave.” Every woman in the room laughed. Amber stared. “Fuck all of you.” Ms. B looked at the time. “Fifteen forty-eight.” Amber looked at her. “What?” “Confidence interval collapsing.” Jessie made a choking sound. Amber pointed. “Administrative bullying.” Ms. B smiled. “Off duty.” --- Talia was already waiting. The low-g training space looked nothing like the public movement chamber they had passed earlier. No playful architecture. No tourists. No brightly marked launch points. Training floor. Variable-gravity zones. Wall handholds. Open volume. Impact surfaces. Minimal equipment. Talia stood near one of the calibration panels. Reyes saw her. Smiled. Not huge. Real. Talia smiled back. Then looked at Amber. Then Kiro. “Oh.” Amber lifted one hand. “Hi.” Talia looked at Reyes. “You brought an audience.” Reyes sighed. “One audience.” Kiro looked offended. “I’m not audience.” Talia smiled. “No?” Kiro shook her head. “Technical curiosity.” Amber looked at her. “Coward.” Kiro ignored her. Talia walked toward Reyes. Stopped close. Then hugged her. Easy. Familiar. Reyes returned it. Amber watched. Kiro watched Amber watching. Amber felt the look. Turned. Kiro smiled. Amber pointed. “Do not.” Kiro whispered: “I said nothing.” --- Talia stepped back. Looked Reyes over. “Black.” Reyes touched one strand. “Works.” Reyes smiled. Amber leaned toward Kiro. “She likes.” Kiro whispered back: “Obviously.” Reyes looked at both. “I can hear you.” Amber smiled. “Excellent.” Talia looked at Amber. “Still like this?” Reyes answered: “Worse.” Amber gasped. Kiro nodded. “Much.” Amber looked around. “Hostile gravity environment.” Talia laughed. “I missed this.” Reyes looked at her. Something warm passed between them. No joke. Amber saw. And shut up. For once. --- Talia set the first zone to eighty percent. Reyes frowned. “That high?” Talia looked at her. “Warm-up.” “I remember.” “Do you?” Reyes stared. Talia smiled. “Show me.” Reyes stepped onto the floor. The change was subtle at first. She moved. Turned. Settled. Talia watched. Not impressed yet. Assessing. Amber watched too. Different reasons. Reyes rolled one shoulder. Shifted into motion. The jacket was gone. Training top. Fitted trousers. Nothing decorative. Her first short acceleration looked almost normal. The stop did not. Too easy. Too clean. Amber’s eyes narrowed. Talia saw. “Again.” Reyes moved. Faster. Changed direction. Landed. Her body corrected before her feet fully settled. The first hint of approval touched Talia’s mouth. She noticed. Kiro did too. Amber definitely did. Talia lowered gravity. Seventy. Then sixty-five. Reyes moved again. Longer stride now. More airtime. She corrected in the air. Not elegantly at first. Then better. Talia smiled. “You’re faster.” Reyes stopped. “On Earth.” “No.” Talia shook her head. “Here too.” Reyes looked at her. Talia stepped closer. “Your body commits earlier.” Reyes looked at Amber. Amber said nothing. Talia noticed. “What?” Reyes smiled. “She’s behaving.” Talia looked at Amber. Amber folded her arms. “I agreed.” Talia laughed. “Terrifying.” --- Fifty percent. That changed everything. Reyes pushed. Too hard. Not disastrously. Enough that she overshot the intended mark. Talia caught her forearm and redirected. Reyes landed against the padded wall. Amber laughed once. Reyes pointed. “No heckling.” “That was involuntary.” Kiro nodded. “Reflex.” Reyes looked at her. “Whose side are you on?” Kiro smiled. “Depends who’s winning.” Amber’s head snapped toward her. Kiro froze. Then smiled. “Too easy.” Amber laughed. Reyes shook her head. --- Talia stepped into the zone. “Again.” Reyes looked at her. “With you?” “Yes.” That changed her posture. Amber saw. Kiro saw. Talia moved first. Reyes followed. Now there was a target. Not competition exactly. Something close. Talia cut left. Reyes adjusted. Talia changed height. Reyes followed badly. Recovered. Talia smiled. Reyes frowned. Again. Faster. This time Reyes anticipated. Talia barely avoided her. Amber leaned forward. “Oh.” Kiro glanced at her. Amber whispered: “Shut up.” “I said nothing.” Reyes and Talia moved again. Low-g turned ordinary movement into something almost like aerial sparring without strikes. Momentum mattered differently. Commitment mattered more. Reyes adapted. Not instantly. That would have been boring. She made mistakes. Corrected. Made fewer. Talia kept forcing different angles. Eventually Reyes caught her. Not violently. One arm around Talia’s waist as both drifted off the surface. Talia laughed. Reyes used the contact to rotate them. Their feet found the wall. Stopped. Close. Very close. Amber went absolutely still. Kiro looked at her. Amber slowly raised one finger. Do not. Kiro covered her mouth. Reyes and Talia remained there for one extra beat. Talia looked at Reyes. “Better.” Reyes smiled. “Good.” Amber’s entire face changed. Kiro made a tiny choking sound. Reyes heard. Looked toward them. Saw Amber. Then realized what she had said. “Fuck.” Amber folded forward laughing. “You said good.” Talia looked confused. Kiro leaned against the wall. “Long story.” Reyes closed her eyes. Amber called: “POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT.” Reyes pushed off the wall directly toward her. Amber’s eyes widened. “Oh, shit.” At fifty percent gravity, running away was a tactical error. Amber tried anyway. One push. Too much. She sailed backward. Reyes caught her around the waist. Amber yelped. Kiro burst out laughing. Talia doubled over. Reyes rotated in the air with Amber trapped against her. Amber stared up. “You abused gravity.” Reyes smiled. “You heckled.” “You said good.” “Die.” Amber smiled. “Not before Palace ends.” Reyes’s smile faltered for half a heartbeat. Tiny. Amber noticed. There. Then Talia said: “Put her down before I start charging both of you.” Reyes looked toward her. Amber looked too. Then Amber smiled. “Talia.” “No.” “I said your name.” “You have face.” Kiro lost it. --- Reyes set Amber down. Eventually. Amber adjusted her jacket. Looked deeply offended. Kiro came beside her. “Worth it?” Amber watched Reyes return to Talia. “Yes.” Kiro looked at her. Amber grinned. “She moves beautifully here.” Kiro nodded. “Yes.” Amber watched as Talia lowered the zone again. Forty. Reyes adapted slower now. Good. More challenge. More work. Amber’s interest sharpened instead of fading. Kiro noticed. “You really like watching movement.” Amber looked at her. “Yes.” “Reyes specifically.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Kiro nodded. No tease. Just filed away. Interesting. --- Training continued for another half hour. Talia stopped before Reyes got sloppy. Also good. Reyes wanted one more round. Talia refused. “Tomorrow.” Reyes frowned. “I’m fine.” “You’re getting tired.” “I’m not.” Talia pointed. “You corrected late twice.” Reyes stopped. Kiro looked at Amber. Amber whispered: “She’s right.” Reyes heard. “Both of you can fuck off.” Amber smiled. “That sounds promising.” Talia looked at Reyes. Then Amber. Then slowly: “Do I want context?” Reyes said: “No.” Amber said: “Yes.” Kiro said: “Probably not.” Talia laughed. “Good.” Reyes groaned. --- They left together. Talia came with them as far as the corridor junction. Reyes stopped. “You free later?” Talia looked at her. “Dinner.” “With?” “Work people.” Reyes nodded. “No problem.” Talia smiled. “Tomorrow?” “Yes.” Then Talia kissed her. Brief. Easy. No drama. Reyes returned it. Amber saw. Of course. Talia pulled back. Looked toward Amber. Amber raised both hands. “I am behaving.” Talia smiled. “Good.” Amber closed her eyes. Kiro laughed so hard she had to turn away. Reyes covered her face. Talia looked confused again. Amber pointed at Reyes. “HER FAULT.” Talia laughed and left. --- They watched her go. Then Amber looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. “Don’t.” Amber smiled. “I wasn’t going to.” “Bullshit.” Amber stepped closer. Reyes waited. Amber looked her over. Still slightly flushed from training. Breathing normal now. Black hair tied back. Body loose from low-g. Amber’s smile changed. Reyes saw. So did Kiro. Amber said: “You really do move differently.” Reyes raised one eyebrow. “Compliment?” “Yes.” Reyes paused. That took some of the joke out. Amber continued: “I want a turn.” Silence. Kiro’s eyebrows rose. Reyes looked at Amber. “With what?” Amber glanced back toward the training room. Then up at Reyes. “Zero-g.” Reyes smiled slowly. “That’s not zero-g.” “You know what I mean.” “I do.” Amber held her gaze. No filthy punchline now. Not yet. Reyes asked: “When?” Amber smiled. “No schedule.” Kiro looked between them. Then took one deliberate step backward. Amber saw. “Kiro.” “What?” “You’re doing face.” Kiro smiled. “I know when a specialist consultation is outside my scope.” Reyes laughed. Amber pointed. “Coward.” Kiro shrugged. “Efficient.” Then she walked ahead. Reyes watched her go. Amber watched Reyes. Reyes looked down. “What?” Amber smiled. “Nothing.” Reyes narrowed her eyes. Amber laughed. “Come on.” They followed Kiro. --- ## Chapter Twenty-Three — Dinner By the time Amber, Reyes and Kiro reached the residential unit, the smell of food had already escaped into the corridor. Amber stopped. Reyes nearly walked into her. “Why did you stop?” Amber sniffed. “Food.” Kiro looked at her. “You ate with Marisol.” Amber turned. “That was hours ago.” “Four.” “Exactly.” Reyes walked past her. “Palace metabolism.” Amber followed. “That is absolutely a thing.” “No, it isn’t.” “You don’t know.” “I know enough.” Kiro opened the door. Amber pointed at Reyes. “You just spent an hour bouncing around at forty percent gravity.” “Training.” “Still bouncing.” Reyes looked over her shoulder. “Careful.” Amber smiled. “Threat?” “Promise.” Kiro sighed. “You two really need the zero-g room.” Silence. Kiro stopped. Slowly closed her eyes. Amber stared at her. Reyes stared at her. Kiro turned. “I meant training.” Amber’s smile became enormous. Reyes looked at the ceiling. Kiro pointed at Amber. “No.” Amber spread her hands. “I said nothing.” “You were about to.” “I was appreciating.” Reyes pushed the door open. “Inside. Both of you.” Amber followed. “Yes, ma’am.” Reyes stopped. Amber nearly walked into her. Kiro made a strangled sound. Amber looked innocent. “What?” Reyes slowly turned. “Twenty-four hours ago, that would have been funny.” Amber smiled. “And now?” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro was already laughing. “Now I blame her.” --- Dinner had happened without them. Or rather, dinner had begun without them and expanded when they returned. Jessie sat cross-legged on one of the common-room seats with a bowl balanced on one knee. Ms. B had claimed the table. Maeve sat opposite her with a data pane open between them. Not work. Amber recognized travel schedules. Sera and Panam occupied the end of the table. Panam was eating with the concentration of someone who had discovered she was considerably hungrier than expected. Amber walked in. Stopped. Looked at Maeve. Then the pane. Then Ms. B. “Oh, no.” Ms. B looked up. “What?” “You’re administrating.” “I’m looking at tomorrow.” “On vacation.” “Yes.” Amber looked at Maeve. “My wife.” Maeve smiled. “She found three conflicts.” Amber pointed at Ms. B. “See?” Ms. B put down her fork. “Your coffee with Marisol moved nothing.” Amber paused. “Continue.” Jessie laughed. Ms. B tapped the pane. “Reyes and Kiro have their specialist session at thirteen.” Kiro nodded. Reyes pulled out a chair. “Correct.” “Imani wants Sera and Panam at fourteen-thirty.” Panam stopped eating. “She does?” Sera smiled. “She messaged me.” Panam looked at her. “When?” “While you were eating.” Panam looked at the bowl. Then back. “Fair.” Ms. B continued. “Maeve has nothing until seventeen.” Amber brightened. Maeve saw. “No.” Amber stared. “I didn’t say anything.” “You were about to assign my free time.” Amber smiled. “Maybe.” Ms. B looked at Amber. “And you have nothing.” Amber slowly sat down. “Nothing?” “Nothing.” “Until?” “Nothing.” Amber looked suspicious. “All day?” “Yes.” Amber turned toward Maeve. Maeve smiled. Amber looked around the table. “Why does that feel dangerous?” Jessie answered: “Because you’re you.” --- Reyes sat beside Kiro. Amber noticed. Did not comment. Reyes noticed Amber not commenting. That was apparently enough to make her suspicious. “What?” Amber reached for food. “Nothing.” Reyes narrowed her eyes. Amber looked up. “What?” “You’re quiet.” “I’m hungry.” “That has never stopped you.” Kiro nodded. “True.” Amber stared at her. “You’re supposed to be the nice one.” Kiro considered. “Was I?” Maeve answered: “Historically.” Kiro smiled. “Growth.” Reyes put one arm around her shoulders. Amber looked. Kiro looked at Amber. Amber kept eating. Kiro frowned. Reyes looked between them. Then whispered something into Kiro’s ear. Kiro smiled. Amber still did not react. Maeve saw the entire thing. She leaned toward Amber. “They’re trying.” Amber whispered back: “I know.” “Working?” Amber looked at Reyes. Reyes was pretending not to watch. Amber smiled. “No.” Maeve laughed softly. --- Panam finally put down her fork. Looked at Reyes. “How was low-g?” Reyes nodded. “Good.” Amber choked. Reyes froze. Kiro dropped her head onto the table. Jessie looked around. “What?” Amber coughed. Maeve slapped her lightly between the shoulder blades. Ms. B looked at Reyes. Then Kiro. Then Amber. Understanding arrived. “Oh.” Jessie looked at her. “What?” Ms. B leaned over. Whispered. Jessie’s eyes widened. Then she started laughing. Reyes pointed around the table. “This is not funny.” Panam looked completely lost. “What the fuck happened?” Sera whispered to her. Panam stared at Reyes. Then Kiro. Then Amber. “No.” Amber finally got her breathing under control. “Yes.” Panam looked at Kiro. “You?” Kiro raised her head. “Mostly Reyes.” Reyes stared. “Traitor.” “Affectionately.” Amber made another choking sound. Reyes stood. “I’m leaving.” Kiro caught her wrist. Reyes looked down. Kiro smiled. “Sit.” Reyes stared at her. Then sat. Amber went very still. Kiro realized. Panam realized. Jessie definitely realized. Reyes closed her eyes. “Not. One. Word.” Amber put both hands over her mouth. Maeve was shaking beside her. Ms. B looked away. Sera whispered: “This is getting ridiculous.” Panam whispered back: “No. This is fucking excellent.” --- Eventually they managed to eat. Mostly. Amber stole from Maeve’s plate. Maeve stole it back. Amber objected. Maeve ignored her. Sera explained the second studio session to Panam. Not another full body-paint test. Imani wanted to compare how the pigments behaved on different surfaces and under lower gravity. Panam looked at her. “Lower gravity?” “Yes.” Panam thought. Then looked at Reyes. Reyes saw. “No.” Panam blinked. “What?” “Whatever you’re about to ask.” “I was going to ask how different movement feels.” Reyes paused. “Oh.” Amber smiled. Reyes pointed. “Do not.” Amber took another bite. “I’m eating.” Panam looked between them. Then back at Reyes. “So?” Reyes settled. “Depends how low.” “Half?” “Enough that you stop trusting normal stride length.” Panam nodded. “Balance?” “Changes. Momentum more than balance.” Kiro joined in. “Your visual system still expects the same response from the same force.” Panam looked at her. “So you overcorrect.” “At first.” Reyes nodded. “Or undercorrect because you’re trying not to overcorrect.” Panam frowned. “That sounds annoying.” “It is.” Amber looked at Reyes. “You liked it.” Reyes looked back. “Yes.” No joke. Amber grinned. “Thought so.” --- That answer changed the conversation. Not dramatically. Just enough. Reyes talked about training. Actual training. Talia. How low-g changed timing. How her own physical improvements since the Flash were showing up differently there than she had expected. Kiro asked technical questions. Panam asked practical ones. Sera wanted to know how much of movement could be learned versus recalibrated every time gravity changed. Maeve listened. Ms. B listened too. Amber mostly watched Reyes. Reyes noticed eventually. “What?” Amber shook her head. “Keep going.” Reyes raised an eyebrow. Amber meant it. So Reyes did. She described the moment at fifty percent when she had finally stopped treating the floor as the primary reference. Kiro immediately understood. “So the wall became viable.” “Yes.” “Any surface.” “Yes.” Amber’s attention sharpened. Reyes saw. Stopped. Amber smiled. “Any surface.” Reyes stared. Kiro slowly put down her fork. Maeve covered her eyes. Panam looked at Sera. “What?” Sera whispered: “Do not help her.” Amber leaned forward. “I am discussing biomechanics.” Reyes pointed. “You are discussing fucking.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. Silence. Jessie whispered: “Direct hit.” Ms. B nodded. Amber looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Then Amber smiled. “Both can be true.” Panam slapped the table. Sera folded against her. Maeve started laughing. Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes realized she had walked directly into it. “Fuck.” Amber leaned back. “Thank you.” --- When the laughter finally died, Maeve pushed her plate away. “Actually.” Amber looked at her. Danger. Maeve had thinking face. “Yes?” Maeve looked at Reyes. “You and Amber should book the proper zero-g room.” Amber froze. Reyes froze. Kiro looked at Maeve. Then slowly smiled. Amber turned. “My wife.” Maeve met her eyes. “Yes?” “You’re helping.” “I’m being practical.” Reyes looked at her. “For what?” Maeve shrugged. “You both want to know.” Amber’s smile faded slightly. Because that was true. Reyes looked at Amber. Amber looked back. The joke dropped out for a moment. Reyes asked: “Training first?” Amber thought. “Yes.” Reyes nodded. “Good.” Amber’s mouth twitched. Reyes immediately closed her eyes. The table exploded again. Amber pointed. “YOU DID THAT ONE TO YOURSELF.” Reyes covered her face. Kiro leaned against her shoulder, laughing helplessly. Maeve looked immensely pleased with herself. --- Later, when dinner had dissolved into drinks and nobody had bothered clearing the table properly yet, Kiro’s comm pinged. She looked. Her posture changed. Small. Professional. Reyes noticed first. “Work?” Kiro nodded. “Tomorrow.” Amber looked over. “The specialist session?” “Yes.” Reyes leaned closer. Kiro turned the display slightly so she could see. The change in Reyes was immediate. The flirting did not disappear. It simply moved aside. Amber watched. So did Maeve. Kiro scrolled. “Palace infrastructure team found intermittent latency in a secure transfer path.” Reyes frowned. “Physical or network?” “They don’t know.” “Which is why both of us.” “Yes.” Amber looked at Maeve. Reyes had not come to Palace merely as Talia’s companion, sparring partner or another person for Amber to flirt with. Kiro had not come merely to become half of the safehouse’s current favorite joke. Together they were specialists. And the transition took less than a second. Reyes pointed at something on the pane. “That junction.” Kiro nodded. “First place I’d look.” “Can we get physical access?” “Already requested.” Reyes looked at her. Kiro smiled. “Before dinner.” Reyes leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Good girl.” Silence. Kiro’s eyes widened. Reyes stared straight ahead. Amber slowly stood. “No.” Reyes pointed without looking. “Sit down.” Amber remained standing. “No. That was too perfect. I need space.” Maeve grabbed the back of Amber’s jacket. Pulled. Amber dropped back into the seat. “This is oppression.” Kiro was laughing too hard to speak. Reyes looked at the ceiling. Panam wiped tears from her eyes. “I am never leaving.” Sera kissed her temple. “You say that now.” --- Eventually the technical pane closed. Tomorrow could wait until tomorrow. Kiro relaxed again. Reyes stayed close. No performance now. Her hand rested on Kiro’s thigh beneath the edge of the table. Amber saw. Reyes saw Amber see. Neither reacted. That was better. Jessie had moved half onto Ms. B. Sera and Panam occupied one chair badly rather than two correctly. Maeve sat beside Amber. Amber leaned against her. The room had gone softer around the edges. Not quiet. Never quiet. But settled. Maeve touched Amber’s knee. “You have a free day tomorrow.” Amber smiled. “So I’ve been told.” “What are you going to do?” Amber thought. Actually thought. “Sleep.” Maeve raised an eyebrow. “For part of it.” “Coffee?” “Marisol said message.” “She will.” Amber looked at her. “Confident.” “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Maybe Imani.” “Maybe.” “Maybe walk.” “Dangerous.” Amber laughed. Then looked toward Reyes. Reyes was listening to something Kiro said. Close. Comfortable. Amber looked back at Maeve. “And maybe I book a room.” Maeve’s fingers moved once against her knee. “Training?” Amber smiled. “First.” Maeve held her gaze. Amber leaned closer. “After that?” Maeve smiled. “No schedule.” Amber laughed softly. “Exactly.” --- Her comm pinged. Amber looked down. Marisol. > **MARISOL:** Survived the artist? Amber smiled immediately. Maeve saw. “Her?” “Yes.” Amber typed. > **AMBER:** Barely. Panam got painted. I was cruelly denied. A few seconds. > **MARISOL:** Imani denied _you_ something? Amber frowned. > **AMBER:** Why does everyone know everyone? Marisol: > **MARISOL:** Palace. Amber stared at the message. Then handed the comm to Maeve. Maeve read it. Started laughing. Amber pointed at the screen. “SEE?” Maeve handed it back. “Apparently it really is an answer.” Amber typed: > **AMBER:** I hate this place. Marisol: > **MARISOL:** Liar. Amber smiled. Then: > **MARISOL:** Free tomorrow evening? Amber read it. Looked at Maeve. Maeve had already read her face. “Yes?” Amber laughed. “She asked.” Maeve smiled. “What do you want?” Amber looked at the message again. No group vote. No schedule conflict. No reason to make it complicated. She typed: > **AMBER:** Yes. Marisol answered almost immediately. > **MARISOL:** Dinner? Amber: > **AMBER:** Yes. Then another message arrived. > **MARISOL:** Wear the shorts. Amber froze. Maeve saw. “What?” Amber slowly turned the screen. Maeve read it. One eyebrow rose. Then she looked down at Amber’s shorts. Back up. Amber waited. Maeve smiled. “I like her.” Amber burst out laughing. Across the table Reyes looked over. “What?” Amber put the comm against her chest. “Private.” Reyes’s eyebrows rose. Kiro smiled. “Oh.” Amber pointed. “Don’t you fucking dare.” Reyes leaned toward Kiro. Whispered something. Kiro smiled wider. Amber looked at Maeve. “They’re doing it again.” Maeve slipped an arm around her. “Let them.” Amber considered. Then relaxed against her. “Fine.” --- ## Chapter Twenty-Four — Specialists Amber did, in fact, sleep. Late enough that when she wandered into the common room, nobody applauded. Mostly because nobody was there. She stopped. Looked around. Silence. “Rude.” Nothing answered. Amber checked the time. 11:26. Then the messages. Maeve: > **MAEVE:** Meeting moved earlier. Back after lunch. Jessie: > **JESSIE:** Ms. B kidnapped me. A second message. > **MS. B:** We went shopping. Amber smiled. Sera: > **SERA:** Panam and I went out. Imani at 14:30. Then Panam: > **PANAM:** She said “went out” like I had a choice. Immediately below it: > **SERA:** You chose breakfast. > **PANAM:** Under duress. Amber laughed. Then Kiro: > **KIRO:** Specialist session at 13. Reyes says you are not invited. Amber stared. Another message. > **REYES:** Correct. Amber typed: > **AMBER:** I DIDN’T ASK. Three dots appeared almost immediately. > **REYES:** You were going to. Amber stared at the screen. Then: > **AMBER:** Fuck you. Reyes: > **REYES:** Maybe later. Amber froze. Read it again. Then slowly sat down. “Oh, you bitch.” A new message. Kiro: > **KIRO:** She is extremely pleased with herself. Amber typed: > **AMBER:** Tell her I hate her. Kiro: > **KIRO:** She says she knows. Amber: > **AMBER:** Tell her dinner. Tonight. After Marisol. Pause. Then: > **KIRO:** That sounded threatening. Amber smiled. > **AMBER:** It is. Reyes answered directly. > **REYES:** Looking forward to it. Amber stared. Then laughed. Fine. Apparently that was today. --- She found food. Coffee. More coffee. Then discovered something she had not experienced in almost forty-eight hours. Nobody needed her. Amber sat at the table. Looked around. Finished eating. Still nobody. Her comm remained silent. She checked it anyway. Nothing. Amber leaned back. “This is fucking weird.” She could go find Maeve. No. Maeve was working. Sera and Panam had their own day. Jessie and Ms. B were apparently engaged in an administrative kidnapping. Kiro and Reyes would be working soon. Marisol tonight. Amber looked toward the window. Palace beyond. Thousands of people. Dozens of levels she had never seen. Nothing scheduled. Her smile slowly appeared. Oh. Right. --- She changed. Not because she needed to. Because she wanted to. The shorts stayed. Marisol had apparently issued future wardrobe requirements. Amber found that amusing enough not to resist. Different cropped top. Loose jacket. Boots. Then she left. Alone. No destination. --- At twelve fifty-eight, Reyes and Kiro entered a very different Palace. Not socially. Physically. Service corridor. Restricted access. No polished public surfaces. No decorative lighting. Panels. Conduit. Maintenance markings. Actual infrastructure. Reyes looked around. “Better.” Kiro smiled. “You like this more than the club?” “I understand this.” “You understood the club.” Reyes looked at her. “No.” Kiro laughed. A Palace infrastructure engineer waited beside an access door. “Reyes. Kiro.” Both nodded. “Anya,” the engineer said. Kiro offered her hand. Reyes did the same. Anya opened the access pane. “The problem started three days ago.” Kiro straightened, the humor gone. Professional. “How intermittent?” “Six events we can prove.” “Duration?” “Shortest eleven milliseconds. Longest eighty-seven.” Reyes frowned. “That’s tiny.” “For most traffic.” Kiro looked at her. “Not for synchronization.” Anya nodded. “Exactly.” Reyes looked at the wall. “Physical route?” Anya opened a schematic. Kiro moved closer. Reyes beside her. No touching now. No flirting. Work. --- The path crossed three service zones. Two switching nodes. One physical isolation bridge. Kiro studied the map. “Any maintenance?” “Nothing scheduled.” “Unscheduled?” Anya smiled without humor. “Palace.” Kiro looked at her. “That is not an answer.” Anya laughed. “Finally someone says it.” Reyes smiled. Kiro looked at her. “What?” “Nothing.” Kiro narrowed her eyes. Reyes pointed at the schematic. “Work.” Kiro smiled. “Coward.” Reyes stared. “That’s Amber’s line.” “Specialist morale.” Reyes closed her eyes. Anya looked between them. “Do I want context?” Both answered: “No.” --- The first junction was clean. Literally. Reyes opened the physical housing. Looked. No heat discoloration. No loose mount. No vibration damage. Kiro ran diagnostics beside her. “Nothing.” Reyes checked the connectors manually. “Agreed.” “Next.” They moved. Anya followed. Second junction. Same. Kiro frowned. “That’s annoying.” Reyes looked at her. “You wanted obvious?” “I wanted something.” “You have latency.” “I want a cause.” Reyes smiled. “Impatient.” Kiro looked at her. “Yes.” No joke. Just true. Reyes liked that. --- The isolation bridge was different. Reyes noticed before Kiro did. She stopped. Kiro took another step. Then noticed Reyes had stopped. “What?” Reyes pointed. “Mount.” Kiro looked. Nothing obvious. Anya looked too. “What about it?” Reyes crouched. Touched the edge of the housing. Then the adjacent support. “Vibration.” Anya frowned. “This section is damped.” “Supposed to be.” Kiro crouched beside Reyes. “Enough to cause latency?” “No idea.” Reyes looked at her. “But it shouldn’t move.” Kiro nodded. “Good enough.” Reyes smiled. “Good?” Kiro froze. Reyes froze. Anya looked between them. Kiro slowly said: “Professionally.” Reyes looked away. Kiro started laughing. Anya stared. “Okay.” Reyes pointed at the housing. “Please save me from this.” --- They isolated the bridge. Kiro ran a local test. Nothing. Again. Nothing. Reyes changed the load on the mount manually. Kiro watched the trace. “Again.” Reyes pushed. Released. Kiro’s eyes narrowed. “There.” Anya stepped closer. “Latency?” “Fourteen milliseconds.” Reyes looked at the mount. “Mechanical.” Kiro shook her head. “Mechanical trigger.” Reyes looked at her. “Difference?” “The network hardware is still responding incorrectly.” Anya nodded. “So both.” Kiro smiled. “Which is why both of us.” Reyes looked at her. There was no teasing in it. Just satisfaction. They worked well together. Very well. --- Reyes removed the outer mount. Kiro monitored. Anya watched. The problem appeared underneath. Tiny. A damping insert had shifted perhaps two millimeters. Not broken. Not missing. Wrong. Reyes touched it. “It’s walking.” Anya frowned. “How?” Reyes looked at the surrounding mount. “Repeated thermal cycle?” Kiro checked the environmental history. “Temperature variance is tiny.” “Vibration source?” “Shouldn’t be one.” Reyes looked toward the corridor. “Shouldn’t.” Kiro caught the wording. Then looked at Anya. “What’s behind this wall?” “Service void.” “Beyond that?” Anya checked. “Transit guide structure.” Reyes’s mouth twitched. “There.” Kiro looked at her. “You think transit vibration is crossing the isolation.” “Enough over time.” Kiro pulled historical transit data. Aligned it with the six latency events. Nothing. Reyes waited. Kiro shifted the window. Then stopped. “Oh.” Anya leaned closer. “What?” “Not the events.” Kiro expanded the trace. “The movement.” Reyes understood. “Cumulative.” “Yes.” Transit vibration did not cause each latency spike. It slowly walked the damping insert out of position. Then under certain loads the bridge shifted enough to produce the network timing error. Anya stared at the data. “That is obnoxious.” Reyes smiled. “Yes.” Kiro looked pleased. “Very.” --- They fixed the insert temporarily. Not permanently. Reyes reseated it. Added a retention brace. Kiro reran load tests. No latency. Again. Nothing. Anya looked at Reyes. “That brace certified?” “No.” Anya looked at Kiro. Kiro shook her head. “Diagnostic only.” “Good.” Reyes’s mouth twitched. Kiro saw. “No.” Reyes looked innocent. Anya looked between them again. “I am definitely missing something.” Kiro smiled. “You are happier that way.” --- The permanent fix would belong to Palace engineering. Different mount. Better isolation. Possibly a redesigned bridge support. Not their problem. Their problem had been finding it. They had. Forty-nine minutes. Anya looked at the time. “That was fast.” Kiro shrugged. “You knew where the path was.” Reyes added: “And you gave us access without making us fight three departments.” Anya smiled. “That would have added six hours.” “Exactly.” She looked at both. “We may need you again.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. “While we’re here,” Kiro said. Anya nodded. “Fair.” Then: “Enjoy the rest of Palace.” Reyes smiled. “We’ll try.” Kiro looked at her. Reyes caught it. “What?” “Nothing.” Anya laughed. “I’m leaving before that starts again.” --- The access door closed behind her. Reyes and Kiro were alone in the service corridor. For approximately three seconds. Then Kiro said: “You liked that.” Reyes looked at her. “The work?” “Yes.” Reyes nodded. “Very much.” Kiro smiled. “So did I.” They started walking. Reyes slipped one arm around Kiro’s shoulders. Natural now. Kiro leaned slightly into her. No audience. No Amber. No reason to perform. They walked like that anyway. Kiro noticed. So did Reyes. Neither mentioned it. After several meters Kiro said: “You know she’s going to ask.” “Amber?” “Yes.” “About the work?” “No.” Reyes laughed. “Of course not.” Kiro looked up at her. “She’ll ask whether we kissed in the service corridor.” Reyes considered. “We haven’t.” Kiro smiled. “Technical accuracy.” Reyes stopped walking. Kiro stopped too. Looked at her. Reyes leaned down. Kissed her. Short. Easy. Then stepped back. “There.” Kiro stared. Reyes smiled. “Now we don’t have to lie.” Kiro started laughing. “You are getting much worse.” “I know.” Kiro took her hand. They continued. --- Amber, meanwhile, had found trouble. Not dramatic trouble. A boutique. She had entered because something in the window caught her attention. She had stayed because the woman working there had looked at Amber’s current clothes and said: “You’re wasting your legs.” Amber had stopped. Slowly turned. “Excuse me?” The woman had smiled. “Those shorts are conservative.” Amber looked down. Very short fitted black shorts. Bare thigh. Harness detail. Then back up. “These?” “Yes.” Amber stared. Then smiled. “I like you.” The woman laughed. “Try this.” What she handed Amber was technically clothing. Probably. Amber held it up. Looked through part of it. Then at the woman. “Where is the rest?” “That is the rest.” Amber smiled. Oh. Palace. --- Twenty minutes later, Maeve received an image. No text. Just Amber standing in a fitting room. The outfit was black. Mostly. There was very little of it. Maeve stared. Then zoomed. Then realized she had zoomed. She looked around. She was sitting alone at a café table waiting for Ms. B. Good. Her comm pinged. > **AMBER:** Business appropriate? Maeve laughed. Typed: > **MAEVE:** Absolutely. Amber: > **AMBER:** Excellent. Maeve: > **MAEVE:** If the business is prostitution. Pause. Then: > **AMBER:** SEE? YOU GET ME. Maeve covered her face. Another image arrived. Different outfit. Somehow worse. Or better. Depending on objective. > **AMBER:** Dinner? Maeve looked. Marisol had requested the shorts. This was not shorts. This was an aggressive disagreement with fabric. Maeve typed: > **MAEVE:** She specifically asked for the shorts. Long pause. Then: > **AMBER:** FUCK. Maeve laughed hard enough that the next table looked over. --- Ms. B arrived. Saw Maeve laughing. “What?” Maeve handed her the comm. Ms. B looked. Paused. Swiped to the first image. Back. Then handed it back. “She needs both.” Maeve stared. “You are supposed to be the responsible one.” “I am.” “That was not responsible.” “One is useful.” “For what?” Ms. B looked at her. Maeve waited. Ms. B smiled. “Palace.” Maeve closed her eyes. “Not you too.” --- Amber bought both. Obviously. But she left wearing her shorts. Marisol had asked. That mattered more than the boutique clerk’s professional attack on modesty. The new clothes went back to the residential unit. Amber did not. She kept walking. Alone. She found a viewing gallery she had never seen. Stayed there fifteen minutes. Found a tiny food stall. Ate something she could not identify. Liked it. Kept walking. Nobody knew where she was. Nobody needed to. She liked that more than she had expected. --- At fourteen-thirty, Sera and Panam met Imani. At fourteen-forty, Reyes and Kiro returned. At fourteen-forty-two, Kiro sent Amber a message. > **KIRO:** Fixed it. Amber read it while leaning against a rail overlooking a huge internal transit space. Typed: > **AMBER:** Actual work? Kiro: > **KIRO:** Yes. Amber: > **AMBER:** Proud of you. Pause. Kiro: > **KIRO:** Both of us? Amber smiled. > **AMBER:** Obviously. Another pause. Then Reyes: > **REYES:** We kissed in a service corridor. Amber stared. Slowly lowered the comm. Raised it again. > **AMBER:** WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME THIS Reyes: > **REYES:** Transparency. Kiro: > **KIRO:** It was a team-building exercise. Amber laughed so suddenly that a stranger walking past looked at her. She typed: > **AMBER:** I hate you both. Reyes: > **REYES:** Dinner? Amber smiled. > **AMBER:** After Marisol. Reyes: > **REYES:** Good. Amber stared. Then: > **AMBER:** YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE. No answer. Amber waited. Still nothing. She started laughing again. --- Her next message came from Marisol. > **MARISOL:** Still free? Amber: > **AMBER:** Yes. > **MARISOL:** Nineteen? > **AMBER:** Yes. Then: > **MARISOL:** Shorts? Amber looked down. Smiled. > **AMBER:** Still wearing them. Marisol: > **MARISOL:** Good girl. Amber stopped breathing. Just for a second. Her eyes widened. Then narrowed. Then she looked around as if Marisol might somehow be hiding nearby. Another message arrived. > **MARISOL:** Too much? Amber read it. She thought before answering. Then smiled. > **AMBER:** No. Pause. Amber added: > **AMBER:** But now I know you’re dangerous. Marisol: > **MARISOL:** Pattern recognition. Amber laughed softly. Of course. She put the comm away. Looked out across Palace. Then checked the time. Still hours before dinner. No schedule until then. No escort. No work. No obligation. Amber pushed away from the rail. Started walking again. And for once, she had absolutely no idea where she was going. --- ## Chapter Twenty-Five — Zero Amber found the zero-g room by accident. Mostly. She had been wandering for nearly an hour when a directional display offered: **RECREATION / MOVEMENT / ZERO-G** Amber stopped. Looked at it. Then checked the time. 16:03. Dinner with Marisol at nineteen. Plenty. She looked back at the sign. “No.” Kept walking. Four steps. Stopped. Turned around. “Fuck.” --- The facility was larger than the low-g training room. Very different purpose. No sparring surfaces. No hard equipment. A broad cylindrical chamber surrounded by padded walls and handholds, with several configurable lighting zones and retractable anchor lines. Private rooms branched away from the main recreational space. Amber stood at reception. “Private room.” The attendant nodded. “How many?” Amber paused. “One.” Then: “For now.” The attendant did not react. Palace. “Gravity preference?” “Zero.” “Experience?” Amber thought. “Yes.” Technically. Enough. “Thirty minutes?” Amber looked at the time. “Forty-five.” The attendant nodded. “Room four.” Amber paid. Walked away. Then stopped. Turned. “If someone joins me?” “Add them through your room access.” “Good.” The attendant looked at her. Amber froze. Then pointed. “Not your fault.” The attendant had absolutely no idea what she meant. Better. --- Room four was empty. Amber stepped inside. Door closed. She looked around. Padded cylindrical volume. Handholds. Soft wall sections. A few floating reference markers currently secured near one wall. Nothing complicated. Amber removed her jacket. Boots next. She looked down at the shorts. Then at the room. Kept them. The gravity indicator read: **1.0 G** Amber touched the control. **0.5** Her body immediately felt wrong. Not unfamiliar after yesterday. Still wrong. Amber bent her knees. Jumped. Too hard. “Shit.” She caught a handhold before reaching the opposite wall. Laughed. Then pushed back. More carefully. She moved around the room. Tested turns. Stops. Wall contact. The same things she had watched Reyes learning. At half gravity, Amber adapted quickly. Of course. Small body. Fast reactions. Years of treating architecture as optional. She smiled. Then changed the control. **0.2** “Oh.” That was different. She pushed lightly from the wall. Drifted. Waited for gravity to pull her down. It barely did. Amber rotated. Reached. Missed the next handhold by centimeters. Slowly drifted past it. “This is fucking stupid.” She laughed. Caught another. Then looked at the final setting. **0.0** Amber hesitated. Touched it. --- Nothing happened dramatically. No sudden launch. No cinematic lurch. The pressure under her feet simply disappeared. Amber remained where she was because she had not moved. Then she lifted one foot. The other followed. Her hand tightened on the rail. “Oh.” She let go. Stayed. Completely unsupported. Amber smiled. Slowly. Then pushed. Too hard again. “Fuck.” She crossed the room. Hit the padded opposite surface shoulder first. Bounced. Rotated. Caught herself badly. Started laughing. No one to hear. Good. She tried again. Smaller push. Better. Turn using one hand. Bad. Again. Better. Feet against wall. Push. Rotate. Catch. Miss. Drift. Laugh. Again. --- Twenty minutes disappeared. Amber eventually stopped treating the room like a floor with inconvenient physics. That was when it became fun. Every wall mattered. Ceiling stopped meaning anything. She could push from one surface, rotate halfway across and catch another. Her size helped. So did her instinct for momentum. But zero-g punished impatience. Hard. Amber discovered this after one particularly confident push left her rotating slowly through the center of the room with nothing within reach. She crossed her arms. Waited. “This is humiliating.” The room did not care. Eventually she drifted close enough to a wall. Caught it. Then laughed again. Reyes was going to love this. That thought changed something. Amber looked toward the door. Then her comm. She pulled herself to a handhold. Opened messages. Reyes. > **AMBER:** Busy? Response took perhaps fifteen seconds. > **REYES:** No. Then: > **REYES:** Why? Amber smiled. > **AMBER:** Room 4. Zero-g facility. Longer pause. > **REYES:** You booked it without me. Amber: > **AMBER:** I found it. Reyes: > **REYES:** That is not an answer. Amber laughed. > **AMBER:** 22 minutes left. Three dots. Gone. Back. Then: > **REYES:** On my way. Amber smiled. Added Reyes to room access. Then looked at herself. Shorts. Cropped top. Bare feet. She thought about putting the jacket back on. No. That would be ridiculous. She pushed away from the wall. Waited. --- Reyes arrived eight minutes later. The door opened. Amber was upside down. Technically nobody was upside down. But relative to the doorway, definitely Amber. Reyes stopped. Looked up. Amber waved. “Hi.” Reyes stared. “How?” Amber looked around. “I got bored.” “You’re on the ceiling.” “There is no ceiling.” Reyes smiled. “Twenty minutes and already insufferable.” “Yes.” The door closed. Reyes removed her shoes. Jacket. Looked at the gravity indicator. Zero. Then at Amber. “Come here.” Amber grinned. “No.” Reyes raised an eyebrow. “Why?” “Come get me.” Reyes stared. Amber’s smile widened. “Oh, you little shit.” Reyes pushed away from the entrance. Too hard. Amber laughed. Reyes sailed past her. “Excellent.” “Shut up.” Amber pushed from the wall. Reyes rotated. Reached. Amber changed direction from another surface before Reyes could catch her. Reyes stared. “You practiced.” “Twenty minutes.” “That counts.” Amber laughed. --- The next several minutes became ridiculous. Not training. Not yet. Reyes chased Amber badly. Amber escaped worse. Neither had enough zero-g experience to make any of it graceful. Reyes caught Amber once. Amber twisted. That only rotated both of them. They drifted together through the room. Amber laughed against Reyes’s shoulder. “This was a tactical error.” Reyes tightened one arm around her waist. “For you.” “We’re both floating.” “I caught you.” “And now?” Reyes looked around. No wall within immediate reach. Amber smiled. “Exactly.” Reyes laughed. Then Amber put both feet against Reyes’s hips. Reyes’s eyes widened. “No.” Amber pushed. They separated in opposite directions. Reyes slowly rotated backward. “You bitch.” Amber hit the wall feet-first. Caught a handhold. “Skill.” “Physics.” “Same thing.” “No.” --- Eventually Reyes caught the wall beside Amber. Both stayed there. Breathing slightly harder than the activity justified. Mostly from laughing. Reyes looked at her. “You like it.” Amber nodded. “Yes.” “More than low-g?” “Different.” Reyes smiled. Amber looked around. “Everything works.” “What?” “Walls.” Reyes laughed. “Yes.” “Ceiling.” “No ceiling.” “Exactly.” Amber looked back at her. “You were right yesterday.” “About?” “Any surface.” Reyes’s eyes sharpened. Amber saw. There. The laughter remained. Something else joined it. Reyes looked at Amber’s hand on the rail. Then at Amber. “You invited me here for training.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” “First.” Amber’s smile widened. “Yes.” Reyes laughed softly. “Of course.” --- Reyes pushed away first. “Show me what you learned.” Amber followed. That changed the room again. Now Reyes watched. Amber pushed from one wall. Turned. Caught another. Reyes corrected her. “Too much force.” “I got there.” “You wasted movement.” Amber frowned. “Again.” She did. Less force. Better. Reyes nodded. Amber immediately smiled. Reyes saw. “No.” “You were about to say it.” “I wasn’t.” “You had face.” Reyes laughed. “Again.” Amber went. Reyes followed this time. Amber reached the far surface first. Turned. Reyes came in too fast. Amber caught her. Bad idea. Their combined momentum pulled Amber off the wall. Both drifted back into the room. Reyes’s arm automatically closed around Amber. Amber’s hand landed at the back of Reyes’s neck. They stopped laughing. Not completely. Enough. --- There was no floor to settle onto. No convenient distance created by gravity. They simply stayed together. Drifting. Reyes looked down at Amber. Amber looked up. Reyes’s black hair had partly escaped its tie. Floating around her face. Amber reached up. Caught one strand. Watched it move between her fingers. “Black still looks weird.” Reyes smiled. “You’ve said that.” “I like the red.” “I know.” Amber let the strand go. It floated away. Reyes’s hand remained at her waist. Amber’s legs drifted against hers. Neither corrected. Reyes looked at her. “Still training?” Amber thought. Then: “No.” Reyes’s mouth twitched. “Good.” Amber’s mouth twitched. Reyes immediately realized. “Oh, fuck you.” Amber started laughing. Reyes kissed her before she could say anything. --- The kiss sent them slowly rotating. Neither noticed immediately. Amber’s arms went around Reyes’s neck. Reyes held her closer. No leverage from the floor. No weight pressing either of them anywhere. Just contact. Amber broke the kiss first. Looked around. They were sideways relative to the door now. She started laughing again. Reyes looked. “What?” “We moved.” “Yes.” “We’re rotating.” “Yes.” Amber smiled. “This is fucking excellent.” Reyes laughed and kissed her again. Longer. Amber returned it without hesitation. Their bodies found each other differently here. Not because zero-g made anything automatically graceful. It did not. Knees bumped. Amber accidentally pushed them into a faster rotation once. Reyes had to catch a wall. Amber laughed against her mouth. Reyes muttered: “Stop helping.” “I’m experimenting.” “You’re a menace.” “Yes.” --- Reyes caught a handhold with one arm. That gave them an anchor. Amber floated in front of her. Reyes looked at the remaining time. Nine minutes. Amber followed her gaze. “That’s rude.” “You booked forty-five.” “I didn’t know you were coming.” “You invited me.” “After.” Reyes smiled. “Next time book longer.” Amber looked at her. Next time. Easy. No weight. She smiled. “Yes.” Reyes pulled her closer again. Amber came willingly. Their kiss slowed. The joking faded without disappearing. Reyes’s hand moved along Amber’s back. Amber shivered. Not from cold. She looked at Reyes. Reyes stopped. Amber smiled. “Don’t.” Reyes held her gaze. Then continued. Amber closed the distance herself. --- The room warning sounded softly. **FIVE MINUTES** Amber pulled back. Stared toward the speaker. “No.” Reyes laughed. Amber looked at her. “I hate schedules.” “You made this one.” “I didn’t know.” Reyes raised an eyebrow. “Know what?” Amber stared. Reyes waited. Amber grinned. “That you’d be this much fun without a floor.” Reyes laughed. “Asshole.” Amber kissed her once. Quick. Then pushed away. Reyes stared. “What are you doing?” “Last round.” “Training?” Amber hit the opposite wall. Turned. Smiled. “Catch me.” Reyes’s eyes narrowed. Then she pushed. --- They used all five minutes. Every second. The room warning changed at one minute. They ignored it. At thirty seconds, Reyes finally caught Amber against a padded wall. Not hard. One arm braced beside her. Amber trapped mostly because she was laughing too much to escape. Reyes looked at her. “Got you.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” No joke this time. Reyes kissed her. Amber’s hand caught her shirt. Held her close. The gravity system announced restoration. Both froze. “Wait,” Amber said. Reyes grabbed a handhold. Amber grabbed Reyes. Gravity returned gradually. 0.1. 0.2. Their bodies began to acquire weight. Amber’s feet found the wall that was becoming floor. Reyes landed beside her. 0.5. Amber’s knees bent. Reyes steadied her. 1.0. Suddenly everything felt heavy. Amber stood there. Looked at Reyes. Then down at herself. “Holy shit.” Reyes rolled her shoulders. “Yeah.” Amber bounced once experimentally. Barely left the floor. Her face fell. “This is terrible.” Reyes laughed. “Welcome back.” --- They dressed. Shoes. Jacket. Reyes fixed her hair. Amber watched. Then: “We need longer.” Reyes looked at her reflection. “For training?” Amber smiled. Reyes looked at her through the mirror. “Right.” Amber walked closer. “We didn’t even get past kissing.” Reyes turned. “That sounds like a complaint.” “It is an observation.” “Biochemical?” “Biomechanical.” Reyes laughed. Amber smiled. “Any surface.” Reyes shook her head. “You’re never letting that go.” “No.” “Tomorrow?” Amber thought. Marisol tonight. Imani somewhere. No need to stack everything. “Not tomorrow.” Reyes nodded. Good. No disappointment. Amber continued: “Soon.” Reyes smiled. “Soon.” Then she looked at the time. “Your dinner.” Amber checked. 17:02. Plenty. “Two hours.” Reyes nodded. “Enough time.” Amber looked up. “For what?” Reyes smiled. “Nothing.” Amber stared. Reyes walked toward the door. Amber followed. “You did face.” “No.” “You absolutely did face.” The door opened. Reyes stepped into the corridor. Amber followed. “Reyes.” “Amber.” “What?” Reyes looked down at her. Then smiled. “You really did wear the shorts.” Amber froze. Reyes walked away. Amber stared after her. Then looked down. Then back up. “You fucking bitch.” Reyes laughed without turning. Amber ran after her. --- ## Chapter Twenty-Six — Dinner With Marisol Amber got back to the residential unit at seventeen twenty-three. Maeve looked up from the couch. Then at Amber. Then at Reyes behind her. Then back at Amber. Amber stopped. “What?” Maeve’s eyes dropped. Bare legs. Shorts. Cropped top. Jacket. Boots. Then back up. “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. Reyes walked past them toward the corridor. Maeve looked at her. “Good session?” Reyes smiled. “Yes.” Amber closed her eyes. Maeve’s mouth twitched. Reyes kept walking. Amber pointed after her. “She did that on purpose.” Maeve looked innocent. “What?” “The word.” Maeve laughed. Amber stared. “My wife.” “Yes?” “Zero-g has ruined her.” From the corridor: “Not remotely.” Amber turned. “STOP LISTENING.” Reyes called back: “You’re loud.” Maeve laughed harder. --- Kiro appeared from her room. Saw Amber. Saw Reyes disappearing down the corridor. Then looked at Amber. “Oh.” Amber pointed. “No.” Kiro blinked. “I said one syllable.” “You made it filthy.” Kiro smiled. “Learned from you.” Amber sighed. “That was not an invitation.” Kiro walked closer. Looked Amber over. Then at the clock. “Dinner.” “Yes.” “Marisol.” “Yes.” Kiro’s eyes dropped to the shorts. Amber stared. Kiro looked back up. “She asked.” Amber froze. “How do you know?” Kiro smiled. “Reyes.” Amber turned toward the corridor. “REYES.” No answer. Kiro started laughing. Amber stared at her. “You people have no concept of privacy.” Kiro shrugged. “Operational affection.” Amber grabbed the nearest cushion. Kiro ran. --- Maeve caught the cushion before Amber could throw it. Amber looked at her. “Betrayal.” “Furniture.” “That is not a defense.” Maeve put the cushion back. “Come here.” Amber walked over. Stopped between Maeve’s knees. Maeve looked up at her. Amber smiled. “What?” “How was it?” The room shifted. Small. Amber knew what she meant. Zero-g. Reyes. The thing underneath the jokes. Amber thought. Then sat beside her. “Fun.” Maeve smiled. “Only fun?” Amber looked at her. “No.” There. Maeve waited. Amber continued. “Different.” “How?” Amber leaned back. “Nothing stays where you expect.” Maeve smiled. “That sounds like you.” Amber laughed. “No, I mean physically.” “I know.” “Asshole.” Maeve kissed her temple. Amber smiled. Then: “I liked not having a floor.” Maeve’s expression softened. Amber continued. “And I liked Reyes there.” Simple. No performance. Maeve nodded. Amber looked at her. “You knew.” “Yes.” “Before me?” “Probably.” Amber sighed. “Dangerous wife.” Maeve smiled. “Again?” “Yes.” --- Sera and Panam came in carrying a small case from Imani’s studio. Amber looked up immediately. “What’s that?” Panam hugged the case closer. “No.” Amber grinned. “You brought something.” “No.” “You physically brought something.” “Still no.” Sera laughed. Amber stood. Panam backed away. “Do not.” Amber stopped. “What?” “You have artist face now.” Amber stared. Sera laughed harder. Maeve covered her mouth. Amber pointed at Panam. “You have been here forty-eight hours.” Panam smiled. “And I’m thriving.” Amber looked at the case again. “Pigment?” Panam narrowed her eyes. “Maybe.” Amber brightened. Panam immediately pointed. “Not today.” Amber sighed. “Cruel.” --- Ms. B and Jessie came back shortly after. Jessie carried three small shopping bags. Amber looked. Then at Ms. B. Then Jessie. Then the bags. Jessie said: “No.” Amber stared. “I didn’t say anything.” “You were about to ask.” “Yes.” “No.” “Are they clothes?” Jessie looked at Ms. B. Ms. B smiled. “Some.” Amber leaned forward. Jessie lifted one bag behind her back. “No.” Amber laughed. “I am not going to steal your clothes.” Jessie looked at Amber’s shorts. Then at Amber. “Evidence is mixed.” Panam made a choking sound. Amber stared. Maeve looked away. Jessie smiled sweetly. “Family realism.” Amber pointed. “You are abusing that phrase.” “Correctly.” --- At eighteen twenty, Amber finally went to change. Maeve watched her disappear. Panam looked over. “She’s changing out of the shorts?” “No,” Maeve said. Panam frowned. “She’s wearing the shorts.” “Yes.” “Then what is she changing?” Maeve’s mouth curved. “Everything around them.” Panam stared. Sera laughed. Jessie nodded. “That tracks.” Ms. B said: “Extremely.” --- Amber came back ten minutes later. Same shorts. Different top. Softer. Black. Lower neckline. Loose jacket gone. Boots stayed. A little jewelry. Nothing dramatic. Just more deliberate. Panam looked at Maeve. Maeve looked back. Panam nodded. “Okay.” Amber stopped. “What?” “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. Panam smiled. Amber looked at Sera. “She’s becoming dangerous.” Sera leaned into Panam. “Yes.” Amber looked at the time. 18:43. Then at Maeve. “Too early?” “Sixteen minutes.” “I know.” “You’re asking emotionally.” “Yes.” Maeve smiled. “Go.” Amber brightened. Then paused. Leaned down. Kissed Maeve. Soft. Not hurried. Maeve touched her cheek. Amber pulled back. “My wife.” “Yes.” “Anything?” Maeve smiled. “Have fun.” Amber’s expression softened. “Always.” Then she left. --- Marisol had chosen a restaurant Amber had not seen before. Not hidden. Just tucked one level away from the larger social concourses. Quiet. Warm lighting. No dramatic Palace gimmick. Amber liked that immediately. Marisol was waiting near the entrance. She looked at Amber. Then down. Shorts. Back up. Smiled. “You listened.” Amber stopped. “Dangerous opening.” Marisol laughed. “Compliment.” “Better.” Marisol stepped closer. Looked at Amber’s top. Then her boots. Then her face. “Much better.” Amber raised an eyebrow. “Than?” “The meeting outfit.” “You saw that once.” “Yes.” “And you’re still judging it.” “Yes.” Amber smiled. “I really do like you.” Marisol smiled back. “Good.” Amber froze. Marisol froze. Then both started laughing. “Not again,” Marisol said. Amber pointed. “You said it.” “I know.” “Consequences.” “Dinner first.” Amber smiled. “That sounds like a plan.” Marisol held out one hand. Amber took it. --- Dinner was slow. That was the first thing Amber liked. No rush. No club music. No group conversation detonating every thirty seconds. Just Marisol. Food. Wine. Time. Amber had forgotten how different that felt after two days surrounded by seven people who could turn a spoon into an insult. Marisol noticed. “You’re quieter.” Amber smiled. “You said that yesterday.” “It’s still true.” “I talk.” “Yes.” “I’m talking now.” “Yes.” Amber narrowed her eyes. Marisol smiled. “You leave more space.” Amber looked at her. “Do you like that?” “Yes.” Amber nodded. “Then good.” Marisol stared. Amber froze. Then slowly covered her face. Marisol laughed. “Oh, that one was your fault.” Amber pointed between her fingers. “Shut up.” --- They ate. Talked. Marisol asked about Palace work. Amber told her about the morning client meeting. Not details. Enough. Then Marisol asked about the afternoon. Amber took a drink. “Zero-g.” Marisol’s eyebrows rose. “Really?” “Yes.” “First time?” “Properly, yes.” “With Maeve?” Amber’s expression warmed. “Reyes.” Marisol paused. Interesting. Amber saw it. Not jealousy. Processing. “Friend?” “Yes.” “Close friend?” “Yes.” “Previous?” Amber laughed. “You are asking dangerous questions.” Marisol smiled. “I like clear information.” Amber considered. Then nodded. “Previous.” Marisol’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Okay.” Amber waited. Marisol continued eating. That was it. Amber smiled. “You’re not going to ask for a chart?” “No.” “Good.” Marisol looked at her. Amber closed her eyes. Marisol started laughing. “Sorry.” “No, you’re not.” “No.” --- Amber leaned back. “You know what’s weird?” “What?” “Everyone keeps expecting the complexity.” Marisol looked at her. “And?” “It isn’t.” Marisol nodded slowly. “Because everyone knows?” “Because everyone chooses.” There. Simple. Marisol considered that. Then: “And Maeve?” Amber smiled. “Maeve is Maeve.” “That answered nothing.” Amber laughed. “Exactly.” Marisol smiled. “Fair.” Amber looked at her. No need to explain further. Not tonight. --- Marisol changed subject. Good. Work. Travel. Station food. Places she liked in Palace. One terrible restaurant Amber had already been warned about by three different people. A small observation gallery nobody seemed to use. A club that only opened during certain orbital cycles. Amber listened. Filed away none of it deliberately. Some things would stick. Some would not. Fine. Then Marisol asked: “What did you buy today?” Amber froze. “How do you know I bought something?” Marisol smiled. “Because you have shopping face.” Amber stared. “No.” “Yes.” “What the fuck is shopping face?” “Pleased with yourself for no defensible reason.” Amber laughed. “That is most of my face.” “Exactly.” Amber pointed. “You’re adapting too fast.” Marisol smiled. “Pattern recognition.” Amber groaned. --- Dessert arrived. Amber did not order one. Marisol did. Amber stole half. Marisol watched. Said nothing. Amber took another bite. Still nothing. Amber stopped. “What?” Marisol smiled. “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “You’re letting me steal it.” “Yes.” “Why?” “I wanted to see how much you’d take.” Amber stared at the remaining half. Then at Marisol. Slowly took another bite. Marisol laughed. “Asshole.” Amber smiled. “Experimental method.” “Very rigorous.” “Thank you.” --- They left the restaurant at twenty-one fifteen. No rush. Marisol did not immediately suggest another destination. Amber liked that too. They walked. Not toward the residential levels. Not anywhere specific. Amber slipped her hand into Marisol’s. Marisol looked down. Then at Amber. Smiled. No comment. They passed a viewing strip. Marisol slowed. Amber slowed with her. Earth hung beyond the glass. Amber looked. Then at Marisol. “You ever get used to that?” Marisol considered. “Yes.” Amber looked disappointed. Marisol smiled. “Then sometimes you notice it again.” Amber looked back. “That sounds better.” “It is.” They stood there. Quiet. Amber rested lightly against Marisol’s side. Marisol’s arm came around her. Nothing sexual yet. Just contact. Amber liked that too. --- Eventually Marisol looked down. “Come with me?” Amber looked up. There it was. Not unexpected. Still real. “Where?” “My place.” Amber smiled faintly. Direct. Good. Marisol waited. No pressure. No assumption that dinner had purchased anything. Amber thought. About Maeve. Not permission. Connection. About Marisol. About wanting. About the fact that she had spent two Palace days letting interest become action without turning every decision into a referendum. Then she smiled. “Yes.” Marisol’s expression warmed. “Okay.” Amber looked at her. “You look relieved.” “A little.” “Why?” Marisol laughed softly. “Because you’re difficult to read when you’re actually thinking.” Amber stared. “That may be the nicest thing anyone has said to me all week.” --- Marisol’s place was not far. A private residential studio. Smaller than the O’Sullivan unit. Quiet. Lived in. One wall displayed orbital maps. Not decorative. Work. Amber stepped inside. Looked around. “You really are logistics.” Marisol closed the door. “You doubted me?” “I assumed it was a cover story to seduce tiny security-company owners.” Marisol laughed. “Very niche market.” “High value.” “Apparently.” Amber turned. Marisol was closer now. Not touching. Waiting. Amber’s expression warmed. There was no crowd. No Maeve. No Reyes/Kiro joke. No group watching. Just them. Marisol touched Amber’s hand. “Still yes?” Amber stepped closer. “Yes.” Marisol kissed her. Slow. Amber answered. Hands settling at Marisol’s waist. Marisol’s hands rested lightly at Amber’s hips. No rush. They had time. The kiss deepened gradually. Amber felt her own body settle into the choice. No audience. No need to make it funny. When they separated, Marisol stayed close. Looked down. Amber looked up. Marisol smiled. “You really did wear the shorts.” Amber laughed softly. “You asked.” “I’m glad.” Amber’s hands moved to the edge of Marisol’s jacket. “Can I?” “Yes.” Amber slid it from her shoulders. Marisol let it fall over one chair. Then touched the hem of Amber’s top. Paused. Amber smiled. “Yes.” Marisol lifted it carefully. Amber raised her arms. The top came away. No hurry. No skipped motion. Marisol looked at her. Not staring. Appreciating. Amber saw. Liked it. “Hi,” Amber said. Marisol laughed softly. “Hi.” Amber reached for her again. The next kiss came warmer. Closer. Clothing gradually became less useful. Marisol’s top first. Amber’s shorts remained. For now. Marisol touched the waistband. Looked at Amber. Amber smiled. “You really like those.” “Yes.” “Problem.” Marisol laughed. “Why?” “You’re going to have to take them off.” “Eventually.” Amber’s smile widened. “Dangerous woman.” Marisol kissed her again. No disagreement. And dinner finally became something else. --- ## Chapter Twenty-Seven — No Audience Marisol did, eventually, take the shorts off. Amber made her work for it. Not by refusing. By laughing when Marisol reached for the waistband again and catching both of her hands. Marisol looked down at her. “What?” “You’re obsessed.” “You wore them because I asked.” “Yes.” “And now you’re surprised?” “No.” Amber smiled. “I’m enjoying this.” Marisol’s expression softened. “So am I.” There. Amber released her hands. Marisol did not immediately continue. Instead she kissed her again. Slower. Amber moved closer until there was almost no space left between them. Skin against skin where clothing had already disappeared. Warmth. Breath. Marisol’s hands moving over Amber without urgency. Amber answering in kind. No audience. That kept returning to her. Not because Amber needed one. She liked being watched. That had become impossible to deny long ago. But she liked this too. Being the only thing somebody was looking at. --- Marisol drew back just enough to see her face. “Still okay?” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Marisol touched the waistband again. This time Amber lifted her hips slightly in invitation. The shorts slid away. Amber watched Marisol toss them toward the chair. “Careful.” Marisol looked at her. “With your shorts?” “She specifically requested them for dinner.” Marisol stared. “Who?” Amber froze. Then started laughing. “No one.” Marisol narrowed her eyes. “Amber.” “My wife may have opinions.” “About the shorts?” “Yes.” Marisol laughed. “That sentence has several problems.” “None from where I’m sitting.” “You’re not sitting.” Amber looked down. “Technicality.” Marisol kissed her before the argument could continue. --- After that, talking became less useful. Not absent. Just fragmented. A laugh. A name. A quiet question answered clearly. Amber pulling Marisol closer when she wanted more contact. Marisol slowing when Amber’s breathing changed. The rest of their clothes came away without ceremony. Marisol’s lower layers first, then Amber’s underwear after the shorts, each piece moved aside rather than allowed to vanish between kisses. By the time they settled back together, there was only full skin contact and nowhere for either of them to mistake what the other wanted. Marisol paused. Amber looked at her. No uncertainty. Just the final shared beat before crossing from anticipation into sex. Amber shifted beneath her, opened the space between them and drew Marisol closer with both hands. “Yes.” Marisol kissed her. Sex began there, still close enough that neither had to break the kiss. --- The first rhythm was almost too careful. Amber noticed. Of course she did. She broke the kiss. “Marisol.” Marisol stopped. “What?” Amber smiled. “I’m small.” Marisol stared. “Yes.” “Not fragile.” Understanding. Then a smile. “Okay.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. “Okay?” Marisol laughed. “Do not.” Amber pulled her back down. “Better.” The rhythm resumed. Stronger now. Still attentive. Amber answered it immediately. Her hands tightened against Marisol’s back. Her body moved with hers instead of simply receiving. That was what she wanted. Not roughness for its own sake. Presence. Confidence. Someone willing to believe her when she said yes. --- Time stopped being useful. They changed pace. Changed position when something became awkward. Laughed once when Palace gravity and the edge of the bed disagreed with Marisol’s plan. Amber caught her. Barely. Marisol stared down. Amber stared back. Then both dissolved into laughter. “That was elegant,” Amber managed. “Fuck you.” Amber’s smile became wicked. “Working on it.” Marisol covered her face against Amber’s shoulder. “You are impossible.” “So I’ve been told.” “Repeatedly?” “Constantly.” Marisol lifted her head. “I believe it.” Then kissed her again. The laughter faded naturally. Their bodies found the rhythm again. Closer. Warmer. More urgent now. Amber’s teasing disappeared piece by piece as sensation took over. Her eyes closed. Opened again. Found Marisol. Stayed there. Marisol saw the change. Did not comment. Good. She simply stayed with her. --- Amber’s breathing broke first. Not suddenly. A gradual loss of control she recognized and stopped trying to hide. Her fingers tightened. Her body pressed closer. Marisol kissed her jaw. Then her mouth. Amber returned it badly. Too distracted. Marisol smiled against her lips. Amber whispered: “Don’t you fucking dare laugh.” “I’m not.” “You are.” “Little.” Amber’s eyes opened. Marisol froze. Amber stared. “You were about to say something.” “No.” “You had face.” Marisol started laughing. Amber did too. For perhaps five seconds. Then Marisol moved again. Amber’s laugh broke into something else entirely. “Oh, fuck you.” Marisol smiled. “That one I can do.” Amber’s eyes widened. Then closed. No comeback. Finally. --- The release built without needing to be announced. Amber felt it coming. So did Marisol. Marisol’s rhythm broke first. Her breath caught against Amber’s mouth, body tightening in her arms as climax took the last of her careful control. Amber did not let the contact reset. She held Marisol close through it while her own breathing shortened and the pleasure already building in her sharpened. Her entire body tightened for one suspended moment— Then let go with Marisol still wrapped around her. And for several seconds neither of them moved at all. Not because they were finished with each other. Because moving would have been unnecessary. Amber lay beneath her with her eyes closed. Marisol rested against her. Breathing gradually slowing. Full contact. Warm skin. Amber’s fingers moved once along Marisol’s back. Then stopped. Marisol kissed her shoulder. Amber smiled without opening her eyes. There. The stillness mattered. Amber had expected Marisol to be interesting. She had not expected the quiet afterward to feel this easy. --- Eventually Marisol shifted. Amber made a quiet dissatisfied sound. Marisol stopped. Amber opened one eye. “Where are you going?” “Nowhere.” “Then don’t.” Marisol smiled. “You’re demanding.” “Yes.” She settled again. Amber closed her eye. Better. Another minute. Maybe two. No need to count. --- When they finally separated, they did it slowly. No abrupt retreat to opposite sides of the bed. Marisol rolled beside her. Amber followed almost automatically and rested against her. Marisol looked down. Amber looked up. Neither spoke for a while. Then Marisol said: “Hi.” Amber started laughing. “You stole that.” “Yes.” “Bitch.” Marisol smiled. “Worth it.” Amber kissed her. Small. Lazy. Then rested her head against Marisol again. --- Much later, Amber found herself sitting on the edge of the bed wearing absolutely nothing except her Triad collar. Marisol was beside her. Equally undressed. Amber looked toward the chair. Her shorts were there. Safe. She pointed. “See?” Marisol followed the gesture. “What?” “You didn’t destroy them.” Marisol stared. “Was that a possibility?” “With you? Apparently.” Marisol laughed. Amber stood. Immediately regretted the speed. Not pain. Just the pleasantly loose aftermath of a body that had been very thoroughly occupied. She paused. Marisol noticed. Smiled. Amber pointed without turning. “Not one word.” “I said nothing.” “You have face.” “I learned from you.” Amber looked over her shoulder. “Everyone learns terrible things from me.” “Useful things.” Amber smiled. “Sometimes.” --- They showered together. Not another escalation. Just warm water. Hands helping where convenient. Marisol washed Amber’s back. Amber returned the favor. A kiss under the water became three. Then stopped there. Enough. Amber discovered she liked enough. That might have been the strangest Palace revelation so far. --- Afterward, they dressed. Marisol watched Amber pull on the shorts. Again. Amber caught her looking. “Still?” “Yes.” Amber laughed. “You really have a problem.” Marisol stepped closer. “I have excellent taste.” Amber fastened them. “Debatable.” Marisol touched one of the thigh straps. “Very.” Amber looked down at the hand. Then up. “You’re going to start this again.” Marisol removed her hand. “Not unless you want me to.” Amber smiled. Not tonight. She kissed her. “Tomorrow?” Marisol considered. “I work late.” “Day after?” “Probably.” Amber nodded. No demand. No disappointment. Marisol looked at her. “You really are here for two weeks.” “Yes.” “Good.” Amber froze. Marisol closed her eyes. “Oh, fuck.” Amber burst out laughing. --- It was after midnight when Amber finally left. The corridor outside felt cooler. Quieter. She walked slowly. Not because she had to. Because she had nowhere urgent to be. Her comm had several messages. None demanding. Sera had sent an image of Panam in partial pigment under low-g lighting. Beautiful. Jessie had sent: > **JESSIE:** Alive? Amber smiled. Then Reyes: > **REYES:** Dinner survived? And, one minute later: > **KIRO:** She has checked her comm four times. Amber stopped walking. Her smile became vicious. Oh. Right. Reyes. She typed: > **AMBER:** Dinner survived. Pause. Then: > **REYES:** And? Amber: > **AMBER:** Dessert was excellent. Three dots appeared. Stopped. Appeared again. Amber started laughing. Kiro messaged privately. > **KIRO:** You’re evil. Amber: > **AMBER:** Affectionately. Kiro: > **KIRO:** Obviously. Then Maeve: > **MAEVE:** Coming home? Amber’s expression softened immediately. > **AMBER:** Yes. Maeve: > **MAEVE:** Good night? Amber stopped. Thought about dinner. Marisol. Laughter. Skin. The quiet afterward. No audience. No performance. Just choice. She typed: > **AMBER:** Very. A moment later: > **MAEVE:** Good. <3 Amber smiled. No joke. No trap. Just that. She put the comm away and continued home. --- The common room lights were low when she entered. Everyone sensible had gone to bed. Which explained why Reyes was still awake. Amber stopped inside the door. Reyes sat on the couch. One leg tucked beneath her. Drink in hand. Black hair loose. Amber slowly smiled. “Waiting up?” Reyes looked at her. “No.” Amber looked around the otherwise empty room. Then back. “Of course.” Reyes took a drink. “How was dinner?” “Excellent.” “Dessert?” Amber’s smile widened. “Excellent.” Reyes stared. Amber walked closer. Reyes’s eyes dropped. The shorts. Then back up. Amber saw. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Reyes smiled. “What?” “You too?” “I like the shorts.” Amber laughed. “Apparently they’re becoming a public utility.” Reyes put the glass down. Amber stopped in front of her. The joking thinned. Not gone. Just enough. Reyes looked up. Amber looked down. Interesting reversal. Reyes asked: “Marisol?” Amber nodded. “Yes.” “Good?” Amber smiled. “Very.” Reyes nodded. No jealousy. Something else. Amber tilted her head. “What?” Reyes smiled faintly. “You look happy.” Amber paused. Then: “I am.” Reyes reached out. Caught one of Amber’s hands. Pulled lightly. Amber came closer. Not onto her lap. Not yet. Reyes looked at her. “Zero-g.” Amber’s smile returned. “Zero-g.” “Longer room.” “Yes.” “Soon.” Amber squeezed her hand. “Soon.” Reyes nodded. Amber leaned down. Kissed her. Brief. Warm. A promise without pretending it was an appointment. When Amber straightened, Reyes smiled. “Good night.” Amber froze. Reyes’s eyes widened. Amber pointed. “You did that deliberately.” Reyes started laughing. Amber slapped her shoulder. “You fucking bitch.” Reyes caught her around the waist. Amber laughed too. For several seconds they simply stayed there, half wrestling, half hugging in the darkened common room. Then Amber pulled free. “Bed.” Reyes nodded. “Your wife is waiting.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” She took three steps toward the corridor. Stopped. Turned. Reyes looked over. Amber pointed. “Do not kiss Kiro tomorrow just to annoy me.” Reyes considered. Then smiled. “No promises.” Amber stared. “Asshole.” “Good night, Amber.” Amber flipped her off and walked away. Reyes’s laughter followed her down the corridor. Maeve was waiting. And Amber, despite everything Palace had already offered her, knew exactly where she wanted to sleep. --- ## Chapter Twenty-Eight — Morning Amber woke with Maeve’s arm around her waist and absolutely no intention of moving. That lasted until Maeve opened one eye. “You’re awake.” Amber closed hers again. “No.” “You moved.” “Reflex.” “You’re smiling.” “Also reflex.” Maeve tightened her arm slightly. Amber settled closer. Good. No comm. No breakfast. No Palace. Just warmth. For perhaps thirty seconds. Then Maeve said: “Marisol.” Amber opened one eye. “What about her?” Maeve smiled. “You’re smiling differently.” Amber stared. “That is invasive.” “Useful.” Amber turned in her arms. Looked up. “Jealous?” “No.” “Curious?” “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Good.” Maeve laughed softly. Amber immediately narrowed her eyes. “You did that on purpose.” “What?” “The word.” Maeve looked innocent. Amber stared. Then laughed too. “You know what you did.” --- Maeve kissed her forehead. Amber stayed where she was. No rush. That was new too. Usually after a good night Amber woke with enough momentum to start three unrelated ideas before breakfast. This morning she just wanted to remain here. Maeve noticed. “What?” Amber shook her head. “Nothing.” “Actually nothing?” “Yes.” Maeve smiled. Amber looked at her. “Do not praise me.” “I wasn’t.” “You had face.” Maeve laughed. Amber tucked herself closer. “Marisol was good.” Maeve waited. Amber continued: “Different.” “From?” Amber thought. “Everyone.” Somewhere between the first dance and waking beside her, Marisol had stopped being a Palace possibility and become Marisol. Amber had not noticed the exact moment. Maeve nodded. That was enough. No comparison list. No ranking. --- The common room was already alive when they finally emerged. Jessie and Ms. B at the table. Sera and Panam by the kitchen. Kiro drinking coffee. No Reyes. Amber stopped. Looked around. Then at Kiro. Kiro saw. “No.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “Where is she?” “Training.” “With Talia?” “Yes.” Amber looked at the time. “Already?” Kiro smiled. “She likes mornings.” Amber stared. “No, she doesn’t.” Kiro considered. “Apparently she likes Talia more.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. Jessie made a tiny sound. Ms. B looked over. Panam stopped pouring coffee. Sera smiled. Amber pointed at Kiro. “Was that a joke?” “Yes.” “About Reyes?” “Yes.” “Before coffee?” Kiro took another drink. “I have coffee.” Amber looked impressed. Then suspicious. “You’re evolving.” Kiro smiled. “Growth.” --- Amber sat. Jessie looked at her. Then smiled. Amber saw. “No.” Jessie blinked. “What?” “You have question face.” “I was going to ask how dinner was.” Amber took coffee from the pot. “Excellent.” Jessie waited. Amber looked at her. “That’s all.” Jessie’s smile widened. Panam leaned over. “Bullshit.” Amber looked at her. “You too?” Panam shrugged. “You walked in after midnight.” “Correct.” “Reyes waited up.” Amber froze. Kiro slowly lowered her cup. Maeve looked at Amber. Jessie looked delighted. Ms. B looked interested despite herself. Amber stared at Panam. “How do you know?” Panam smiled. “Sera woke up when you came in.” Amber looked at Sera. Sera raised both hands. “I heard voices.” Amber pointed. “You were sleeping.” “Apparently not.” Maeve looked at Amber. “Reyes waited up?” Amber turned. “It was nothing.” Kiro made a tiny choking sound. Amber snapped toward her. “What?” Kiro looked innocent. “Nothing.” Maeve smiled. Amber sighed. “Yes. She was awake.” Jessie leaned forward. “Waiting?” Amber glared. “Existing.” Panam nodded. “On the couch.” “Yes.” “After midnight.” “Yes.” “Alone.” “Yes.” Maeve leaned closer. “What did she want?” Amber smiled. “Zero-g.” Silence. Then Panam said: “Oh.” Amber pointed instantly. “No.” Panam laughed. --- Kiro looked at Amber. “You booked another session?” “Not yet.” Kiro’s eyebrows rose. “Really?” Amber stared. “What?” “You usually move faster.” Amber smiled. “That sounded filthy.” “It wasn’t.” “Could have been.” Kiro took another drink. Amber watched. Then: “She asked for longer.” Kiro froze. Jessie made a sound. Panam covered her mouth. Sera looked down. Maeve started laughing. Amber stared around the table. “Not like that.” Ms. B raised one eyebrow. Amber stopped. Then smiled. “Fine. Also like that.” The table collapsed. --- Reyes returned forty minutes later. Black hair tied back. Training clothes. Slightly flushed. Amber saw. Kiro saw Amber see. Reyes saw Kiro see Amber see. Maeve saw everyone. The usual disaster. Reyes stopped by the table. “What?” Amber grinned. “Nothing.” Reyes narrowed her eyes. Kiro looked at her. “Talia?” Reyes nodded. “Good session.” Amber choked on coffee. Reyes closed her eyes. Kiro dropped her head onto the table. Jessie shouted: “NO.” Panam laughed so hard she had to grab Sera. Ms. B covered her face. Maeve leaned against Amber. Reyes pointed at all of them. “I hate this fucking word.” Amber put down her cup. “You built the weapon.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro lifted both hands. “You did.” Reyes sat beside her. “Traitor.” Kiro leaned over. Kissed her cheek. “Affectionately.” Amber slapped the table. “AND THERE IT IS.” --- Once everyone recovered, Reyes actually talked about training. Talia had lowered gravity further. Thirty percent. More wall work. More controlled rotation. Less chasing. More precision. Amber listened closely. Reyes noticed. “You’re filing this away.” “Yes.” “For our session.” “Yes.” Reyes smiled. Amber narrowed her eyes. “What?” “Nothing.” “You have face.” Reyes leaned back. “You really want to do this properly.” Amber’s grin eased. Less joke. “Yes.” Reyes nodded. “Then we train before anything else.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Kiro looked between them. Then: “That’s probably wise.” Amber turned. “Probably?” Kiro shrugged. “You two together without a plan is already dangerous in normal gravity.” Panam nodded. “Strong point.” Reyes looked at Kiro. “You’re enjoying this.” “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Same.” --- Maeve finished coffee. Looked at Amber. “What are you doing today?” Amber thought. “Nothing mandatory.” “That wasn’t the question.” Amber smiled. “Walking.” “Again?” “Yes.” “Alone?” Amber paused. “Maybe.” Maeve nodded. No concern. Amber liked that. Then Sera said: “Imani asked about you.” Amber turned so fast her coffee nearly spilled. “What?” Panam laughed. “There.” Amber ignored her. “What did she say?” Sera smiled. “She asked whether you were still interested.” Amber looked offended. “Still?” Panam nodded. “You were denied for almost twenty-four hours.” Amber pointed. “Cruelty.” Sera continued: “She has time late afternoon.” Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve smiled. Amber looked back. “Yes.” Panam immediately said: “No.” Amber stared. “What?” “I know that face.” “You don’t own Imani.” “No.” Sera leaned into Panam. Panam continued: “But if you come back painted and start acting smug, I’m leaving.” Amber smiled. “Define smug.” Panam looked at Reyes. Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro smiled. Panam pointed. “That.” Amber laughed. --- Reyes looked at Amber. “Marisol tonight?” Amber shook her head. “Works late.” “Tomorrow?” “Maybe.” Reyes nodded. Then: “So Imani.” “Yes.” “Paint.” “Yes.” Reyes looked down at Amber’s midriff. Then back up. Amber caught it. “What?” Reyes smiled. “Nothing.” Amber stared. Kiro looked at Reyes. Then Amber. Then slowly: “She’s picturing it.” Reyes froze. Amber’s eyebrows rose. Maeve covered her mouth. Panam whispered: “Direct hit.” Reyes turned to Kiro. “You have become a serious problem.” Kiro smiled. “You trained me.” Amber laughed. --- By noon, the group split again. Kiro and Reyes headed toward the specialist follow-up. Not a full session. Just verification after the previous fix. Sera and Panam had their own plans. Jessie and Ms. B were going to a gallery. Maeve had one late-afternoon business commitment. Amber stood near the door. Looked around. Then at Maeve. “Again.” Maeve smiled. “Again.” Amber kissed her. Soft. Public. Married. Then stepped back. “My wife.” Maeve touched her cheek. “Go.” Amber’s expression warmed. No destination. Again. She liked that this was becoming a habit. --- Kiro and Reyes reached the infrastructure level with less joking than usual. Work did that. The temporary brace had held. No latency. No drift. Palace engineering had already fabricated a permanent retention insert. Reyes inspected it. Kiro checked the updated support behavior. Clean. Anya looked at both. “Anything?” Kiro shook her head. “Looks good.” Reyes nodded. “Physical mount is stable.” Anya smiled. “That easy?” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. “No,” Kiro said. “The hard part was yesterday.” Reyes smiled. “Today we get to pretend we’re brilliant.” Anya laughed. “You are.” Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Then Reyes smiled. Kiro immediately pointed. “No.” Anya frowned. “What?” Kiro shook her head. “Nothing.” Reyes started laughing. --- They left twenty minutes later. No issue. No new work. Reyes walked beside Kiro. Then after several meters: “You really told Amber I waited up?” Kiro looked at her. “I didn’t.” “Panam did.” “Ah.” Reyes sighed. Kiro smiled. “You did wait up.” “I was awake.” “On the couch.” “Yes.” “After midnight.” “Yes.” Kiro looked at her. Reyes looked back. Kiro smiled wider. “Waiting.” Reyes stopped. “No.” Kiro stopped too. “Then why were you there?” Reyes thought. Too long. Kiro raised one eyebrow. Reyes sighed. “Wanted to know if she had a good night.” Kiro’s smile softened. There. No tease. Not immediately. “She did.” “Yes.” “You’re glad.” “Yes.” Kiro nodded. Reyes looked at her. “What?” “Nothing.” Reyes narrowed her eyes. Kiro stepped closer. Put both arms around her. Reyes accepted the hug automatically. Kiro rested her head briefly against Reyes. No audience. No performance. Then: “You’re sweet.” Reyes froze. Kiro pulled away before she could answer. Walked. Reyes stared after her. Then: “Fuck you.” Kiro called back: “Affectionately.” Reyes laughed despite herself. --- Amber spent the same twenty minutes discovering a staircase. Not an ordinary staircase. Palace had plenty of those. This one changed gravity gradually between levels. She realized halfway up. Stopped. Looked back. Then up. Took another step. Lighter. Another. Lighter still. Amber smiled. Then ran. Bad idea. She reached the top with too much momentum and nearly collided with a woman coming the other way. The woman caught Amber by both shoulders. Amber froze. “Hi.” The woman stared down. Then laughed. “Hi.” Amber stepped back. “Sorry.” “First time?” Amber looked at the stairs. “On these.” The woman smiled. “Try down.” Amber looked. Then at her. “Dangerous advice.” “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Excellent.” --- She did. Slowly first. Then faster. The gravity increased as she descended. By the bottom her legs felt absurdly heavy. Amber stopped. Looked back up. Then laughed. The woman was still at the top. Watching. Amber waved. The woman waved back. No name. No approach. No need. Amber kept walking. Good. Palace could contain attraction without turning every woman into a chapter. --- At sixteen thirty, Amber arrived at Imani’s studio. Imani opened the door. Looked at her. Then down. Shorts. Again. Imani smiled. Amber pointed. “No commentary.” “I was going to ask whether they’re permanent.” Amber stared. “Why is everyone obsessed with my shorts?” Imani stepped aside. “Come in.” Amber entered. Looked around. No Sera. No Panam. Just Imani. Interesting. Imani closed the door. “Still interested?” Amber smiled. “Yes.” “How much?” Amber looked toward the cleared platform. Then at Imani. “Surprise me.” Imani raised one eyebrow. Amber immediately corrected: “Within reason.” “Better.” Amber laughed. Imani pointed toward the changing area. “Everything above the waist.” Amber paused. Then smiled. “Okay.” “Problem?” “No.” Amber touched the hem of her top. Then looked at Imani. “No observer rules today?” Imani smiled. “No observers.” Amber’s shoulders loosened. That sounded familiar. She liked it. “Good.” Imani stared. Amber closed her eyes. “Fuck.” Imani started laughing. --- ## Chapter Twenty-Nine — Canvas Amber came out of the changing area wearing the shorts and nothing above them. Imani looked up. Stopped. Amber noticed immediately. “What?” Imani shook her head. “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “That word has killed entire afternoons.” Imani smiled. “I was looking at the collar.” Amber’s hand rose instinctively. Stopped before touching it. “What about it?” “Leave it.” Amber blinked. “I wasn’t taking it off.” “I know.” Imani circled her once. Not touching. Looking. Shoulders. Back. Arms. Collar. The clean break at Amber’s waist where bare skin met black shorts. Then Imani smiled faintly. “It helps.” Amber looked down. “With?” “The composition.” Amber relaxed. “Okay.” Imani looked at her. Amber froze. Then both started laughing. “Fuck this word,” Amber said. “Agreed.” --- The first touch of pigment was cold. Amber twitched. Imani stopped. “Too much?” “No.” Amber smiled. “Ambush.” “You watched Panam yesterday.” “Different skin.” Imani nodded. “Fair.” She continued. No brush. A narrow applicator. Cool graphite lines starting just below Amber’s left shoulder. Not straight. Not decorative in the obvious sense. They followed movement paths Imani had clearly already decided on. Amber watched in the mirror. “You had a plan.” “Yes.” “You said surprise.” “That does not mean I improvise badly.” Amber grinned. “I really like competent women.” Imani did not stop working. “I heard.” Amber froze. Slowly turned her head. “From who?” Imani looked at her through the mirror. “Sera.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “Traitor.” “Artist.” “Same fucking thing.” Imani smiled. “Hold still.” Amber did. Mostly. --- The design grew differently from Panam’s. Panam had received geometry that emphasized strength and shoulder movement. Sera’s had been finer. Layered. Amber’s began almost restrained. Thin dark lines across one shoulder. Down the outside of one arm. A second path over the opposite collarbone. Then Imani moved behind her. Amber felt the cool applicator trace along her back. Lower. Not explicit. Just enough that the design started tying upper body to waist. Amber looked over one shoulder. “That’s going somewhere.” “Yes.” “Where?” “You asked for surprise.” Amber sighed. “Terrible decision.” “You can stop whenever.” Amber smiled. “No.” Imani continued. --- The first metallic pigment came later. Not bright. Warm. Almost invisible until the light caught it. Imani layered it over sections of the dark geometry. Amber watched. Then shifted one shoulder accidentally. The line flashed. She stopped. “Oh.” Imani smiled. “There.” Amber moved the shoulder again. Metal surfaced. Faded. Amber looked delighted. “Fuck.” “Still interested?” “Yes.” “More?” “Yes.” Imani nodded. Then reached toward Amber’s ribs. Stopped before contact. “Here?” Amber looked down. Then up. “Yes.” The applicator touched skin. Cool again. Amber breathed in. The line followed the outer ribs. Not symmetrical. Nothing about the design was symmetrical now. That made it better. One side built for rotation. The other for compression. A different response depending on which way Amber moved. She realized. “You’re mapping me.” Imani smiled. “Finally.” Amber stared. “You made me figure it out.” “Yes.” “Bitch.” “Hold still.” --- Amber obeyed for almost seven minutes. A personal record. Then she asked: “What does it do when I bend?” Imani looked at her. “You’re about to find out.” Amber brightened. Imani stepped back. “Move.” Amber rolled both shoulders. A few lines woke. She twisted. More. Bent sideways. The pigment along her ribs lit sharply. Amber looked down. “Oh, fuck me.” Imani raised one eyebrow. Amber froze. Then pointed. “No.” “I said nothing.” “You were about to.” Imani smiled. “Possibly.” Amber laughed. --- She moved again. Not dancing yet. Testing. Crouch. Turn. Reach. Arms overhead. The design behaved differently every time. At rest it looked almost austere. Dark graphite with hints of metal. In motion, the metal wrote itself over her. Shoulder. Ribs. Spine. One line across her abdomen when she twisted hard enough. Amber stared at the mirror. “This is fucking unfair.” Imani leaned against the worktable. “How?” “I want to see it and I’m inside it.” “That is usually the problem with bodies.” Amber looked at her. “Deep.” “Occupational hazard.” --- Amber moved faster. Not performance. Instinct. The same quick-body movement she used everywhere. Small shifts. Sudden direction changes. A half turn. Crouch. Rise. The pigment became busy. Too busy. Imani lifted one finger. “Slower.” Amber stopped. “Why?” “You’re outrunning the composition.” Amber stared. “That is insulting.” “It’s accurate.” Amber considered. Then nodded. “Fine.” She moved again. Slower. That changed everything. The lines had time to appear. Travel. Fade. One metallic path crossed her shoulder as she turned. Another followed the ribs. A third appeared only when she extended one arm and twisted away. Amber watched. Then smiled. “Yeah.” Imani saw. “What?” Amber shook her head. “Nothing.” Imani smiled. “Actually nothing?” “Yes.” “Miracle.” Amber looked at her. “I hate everyone.” --- The door chimed. Amber stopped. Looked at Imani. Imani checked the visitor indicator. “Sera.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. “With Panam?” “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Let them in.” Imani looked at her. “You sure?” Amber looked down at herself. Bare from the waist up except the collar. Pigment active. Then smiled. “Yes.” Imani opened the door. --- Sera entered first. Panam behind her. Both stopped. Amber stood in the center of the studio. Still. The design looked almost quiet. Panam stared. Then at Imani. Then Amber. “What the fuck?” Amber grinned. “You like?” Panam walked closer. Slowly. Sera did too. Imani said: “Move.” Amber looked at her. Then smiled. She turned. Just once. The pigment woke. Panam’s mouth opened. Sera stopped walking. Amber caught their expressions. “Oh.” She moved again. Shoulder. Twist. Step. The metallic pathways surfaced. Changed. Disappeared. Sera looked at Imani. “You built it around her movement.” “Yes.” Panam looked at Amber. “This is much worse than mine.” Amber stopped. “Worse?” Panam pointed. “Better worse.” Amber smiled. “Excellent category.” Sera came closer. “Can I touch?” Amber looked at her. “Yes.” Sera placed two fingers lightly against Amber’s shoulder. The pigment beneath them intensified. Not dramatically. Enough. Sera’s eyes widened. Amber saw. “Pressure.” Imani nodded. “And heat.” Panam looked at Sera’s fingers. Then Amber. Then: “Oh, that is fucking filthy.” Amber froze. Sera started laughing. Imani covered her face. Panam stared. “What?” Amber pointed. “You said it.” “Said what?” “Nothing.” “That sentence made no sense.” “No. The thought did.” Panam looked at the glowing trace beneath Sera’s touch. Then back at Amber. Understanding arrived. “Oh.” Amber smiled. “Exactly.” --- Sera removed her fingers. The line faded. Panam stepped closer. Amber looked at her. Panam held up one hand. “Can I?” Amber nodded. Panam touched the opposite side. Different angle. Different pressure. A separate metallic branch appeared. Panam frowned. “Okay.” Amber immediately started laughing. Panam glared. “Not the word.” “No, your face.” Panam removed her hand. Amber moved. Both touched areas vanished. Sera looked almost offended by how temporary it was. Imani noticed. “That is part of it.” Sera nodded. “I know.” Panam looked at her. “You liked seeing it stay.” Sera smiled. “Yes.” Panam touched her waist lightly. “No paint.” Sera looked at her. “Still works.” Amber made a delighted sound. Panam turned. “Do not.” Amber covered her mouth. --- Maeve arrived seven minutes later. Amber had not invited her. Sera had. Traitor. Maeve entered. Saw Amber. Stopped. No joke. No immediate line. Just looked. Amber saw that. Her smile changed. “Hi.” Maeve’s eyes moved slowly over the design. Shoulders. Ribs. Back as Amber turned slightly. Collar. Bare skin. Shorts. Then back to her face. “Hi.” Panam looked at Sera. Sera looked back. Both understood something and moved toward the side of the studio. Imani pretended to be extremely interested in a pigment cartridge. Amber’s expression warmed. “My wife likes.” Maeve stepped closer. “Yes.” “Professional assessment?” “No.” Amber laughed softly. “Better.” Maeve stopped within reach. Did not touch. Amber noticed. “You can.” Maeve looked at her. “Where?” Amber smiled. “Dealer’s choice.” Panam made a strangled sound behind them. Sera elbowed her. Amber heard. Ignored it. Mostly. Maeve placed one hand at Amber’s side. Warm. Firm. The pigment under her palm lit. A broad metallic field this time. Amber inhaled. Not because of the color. Because Maeve’s hand was warm. Because the entire touch became visible. Maeve saw. So did Amber. Amber looked down. Then up. “That is unfair.” Maeve smiled. “Why?” “You can see what your hand does.” “Yes.” Amber’s voice softened. “I can feel what your hand does.” Maeve’s thumb moved once. The pigment changed. Amber shivered. Panam whispered: “Okay, I fucking get it now.” Sera smiled. Imani looked pleased. Amber turned her head. “Everyone still here?” Panam raised both hands. “We can leave.” Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve’s hand remained at her side. Amber thought. Then smiled. “No.” That got Panam. Her eyebrows rose. Sera looked interested. Imani did too. Amber looked at them. “I like being watched.” Maeve’s expression warmed. “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Apparently.” --- Maeve moved her hand higher. Slowly. Nothing explicit. Just across ribs. Shoulder. The pigment tracked each change. Amber watched the mirror. Watched Maeve touch her. Watched the light answer. That became more intimate than she expected. Not sexual yet. Close enough to recognize the road. Imani saw it. “Turn.” Amber looked at her. “What?” “Toward Maeve.” Amber did. Maeve looked down at her. Amber’s hands settled lightly at Maeve’s waist. Imani changed the lighting. The metallic lines almost vanished. Then Maeve touched Amber’s back. They surfaced again. Sera breathed out. Panam stared. Amber grinned. “Fuck.” Maeve looked at her. “Too much?” “No.” Immediate. Amber stepped closer. Full skin contact against Maeve’s clothed body. The pigment flared along pressure points. Shoulder. Ribs. Upper back. Amber looked at the mirror. Then laughed softly. “I look like evidence.” Maeve smiled. “Of what?” Amber looked up. “You.” Panam closed her eyes. “Oh, Jesus.” Sera laughed. Imani smiled. Maeve’s teasing smile softened. Amber saw it. --- Maeve leaned down. Amber met her. Their kiss was slow. Not performative. But witnessed. Amber knew Sera was watching. Panam too. Imani because it was her work. That awareness sharpened rather than distracted. Maeve’s hand tightened slightly against Amber’s back. The pigment brightened. Amber smiled against the kiss. Maeve felt it. Pulled back. “What?” Amber looked at the mirror again. “Your hand.” Maeve followed her gaze. Saw the metallic response. Then looked back. “Oh.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Maeve kissed her again. Longer. --- Imani eventually broke the moment. “Before you two turn my test into something requiring different cleanup—” Amber pulled back. Stared. Maeve covered her mouth. Panam folded over. Sera laughed. Imani raised both hands. “I am protecting my studio.” Amber pointed. “Accepted.” Maeve started laughing. --- Removal took longer than Panam’s. More surface. More layering. Amber stood under warm water in the studio wash area while pigment disappeared in sections. Maeve helped. Sera and Panam had gone. Imani stayed outside. No audience now. Amber looked down as the last metallic trace faded from her ribs. Maeve’s hand followed it with the cloth. Amber shivered. Maeve stopped. “Cold?” Amber looked up. “No.” There. Maeve smiled. Amber reached for her. Not rushed. Maeve stepped closer. Amber kissed her. Warm water. Bare skin. Maeve still partly dressed and increasingly wet because Amber had no respect for practical boundaries. Maeve pulled back. “You are getting me soaked.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” “My clothes.” “Temporary.” Maeve stared. Amber laughed. “Take them off?” Maeve’s eyebrows rose. Amber grinned. There was time. No appointment. No group waiting. No reason not to. Maeve looked toward the studio door. Then back. Amber’s hands rested at the hem of her top. Paused. “Can I?” Maeve smiled. “Yes.” The top came off. Slowly. Then another layer. Maeve helped Amber rinse the last of the pigment away. Amber helped Maeve become increasingly unsuitable for leaving the wash area without changing. Fair exchange. --- Imani called from outside: “I can hear you laughing.” Amber shouted: “WE’RE CLEANING.” Maeve covered her face. Imani answered: “I DID NOT ASK.” Amber laughed so hard she had to lean against Maeve. Maeve held her. Then looked down. “Trouble.” Amber smiled. “My wife knew that.” “Yes.” Amber kissed her once. Then again. The water kept running. No pigment remained. No visible record of where Maeve had touched her. Amber discovered she remembered anyway. She liked that. Very much. And this time, when they finally left Imani’s studio nearly an hour later than planned, Amber had no new paint left on her skin— but Maeve had borrowed one of Imani’s spare wraps because her own top was far too wet to wear. Panam saw them enter the residential unit. Looked at Maeve. Then Amber. Then the wrap. Silence. Amber raised one finger. “No.” Panam’s smile became enormous. Sera covered her mouth. Jessie looked up. Ms. B looked up. Kiro looked up. Reyes looked up. Maeve closed her eyes. Amber pointed around the room. “NOT. ONE. FUCKING. WORD.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Then both smiled. Amber stared. “Oh, fuck all of you.” Jessie finally said: “Successful art session?” Amber froze. The room collapsed. Maeve walked straight toward the bedroom. Amber followed. Still yelling. And somewhere behind them, Panam managed between breaths: “I fucking love Palace.” --- ## Chapter Thirty — Different Clothes Maeve changed. Amber did not. This became important approximately forty seconds after the bedroom door closed. Maeve pulled Imani’s borrowed wrap over her head and tossed it onto the chair. Amber leaned against the wall. Watched. Maeve opened the wardrobe. Amber continued watching. Maeve glanced over. “What?” “Nothing.” Maeve stopped. Amber smiled. “Actually nothing.” “That’s worse.” “I’m appreciating.” Maeve turned back to the wardrobe. “Quietly?” “No promises.” Maeve found a clean top. Amber sighed. Maeve looked over again. “What now?” “You’re covering yourself.” “Yes.” “Hostile.” Maeve laughed. “We have dinner.” Amber frowned. “We ate.” “Yesterday.” Amber checked the time. 18:37. “Oh.” Maeve stared. Amber looked genuinely offended by chronology. “That afternoon was too short.” “You spent most of it naked and painted.” “Exactly. Efficient use of time.” Maeve pulled on the top. Amber sighed again. Maeve pointed. “Stop mourning my clothes.” Amber smiled. “My wife.” “Yes?” “You looked very good wet.” Maeve froze. Amber’s smile became angelic. From the common room came Panam’s voice: “WE CAN STILL HEAR YOU.” Amber shouted back: “THEN STOP LISTENING.” Sera yelled: “IMPOSSIBLE.” Maeve covered her face. Amber started laughing. --- They emerged five minutes later. Everyone looked. Amber stopped. “Seriously?” Jessie smiled. “No borrowed wrap.” Maeve pointed at her. “Careful.” Jessie’s eyebrows rose. Amber looked delighted. “Oh, she’s dangerous now.” Ms. B looked at Maeve. “Successful afternoon?” Maeve sat down. “Yes.” Amber froze. Reyes closed her eyes. Kiro looked away. Panam bit her lip. Sera failed entirely. Maeve realized. “Fuck.” Amber slapped both hands onto the back of a chair. “MY WIFE DID IT.” Maeve stared. Amber was already laughing too hard to stand properly. Reyes looked at Kiro. “We need a replacement word.” Kiro nodded seriously. “Agreed.” Amber made a wounded noise. Panam said: “Effective?” Jessie shook her head. “Too administrative.” Ms. B looked offended. “It is not.” Sera offered: “Satisfying?” Silence. Panam slowly turned toward her. Sera froze. “No.” Amber folded over the chair. Reyes covered her face. Kiro whispered: “Much worse.” Sera looked at Panam. “Help.” Panam smiled. “Absolutely not.” --- Eventually Maeve rescued the conversation. “Dinner.” Amber straightened. “Yes.” Reyes looked at her. “You remembered?” “Eventually.” “Impressive.” Amber flipped her off. Then noticed something. Kiro and Reyes were sitting together again. Not unusually close. Not obviously performing. Just together. Kiro’s bare foot was tucked beneath Reyes’s leg. Reyes’s arm lay along the back of the couch behind her. Amber looked. Reyes saw. A slow smile appeared. Amber narrowed her eyes. Reyes leaned toward Kiro. Kiro turned. Reyes kissed her. Brief. Casual. Amber stared. Reyes pulled back. Kept looking directly at Amber. Amber pointed. “That one was absolutely for me.” Kiro smiled. “Mostly.” Amber’s mouth opened. “Mostly?” Kiro shrugged. Reyes looked at her. That caught Reyes too. Amber saw it. Her expression changed instantly from outrage to delight. “Oh.” Reyes turned. “No.” Amber smiled. “Interesting.” “Do not.” Kiro was trying very hard not to laugh. Amber looked at her. “Kiro.” “No.” “You said mostly.” “Yes.” “So part of it was—” Reyes grabbed a cushion. Amber ducked. The cushion flew over her head. Jessie caught it. “Furniture!” Maeve started laughing. Amber popped back up. “VIOLENCE IS NOT AN ANSWER.” Reyes pointed. “It nearly was.” --- Dinner happened in the unit. Nobody wanted another restaurant. Food arrived. Bottles opened. The group spread itself across the common room rather than pretending the table could comfortably contain all of them. Amber sat on the floor between Maeve’s legs. Not because there were no seats. Because she wanted to. Maeve rested one hand on her shoulder. Amber leaned back against her. Across from them, Reyes and Kiro shared one couch. Sera and Panam another. Jessie sat beside Ms. B. It was almost suspiciously peaceful. Then Panam asked: “So what exactly happened with the paint?” Amber looked at her. “You saw it.” “Before we left.” Amber’s expression warmed. “Oh.” Maeve’s hand tightened slightly on her shoulder. Panam saw. “So?” Amber looked up at Maeve. Maeve looked down. Amber smiled. “We discovered touch makes it better.” Sera nodded. “That was already established.” Amber shook her head. “No. We discovered _Maeve_ makes it better.” Maeve’s expression softened. Panam looked between them. “The pigment?” Amber smiled. “That too.” Reyes choked on her drink. Kiro patted her back. Amber pointed. “Dirty mind.” Reyes stared. “You.” “Yes?” “Fuck you.” Amber’s smile widened. “Soon?” Silence. Reyes froze. Amber froze. Kiro slowly put down her glass. Maeve’s hand stopped moving. Panam whispered: “Oh, shit.” Amber looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Then Amber started laughing. “That slipped.” Reyes smiled. “Did it?” Amber considered. “No.” “Thought so.” --- Kiro looked between them. “Longer zero-g session?” Amber nodded. “Yes.” Reyes nodded too. “Eventually.” Panam looked interested. “Why longer?” Amber turned. “Because forty-five minutes is bullshit.” Sera laughed. Amber continued. “You spend half of it learning how not to launch yourself into a wall.” Reyes nodded. “Accurate.” “And then when you finally stop fighting the room—” Amber stopped. Reyes watched her. Maeve looked down at her. Amber’s voice lost some of the joke. “Everything changes.” Panam tilted her head. “How?” Amber thought. “No weight.” “That’s generally what zero-g means.” Amber pointed. “Thank you, engineer.” “I’m not an engineer.” “Then stop helping.” Panam smiled. Amber continued. “You don’t settle against somebody because gravity puts you there. If you stay touching, you’re choosing to keep yourself there.” The room quieted. Just slightly. Sera looked at Panam. Panam looked back. Maeve’s fingers moved over Amber’s shoulder. Amber felt it. Reyes smiled faintly. “Yes.” Amber looked at her. Reyes understood exactly. Kiro did too. Interesting. Then Jessie said: “I want to try.” Amber turned. Ms. B looked at Jessie. Jessie looked back. “What?” Ms. B smiled. “Nothing.” Jessie narrowed her eyes. Amber saw the entire exchange. Then remembered. Original plan. Zero-g. Ms. B. Jessie. Her. The idea had been there before Palace. Not scheduled. Not promised. Just possibility. Amber looked at Jessie. Then Ms. B. Her smile slowly appeared. Jessie saw. “Oh, no.” Amber leaned forward. “Oh, yes.” Ms. B looked at Amber. “Whatever you’re thinking—” “Zero-g.” Jessie paused. Ms. B paused. Amber smiled. “With us.” There. No elaborate setup. No assumption. Just invitation. Jessie looked at Ms. B. Ms. B looked back. Something private passed between them. Jessie smiled first. “I’d try it.” Ms. B’s eyebrow rose. “Try zero-g?” Jessie’s smile changed. “Initially.” Amber made a delighted sound. Maeve covered her mouth. Panam looked at Sera. “I fucking love these people.” Sera kissed her temple. “I know.” --- Ms. B looked at Amber. “When?” Amber shrugged. “Not tomorrow.” Jessie laughed. “You actually learned scheduling restraint.” Amber looked offended. “I have always had restraint.” Eight people stared at her. Amber looked around. “Fuck you.” Maeve leaned down. Kissed the top of her head. “Affectionately.” Amber sighed. “You’re impossible.” --- The conversation drifted. Zero-g remained in the air without becoming an appointment. Good. Amber did not want Palace reduced to bookings for sex. That would miss the entire point. Things happened because people wanted them. Sometimes wanting survived three days. Sometimes it lasted thirty seconds. Sometimes it went nowhere. Also good. Reyes eventually pulled up the Palace technical map. Kiro immediately leaned closer. Amber watched them switch again. Play vanished. Specialists. Reyes pointed at one of the infrastructure routes. “The permanent support is here?” Kiro nodded. “Anya sent the final trace.” “Stable?” “Six hours.” “Enough?” “No.” Reyes smiled. Kiro smiled back. “We check tomorrow.” Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve noticed. “What?” “They’re hot when they work.” Reyes looked up. “Can you not sexualize basic competence?” Amber stared. Then slowly looked around the room. Panam laughed first. Kiro covered her face. Maeve said: “You walked into that.” Reyes sighed. “Yes.” Amber smiled. “I didn’t even have to answer.” --- Later, Sera brought out Imani’s small pigment case. Panam immediately looked suspicious. Amber immediately sat up. “Oh.” Panam pointed. “No.” “What?” “You have face.” “I have eyes.” “Same problem.” Sera put the case on the table. Maeve looked at it. “Imani let you take that?” “Test kit.” Panam added: “Limited.” Amber crawled closer. Panam stared. “You are literally approaching it on all fours.” Amber stopped. Looked down at herself. Then up. “Efficient.” Reyes started laughing. Maeve covered her eyes. Sera opened the case. Inside were several tiny pigment applicators. Nothing like the full studio setup. Sera picked one up. “Pressure-reactive only.” Amber’s eyes brightened. Panam groaned. Sera smiled. “Small areas.” Amber held out her arm. Immediately. Sera looked at her. “Of course.” “Science.” Kiro muttered: “Bullshit.” Amber pointed at her with the other hand. “Specialist consultation.” --- Sera drew one narrow line along Amber’s forearm. At rest, nearly invisible. Amber touched it. Nothing. Pressed harder. A metallic trace surfaced beneath her fingertip. Amber’s expression warmed. Then looked at Maeve. Maeve sighed. “Come here.” Amber moved instantly. Panam stared. “That was terrifying.” Maeve took Amber’s wrist. Pressed her thumb over the line. Metal bloomed around the contact. Amber looked. Then at Maeve. Smiled. “Evidence.” Maeve remembered. Her expression softened. “Yes.” Reyes watched. Kiro watched Reyes. Amber caught that. Interesting again. She pulled her arm back. Then held it toward Reyes. “Try.” Reyes blinked. “What?” “Touch it.” Reyes looked at Maeve. Maeve shrugged. Amber wiggled her fingers impatiently. Reyes leaned forward. Wrapped her hand around Amber’s forearm. The pigment surfaced beneath her grip. Amber looked down. Then up at Reyes. Reyes saw it too. Neither joked. For one beat. Two. Then Kiro said: “Oh.” Amber turned. Kiro smiled. Reyes released Amber immediately. Amber burst out laughing. “You noticed.” Kiro took a drink. “Nothing.” Amber pointed. “You had face.” Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Kiro’s smile became tiny. “Maybe.” Reyes stared. Amber looked between them. Then at Maeve. Maeve was already laughing silently. --- Sera reclaimed the applicator before Amber could weaponize it further. “No more.” Amber sighed. “Artists hate discovery.” “We hate you using our materials to destabilize the room.” Amber froze. Panam slowly looked at Sera. Sera realized. “That sounded more dramatic than intended.” Reyes said: “Accurate, though.” Amber leaned back against Maeve. “Hostile Palace.” Maeve wrapped both arms around her. Amber settled. No resistance. --- By twenty-three hundred, Jessie had fallen asleep against Ms. B. Panam was half asleep against Sera. Kiro was still awake but barely. Reyes looked annoyingly functional. Maeve had become quiet behind Amber. Amber herself was not tired. Which everyone knew was dangerous. She looked around. Then at Reyes. Reyes saw. “No.” Amber whispered: “What?” “You’re thinking.” “Yes.” “Stop.” “No.” Reyes sighed. Amber smiled. “Walk?” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro’s eyes were closed now. Then at Amber. “Outside?” “Yes.” Maeve spoke behind Amber. “Go.” Amber turned. “You’re awake.” “Barely.” Amber kissed her. “Bed.” Maeve smiled. “Soon.” Amber stood. Reyes carefully shifted away from Kiro. Kiro’s eyes opened. “Where?” “Walk.” Kiro looked at Amber. Then Reyes. A sleepy smile. “Behave.” Amber gasped. Reyes covered her mouth before she could answer. “Do not wake everyone.” Amber pulled Reyes’s hand away. Whispered: “She started it.” Kiro’s eyes closed again. “Good night.” Amber froze. Reyes grabbed her by the shoulders and physically turned her toward the door before she could retaliate. --- The Palace corridor was quiet. Not empty. Never empty. But softer at this hour. Amber walked beside Reyes. No destination. Again. Reyes glanced down. “You like wandering.” Amber nodded. “I think I do.” “You never do this at home.” “Home has work.” “Palace has work.” “Not mine every minute.” Reyes smiled. They walked. No flirting for several minutes. No jokes. Comfortable. Then Amber said: “Kiro likes you.” Reyes looked at her. “Kiro has always liked me.” Amber shook her head. “You know what I mean.” Reyes looked ahead. “Yes.” Amber waited. Reyes continued: “I like her.” “I know.” “Problem?” Amber looked genuinely surprised. “No.” Reyes looked down. Amber smiled. “Why would it be?” Reyes shrugged. “Because you enjoy pretending to be jealous.” Amber laughed. “Pretending?” Reyes raised an eyebrow. Amber thought. “Okay. I get territorial.” “Yes.” “Playfully.” “Mostly.” Amber pointed. “That fucking word again.” Reyes smiled. Amber continued: “But Kiro?” “Yes?” Amber shrugged. “She’s Kiro.” That answered everything. Reyes understood. Her expression softened. Then: “And me?” Amber looked up. “You’re Reyes.” Reyes smiled. “Terrible answer.” “Perfect answer.” They walked another few meters. Then Reyes put one arm around Amber’s shoulders. Amber leaned into her. Easy. No audience. No need to perform. --- They reached a viewing gallery. Empty. Earth beyond the glass. Amber stopped. “Marisol showed me one like this.” Reyes looked at her. “Thinking about her?” “Yes.” Reyes nodded. Amber looked up. “Thinking about Kiro?” Reyes smiled. “Yes.” Amber nodded. Good. They stood there. Amber’s arm went around Reyes’s waist. Reyes kept hers around Amber. Not sex. Not foreplay. Just closeness. Amber looked out. Then: “Three days.” Reyes nodded. “Feels longer.” “Yes.” “Good longer?” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Reyes laughed softly. Amber looked at her. Neither said it. Better. --- On the way back, Reyes’s comm pinged. Kiro. > **KIRO:** If you two are fucking somewhere, at least tell Maeve so she stops pretending not to check the time. Reyes stopped walking. Amber read over her arm. Silence. Then Amber screamed with laughter. Reyes grabbed her before she could fold onto the floor. “Quiet.” Amber could barely breathe. “She— she—” “I can read.” Amber pointed at the message. “Kiro!” “Yes.” “KIRO.” “Yes.” Amber took Reyes’s comm. Typed: > **REYES:** Not fucking. Reyes stared. “You’re messaging as me.” Amber continued. > **REYES:** Yet. Reyes snatched the comm. “You little shit.” Amber ran. Reyes chased her. Kiro’s reply arrived while Reyes was running. > **KIRO:** Amber has your comm, doesn’t she? Reyes stopped. Amber looked back from ten meters away. Reyes slowly raised the screen. Amber saw. Then started laughing again. Reyes typed: > **REYES:** Yes. Kiro: > **KIRO:** Thought so. Then: > **KIRO:** Bring her home. Reyes looked at Amber. Amber walked back. Still smiling. “Home?” Reyes put the comm away. “Home.” Amber took her hand. Together they headed back toward the others. --- ## Chapter Thirty-One — The Morning After Nothing Amber woke before Maeve. That alone felt suspicious. She lay still for a while, staring at the ceiling and replaying absolutely nothing in particular. Not Marisol. Not Reyes. Not Kiro. Not the paint. Not the zero-g room. Certainly not the message where Kiro had told Reyes to bring her home. Definitely not that. Maeve opened one eye. “You’re smiling.” Amber froze. “No.” “You are.” “I’m resting.” “With teeth?” Amber slowly turned her head. Maeve smiled. Amber narrowed her eyes. “You were awake.” “Enough.” “How long?” “Long enough.” Amber sighed. “My wife is invasive.” “Yes.” Amber rolled toward her. No rush. No joke for a few seconds. Maeve’s arm came around her automatically. Amber settled in. Then: “Kiro told Reyes to bring me home.” Maeve’s mouth twitched. Amber stared. “You knew.” “Yes.” “How?” “She messaged me first.” Amber went still. Maeve’s smile widened. Amber slowly pushed herself upright. “What did she say?” Maeve reached for her comm. Amber grabbed her wrist. “No.” Maeve looked at her. Amber narrowed her eyes. “Tell me.” Maeve laughed. “She asked whether you two were still wandering.” Amber stared. “That’s it?” “Then she said Reyes had you.” Amber blinked. There. No joke. Something warmer. Maeve saw the reaction. Amber looked down. “She trusts her.” “Yes.” Amber smiled faintly. “So do I.” Maeve nodded. Then: “And then Kiro asked whether you were fucking.” Amber’s face snapped up. Maeve lost it. Amber slapped her shoulder. “You bitch.” Maeve was laughing too hard to answer. Amber pointed. “You saved the nice part for first.” “Yes.” “Manipulative.” “Yes.” “My wife.” “Yes?” Amber leaned down. Kissed her. “Terrible.” Maeve smiled against her mouth. “Affectionately?” Amber pulled back. “No.” Maeve laughed again. --- Breakfast was already happening when they reached the common room. Sera and Panam were arguing over coffee. Jessie was eating. Ms. B had one pane open. Reyes sat beside Kiro. Of course. Amber walked in. Every head turned. Amber stopped. “No.” Jessie smiled. “I didn’t say anything.” Panam did. “Home safe?” Amber stared. Sera covered her face. Kiro looked down. Reyes closed her eyes. Maeve sat. Amber pointed at Panam. “You have become catastrophic.” Panam smiled. “Fast learner.” Ms. B looked at Amber. “You were back by 00:41.” Amber froze. Jessie turned. “Why do you know that?” Ms. B paused. Then: “Door log.” Amber stared. Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Panam whispered: “Hot administration.” Jessie slammed one hand on the table. “YES.” Ms. B covered her face. Maeve laughed. Amber pointed at everyone. “This household needs fewer systems.” Kiro said: “No.” Reyes nodded. “Strongly disagree.” Amber stared. “You two are exactly why.” Kiro smiled. Reyes leaned over and kissed her cheek. Amber watched. No reaction. Kiro noticed. Looked almost disappointed. Amber smiled. “Trying harder now?” Kiro laughed. “Maybe.” Reyes looked at Amber. Amber looked back. The game remained alive. Good. --- Breakfast drifted into the day. No one had anything urgent. That felt wrong enough that Amber checked twice. Ms. B noticed. “What?” Amber looked at her. “Nothing.” “You’re checking the queue.” Amber froze. “I’m not.” “You looked at the status pane.” Amber pointed. “I am an owner.” Ms. B nodded. “And off duty.” Amber stared. Then slowly smiled. “You’re enjoying this too much.” “Yes.” Jessie leaned against her. “Hot.” Ms. B sighed. --- Kiro and Reyes had one short technical verification later. Not until afternoon. Sera and Panam were meeting Imani again. Maeve had a business dinner in the evening. Jessie and Ms. B had nothing. Amber had nothing. Again. Dangerous. She sat. Drank coffee. Looked around. Then at Reyes. Reyes saw. “No.” Amber smiled. “What?” “You have idea face.” “Yes.” “About?” Amber looked at Kiro. Then Reyes. Then Maeve. Then back. “Dinner tonight.” Maeve raised one eyebrow. “My business dinner.” “Yes.” “What about it?” Amber smiled. “I am not invited.” “No.” “Excellent.” Maeve stared. Jessie started laughing. Panam looked confused. Sera smiled. Maeve folded her arms. “Why excellent?” Amber leaned back. “Free evening.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked at Reyes. Amber saw. “No.” Kiro blinked. “What?” “Whatever that was.” Reyes smiled. “Nothing.” Amber stared. Panam whispered: “It really is a dead word.” --- Later, Amber caught Reyes alone near the kitchen. Kiro was in her room. Maeve had gone to change. Amber leaned against the counter. Reyes looked over. “What?” “Nothing.” Reyes stared. Amber laughed. “Fine.” She stepped closer. “Zero-g.” Reyes smiled. “Yes.” “Not today.” “Agreed.” “Soon.” “Yes.” Amber nodded. Then: “And the last time was training plus kissing.” Reyes raised one eyebrow. “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Next one needs more time.” Reyes’s mouth twitched. “Training?” Amber looked at her. Reyes smiled. Amber laughed softly. “Still first.” “Good.” Amber froze. Reyes closed her eyes. Amber immediately slapped the counter. “YOU KEEP DOING THAT.” Reyes covered her face. “I hate this word.” Amber laughed. Then stepped closer again. No joke now. “Seriously.” Reyes looked at her. Amber held her gaze. “I want the next one.” Reyes nodded. “So do I.” Simple. Amber smiled. “Okay.” Reyes stared. Amber froze. Then both started laughing. --- Kiro appeared. Looked at them. Then: “Oh.” Amber pointed immediately. “No.” Kiro smiled. “What?” “You know.” Kiro looked at Reyes. Then Amber. Then: “Zero-g?” Amber stared. Reyes stared. Kiro smiled wider. “Thought so.” Amber folded her arms. “Are you psychic now?” “No.” Reyes looked at her. “How?” Kiro shrugged. “You both have face.” Silence. Amber slowly looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Then both burst out laughing. Kiro smiled. “See?” --- Maeve left for her business dinner at seventeen-thirty. Amber watched her go. Maeve stopped at the door. Looked back. Amber smiled. “My wife.” “Yes?” “Have fun.” Maeve smiled. “You too.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. Maeve immediately pointed. “Do not.” Amber laughed. “Too late.” Maeve shook her head and left. The door closed. Amber turned around. Seven people remained. Then Jessie said: “So.” Amber stared. “No.” Jessie smiled. “You have a free evening.” “Yes.” “No Maeve.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “Yes.” “Marisol?” “No.” Jessie’s eyebrows rose. “Reyes?” Reyes looked up. Amber looked at Jessie. Then Reyes. Then back. “Maybe.” Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes smiled. Panam whispered: “Oh, fuck.” Sera laughed. Ms. B took a drink. Amber looked around. “Why does everyone care so much?” Jessie answered: “Because you make it entertaining.” Amber nodded slowly. “Fair.” --- The evening did not immediately become sex. That would have been too easy. They went out. All of them except Maeve. No plan. Food first. Then a walk. Then a small bar. Palace again. Amber sat between Reyes and Jessie. Kiro across. Sera and Panam together. Ms. B beside Jessie. Normal. Mostly. Reyes leaned back. Amber looked at her. Reyes looked back. Then deliberately put one arm behind Amber’s chair. Not around her. Almost. Amber smiled. “Coward.” Reyes’s eyebrows rose. Kiro started laughing. Jessie looked between them. “What?” Amber leaned closer to Reyes. “She’s pretending.” Reyes looked down at her. “Pretending what?” “That she’s not touching me.” Reyes smiled. Then moved her arm. Around Amber’s shoulders. Amber looked delighted. “There.” Kiro looked at Reyes. Then Amber. Then: “Better.” Amber turned. “You’re encouraging.” “Yes.” “Dangerous.” “Yes.” Reyes kissed Amber’s temple. Kiro smiled. Amber froze. Then slowly looked at Kiro. Kiro laughed. “Oh, that got you.” Amber pointed. “Shut up.” --- Jessie leaned toward Ms. B. “Does this count as workplace wellness?” Ms. B looked at Amber. Then Reyes. Then Kiro. Then Jessie. “No.” Jessie looked disappointed. Ms. B smiled. “It counts as the beginning of a scheduling problem.” Amber stared. Panam collapsed laughing. Sera covered her mouth. Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked at the ceiling. Amber pointed at Ms. B. “You made administration filthy.” Ms. B looked horrified. Jessie smiled proudly. “My work here is done.” --- They stayed out too late. Again. Not absurdly. Enough. On the walk back, Amber drifted between people. Jessie for a while. Then Panam. Then Reyes. No fixed pair. At one junction, Sera and Panam turned toward a different route. “Studio,” Sera said. Amber looked at the time. “At night?” Panam shrugged. “Imani.” Amber nodded. “Fair.” Sera smiled. “Sleep eventually.” Amber laughed. “No promises.” Panam pointed. “Not you.” They left. Jessie and Ms. B followed another corridor toward the residential unit. Kiro stayed with Amber and Reyes. For a while. Then Kiro stopped. Looked at Reyes. Then Amber. Then: “I’m tired.” Amber stared. “Coward.” Kiro smiled. “Yes.” Reyes looked at her. “Coming?” Kiro shook her head. “No.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. Reyes noticed. Kiro noticed Amber noticing. Then Kiro stepped closer to Reyes. Kissed her. Brief. Soft. No performance. Then looked at Amber. “Bring her home.” Amber froze. Reyes froze. Kiro smiled. Then walked away. Amber stared after her. Reyes slowly looked down at Amber. Amber slowly looked up. Silence. Then: “She did that on purpose.” Reyes nodded. “Yes.” Amber’s smile became enormous. “Oh, fuck.” Reyes laughed. --- They walked. Just the two of them. Again. No destination. Again. Amber looked at Reyes. “Are we predictable?” “Yes.” “Badly?” “No.” Amber nodded. Good. Reyes looked at her. “Marisol?” Amber smiled. “What?” “You like her.” “Yes.” “Maeve.” Amber smiled warmer. “Yes.” “Kiro.” Amber looked ahead. Then back. “Yes.” Reyes raised an eyebrow. Amber laughed. “Different yes.” “I know.” Amber looked at Reyes. “And you.” Reyes held her gaze. Amber smiled. “Yes.” Reyes smiled back. “Good.” Amber froze. Reyes realized. Then both collapsed against each other laughing. “FUCK,” Reyes managed. Amber held onto her. “You’re cursed.” “I hate you.” “No, you don’t.” “No.” They stood there. Still laughing. Still holding each other. When the laughter finally faded, neither moved away. Amber looked up. Reyes looked down. There. Again. No floor issue this time. No zero-g. No club. No audience. Just them. Amber smiled. Reyes leaned closer. Amber met her. The kiss was brief. Warm. Familiar. Not escalation. Not yet. Enough. They separated. Amber stayed close. “Home?” Reyes smiled. “Home.” Amber took her hand. And they walked back together. --- ## Chapter Thirty-Two — Three Women, One Terrible Idea Kiro was still awake. Of course she was. Amber knew this before the residential door had finished opening because Kiro was sitting on the couch with a drink, one leg tucked beneath her, looking entirely too pleased with herself. Amber stopped in the doorway. Reyes stopped behind her. Kiro looked at them. Then at their joined hands. Then back up. “Hi.” Amber pointed. “You.” Kiro smiled. “Me.” “You said you were tired.” “I was.” Amber stared. Reyes walked past her. “You were waiting.” Kiro looked at Reyes. “No.” Amber closed the door. “Oh, bullshit.” Kiro took a drink. Reyes sat beside her. Kiro immediately leaned against Reyes. Amber stared. Then looked around the otherwise empty common room. Then back. “This is a fucking setup.” Kiro smiled. “For what?” “I don’t know yet.” “Then probably not a very good setup.” Amber opened her mouth. Stopped. “That was annoyingly logical.” “Thank you.” Amber froze. Kiro froze. Reyes slowly turned toward her. Amber’s eyes widened. “Oh.” Kiro closed her eyes. “Wrong word.” Amber walked closer. “No, no. We’re keeping this.” Reyes was already laughing. Kiro looked at her. “No help?” “Absolutely none.” Amber stopped in front of them. Hands on hips. Shorts. Bare midriff. Triad collar. Entirely too much satisfaction. “You abandoned us.” Kiro looked up. “I went home.” “You kissed her.” “Yes.” “In front of me.” “Yes.” “Then told me to bring her home.” “Yes.” Amber leaned closer. “That was deliberate.” Kiro thought. Then smiled. “Mostly.” Amber made a noise somewhere between outrage and delight. Reyes folded forward laughing. “Again!” Kiro lost it too. Amber pointed at both of them. “You are impossible.” Reyes looked up. “That’s usually your line.” “No. Usually that’s what everyone says about me.” “Growth,” Kiro said. Amber stared. Then laughed despite herself. --- She sat on the floor in front of them. Not because there were no chairs. Apparently this was becoming another habit. Reyes looked down. “Comfortable?” “Yes.” Kiro looked at Amber’s boots. “You walked all evening in those.” “Yes.” “Why?” Amber looked offended. “Because they look fucking excellent.” Reyes nodded. “They do.” Amber stopped. Looked at her. Reyes smiled. Amber looked at Kiro. Kiro nodded too. Amber’s suspicion increased. “You two are being nice.” Kiro frowned. “We’re often nice.” “No.” Reyes laughed. Amber started removing the boots. One. Then the other. She pushed them aside and stretched her legs. “Better.” Kiro looked at her bare feet. Then Reyes. Amber caught it. “What?” “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. Kiro smiled. “Actually nothing.” “Liar.” “Probably.” --- Reyes’s arm was around Kiro now. Not teasing Amber. Not deliberately, anyway. Kiro had simply fitted herself into the space beside her. Amber watched. There was something different about it tonight. The joke had spent days becoming real by increments too small to identify individually. Except real was the wrong word. It had always been real. Reyes and Kiro had history. Bodies already knew bodies. Nobody was crossing some pristine first boundary here. What had changed was the texture. The casualness. The affection had become visible. Amber liked it. Which was deeply inconvenient because pretending to be jealous had been extremely entertaining. Kiro caught her looking. “What?” Amber smiled. “You’re cute.” Kiro stared. Reyes looked down at her. Amber continued: “Together.” Silence. Kiro’s expression softened first. Reyes’s followed. Then Reyes said: “Are you ill?” Amber threw a cushion. Reyes caught it. “THERE she is.” Kiro laughed. --- Amber climbed onto the couch from the other side. Reyes looked at her. Then at the suddenly inadequate amount of available space. “Seriously?” Amber squeezed herself beside Reyes. “I’m small.” “That does not make furniture infinite.” “It helps.” Reyes was now between them. Kiro on one side. Amber on the other. Amber settled. Then looked across Reyes at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Reyes stared straight ahead. “No.” Amber smiled. “What?” “Whatever you two are doing.” Kiro said: “Nothing.” Reyes sighed. Amber rested her head against Reyes’s shoulder. Kiro was already using the other one. Reyes looked left. Amber. Right. Kiro. Then toward the ceiling. “I have made mistakes.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Kiro nodded. “Several.” Reyes looked down. “You are both currently benefiting from them.” Amber considered. “Strong point.” --- Silence settled. Comfortable. Amber’s eyes closed. Not asleep. Just warm. Reyes’s hand rested on her thigh. Kiro’s fingers idly traced the back of Reyes’s other hand. Nobody needed anything. Then Kiro said: “Zero-g.” Amber’s eyes opened. Reyes groaned. Amber lifted her head. “What about it?” Kiro looked across Reyes. “You two keep talking about it.” “Yes.” “You’re booking another session.” “Yes.” “Longer.” “Yes.” Kiro’s mouth curved. “I want to see.” Amber froze. Reyes slowly turned her head. Kiro looked entirely calm. Amber sat upright. “See?” Kiro nodded. Amber’s smile appeared. Reyes immediately pointed at her. “No.” Amber looked at her. “What?” “That face.” “What face?” “The one that gets us all into trouble.” Amber turned back to Kiro. “You want to watch?” Kiro thought. “Initially.” Silence. Amber’s eyebrows climbed. Reyes stared. Kiro’s smile became slightly less innocent. Amber whispered: “Oh, you bitch.” Kiro laughed. --- Reyes looked between them. “You understand the last session stopped being training.” “Yes,” Kiro said. Amber nodded. “Very quickly.” Reyes looked at her. “Not helping.” Amber smiled. Kiro continued: “I know.” “And you still want to come.” “Yes.” Amber leaned across Reyes. “How much do you want to participate?” Kiro’s eyes flicked toward Reyes. Then Amber. “I don’t know.” Good answer. Amber nodded immediately. “Then you don’t decide now.” Reyes looked at her. That earned Amber a small smile. Kiro nodded. “Exactly.” Amber settled back. Simple. No contract. No prewritten choreography. Come along. See. Choose. Palace. --- Reyes looked at Kiro. “Training first.” Kiro nodded. “Yes.” Amber grinned. Reyes turned. “Do not.” “I didn’t.” “You were going to.” Amber smiled. “I was appreciating your commitment to professional standards.” “Bullshit.” “Mostly.” Kiro burst out laughing. Reyes stared at Amber. Amber looked delighted. “I stole it.” “I noticed.” --- A bedroom door opened. All three froze. Jessie appeared in the corridor. Hair messy. Wearing an oversized shirt. She stopped. Looked at the couch. Amber. Reyes. Kiro. Packed together. Then at the clock. Then back. “No.” Amber stared. “What?” Jessie pointed. “I refuse.” Reyes frowned. “Refuse what?” “To ask.” Kiro started laughing. Amber held out both hands. “We’re talking.” Jessie looked at them. “At one in the morning.” “Yes.” “Compressed into one couch.” “Yes.” “About?” Silence. Amber grinned. Jessie immediately shook her head. “Nope.” She walked toward the kitchen. Amber called: “Zero-g.” Jessie stopped. Slowly turned. “Fuck.” Amber’s smile widened. “You asked.” “I explicitly did not.” “Emotionally, you did.” Jessie looked at Reyes. “Is she drunk?” Reyes shook her head. “Unfortunately.” --- Jessie got water. Then instead of returning to bed, came closer. Because of course she did. “What about zero-g?” Amber looked at Reyes. Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro smiled. Amber answered: “Next session.” Jessie leaned against a chair. “You booked it?” “Not yet.” “With Reyes?” “Yes.” Jessie looked at Kiro. “And?” Amber smiled. “Kiro may come.” Jessie’s eyebrows rose. “Oh.” Kiro said: “To watch initially.” Jessie’s eyebrows went higher. Amber laughed. “Exactly.” Jessie took a drink. Then looked at Amber. “Our zero-g idea still exists?” There. Amber nodded. “Yes.” “Me, you and Ms. B.” “Yes.” Jessie thought. “Different session.” Amber nodded immediately. “Definitely.” Reyes looked relieved. Kiro laughed. Amber turned. “What?” Reyes shook her head. “Nothing.” Amber understood anyway. “Seven women in one zero-g room would be fucking stupid.” Jessie considered. “Funny.” “Very.” Kiro nodded. “Extremely.” Reyes sighed. Amber pointed. “But stupid.” “Thank you.” Amber froze. Reyes froze. Jessie stared. Kiro covered her mouth. Amber slowly turned toward Reyes. Reyes closed her eyes. “Fuck.” The laughter nearly woke everyone. --- Jessie finally went back to bed. Amber remained. Kiro remained. Reyes had apparently accepted her fate as shared furniture. Then Kiro’s hand moved. Not toward Reyes. Toward Amber. She held it out across Reyes’s lap. Amber looked. Then took it. No joke. Kiro squeezed once. Amber squeezed back. Reyes looked down at their joined hands. Then at Amber. Then Kiro. “What?” Kiro smiled. “Nothing.” Reyes narrowed her eyes. Amber leaned closer. “She likes me.” “I know.” Amber looked offended. “You could sound more surprised.” Reyes laughed. Kiro tugged Amber’s hand. Amber leaned across. Kiro kissed her. Short. Warm. Entirely familiar. Amber returned it. When they separated, Reyes was staring at both. Amber smiled. “What?” Reyes shook her head. “Nothing.” Kiro laughed softly. Amber looked at Reyes. Then kissed her too. Same simplicity. Reyes’s hand came to the back of her neck for one second before letting her go. Amber settled back into her side. “There.” Reyes looked down. “What was that?” “Specialist calibration.” Kiro made a strangled sound. Reyes laughed. “You’ve ruined that phrase.” Amber smiled. “Improved.” --- Eventually Kiro stood. Amber looked up. “Leaving?” “Bed.” Amber checked the time. 01:19. “Reasonable.” Reyes raised an eyebrow. Amber pointed. “Do not spread that around.” Kiro leaned down. Kissed Reyes. Then Amber. “Good night.” Amber froze. Kiro smiled. “Deliberate.” Amber gasped. Reyes burst out laughing. Kiro escaped toward the corridor before Amber could retaliate. “You BITCH.” A hand appeared from one bedroom doorway. Maeve’s. Middle finger raised. Amber stared. The hand disappeared. Door closed. Reyes folded against the couch laughing. Amber looked toward the corridor. “My wife just flipped me off without getting out of bed.” Reyes struggled for breath. “You deserved it.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” --- A minute later, only Amber and Reyes remained. Again. Amber looked at her. “This keeps happening.” Reyes nodded. “Yes.” “Suspicious.” “Very.” Amber stood. Picked up her boots. Reyes looked at them. Then her. “You’re going to bed?” “Yes.” “Maeve?” Amber smiled. “My wife.” Reyes smiled back. Amber took two steps. Stopped. Turned. “Three.” Reyes knew immediately. “Kiro.” “Yes.” Reyes thought. Then smiled. “You okay with that?” Amber laughed softly. “Are you?” “Yes.” “Then yes.” Reyes nodded. Amber continued: “No expectations.” “Agreed.” “Training first.” Reyes stared. Amber grinned. “Had to.” “Asshole.” Amber walked back. Leaned down. Kissed her once. “Soon.” Reyes touched her cheek. “Soon.” --- Maeve was awake when Amber entered. Barely. Amber put the boots down. Climbed into bed. Maeve immediately pulled her close. Amber settled against her. Then whispered: “Kiro wants to join the next zero-g session.” Maeve’s eyes opened. She looked at Amber. “Join?” Amber smiled in the dark. “Initially watch.” Maeve considered. Then started laughing quietly. Amber frowned. “What?” Maeve kissed her forehead. “Nothing.” “My wife.” “Yes?” “What?” Maeve pulled her closer. “You have been here three days.” Amber thought about it. Marisol. Reyes. Imani’s pigment. Kiro. Zero-g. The shorts. The endless fucking word. Then smiled. “Yes.” Maeve closed her eyes. Amber rested against her. After a few seconds Maeve murmured: “You’re having fun.” Amber’s smile softened. “Yes.” Just true. And for once, that was enough. --- ## Chapter Thirty-Three — Four Morning began with a knock on the bedroom door. Amber opened one eye. Maeve did not. Another knock. Amber looked toward the door. Then at Maeve. “Do we have to?” Maeve’s eyes remained closed. “Yes.” “Why?” “Because whoever it is knows we’re awake.” Amber frowned. “How?” From outside: “Because Amber is talking.” Reyes. Amber closed her eyes. “Bitch.” Maeve smiled into the pillow. Amber got up. Did not bother getting dressed properly. Oversized shirt. Bare legs. Door. Reyes stood outside with coffee. Two cups. Amber looked at them. Then at Reyes. “Bribery.” “Yes.” “Successful.” Amber took one. Reyes looked past her. “Maeve awake?” Maeve called: “Unfortunately.” Reyes smiled. Amber narrowed her eyes. “You’re cheerful.” “Training later.” “Talia?” “Yes.” Amber took a drink. Then: “Kiro?” Reyes looked at her. “What about her?” Amber smiled. “Nothing.” Reyes stared. Amber’s smile widened. “You have face.” Reyes looked away. Amber gasped. “Oh.” Reyes pointed. “Do not.” Amber leaned against the doorframe. “Kiro.” “Yes.” “Last night.” “Yes.” “Zero-g.” “Yes.” “Kissing.” Reyes stared. Amber smiled brightly. “Four.” Reyes froze. Amber lifted one eyebrow. There. Maeve finally sat up behind her. “What’s four?” Amber turned. “Potentially us.” Maeve looked at Reyes. Then Amber. Then thought. “Kiro, you, Reyes…” Amber’s expression warmed. Maeve’s eyebrows rose. “Oh.” Reyes immediately said: “No.” Amber looked delighted. “No?” “No, not no.” Maeve started laughing. Reyes closed her eyes. Amber leaned closer. “Clarify.” “I hate you.” “Affectionately.” Reyes glared. Amber took another drink. “Four?” Reyes looked at Maeve. Maeve looked back. Then at Amber. Amber was already smiling too much. Maeve said: “Training first.” Amber’s mouth fell open. Reyes covered her face. From the corridor came Kiro’s voice: “I heard that.” Amber spun. Kiro stood several meters away. Hair messy. Coffee in hand. Amber stared. Kiro smiled. “Morning.” Amber pointed. “You’re stalking this conversation.” “No.” “You appeared exactly at the right time.” “I live here.” “Suspicious.” Kiro walked closer. Looked at Reyes. Then Amber. Then Maeve. And smiled. “Four?” Amber made a strangled sound. Maeve collapsed laughing. --- Breakfast became impossible almost immediately. Not because anyone had done anything. Because Jessie heard one fragment. That was enough. She looked around the table. “Four what?” Amber froze. Reyes looked at the ceiling. Kiro took a very long drink. Maeve smiled into her coffee. Ms. B looked between all of them. Then at Jessie. “No.” Jessie frowned. “What?” “Whatever you are about to do.” “I’m asking a question.” “Exactly.” Panam walked in. Sera behind her. Jessie pointed. “They’re hiding something.” Panam looked at Amber. Then Reyes. Then Kiro. Then Maeve. “Oh.” Amber slapped the table. “NO.” Panam laughed. “I said one syllable.” “Everyone’s syllables are filthy now.” Sera sat. “What did we miss?” Jessie answered: “Four.” Silence. Sera slowly looked at Amber. Amber covered her face. Panam looked at Kiro. Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked at Maeve. Maeve was already gone. Laughing silently. Ms. B sighed. “Administration cannot help you.” Amber looked up. “Coward.” --- Jessie leaned forward. “Four people?” Amber pointed. “No details.” “That is already a detail.” “Stop.” “Zero-g?” Amber stared. Jessie’s eyebrows climbed. “Oh.” Panam slapped one hand over her mouth. Sera smiled. Reyes muttered: “This household is impossible.” Kiro leaned toward her. “You started most of it.” Reyes looked at her. “You escalated most of it.” Kiro smiled. “Mostly.” Amber made a noise of pure delight. “There.” Reyes closed her eyes. Panam looked at Sera. “I am never getting tired of that word.” Sera kissed her cheek. “Dangerous promise.” --- Eventually Maeve put one hand flat on the table. “Actual plan.” Everyone quieted. Mostly. Amber looked at her. Maeve continued: “Nothing today.” Amber blinked. “What?” “No booking today.” Reyes nodded. “Agreed.” Kiro nodded too. Amber looked between them. Then Maeve. “Why is everyone suddenly reasonable?” Maeve smiled. “Because it needs a proper room.” Amber’s eyes narrowed. “How proper?” Kiro started laughing. Reyes looked away. Maeve stared at Amber. “You know exactly what I mean.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” “Longer than forty-five minutes.” “Yes.” “Enough time for actual zero-g acclimation first.” Reyes nodded. “And enough room.” Amber looked at Kiro. Kiro nodded. No joke. Maeve continued: “And everyone gets to decide independently what she wants once we’re there.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” No hesitation. Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Both nodded. Good. Then Amber said: “And if someone only watches—” Kiro looked at her. Amber’s expression warmed. “Still counts.” Kiro’s expression softened. “Good.” The table went silent. Then everyone exploded. Kiro covered her face. Amber slapped the table. “NOT MY FAULT.” Reyes was laughing too hard to breathe. Maeve leaned against Amber. Panam cried. Sera covered her mouth. Jessie whispered: “That word is cursed.” Ms. B nodded. “Documented.” --- After breakfast, the group scattered again. Palace had become routine enough that nobody announced departures anymore. Jessie and Ms. B left first. Sera and Panam followed later. Maeve had work. Kiro and Reyes had nothing until afternoon. Amber had nothing at all. She stood near the window. Looked out. Then at Reyes. Reyes saw. “No.” Amber smiled. “Walk?” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked at Amber. Then: “I’m coming.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. “Voluntarily?” “Yes.” Reyes smiled. Amber pointed. “This is already suspicious.” Kiro walked past her. “Then stay home.” Amber followed immediately. “Absolutely not.” --- They wandered. Three this time. No Maeve. No audience waiting in the common room. That changed the Reyes/Kiro dynamic subtly. The performative edge fell away. Not entirely. But enough. Kiro walked beside Reyes. Their hands brushed once. Then again. On the third time, Reyes simply took hers. Amber saw. Said nothing. Kiro noticed Amber not saying anything. Looked over. Amber smiled. Kiro smiled back. Then leaned lightly against Reyes’s arm as they walked. Reyes looked down. Something soft. Amber saw. This was what had changed. Not sex. Not attraction. Not history. Comfort. --- They found a small market level. Amber immediately disappeared toward clothing. Reyes caught her jacket. Amber stopped. Looked back. “What?” “No.” “You don’t even know what I saw.” “You bought two things yesterday.” “Exactly. Momentum.” Kiro laughed. Amber pointed at her. “Support.” Kiro shook her head. “No.” “Betrayal.” Reyes released the jacket. Amber walked three steps. Then stopped voluntarily. Turned back. Both women stared. Amber folded her arms. “What?” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Then Reyes said: “Growth.” Amber threw up both hands. “Fuck off.” --- They found coffee instead. Sat near a railing overlooking a large internal transit space. Amber took one sip. Then looked at Reyes. “Talia later.” “Yes.” Kiro looked at Reyes too. Reyes saw both. “What?” A quick smile crossed Amber’s face. “Nothing.” Kiro smiled. Reyes sighed. Amber asked: “Do you like her?” “Talia?” “Yes.” Reyes nodded. “Yes.” “Different?” Reyes looked at her. “From?” Amber gestured vaguely. “Kiro. Me. Palace. Everything.” Reyes thought. Then nodded. “Yes.” Amber smiled. Good. No need to dissect it. Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Kiro asked: “Do you like me differently now?” Silence. Amber immediately looked away. Not because she did not want to hear. Because she did. Too much. Reyes noticed. Kiro noticed Reyes noticing Amber not looking. The whole fucking chain again. Reyes smiled. “Yes.” Kiro waited. Reyes continued: “More openly.” The teasing edge left Kiro’s smile. Small. Warm. “That’s fair.” Amber could not help herself. She looked back. Saw them. Then smiled. No filthy line. Not yet. Reyes looked at her. “What?” Amber shook her head. “Nothing.” Reyes narrowed her eyes. Amber laughed. “Actually nothing.” Kiro smiled. “Miracle.” --- Reyes’s comm pinged. Talia. She checked. Amber watched. No attempt to hide it now. Reyes said: “Training moved to fifteen.” Kiro nodded. Amber looked at the time. “Two hours.” “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Plenty.” Reyes narrowed her eyes. “For?” Amber took another sip. “Nothing.” Reyes stared. Kiro started laughing. --- They kept walking. Eventually Amber found a public zero-g viewing gallery. Not a room. A huge recreational chamber beyond glass. People floating. Moving. Some alone. Some pairs. Some groups. No privacy. No intimacy. Just movement. Amber stopped. Reyes did too. Kiro stood between them. Amber looked. Watched a pair push from opposite walls and meet in the middle. Badly. They collided shoulder-first. Started laughing. Amber grinned. “That was us.” Reyes nodded. “Worse.” Kiro looked at them. “You really were terrible.” Amber stared. “You weren’t there.” “I have imagination.” Reyes smiled. “Accurate imagination.” Amber pointed. “Hostile.” Then another group moved through the chamber. Four people. That got everyone’s attention. Not sexual. Just coordinated movement. One pushed. Another caught. A third redirected. The fourth rotated through the center. Amber watched closely. Kiro did too. Reyes’s focus sharpened. Technical now. “That’s harder than it looks.” Amber nodded. Kiro said: “Momentum transfer.” Reyes looked at her. “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Training first.” Both turned toward her. Amber raised both hands. “I meant it technically.” Kiro started laughing. Reyes covered her face. --- The idea became more real after that. Not because of sex. Because four bodies in zero-g created actual coordination problems. Kiro pointed through the glass. “If one person pushes wrong, everyone drifts.” Reyes nodded. “Or rotates.” Amber watched. “Which means anchors.” “Yes.” “Wall contact.” “Yes.” “Hands.” Reyes looked at her. Amber smiled. “Biomechanics.” Kiro stared. Then laughed. “Sure.” Amber pointed. “I’m learning.” Reyes nodded. “Dangerously.” --- They left the gallery with a better sense of what they were actually considering. That helped. No fantasy choreography. No assumption zero-g magically solved bodies. It complicated them. Which, to Amber, made the whole thing considerably more interesting. Reyes looked at her. “You’re smiling.” “Yes.” “Why?” “Because it’s hard.” Kiro slowly turned. Amber froze. Reyes froze. Then all three stopped walking. Amber closed her eyes. “Oh, fuck.” Kiro bent forward laughing. Reyes leaned against the wall. Amber pointed at both while laughing herself. “I MEANT THE MOVEMENT.” Reyes managed: “Of course.” Kiro wiped under one eye. “Technically.” Amber looked toward the ceiling. “This place is cursed.” --- At fifteen, Reyes left for Talia. Kiro stayed with Amber. That was new. Reyes stopped before going. Looked at Kiro. Then Amber. Then walked back to Kiro. Kissed her. Short. Easy. No glance toward Amber. Amber saw. Smiled. Reyes pulled back. Kiro smiled too. Then Reyes turned toward Amber. Amber raised an eyebrow. Reyes stepped closer. Kissed her forehead. Amber froze. Reyes smiled. “Behave.” Amber stared. Then: “Absolutely not.” Reyes laughed and left. Amber watched. Kiro watched Amber. Amber felt it. Turned. “What?” Kiro smiled. “You like her.” Amber stared. “Yes.” “I know.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “Then why say it?” Kiro shrugged. “Nice to hear.” Amber’s expression softened. Then she looked at Kiro. “You like her.” “Yes.” “I know.” Kiro laughed. Amber grinned. “Nice to hear.” There. Kiro took Amber’s hand. They kept walking. --- Maeve found them an hour later. Not accidentally. She messaged. Amber gave location. Maeve arrived. Saw Amber and Kiro holding hands. Stopped. Amber looked up. Then at their hands. Then back. Maeve smiled. Amber narrowed her eyes. “No.” Maeve lifted both hands. “I said nothing.” Kiro leaned toward Amber. “Your face.” Amber looked at her. “You’re helping her now?” “Yes.” Maeve kissed Amber. Then Kiro. Short. Familiar. Nothing unusual. And yet Amber smiled. Because that was the other thing making the whole zero-g idea safe. Nothing between these women depended on exclusivity. Nothing needed guarding. The bonds were already there. Strong enough to let new combinations become funny before they became dangerous. If they ever became anything at all. Maeve looked at both. “Dinner?” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Kiro nodded. Then Amber looked at Maeve. “Four.” Maeve closed her eyes. Kiro started laughing. Amber grinned. “What?” Maeve looked at her. “You’re not letting that go.” “No.” “Of course.” Amber took Maeve’s hand with her free one. Kiro still held the other. Then she started walking. “Food.” Maeve looked at Kiro over Amber’s head. Kiro smiled. Both followed. --- ## Chapter Thirty-Four — Alignment Dinner was deliberately boring. Amber approved. Nothing floating. Nothing glowing. Nothing deconstructed into six textures and a philosophical argument. Food. Actual food. Maeve chose the place. Kiro accepted this because she had learned the value of letting Maeve solve problems that did not need to become interesting. Amber complained anyway. “This is suspiciously normal.” Maeve looked up from the menu. “You wanted food.” “Yes.” “This is food.” “Palace food.” “Yes.” Amber looked around. “No gravity tricks.” “No.” “No impossible plating.” “No.” “No waiter explaining the emotional childhood of my potato.” Kiro covered her mouth. Maeve stared. Amber smiled. “It happened last visit.” “It did not.” “Close enough.” Kiro looked at Maeve. “You really married this.” Maeve took a drink. “Yes.” Amber brightened immediately. “My wife.” Kiro closed her eyes. “There it is.” --- The three of them had taken a smaller table. Not because anyone had been excluded. Because dinner had happened by accident. Maeve found Amber and Kiro. Amber said food. Kiro said yes. That was enough. Reyes was still with Talia. Sera and Panam were with Imani. Jessie and Ms. B had disappeared somewhere together and sent only: > **JESSIE:** Alive. Followed by: > **MS. B:** That was not required. And: > **JESSIE:** It is now. Amber had stared at the messages for several seconds. Then typed: > **AMBER:** suspicious Ms. B replied: > **MS. B:** Administrative confidentiality. Amber had nearly thrown the comm. --- Kiro was quieter tonight. Not distant. Comfortable. Amber noticed after the main course arrived. She watched Kiro cut into something she had ordered after Maeve recommended it. No joke. No checking whether Reyes had messaged. No deliberately provocative comment. Amber leaned back. Kiro saw. “What?” Amber shook her head. “Nothing.” Kiro narrowed her eyes. “Actually?” “Yes.” Maeve looked between them. Amber smiled faintly. “You look settled.” Kiro paused. That got through. “Do I?” “Yes.” Kiro looked down at her plate. Then smiled. “Maybe.” Maeve watched her. Amber watched Maeve watching her. Kiro noticed both. “Oh, fuck off.” Amber laughed. “We said nothing.” “You both have face.” Maeve looked at Amber. Amber looked back. Then both started laughing. Kiro stared. “Terrible influence.” Amber nodded proudly. “Yes.” --- Reyes messaged halfway through dessert. Kiro’s comm lit. She looked. Smiled before opening it. Amber saw. Maeve saw Amber see. Amber did not comment. Kiro read. Then smiled wider. Amber lasted four seconds. “What?” Kiro looked up. Amber pointed. “That.” “What?” “Face.” Kiro laughed softly. “Talia destroyed her.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. Maeve looked interested. “How?” Kiro turned the comm so they could read. > **REYES:** I hate rotational drills. Then: > **REYES:** I hate Talia. Then: > **REYES:** We’re doing them again tomorrow. Amber laughed. Maeve smiled. Kiro typed: > **KIRO:** sounds healthy Reyes replied instantly: > **REYES:** shut up Kiro smiled. Amber leaned over. “Tell her I said good.” Kiro froze. Amber froze. Maeve closed her eyes. Then Kiro started laughing. Amber slapped the table. “GODDAMMIT.” Maeve put one hand over her mouth. Kiro typed anyway. > **KIRO:** Amber says “good.” Amber pointed. “You’re dead.” Kiro sent it. Reyes answered: > **REYES:** I’m killing both of you. Amber leaned back. “Affection.” Maeve looked at her. “Threat.” “Same family.” Kiro laughed. --- They walked back slowly. No rush. Palace evening traffic moved around them. People on dates. People working. People dressed like gravity had become optional in fashion too. Amber looked at everything. Kiro looked at systems. Maeve looked at both of them. Amber noticed. “What?” Maeve’s expression softened. “Nothing.” Amber pointed. “You have wife face.” Kiro turned. “What is wife face?” Amber stopped. Maeve stopped. Kiro waited. Amber thought very seriously. Then: “Expensive.” Maeve stared. Kiro burst out laughing. Amber grinned. “Accurate.” Maeve walked away. Amber followed. “My wife.” “No.” “You abandoned the discussion.” “There was no discussion.” “Marriage requires communication.” Maeve kept walking. “You just called my face expensive.” “It is.” Kiro laughed behind them. Maeve sighed. “Palace was a mistake.” Amber smiled. “No.” Maeve looked at her. Then smiled too. “No.” --- Reyes was back before them. She sat in the common room with one leg stretched out and an expression suggesting Talia had indeed found several new ways to make gravity personally offensive. Amber entered. Stopped. Looked at her. Reyes immediately raised one finger. “No.” Amber’s mouth curved. “I haven’t said anything.” “You messaged good.” “Kiro did.” Kiro walked in behind Amber. “Accurate.” Reyes glared. Kiro smiled. Amber looked at Reyes’s posture. “Tired?” “No.” “Yes,” Kiro said. Reyes turned. “Kiro.” Kiro walked closer. Reyes watched her. Kiro stopped in front of her. Then held out one hand. Reyes stared. “What?” “Up.” “I’m sitting.” “I know.” Amber whispered to Maeve: “Authority.” Maeve elbowed her. Kiro kept her hand out. Reyes sighed. Took it. Kiro pulled her up. Reyes stood. Then Kiro stepped in and hugged her. Reyes relaxed instantly. Amber went quiet. Maeve did too. Kiro’s arms tightened. Reyes rested her chin briefly against Kiro’s hair. “Hi.” Kiro smiled against her. “Hi.” Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve looked back. There. Again. Not new. Not dramatic. Just more visible. --- Kiro eventually pulled away. Reyes kept one hand at her waist. Amber saw. Reyes noticed Amber seeing. This time Reyes smiled. Not challenge. Not performance. Amber smiled back. Kiro looked between them. Then: “You two are getting weird.” Amber pointed. “You are literally standing in Reyes.” Kiro looked down. Reyes’s arm still around her waist. Then back. “Fair.” Reyes laughed. --- Sera and Panam arrived next. Panam was carrying pigment again. Amber saw the case. Panam saw Amber see the case. “No.” Amber laughed. “Every time.” “Yes.” “Why bring it home then?” Sera answered: “Because Imani wants Panam to test application.” Amber stopped. Slowly looked at Panam. Panam’s expression became suspicious. “What?” Amber smiled. “You’re painting Sera.” Panam nodded. “Yes.” Amber’s smile widened. Panam pointed immediately. “No audience.” Amber gasped. Sera laughed. Maeve covered her mouth. Panam continued: “Not today.” Amber looked betrayed. “You used me as observer yesterday.” “That was Imani.” “You existed.” “Tragic.” Amber looked at Sera. “Help.” Sera smiled. “No.” Amber sighed. “Artists.” --- Jessie and Ms. B came in ten minutes later. Jessie looked extremely pleased. Ms. B looked normal. Which meant nothing. Amber examined both. Jessie stopped. “What?” Amber narrowed her eyes. “Where were you?” “Out.” “With?” Jessie slowly looked at Ms. B. Then back. Amber froze. “Oh.” Ms. B sighed. A quick smile crossed Amber’s face. “Oh.” Jessie pointed. “No.” Amber looked delighted. “No what?” “You have face.” Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve smiled. Amber turned back. “So?” Jessie stared. Amber waited. Jessie finally said: “We found the zero-g rooms.” Silence. Amber sat down. Very slowly. “Oh.” Ms. B looked at Jessie. Jessie looked suddenly less triumphant. Amber’s smile appeared. “Did you go in?” Jessie nodded. “Yes.” “Do we need to clear the room first?” Panam made a strangled sound. Ms. B closed her eyes. Jessie stared. Amber raised both hands. “VALID QUESTION.” Reyes laughed. Kiro covered her mouth. Maeve said: “Amber.” Amber smiled. “What?” Jessie finally answered: “Yes.” Amber looked disappointed. Jessie continued: “For now.” Amber froze. Panam slapped one hand over her mouth. Sera leaned against her. Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked at the ceiling. Maeve laughed quietly. Amber looked at Ms. B. Ms. B stared back. Amber smiled slowly. “So the idea survives.” Ms. B nodded once. “Yes.” Jessie’s smile returned. “Definitely.” No booking. No immediate escalation. Just possibility confirmed. Amber leaned back. “Excellent.” Reyes whispered: “Dangerous word.” Amber laughed. --- Eventually everyone settled. Drinks. Food remnants. The pigment case remained closed. Unfortunately. Reyes stretched. Kiro sat beside her. Amber watched. Then looked at Maeve. Maeve looked back. Amber’s expression warmed. “Tomorrow?” Maeve raised one eyebrow. “What?” Amber tilted her head toward Kiro and Reyes. Then tapped two fingers lightly against her own knee. Maeve understood. Zero-g. Four. Maeve thought. Then shook her head. “No.” Amber blinked. “Why?” “Too soon.” Reyes overheard. Looked over. Kiro did too. Maeve continued: “Reyes trained hard today.” Reyes started to object. Maeve looked at her. Reyes stopped. Amber smiled. “My wife.” Maeve ignored her. “And Kiro hasn’t done proper zero-g acclimation.” Kiro nodded immediately. “That is true.” Amber looked at her. “Traitor.” Kiro shrugged. “Physics.” Maeve continued: “And I have not done it beyond transit conditions.” Amber paused. Right. Reyes nodded. “So acclimation session first.” Maeve’s expression softened. “Yes.” Amber looked around. “Four of us.” “Yes.” “Training.” “Yes.” “Nothing else expected.” Kiro nodded. “Yes.” Amber’s expression warmed. “Then later we decide.” Reyes smiled too. Maeve nodded. Kiro relaxed. Good. No pressure. No choreography. Just shared experiment. --- Panam looked between them. “You are literally scheduling sex training.” Amber turned. “No.” Panam stared. Amber continued: “We’re scheduling gravity training.” Panam folded her arms. “Before sex.” Amber thought. “Yes.” Panam looked at Sera. Sera smiled. “That is actually accurate.” Panam looked back. “This place has ruined language.” Reyes nodded. “Yes.” Kiro added: “Mostly.” Amber slapped the couch. “There.” --- The next morning, they booked ninety minutes. Not intimate. Not private in the sexual sense. Just a larger zero-g training room with enough space for four adults to learn how not to become a slow-moving collision hazard. Amber approved the booking. Looked at the duration. Then at Maeve. “Ninety.” “Yes.” Amber smiled. Maeve pointed immediately. “Training.” Amber held up both hands. “Yes.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Then Kiro said: “Initially.” Amber froze. Maeve froze. Reyes slowly turned. Kiro smiled. There was a beat of complete silence. Then Amber covered her face. “You are all learning too fast.” Kiro laughed. --- The room was larger than Amber’s first one. Four anchor points. Soft walls. Handholds. Adjustable interior markers. No furniture. No unnecessary equipment. Maeve entered first. Looked around. Then at Amber. “This is what you used?” “Smaller room.” Reyes nodded. “Much smaller.” Kiro looked at the walls. Then the ceiling. Then frowned. Amber’s mouth curved. “You’re doing Earth.” Kiro looked at her. “What?” “Ceiling.” Kiro looked back up. Then laughed. “Right.” Reyes removed her shoes. Maeve did too. Amber was already barefoot. Kiro followed. No special clothing. Comfortable training wear. Nothing seductive. The room needed to be learned first. --- Gravity dropped to 0.5. Kiro immediately frowned. Maeve smiled. Amber saw both. “What?” Kiro bent one knee. “Wrong.” Maeve nodded. “Yes.” Amber laughed. “You’ll love zero.” Kiro looked suspicious. “That sounds like a threat.” Reyes pushed lightly off the wall. Caught herself. “Start here.” Amber did the same. Better now. Maeve tested one small jump. Too much. She caught a handhold. Amber smiled. “My wife.” Maeve looked at her. “No.” Amber laughed. --- They stayed at half gravity for ten minutes. Reyes instructed. Not bossy. Clear. Short pushes. No sudden correction. Do not reach unless you can actually change momentum. Use walls. Use each other only after warning. Kiro absorbed it quickly. Maeve quicker. Amber got bored first. Of course. “Lower.” Reyes looked at her. “No.” Amber stared. “I know this.” “Kiro doesn’t.” Kiro nodded. Amber sighed. “Fine.” Maeve touched Amber’s shoulder. Amber looked at her. Maeve’s expression softened. Amber relaxed. A little. --- 0.2. That exposed everyone. Maeve pushed too gently and barely moved. Amber laughed. Maeve pushed from another wall. This time too hard. Amber caught her. Badly. They rotated together. Amber laughed against Maeve’s shoulder. “Hi.” Maeve looked around. “We’re turning.” “Yes.” “Fix it.” Amber grinned. “No.” Maeve stared. Amber laughed. Then Reyes caught Maeve’s ankle. Stopped the rotation. Maeve looked toward her. “Thank you.” Amber groaned. Reyes froze. Kiro froze. Maeve froze. Then everyone started laughing. “This fucking word,” Maeve muttered. Amber held onto her. “Cursed.” --- Zero. Kiro went very still. Maeve did too. Reyes smiled. Amber pushed away immediately. Reyes pointed. “Slow.” Amber rotated. “Experienced.” “You hit a wall last time.” “Once.” “Several times.” “Details.” Kiro let go of the handhold. Nothing happened. Her eyes widened. Small. Maeve watched. Kiro lifted both feet. Stayed. Then smiled. “Oh.” Amber knew that expression. Exactly. She smiled too. “Yeah.” Kiro pushed lightly. Drifted. Too lightly. Stopped near the center with nothing in reach. Her smile disappeared. “Oh.” Amber started laughing. Kiro crossed her arms. “Fuck you.” Reyes pushed toward her. Caught Kiro at the waist. Kiro immediately wrapped both arms around her. Not panic. Anchor. Reyes redirected them toward a wall. Kiro looked at her. “Useful.” Reyes smiled. “You’ll learn.” Kiro kissed her cheek. Amber made a tiny sound. Reyes looked over. Amber raised both hands. “Nothing.” Maeve’s expression softened. --- Maeve learned differently. She thought before every push. Too much. Amber saw it. “You’re calculating.” “Yes.” “Stop.” Maeve stared. Amber pushed toward her. Maeve caught her automatically. “There.” Maeve frowned. Amber smiled. “You didn’t calculate that.” “No.” “You reacted.” “Yes.” “Again.” Amber pushed away. Maeve watched. Amber came back from another wall. Maeve caught her. Cleaner. Amber’s expression warmed. “See?” Maeve’s hands remained at Amber’s waist. “Yes.” They were drifting. Slowly. Amber looked at her. Maeve looked back. No urgency. Then Reyes called: “Wall.” Maeve turned. Too late. They bumped softly into padding. Amber laughed. “Excellent instruction.” Reyes smiled. “Excellent listening.” Kiro started laughing. --- The four of them gradually learned proximity. Not intimacy. Coordination. One person moving toward another changed both. Catching transferred momentum. Two bodies became one moving mass. Three became complicated. Four became ridiculous. Reyes demonstrated by pulling Kiro toward her while bracing one foot against a wall. Kiro reached. Amber grabbed Kiro’s free hand. Terrible idea. Maeve caught Amber. Worse. All four drifted away from the wall. Rotating. Slowly. Silence. Amber looked around. Then: “Teamwork.” Reyes groaned. Kiro laughed. Maeve said: “We have achieved a mobile problem.” Amber smiled. “Zero-g teamwork.” Reyes started laughing hard enough to make the rotation worse. --- They eventually untangled. Mostly. Then tried again. Better. Reyes anchoring. Kiro redirecting. Maeve catching Amber. Amber using everybody as illegal architecture. At one point she pushed from Kiro’s hips without warning. Kiro spun backward. “AMBER.” Amber hit the opposite wall laughing. “SCIENCE.” Reyes chased her. Amber escaped. Maeve intercepted. Amber froze. Maeve smiled. “Caught.” Amber looked up. Then smiled back. “Yes.” Maeve held her a moment longer than necessary. Amber noticed. Not everything needed one. --- Halfway through the session, Kiro stopped at a wall. Looked at the other three. “I get it.” Reyes looked over. “What?” Kiro pushed away. Drifted toward them. “No floor.” Amber’s expression warmed. “Yes.” “No automatic contact.” Maeve nodded. Kiro reached Reyes first. Touched one hand to her shoulder. That changed Kiro’s trajectory. Reyes caught her wrist. Stabilized both. Kiro smiled. “You have to choose every contact.” Amber’s expression softened. Reyes nodded. “Yes.” Kiro looked at Amber. Then Maeve. Something settled. “Okay.” Amber froze. Kiro did too. Then: “No one say it.” Everyone laughed. --- The last twenty minutes became play. No pretending otherwise. Chasing. Catching. Testing pushes. Maeve learning to turn without overthinking. Kiro discovering she could redirect from another body without throwing both of them apart. Reyes deliberately making Amber work to catch her. Amber failing. Then succeeding. At one point Amber caught Reyes around the waist. Reyes caught Amber. Kiro reached them. Maeve reached Kiro. Four bodies drifting together. No one moved away. Not immediately. Amber looked around. Maeve. Kiro. Reyes. All close. Everyone breathing harder from movement and laughter. There. Not sexual. But charged. A possibility made physical. Kiro saw it. So did Reyes. Maeve’s eyes found Amber. Amber smiled. No push. No kiss. Not today. That was important too. Reyes eventually said: “Wall.” A small smile crossed Maeve’s face. “Yes.” They separated carefully. Choice visible even in separation. Good. --- Gravity returned at the end. All four groaned. Kiro bent her knees. “This is awful.” Amber pointed. “Exactly.” Maeve rolled her shoulders. Reyes stretched. Amber looked at the room. Then at the booking screen. Ninety minutes. Gone. Kiro looked at her. “Longer next time.” Silence. Amber slowly smiled. Reyes looked at Kiro. Maeve looked at Kiro. Kiro realized. Then shrugged. “Yes.” Amber laughed. “Initially?” Kiro smiled. “Maybe not.” Reyes’s eyebrows rose. Maeve smiled. Amber’s grin became dangerous. Kiro pointed. “No promises.” Amber nodded. “Perfect.” No schedule. No expectation. But the room had changed the question. Four was no longer an absurd joke thrown across breakfast. Four worked. --- ## Chapter Thirty-Five — No Floor, No Audience The mistake was assuming the training session had solved anything. It had not. It had simply proven that four adults could occupy the same zero-g room without becoming an expensive insurance claim. Useful. Important. And, according to Amber, tragically incomplete. She made it all the way back to the residential unit before saying so. Maeve opened the door. Kiro walked inside. Reyes followed. Amber entered last. Then: “Well.” Maeve stopped. Kiro stopped. Reyes closed her eyes. Amber smiled. “What?” Reyes turned. “You have conclusion face.” “I have several conclusions.” “No.” “You don’t know what they are.” “I know enough.” Amber kicked off one boot. Then the other. “Conclusion one: ninety minutes was better.” Kiro nodded. “Yes.” “Conclusion two: four works.” Maeve looked over. “For training.” Amber’s expression warmed. “Technically.” Reyes pointed. “No.” Amber laughed. “Conclusion three—” Maeve walked past her. “Food.” Amber stared. “My wife is suppressing science.” Maeve kept walking. “My wife needs lunch.” Amber brightened. “Also true.” --- Lunch happened quietly enough that nobody trusted it. Jessie and Ms. B were out. Sera and Panam had disappeared with Imani. Which left four. Again. Amber looked around the table. Then at Maeve. Maeve saw. “No.” Amber frowned. “I’m eating.” “Yes.” Kiro looked between them. “What?” Maeve said: “She counted.” Amber stared. “You don’t know that.” “You looked at every chair.” Reyes laughed. Kiro smiled. Amber sighed. “Fine.” She pointed around the table. “Four.” Reyes closed her eyes. “Again.” Amber’s mouth curved. “You people made this funny.” “You made this funny.” “Shared responsibility.” Kiro nodded. “Cross-team—” Three women said: “No.” Kiro laughed. --- Reyes ate slower than usual. Amber noticed. Not tired. Thinking. Different. Kiro noticed too. “You okay?” Reyes looked at her. “Yes.” “Training?” “No.” Amber watched. Reyes caught her. “What?” Amber shook her head. “Nothing.” Reyes stared. Amber smiled. “Actually nothing.” That earned a suspicious look. But nothing else. Good. --- Maeve got up first. Amber immediately looked at her. “Where?” Maeve raised an eyebrow. “Shower.” “Oh.” Maeve paused. Amber’s expression warmed. “Nothing.” “Good.” Amber froze. Maeve froze. Kiro folded forward. Reyes covered her face. Maeve sighed. “I walked into that.” Amber slapped the table. “You absolutely did.” Maeve left laughing. --- Kiro stayed another few minutes. Then her comm pinged. She checked. “Anya.” Reyes looked over. “Problem?” “No. Follow-up.” Kiro opened the message. Read. Then smiled. “Permanent mount is stable.” Reyes nodded. “Good.” Silence. Kiro closed her eyes. Amber put both hands flat on the table. Reyes looked at the ceiling. Nobody said anything. Five seconds. Kiro opened one eye. Amber was shaking. “Do it.” Amber burst out laughing. Reyes followed. Kiro sighed. “I hate all of you.” Amber pointed. “You volunteered.” --- Eventually Kiro stood. “I'm going to answer her before this turns into another hour.” Reyes nodded. Kiro looked at Amber. Then Reyes. Then smiled slightly. Interesting. Amber saw. “What?” “Nothing.” Kiro leaned down. Kissed Reyes. Short. Then Amber. Shorter. “Behave.” Amber stared. Kiro walked away. Reyes watched her go. Amber watched Reyes watching her. Then: “Cute.” Reyes looked down. “Shut up.” Amber smiled. “No.” --- They were alone. Not truly. Maeve was down the corridor. Others would return eventually. But alone enough. Amber leaned back. Reyes looked at her. Amber looked back. Neither started with zero-g. Reyes asked: “Marisol?” Amber’s expression warmed. “Tomorrow, probably.” “You like her.” “Yes.” “Still.” “Yes.” Reyes nodded. Amber tilted her head. “Talia?” Reyes smiled. “Tomorrow morning.” “You like her.” “Yes.” “Still.” Reyes laughed. “Yes.” Amber nodded. Then silence again. Not awkward. Amber looked down at her hands. Then at Reyes. “You thought about something during lunch.” Reyes’s eyebrows rose. “There she is.” “What?” “You were actually quiet for nearly a minute.” Amber’s expression warmed. “Terrifying.” “Yes.” Amber waited. Reyes looked toward the corridor. Then back. “Four was good.” Amber’s mouth twitched. Reyes pointed immediately. “Do not.” Amber held up both hands. Reyes continued: “But I still want ours.” Amber went still. There. No joke. “Yes.” Reyes looked at her. “Just ours.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Simple. --- Maeve returned while neither had moved. Hair damp. Clean shirt. She stopped at the end of the corridor. Looked at Amber. Then Reyes. Amber’s expression warmed. Maeve understood immediately. Of course she did. “When?” Amber looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Then Amber shrugged. “Now?” Reyes’s eyebrows rose. Maeve smiled. “No schedule.” Amber laughed softly. “Exactly.” Reyes checked the time. Nothing mandatory. No Talia. No specialist work. No Marisol. Just afternoon. She looked at Maeve. Maeve held her gaze. No permission requested. None needed. Still, Reyes said: “You mind?” Maeve’s expression softened. “No.” Amber looked at her. Maeve stepped closer. Touched Amber’s cheek. “Go have fun.” Amber’s expression warmed. “My wife.” Maeve leaned down. Kissed her. Then looked at Reyes. “Bring her back.” Amber froze. Reyes froze. Maeve walked away. Amber slowly turned. Reyes was already laughing. “Oh, fuck you.” Maeve called from the kitchen: “Affectionately.” Amber shouted: “CONTAMINATED HOUSEHOLD.” --- They booked two hours. Amber looked at the confirmation. Then at Reyes. “Two.” “Yes.” “Hours.” “Yes.” Amber smiled. Reyes narrowed her eyes. “Training first.” Amber laughed. “Of course.” --- Same facility. Different room. Larger than Amber’s original. Smaller than the four-person training chamber. Private. No audience. Amber entered. Stopped. Looked around. Then smiled. Reyes closed the door. “You’re doing it again.” “What?” “Looking for ceilings.” Amber looked up. “There isn’t one.” Reyes’s mouth twitched. “Learning.” Amber turned. “Growth.” Reyes sighed. “Get changed.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. “For training?” “Comfortable clothes.” Amber looked down at her shorts. Then up. “These are comfortable.” Reyes looked at them. Amber grinned. “Marisol agrees.” Reyes stared. Then laughed. “Fine.” Shoes off. Jackets off. Nothing else. Not yet. --- Half gravity. Brief. They knew it. Twenty percent. Shorter. Then zero. Amber let go first. Reyes followed. No dramatic reaction now. No surprised laughter. Not immediately. Amber pushed. Turned. Caught a wall. Reyes did the same. Better. Much better. Amber smiled. “Again.” They did. This time Reyes crossed her path intentionally. Amber redirected. Caught Reyes’s forearm. Used her momentum. Turned them both. Reyes smiled. “Better.” Amber froze. Reyes realized. Then laughed. “No, that one was technical.” Amber pointed. “Still counts.” “Asshole.” --- They trained. Actually trained. Twenty minutes. Then thirty. Reyes made Amber repeat transitions until she stopped overcorrecting. Amber made Reyes practice letting go of the wall earlier. Both failed. Both improved. No audience. No Kiro laughing. No Maeve catching them. Just movement. Eventually Amber pushed from one wall. Reyes left another at the same time. They met near the center. Perfectly. Neither hit hard. Neither missed. Reyes caught Amber around the waist. Amber caught Reyes around the shoulders. Momentum carried them together. Slow rotation. Controlled. Amber grinned. Reyes smiled back. No laughter. Not this time. “Again?” Reyes asked. Amber shook her head. “No.” --- They remained together. No floor. No weight forcing contact. Only arms. Hands. Legs drifting naturally until each chose where to put them. Amber looked around. Then back. “Still like this.” Reyes nodded. “Yeah.” Amber’s fingers rested at the back of Reyes’s neck. Reyes’s hand stayed at Amber’s waist. No one moved. Amber’s mouth curved. “Now.” Reyes knew exactly what she meant. “Training done?” “Yes.” Reyes kissed her. --- The first kiss was almost calm. Almost. Amber answered immediately. Reyes’s other hand came around her. Amber let go of any attempt to maintain orientation. They rotated. Neither cared. Amber broke the kiss once. Looked behind Reyes. “Wall.” Reyes glanced. Too late. They bumped softly into padding. Amber laughed. Reyes pressed her forehead against Amber’s. “Your fault.” “You were driving.” “There is no driving.” “Exactly.” Reyes kissed her again. --- Clothing became inconvenient slowly. Not urgently. Amber caught the hem of Reyes’s top. Stopped. Reyes looked at her. Amber smiled. “Yes?” Reyes nodded. “Yes.” The top came away awkwardly because zero-g was terrible at helping. Fabric floated between them. Amber stared. Then laughed. Reyes pushed it toward the wall. It drifted beautifully. Completely useless. Amber looked at her own top. Then Reyes. “This is going to take forever.” A small smile crossed Reyes’s face. “We booked two hours.” Amber’s eyes brightened. “Good point.” Reyes froze. Amber laughed. “Your fault.” --- They undressed without elegance. That became part of it. Reyes worked free of her trousers while Amber anchored them by one belt loop. Amber pushed her shorts away next, then both women dealt with the last underwear with considerably less grace than either would ever admit afterward. Nothing fell conveniently. Everything floated. Every discarded piece needed to be pushed away or anchored somewhere. Amber caught one drifting piece before it crossed her face and started laughing so hard Reyes had to steady both of them against a wall. “Sexy,” Reyes muttered. Amber looked at her. “Extremely.” Then the laughter softened. Because the physical difference changed once the final layers were gone. Full skin contact in zero-g was immediate. Warm. Unweighted. Every touch had to be maintained. Amber felt Reyes’s hand at her back. Not resting there because gravity placed it. Holding her. Choosing. Amber’s breath caught. Reyes saw. “You okay?” “Yes.” Immediate. Then softer: “More than okay.” Reyes smiled. --- They pushed away from the wall together. No anchor. Amber wrapped her arms around Reyes. Reyes held her. Their bodies remained close only because neither let the other drift away. That was the point Amber had been trying to explain at dinner. Now she felt it. No floor giving them leverage. No mattress taking weight. No default position. Just tiny corrections. Hands. Arms. A knee shifting. A shoulder turning. Breath. Choice repeated every second. Amber kissed Reyes again. Slower. Reyes returned it. The Shadow Aura stirred. Not dramatically. A faint deepening at the edge of the room. Light seemed softer around them. Amber noticed. Went still. Reyes did too. “Hey.” Amber looked at her. “Aura.” “I know.” “Okay?” Reyes smiled. “Yes.” Amber watched her carefully. Reyes pulled her closer. Still yes. --- The next stage arrived without either rushing it. Reyes found a wall first. One hand on a grip. Amber close against her. An anchor. Useful. Amber looked at their position. Then up at Reyes. A tiny smile. Reyes raised one eyebrow. “What?” “Biomechanics.” Reyes laughed softly. “Of course.” Amber’s body shifted closer. No ambiguity. The grin faded from Reyes’s mouth. The joking thinned. Amber touched her face. Reyes leaned into the touch. “Still yes?” “Yes.” A quick smile crossed Amber’s face. “Then stop asking like you expect the answer to change.” Reyes looked at her. “It can.” Amber’s smile softened. “Yes.” That mattered. “Still yes.” Reyes kissed her. --- What followed was not graceful. Zero-g refused grace as a default. Every attempt at rhythm changed momentum. Every stronger movement had consequence. They adjusted. Stopped. Laughed once. Started again. Found an anchor. Lost it. Found each other. And when intercourse finally began, it did so only after both of them had settled into a position that worked for the room rather than trying to force Earth logic onto it. Reyes braced. Amber held close. Both understood exactly what the other wanted. No audience. No performance. No joke needed. For a while. --- Then Reyes’s foot slipped from the wall anchor. Both women rotated. Amber’s eyes widened. Reyes swore. They drifted sideways. Still together. Amber started laughing. Reyes tried to recover. That made it worse. Amber laughed harder. “This is fucking ridiculous.” Reyes finally caught a rail. Stopped them. Amber rested her forehead against Reyes’s shoulder. Still laughing. Reyes breathed out. “Do not tell Kiro.” Amber looked up. “Absolutely telling Kiro.” “Traitor.” “Affectionately.” Reyes kissed her. The laughter faded again. --- They found the rhythm a second time. Better. Not faster. More confident. Amber stopped thinking about the room. Mostly. She focused on Reyes. Her face. Her hands. The way Reyes kept checking without stopping the flow. The way every movement required both of them. The aura deepened slightly around them. Not desire created. Desire answered. Reyes noticed. Amber felt her notice. Paused. Reyes looked at her. “Don’t stop.” Amber held her gaze. “You sure?” “Yes.” No hesitation. Amber relaxed again. The Shadow Aura remained close. Localized. Warm in a way shadows should not have been. Reyes exhaled against Amber’s neck. Amber’s expression warmed. There. --- The climax did not arrive quickly. They had time. The room allowed no lazy surrender to weight. Every escalation required active movement, mutual adjustment, contact maintained deliberately. Amber’s breath shortened first. Reyes saw. Amber saw Reyes see. No embarrassment. Just recognition. Reyes stayed with her. Amber’s hands tightened. The room turned slowly around them. Or they turned inside it. Impossible to tell. Then Amber went still for one suspended moment— and broke. Reyes held her through it. Not trapping. Anchoring. Amber’s eyes closed. Her forehead pressed against Reyes. The same loss of rhythm caught Reyes before Amber had fully come down. Her breath broke against Amber’s shoulder, grip tightening at Amber’s back as her own climax passed through her inside the slow rotation. And then neither moved. At all. --- The stillness in zero-g was different. On a bed, bodies settled because weight insisted. Here, they remained together because arms remained around each other. Amber’s breathing slowed against Reyes’s shoulder. Reyes’s hand stayed at the middle of her back. No rush to separate. No need. They drifted a few centimeters from the wall. Stayed together. Amber opened her eyes. Reyes’s were closed. Amber smiled. Soft. No audience to see it. Good. She kissed Reyes’s shoulder. Reyes’s eyes opened. “Hi.” Amber laughed quietly. “Hi.” --- They stayed like that much longer than either had intended. Eventually Reyes looked toward the time display. Amber followed. Forty-eight minutes remained. Amber grinned. Reyes saw. “No.” Amber laughed. “We booked correctly.” “Yes.” “Very correctly.” Reyes shook her head. Amber kissed her. Lazy. Warm. No immediate second round. Just because she wanted to. --- They separated eventually. Slowly. Then immediately discovered that being naked in zero-g without touching anyone felt unexpectedly absurd. Amber drifted backward. Looked down at herself. Then at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Amber spread her arms. “This is objectively stupid.” Reyes laughed. “You wanted it.” “I still want it.” Reyes caught Amber’s ankle as she drifted past. Amber rotated slowly. Stared. Reyes’s expression warmed. “Caught.” Amber looked at the hand around her ankle. Then at Reyes. “Oh, fuck you.” Reyes pulled gently. Amber drifted back. Laughing. --- The remaining time became exactly what neither had planned. Half recovery. Half play. Some kissing. Some simply floating. At one point Amber curled around Reyes without any clear orientation and stayed there. At another Reyes pushed Amber toward a wall and let her redirect herself. No sex. No need. Enough had already happened. The room warning came at ten minutes. Amber looked at it. Then Reyes. “Better.” Reyes nodded. “Much.” “Next time?” Reyes smiled. Amber laughed. “No pressure.” “I know.” Amber paused. Then: “Yes.” Reyes’s expression softened. “Yes.” --- Gravity restoration was less funny this time. They prepared. Found the designated floor. Held a wall. 0.1. 0.2. Weight returned. Amber bent her knees as 0.5 arrived. Reyes steadied her automatically. At 1.0, Amber exhaled. “Fuck.” Reyes rolled one shoulder. “Too heavy?” “Yes.” Amber looked up. “Also everything else.” Reyes’s mouth twitched. No tease. She touched Amber’s cheek. Amber leaned into it. --- Getting dressed took less time with gravity. Boring. Amber pulled on the shorts. Reyes watched. Amber caught her. “What?” Reyes smiled. “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “You like the shorts too.” “Yes.” Amber sighed dramatically. “Public utility.” Reyes laughed. --- They left the facility hand in hand. No need to hide anything. No need to announce anything either. Amber checked her comm. Three messages. Maeve: > **MAEVE:** Alive? Amber smiled. Then Kiro: > **KIRO:** Reyes alive? Amber looked at Reyes. Reyes looked at the message. “Why am I second?” Amber laughed. Then another from Kiro: > **KIRO:** Actually, both alive? Amber typed: > **AMBER:** Alive. Then: > **AMBER:** Two hours was the correct booking. The reply came instantly. > **KIRO:** oh Amber’s mouth curved. Reyes looked over. “What?” Amber showed her. Reyes laughed. Then Kiro sent: > **KIRO:** training successful? Amber stared. Reyes stared. Amber slowly typed: > **AMBER:** Very. Reyes grabbed the comm. “No.” Too late. Kiro answered: > **KIRO:** GODDAMMIT Amber collapsed against Reyes laughing. --- Maeve’s message came next. > **MAEVE:** Good? Amber looked at it. She typed: > **AMBER:** Very. <3 Maeve answered: > **MAEVE:** Then come home when you’re ready. Amber’s expression softened. Reyes saw. “She’s good.” Amber looked up. “My wife?” “Yes.” A quick smile crossed Amber’s face. “Very.” Reyes nodded. Then took her hand again. --- They did not rush home. They walked. Slowly. Palace around them. No need to fill the transition with jokes. Eventually Amber leaned against Reyes’s arm. Reyes looked down. “You okay?” “Yes.” “Sore?” “A little.” “Bad?” “No.” Reyes nodded. Amber smiled. “Worth it.” Reyes laughed softly. “Yes.” They kept walking. And when they finally returned to the residential unit, Kiro was waiting on the couch. Again. Amber stopped in the doorway. Kiro looked at them. Then at their hands. Then at Amber’s hair. Then at Reyes’s. Then smiled. Amber raised one finger. “Before you say anything—” Kiro leaned back. “I was going to ask whether you had fun.” Amber froze. Reyes froze. Kiro smiled innocently. Amber stared. Then: “Yes.” Kiro’s smile softened. “Good.” Amber closed her eyes. Reyes started laughing. Kiro realized. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Amber pointed. “WELCOME BACK.” Maeve’s laughter came from the kitchen. --- ## Chapter Thirty-Six — After Zero Maeve did not ask for details. That was the first thing Amber noticed. She came out of the kitchen carrying two glasses, looked at Amber, looked at Reyes, and smiled. “Drink?” Amber nodded. “Yes.” Reyes accepted the other. Kiro watched all three from the couch. Quietly. Dangerously quietly. Amber looked at her. Kiro smiled. Amber narrowed her eyes. “What?” “Nothing.” Amber pointed. “You have questions.” “Yes.” “Then ask.” Kiro looked at Reyes. Then Amber. Then: “Was it actually difficult?” Amber blinked. Not the question she expected. Reyes sat down. “Yes.” Kiro leaned forward. “Because of movement?” “Mostly.” Amber dropped onto the couch beside her. “Every strong movement changes everything.” Kiro nodded slowly. “You lose the anchor.” “Or transfer too much momentum,” Reyes said. Amber pointed at her. “Especially if somebody’s foot slips.” Reyes looked over. “You are absolutely telling her.” “Yes.” Kiro smiled. “What happened?” Reyes sighed. Amber’s face lit. “She lost the wall.” Reyes looked at Kiro. “We both rotated.” Amber continued: “While still—” Reyes put one hand over Amber’s mouth. Kiro burst out laughing. Maeve sat opposite them. Amber pulled Reyes’s hand away. “Biomechanically engaged.” Reyes stared. Kiro folded over. Maeve covered her face. Amber smiled proudly. “Technical language.” Reyes shook her head. “Terrible person.” “Happy person.” That stopped the room for half a beat. Amber realized only after she said it. Maeve’s expression softened. Reyes did too. Kiro looked at Amber. No joke. Amber looked around. Then smiled. “Yeah.” Maeve leaned forward and touched Amber’s knee. “Good.” Amber immediately pointed. “No.” Maeve froze. Kiro started laughing. Reyes covered her face. Maeve stared at Amber. “You ruined your own emotional moment.” Amber smiled. “I saved it.” “From what?” “Sincerity overdose.” Reyes laughed. There she was. --- Kiro shifted closer to Reyes. Not flirtatiously. Checking. Her hand settled against Reyes’s forearm. “You okay?” Reyes nodded. “Yes.” “Sore?” “A little.” Amber looked over. “You too?” Reyes stared. “You are tiny and made entirely of bad decisions.” Amber looked offended. “That is not physiology.” Maeve nodded. “Close enough.” Amber turned. “My wife.” Maeve smiled. “Yes?” “Hostile.” “Yes.” Kiro squeezed Reyes’s arm once. “You pushed too hard.” Reyes looked at her. Amber immediately said: “She did.” Reyes looked back. “Whose side are you on?” Amber smiled. “Gravity’s.” Kiro laughed. --- The others returned gradually. Jessie and Ms. B first. Jessie entered. Saw Amber. Saw Reyes. Saw Kiro sitting close. Then Maeve. Stopped. Looked at Amber. Amber raised one finger. “No.” Jessie blinked. “I was going to ask if anyone wanted tea.” Amber lowered the finger. “Oh.” Ms. B entered behind her. Looked at the room. Then at Jessie. “You were absolutely not.” Jessie smiled. “Fine.” Amber pointed. “SEE?” Jessie laughed. “So?” Amber sighed. “Successful.” Reyes closed her eyes. Kiro started laughing before anyone else could. Jessie stared. Then: “Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Ms. B looked at Amber. “Is that word still unusable?” “Completely.” Jessie grinned. “Good.” The entire room groaned. --- Sera and Panam arrived twenty minutes later. Panam noticed the atmosphere immediately. “What happened?” Amber answered: “Nothing.” Everyone stared. Panam looked at Sera. “That means sex.” Amber sat upright. “HOW?” Panam shrugged. “You people taught me.” Sera laughed. Reyes looked at Amber. Amber looked back. Then Panam saw both. “Oh.” Amber pointed. “No details.” Panam sat. “Didn’t ask.” Sera looked at Amber. Then Reyes. Then Kiro. Then Maeve. The social geometry apparently explained enough. She smiled. Amber saw. “Do not artist this.” Sera laughed. “I said nothing.” “Your face did.” Panam nodded. “I hate that I understand her now.” --- Dinner became leftovers and fragments. Nobody wanted anything formal. Amber sat close to Maeve now. Reyes leaned against Kiro. Jessie and Ms. B shared one plate because apparently plates had become optional too. Sera and Panam opened Imani’s pigment case for reasons Amber considered deeply unfair. Amber leaned forward immediately. Panam pointed. “No.” Amber sighed. “Oppression.” Sera smiled. “We’re testing something small.” “On who?” Panam looked at Sera. Sera looked back. Amber’s eyes widened. “Oh.” Panam stared. Amber smiled. “Nothing.” Panam narrowed her eyes. Amber folded her hands. “Behaving.” Reyes laughed. Kiro whispered: “Miracle.” Amber heard. Of course. --- Sera drew a narrow pressure-reactive line along Panam’s shoulder. Amber watched from across the room. So did Maeve. Kiro watched Sera. Reyes watched Kiro watching Sera. Amber caught that too. The entire room had become structurally incapable of unobserved observation. Panam pressed the pigment. Nothing. Sera touched it. Metallic color surfaced beneath her fingers. Panam looked down. Then at Sera. That look was enough. Amber smiled. Maeve noticed. “You like this.” Amber nodded. “Yes.” “Watching.” Amber looked at her. “Yes.” No embarrassment. No correction. Just true. Maeve kissed her temple. Amber leaned into her. --- Jessie noticed. Of course. She looked at Ms. B. Ms. B looked back. Jessie smiled. Ms. B’s eyebrow rose. Amber saw. Then remembered their own zero-g exploration. Interesting. Not tonight. Good. There was room. Two weeks did not need to become two frantic days. --- Later, Reyes got up. Slowly. Kiro noticed immediately. “Where?” “Shower.” Kiro stood too. Reyes looked at her. Kiro smiled. “Helping.” Amber froze. Reyes froze. Kiro realized. Then sighed. “Actually helping.” Amber put both hands over her mouth. Maeve looked away. Panam started laughing. Reyes pointed at Amber. “Not one word.” Amber nodded vigorously. Kiro and Reyes walked toward the corridor. Amber waited. Door closed. Silence. Amber dropped her hands. “Helping.” Maeve collapsed against her. Jessie shouted. Panam covered her face. Sera laughed. Ms. B shook her head. Amber pointed at the corridor. “THEY MAKE THIS TOO EASY.” --- They did not come back for forty minutes. Amber checked the time once. Only once. Maeve saw. Did not comment. Good wife. Then Reyes returned first. Hair damp. Clean shirt. Relaxed. Kiro behind her. Also damp-haired. Amber stared. Reyes stared back. Amber raised both hands. “I have nothing.” Kiro looked at Amber. Then at Reyes. Then smiled. “Shower successful.” The room detonated. Reyes slowly turned toward Kiro. “You did that deliberately.” Kiro looked pleased. “Yes.” Amber slapped the couch. “She’s surpassed you.” Reyes shook her head. “Monster.” Kiro kissed her cheek. “Affectionately.” Amber laughed harder. --- When the noise faded, Maeve stood. “Walk.” Amber looked up. “With?” Maeve smiled. “You.” Amber brightened immediately. Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro smiled. Amber saw. “What?” Reyes shook her head. “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. Then decided she did not care. “Fine.” She stood. Maeve took her hand. They left. --- Palace had changed again. Night cycle. Lower traffic. Lights reduced along the residential paths. Amber walked beside Maeve. No audience. Again. Different kind. She leaned against Maeve’s arm. Maeve looked down. “Tired?” “Yes.” Amber said it without resistance. Maeve smiled. “That easy?” Amber looked up. “I had sex in zero-g for two hours.” Maeve’s eyebrows rose. Amber laughed. “Not continuously.” “Good clarification.” Amber froze. Maeve froze. Both stared. Then Amber burst out laughing. “YOU.” Maeve covered her face. “I hate this word now too.” “Excellent.” --- They walked a little farther. Maeve’s hand remained in Amber’s. Amber squeezed once. Maeve looked over. “What?” Amber smiled faintly. “Thank you.” Maeve’s expression softened. “For?” “Not making anything weird.” Maeve stared. Amber laughed softly. “I know. Terrible wording.” “No.” Maeve stopped. Amber stopped too. Maeve looked down. “Nothing about you and Reyes is weird.” Amber’s smile faded into something warmer. “I know.” “Nothing about Kiro and Reyes.” “I know.” “Nothing about Marisol.” Amber nodded. Maeve continued: “And nothing about me wanting all of that to make you happy.” Amber looked at her. There. That one landed. No filthy line available. Good. Amber stepped closer. Put both arms around Maeve. Maeve held her. No rush. No audience. No zero-g. Just normal gravity and the woman she always came home to. Amber rested her face against Maeve. “I love you.” Maeve smiled against her hair. “I love you too.” Simple. --- Amber stayed there. Then: “Still dangerous wife.” Maeve laughed softly. “Why?” “Because you make everything easy.” Maeve pulled back slightly. “No.” Amber looked up. Maeve’s expression softened. “We make it easy.” Amber stared. Then nodded. “Fair.” They kissed. Slow. Familiar. Not a prelude to anything. --- On the way back, Amber’s comm pinged. Marisol. Amber checked. > **MARISOL:** Tomorrow still possible? Amber smiled. Maeve saw. “Marisol.” “Yes.” Amber typed: > **AMBER:** Yes. Marisol: > **MARISOL:** Afternoon? Amber checked tomorrow mentally. Nothing mandatory. > **AMBER:** Yes. Then: > **MARISOL:** Walk first. Amber’s smile widened. > **AMBER:** Your place after? Long pause. Maeve watched Amber’s face. Amber looked innocent. Maeve raised one eyebrow. Then Marisol replied: > **MARISOL:** Maybe. Amber laughed. “Smart woman.” Maeve smiled. “Yes.” Amber looked up. “You still like her.” “Yes.” “Even after—” Maeve interrupted: “Yes.” Amber laughed. “Fine.” --- They returned to the unit. Reyes and Kiro were on the couch. Again. Sera and Panam had disappeared. Jessie and Ms. B had also disappeared. Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve looked back. Amber whispered: “Five minutes.” Maeve smiled. “For what?” “Before somebody makes a joke.” They stepped inside. Reyes looked up. “Nice walk?” Amber froze. Kiro closed her eyes. Maeve bit her lip. Amber pointed. “No.” Reyes frowned. “What?” “You said nice.” Reyes stared. Kiro collapsed laughing. Maeve leaned against the door. Amber spread both arms. “This language is DEAD.” Reyes finally understood. “Oh, fuck.” Amber laughed. Maeve laughed. Kiro laughed. And the quiet emotional walk vanished into the kind of stupid, affectionate chaos that had become Palace home life. Amber leaned back into Maeve. Across the room, Kiro said something too quiet to hear and Reyes laughed into her shoulder. Nothing in Amber tightened at the sound. Nothing had been taken from anyone. There was only more room than before. Amber liked that. --- ## Chapter Thirty-Seven — The Other Zero Jessie and Ms. B had not gone far. That became obvious the next morning when Jessie appeared in the common room looking far too awake. Amber was already there. Barefoot. Coffee. Shorts. Of course. She looked up. Stopped. Jessie smiled. Amber narrowed her eyes. “No.” Jessie laughed. “I haven’t said anything.” “You have post-event face.” Ms. B entered behind her. Amber looked from one to the other. Then slowly smiled. “Oh.” Ms. B sighed. Jessie pointed. “Do not.” Amber put down her coffee. “Zero-g?” Jessie looked at Ms. B. Ms. B looked back. Amber’s smile widened. “That’s a yes.” Jessie sat. “Maybe.” Amber leaned forward. “Maybe what?” “Maybe we booked a room.” Amber froze. Maeve entered behind her carrying another coffee. Heard that. Stopped. “Oh.” Amber looked over. “My wife.” Maeve smiled. “I heard.” Jessie looked between them. Then at Ms. B. Then back at Amber. “We wanted to see what it was like without turning it into…” She gestured vaguely. Amber supplied: “Us?” Jessie laughed. “Yes.” Ms. B sat beside her. “Exactly.” Amber nodded. Good. That made sense. Different room. Different pair. Different purpose. No need to force every zero-g experience into the same shape. Maeve sat beside Amber. “Did you like it?” Jessie looked at Ms. B. Then smiled. “Yes.” Ms. B nodded. “Yes.” Amber brightened. There. --- Reyes and Kiro came in halfway through the discussion. Kiro immediately noticed the atmosphere. “What?” Amber pointed at Jessie and Ms. B. “They booked zero-g.” Reyes looked at them. Jessie nodded. Kiro smiled. “Good?” Silence. Amber slammed both hands over her ears. “No.” Reyes started laughing. Kiro froze. Jessie looked at Ms. B. Ms. B covered her face. Maeve shook her head. Amber lowered one hand. “This fucking language.” Reyes sat down. “Was it?” Jessie looked at her. Then laughed. “Yes.” Amber groaned. --- Sera and Panam appeared next. Panam looked at the room. Then at Amber. Then: “Who fucked who?” Silence. Amber slowly turned. Sera closed her eyes. Panam froze. Then shrugged. “Efficient question.” Maeve laughed. Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked delighted. Jessie pointed at Panam. “See? This is why she adapted.” Amber stared. “You skipped literally every intermediate stage.” Panam grabbed coffee. “Was I wrong?” Amber opened her mouth. Stopped. Looked at Jessie and Ms. B. Jessie smiled. Amber pointed. “Not answering.” Panam nodded. “Right.” --- Breakfast happened. Eventually. The conversation turned practical. Jessie and Ms. B had only done forty minutes. Enough to acclimate. Enough to move. Enough to confirm interest. Not enough for anything complicated. Amber listened. Then looked at Ms. B. “So the idea.” Ms. B looked at her. “Yes.” Jessie smiled. Amber smiled too. No rush. The three-woman session remained alive. Different from Amber and Reyes. Different again from four-person training. That was better. --- Maeve had no morning work. Rare. Amber noticed. So did Kiro. Reyes had Talia. Sera and Panam had Imani. Jessie and Ms. B were going back to their own plans. That left Maeve. And Amber. For once. Amber looked at her. Maeve looked back. Then: “No.” Amber frowned. “What?” “You have idea face.” “Yes.” “What?” Amber smiled. “Walk.” Maeve paused. Then smiled. “Okay.” Amber froze. Maeve froze. Both stared. Kiro made a strangled sound. Reyes closed her eyes. Panam shouted: “NO.” Amber covered her face. Maeve started laughing. Jessie put her head on the table. Ms. B looked at the ceiling. Sera whispered: “She walked into that one.” --- They left anyway. Just the two of them. No business clothes. No schedule. No cover performance needed beyond simply existing as Amber and Maeve. Which, by now, had become effortless enough that neither had to think about it. They walked through Palace. Not toward a club. Not toward zero-g. Not toward Imani. Just out. Amber liked that. A lot. --- They found a quiet commercial level. Less luxury. More local. Small shops. Food. Repairs. Textiles. Things people who actually lived on Palace needed. Amber stopped at a display of jackets. Maeve saw. “No.” Amber turned. “You don’t know.” “You bought two outfits.” “That was yesterday.” “Exactly.” Amber smiled. “This one is practical.” Maeve looked at it. Black. Short. Minimal. Maeve looked at Amber. Then at the jacket. Then back. “No.” Amber stared. “Why?” “You already own three versions of that.” “Different seams.” Maeve laughed. Amber looked offended. “Details matter.” Maeve took her hand. Pulled her away. Amber followed reluctantly. “Oppression.” “Yes.” --- They found coffee. Sat by a narrow internal window overlooking one of the residential garden bands. Amber watched people below. Families. Workers. Couples. Someone pushing a maintenance cart. Nothing exotic. Maeve watched Amber. Amber noticed. “What?” Maeve smiled. “You like the ordinary parts.” Amber looked down. Thought. “Yes.” “More than last time.” “Yes.” That surprised her slightly. First Palace visit had been spectacle. Second had been familiarity. This one— This one felt lived in. Amber looked around. Then at Maeve. “I think that’s why I can get away with being worse.” Maeve laughed. “Worse?” “Hedonistically.” Maeve smiled. “That word sounds defensive.” “It’s accurate.” “Is it?” Amber thought. Then shrugged. “I’m not chasing everything.” “No.” “I’m choosing more.” “Yes.” “There’s a difference.” Maeve nodded. That was it. Not more because Palace demanded it. More because Amber wanted more. Different. --- Her comm pinged. Marisol. Amber checked. Maeve smiled before seeing the message. Amber looked up. “What?” “Face.” Amber sighed. “Everyone has become intolerable.” Maeve took a drink. “What did she say?” Amber read: > **MARISOL:** Still walking later? Amber typed: > **AMBER:** Yes. Then: > **MARISOL:** Good. Amber stared. Maeve saw. Amber looked at her. “No.” Maeve laughed. --- They stayed there almost an hour. No urgency. No need to fill silence. Then Maeve’s comm pinged. Different tone. Work. Amber saw the shift immediately. “What?” Maeve opened it. Read. Then frowned. “Client.” “Problem?” “Not emergency.” Amber relaxed. Maeve continued: “They want to move tomorrow’s consultation forward.” “To?” “Today.” Amber checked the time. “Can?” Maeve nodded. “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Go.” Maeve looked at her. “You?” “Marisol later.” “And before that?” Amber looked around Palace. Then smiled. “Trouble.” Maeve sighed. “Of course.” --- They separated at the junction. Maeve toward work. Amber nowhere. Again. She liked nowhere. --- Reyes found Talia already moving. No greeting first. Talia simply tossed her a training band. Reyes caught it. “Morning.” Talia smiled. “Late.” Reyes checked the time. “Two minutes early.” “Emotionally late.” Reyes stared. Talia laughed. “Come on.” --- Thirty percent gravity. Rotational drills. Again. Reyes hated them. Again. That was useful. Talia pushed her out of alignment three times. Reyes recovered twice. The third sent her into padding. Talia laughed. Reyes pointed. “I hate you.” Talia smiled. “No, you don’t.” Reyes stood. “No.” Then tried again. Better. Talia noticed. “Good.” Reyes froze. Talia froze. Then: “Why do you keep doing that?” Reyes closed her eyes. “Long story.” Talia smiled. “Still funny?” “Unfortunately.” --- Kiro, meanwhile, worked. Not because Palace demanded it. Because she found a signal irregularity inside her own diagnostic tools and could not leave it alone. She sat in the residential unit with three panes open. Ms. B passed through. Stopped. Looked. “Kiro.” Kiro did not look up. “Yes.” “Off duty?” “Mostly.” Ms. B stared. Kiro stopped typing. Looked up. “You sound like Maeve.” Ms. B smiled. “Occupational contamination.” Kiro laughed. Then closed one pane. Progress. --- Sera and Panam reached Imani’s studio. This time Panam painted. Sera sat still. That changed the energy immediately. Panam held the applicator. Looked at Sera. Then Imani. Then back. “You’re trusting me.” Sera smiled. “Yes.” “Bad decision.” “Probably.” Imani leaned against the table. “Start.” Panam did. Slowly. Not artistically confident. Careful. That mattered more. --- Amber spent the same hour finding a spa. Not because she had planned to. Because someone walked past smelling like something impossible and Amber followed the scent to its source. The receptionist smiled. “Walk-in?” Amber looked around. Then at the menu. Then smiled. “Yes.” “Treatment?” Amber stared at the options. Most sounded like marketing departments had discovered gravity. Then she saw: **LOW-G MUSCLE RELEASE** Amber laughed. “Of course.” The receptionist looked confused. Amber pointed. “That.” --- The treatment room was at 0.6 g. Enough to reduce pressure. Not float. Amber lay face down. Relaxed in stages. The therapist worked over shoulders, back, legs. Nothing sexual. Nothing dramatic. Amber realized halfway through that her body had been carrying the previous days more than she thought. Zero-g. Walking. Dancing. Sex. Training. Boots. Too much movement. Good movement. Still movement. The therapist pressed near one shoulder blade. Amber exhaled. “Yeah.” “Too much?” “No.” A pause. “Exactly there.” --- She nearly fell asleep. That offended her personally. Then her comm pinged afterward. Marisol. > **MARISOL:** I found something you’ll like. Amber smiled. > **AMBER:** dangerous sentence Marisol: > **MARISOL:** probably Amber: > **AMBER:** when? Marisol: > **MARISOL:** 17:00 Amber checked the time. 14:22. Plenty. No rush. --- Back at the unit, Reyes returned before Kiro finished pretending not to work. She entered. Saw the panes. Stopped. “Kiro.” Kiro looked up. “Hi.” Reyes pointed. “Vacation.” Kiro looked at the panes. Then back. “Diagnostic curiosity.” Reyes stared. Kiro smiled. “Mostly.” Reyes walked over. Closed one pane. Then another. Kiro gasped. “Violence.” Reyes closed the third. “Done.” Kiro stared. Reyes held out one hand. “Walk.” Kiro looked at it. Then Reyes. “Now?” “Yes.” Kiro smiled. Took it. There. --- They left without telling anyone. No need. The group had finally become comfortable enough to stop announcing every movement. They walked through Palace holding hands. No performance. No Amber to react. No Maeve to notice. Just them. Kiro looked at Reyes. “Talia?” “Rotational drills.” “You hate them.” “Yes.” “You’re going back.” “Yes.” Kiro smiled. “Good.” Reyes froze. Kiro froze. Then both stopped walking. Silence. Kiro whispered: “Fuck.” Reyes started laughing. Kiro leaned against her. “No escape.” “No.” “Permanent damage.” “Yes.” Kiro laughed too. --- They found a quiet bench. Sat. Reyes stretched one leg. Kiro noticed. “Sore.” “A little.” “From training?” Reyes looked at her. “Mostly.” Kiro’s eyebrows rose. Reyes smiled. Kiro covered her face. “That was deliberate.” “Yes.” “You’re evil.” “Learning.” Kiro looked through her fingers. “From Amber.” “Unfortunately.” --- They sat closer. Kiro leaned against Reyes. Reyes’s arm came around her. No joke. Then Kiro said: “I meant what I said.” Reyes looked down. “What?” “More openly.” Reyes paused. Kiro continued: “I like this.” Reyes smiled. “So do I.” No label. No need. History already existed. This was not beginning. It was simply becoming easier to see. --- Amber met Marisol at seventeen. Marisol wore dark trousers and a light jacket. No silver dress. No club. Amber liked that immediately. Marisol looked at Amber. Then down. Shorts. Again. “Committed.” Amber smiled. “You started it.” Marisol laughed. “Come on.” “Where?” “You’ll see.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “Pattern recognition says this is dangerous.” “Good.” Amber froze. Marisol closed her eyes. Amber burst out laughing. --- They walked twenty minutes. Past restaurants. Past galleries. Past a transit interchange. Then into a quieter residential-cultural level. Marisol stopped outside a narrow doorway. No sign. Amber looked. “What is it?” “Music room.” Amber blinked. Marisol smiled. “Not a club.” Amber looked surprised. “Okay.” Marisol laughed. “Come in.” --- Inside was small. Maybe thirty people. Live instruments. Actual instruments. No giant sound system. No dance floor. People sitting. Some standing near walls. Amber stopped. Listened. Strings. Percussion. Something electronic underneath, but minimal. Warm. Human. Marisol watched Amber. Amber noticed. “You were right.” “About?” “I like it.” Marisol smiled. “Thought so.” Amber looked around. Then took her hand. They found a place near the side. No kissing immediately. No escalation. Just music. Amber leaned against Marisol. Listened. And found herself unexpectedly still. --- Halfway through the second piece, Marisol whispered: “Too quiet?” Amber shook her head. “No.” “Bored?” “No.” Amber smiled. “Dangerously not.” Marisol laughed softly. --- They stayed. Longer than planned. Again. Amber lost track of time. Again. When the performance ended, she realized she had barely spoken for forty minutes. Marisol looked at her. “You listen longer.” Amber smiled. “You keep proving it.” “Pattern recognition.” Amber groaned. --- Outside, they walked slowly. Marisol did not suggest her place. Amber noticed. Interesting. She looked up. “Not inviting me home?” Marisol smiled. “Do you want me to?” Amber thought. “Yes.” Marisol nodded. Then: “I wasn’t sure if you wanted this to become the same thing every time.” Amber stopped. That landed. Not badly. Well. She looked at Marisol. “Thank you.” Marisol smiled. Amber froze. Then both stared. Amber whispered: “Fuck.” Marisol started laughing. The moment broke without disappearing. Good. --- Amber stepped closer. “I do want to come home with you.” Marisol nodded. “Then come.” Simple. They walked. Hand in hand. No hurry. --- At the residential unit, Maeve came back from work and found a message waiting. > **AMBER:** with Marisol. alive. probably later. Maeve smiled. Then another message arrived. > **AMBER:** don’t let Reyes teach Kiro new crimes without me Maeve laughed. Kiro and Reyes entered thirty seconds later. Holding hands. Maeve looked. They looked back. Maeve smiled. Kiro immediately pointed. “No.” Maeve raised both hands. “I said nothing.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Then Maeve’s comm pinged again. Amber: > **AMBER:** ALSO ZERO-G WITH JESSIE/MS B STILL LIVES Maeve stared. Then looked at the empty doorway. Then at Kiro and Reyes. Reyes frowned. “What?” Maeve slowly turned the comm around. Kiro read. Reyes read. Silence. Then Kiro smiled. “Four?” Maeve closed her eyes. Reyes started laughing. And somewhere else in Palace, Amber was on her way back to Marisol’s apartment— while three entirely different zero-g possibilities remained alive without any of them needing to take the same shape. --- ## Chapter Thirty-Eight — Not the Same Thing Marisol’s apartment looked different the second time. Nothing had changed. Amber had. The first time, she had noticed the view. The furniture. The bed. Marisol. Especially Marisol. Tonight she noticed a pair of shoes abandoned beneath a chair. A half-finished drink on the kitchen counter. A jacket thrown over the back of the couch. A book left open facedown beside it. Evidence of somebody actually living here. Amber stopped just inside. Marisol looked back. “What?” Amber smiled. “Nothing.” Marisol stared. “Actually?” “Yes.” “That’s becoming unsettling.” Amber laughed. “Everyone says that.” --- Marisol took off her jacket. Amber watched. Marisol caught her. “Again?” “Yes.” “We’ve been here twelve seconds.” “Efficient.” Marisol smiled. “Drink?” Amber considered. “Water.” That got a look. “What?” “Nothing.” Amber pointed. “No. Absolutely not. You had face.” Marisol laughed. “You ordered water.” “I am capable of hydration.” “Apparently.” Amber followed her into the kitchen. Marisol handed her a glass. Amber drank half. Then looked at her. “Music was better than I expected.” Marisol leaned against the counter. “That sounds insulting.” “It is not.” “You expected to hate it?” “I expected to get restless.” “You didn’t.” “No.” Marisol smiled. Amber looked at her. There was something annoyingly satisfying about being known just enough for somebody to surprise her correctly. Not too much. Not enough to become predictable. Good. --- Amber set the glass down. Marisol looked at her. Neither moved immediately. Different from last time. The attraction was already established. No question there. But the evening did not need to prove it. Amber stepped closer anyway. Marisol smiled. “There she is.” Amber stopped. “Excuse me?” “I was wondering how long.” “How long what?” Marisol looked down between them. Amber followed her gaze. The remaining distance. Then back up. Amber smiled. “Fuck you.” “Maybe.” Amber laughed. “That was mine.” “I’m learning.” “Everyone is learning terrible things.” Marisol touched Amber’s waist. “Useful things.” Amber leaned closer. “Yes.” The kiss came easily. Familiar enough now to skip uncertainty. Not familiar enough to lose attention. Amber liked that balance. --- Marisol’s hand moved along her side. Stopped at the hem of the cropped top. Amber felt the question before Marisol asked it. “Yes.” The top came away. Marisol looked at her. Then at the collar. Amber’s expression warmed. “Still staying.” “I know.” “Good.” Marisol froze. Amber’s eyes widened. Then both started laughing into each other. “Fucking word,” Amber said. “I didn’t know.” “You know now.” “I regret knowing.” “You should.” --- The laughter did not kill the heat. It rarely did. Amber kissed her again. Longer. Marisol’s hands moved over bare skin. Amber answered by opening Marisol’s shirt slowly. One fastening. Then another. No rush. No audience. No pigment translating every touch into visible light. Amber noticed that difference. Liked it. Last night with Reyes had been impossible physics. This was gravity. Simple. Feet on floor. Bodies able to lean. Weight able to mean something. Not better. Different. Exactly what she wanted. --- They made it to the couch. Barely. Amber sat on its edge. Marisol remained standing between her knees. Amber looked up. Marisol looked down. The height difference became more pronounced like this. Amber smiled. “What?” Marisol touched her cheek. “You.” “That is not an answer.” “It is tonight.” Amber’s smile softened. Dangerous. She pulled Marisol closer. --- Clothing disappeared in stages. Not because either was hesitant. Because there was pleasure in not rushing. Marisol’s shirt. Amber’s shorts. Marisol’s trousers. A pause for another kiss. Then the remaining underwear, one piece and then the other, set aside with the same unhurried attention. Warm skin. Hands learning familiar places for the second time and finding new ones between them. When they were finally naked together, Amber did not immediately pull Marisol down. She looked at her. Marisol noticed. “What?” Amber smiled. “Come here.” Clear enough. Marisol did. --- The couch was a terrible idea. They discovered this quickly. Not because of space. Because Amber nearly kicked the water glass off the nearby table. Marisol caught it. Amber stared. Marisol stared. Then carefully placed it farther away. Amber said: “Professional.” Marisol started laughing. Amber pushed at her shoulder. “Bed.” “Giving orders?” “Yes.” “Fine.” Amber froze. Marisol froze. Amber pointed. “No.” Marisol laughed. “You can’t blame me for that one.” “I can blame everyone.” --- The bed solved several problems. Gravity solved most of the others. Amber lay back. Marisol followed. No immediate movement beyond closeness. Kissing. Hands. Breath changing gradually. Amber felt the contrast with zero-g again. Here she could relax beneath somebody. Feel weight. Push against a mattress. Let gravity hold contact instead of requiring arms to do all the work. She smiled. Marisol noticed. “What?” “Physics.” Marisol stopped. Amber laughed. “Long story.” “I’m not asking.” “Smart.” --- The joking faded naturally. Marisol shifted. Amber moved with her. There was a moment before sex began when both stopped almost simultaneously. Not uncertainty. Alignment. Amber looked at Marisol. Marisol searched her face. Amber opened the space between them and drew her closer. “Yes.” Marisol kissed her. Sex began with Marisol close over her and Amber actively drawing her nearer. --- This time Marisol did not start too carefully. She remembered. Amber noticed that too. Her smile flashed once. Then disappeared as attention went elsewhere. The rhythm built gradually. Confident. Close. Amber participated fully, adjusting whenever she wanted something different rather than waiting to be read. Marisol followed. Sometimes led. Sometimes yielded. No need to decide which role belonged to whom. It changed. That worked better. --- Amber’s Shadow Aura stirred later. Faint. She noticed before Marisol did. The edges of the room seemed slightly deeper. Not darker exactly. Closer. Amber slowed. Marisol looked at her. “What?” Amber hesitated. Then: “Something I do sometimes.” Marisol waited. Amber touched her cheek. “It can make sensation stronger.” Marisol’s eyebrows rose. “Cyberware?” Amber smiled faintly. “Something like that.” Close enough for tonight. “It doesn’t change what you want.” Marisol understood why that distinction mattered. “Can you stop it?” “Yes.” “Do you want to?” Amber looked at her. “Yes.” The aura receded. Not completely. Enough. Marisol smiled. “Then stop it.” Amber did. No disappointment. No demand. She kissed Marisol. “Thank you.” Both froze. Amber closed her eyes. Marisol whispered: “You ruined it.” Amber started laughing. “So did you.” --- They had to recover from that. Eventually. Then the room became warm again. The pace stronger. Amber stopped thinking about Palace. About tomorrow. About Reyes. Kiro. Maeve. Zero-g. Anything beyond the person currently with her. That was another thing Marisol was good at. Singularity. Amber liked being part of a fluid group. Liked overlapping affection. Liked watching. Being watched. Shared rooms. Complicated geometry. But sometimes she liked one person having all of her attention. And all of theirs in return. --- The release came slowly enough for Amber to recognize it building. She stopped joking entirely. Marisol noticed. Stayed with her. Amber held closer. Breathing uneven. Eyes open. Then closed. Then open again because she wanted to see Marisol. The last few moments tightened into one sustained rush before Amber finally let go. Marisol stayed close through it. Her own breathing broke while Amber was still taut beneath her, and her climax followed before the embrace had loosened or the rhythm could become a separate second ending. And afterward neither separated. Not immediately. Amber remained beneath her. Marisol’s weight warm. Comfortable. Breathing gradually slowing. Amber’s hands rested against her back. Eyes closed. No words. No audience. No need. --- Eventually Marisol shifted. Amber’s arms tightened automatically. Marisol stopped. Amber opened one eye. “Minute.” Marisol smiled. “Okay.” Amber’s eye narrowed. Marisol sighed. “Minute.” “Better.” They stayed. --- When Marisol finally rolled beside her, Amber followed. Rested against her. Marisol pulled the blanket over them. Amber looked down. Then up. “Gravity has advantages.” Marisol stared. “I am absolutely not asking.” Amber laughed. “Zero-g yesterday.” Marisol paused. Then: “Oh.” Amber smiled. “Exactly.” “With?” Amber looked at her. Marisol immediately lifted one hand. “You don’t have to answer.” Amber thought. Then smiled. “Reyes.” Marisol nodded. No reaction beyond recognition. “The black-haired one?” “Currently black-haired.” Marisol stared. Amber laughed. “Cover thing.” “Right.” Amber settled closer. Marisol’s fingers moved lazily along her shoulder. “Good?” Amber froze. Marisol felt it. Then started laughing. Amber buried her face against Marisol. “I hate this fucking place.” “No, you don’t.” “No.” --- Much later, Amber dressed. Marisol watched the shorts return. Amber saw. “Again.” “Yes.” “Still obsessed.” “Yes.” Amber fastened the belt. “Should I be concerned?” “No.” “Disappointed?” “Deeply.” Amber laughed. --- Marisol walked her part of the way home. Not because Amber needed escorting. Because neither was quite finished with the evening. They stopped at a junction. Marisol touched Amber’s hand. “Tomorrow?” Amber’s expression warmed. “Maybe.” “Busy?” Amber thought about it. Nothing fixed except everyone else’s lives happening around hers. “Possibly.” Marisol nodded. No pressure. Amber liked that. Then Marisol said: “I’m here.” Amber looked at her. Simple statement. Not claim. Not demand. Just availability. Amber smiled. “I know.” She kissed her. Brief. Then stepped away. “Night.” Marisol smiled. “Night.” No one ruined it. Victory. --- Amber arrived home at 00:16. The common room was dark. Almost. One lamp. One person. Amber stopped. “Kiro.” Kiro looked up from the couch. Amber slowly closed the door. “You have got to be fucking kidding me.” Kiro smiled. “I couldn’t sleep.” Amber walked closer. “Waiting?” “No.” “Existing?” “Yes.” Amber stared. Kiro laughed. “You taught us that one.” Amber sat beside her. “Where’s Reyes?” “Asleep.” “Maeve?” “Asleep.” “Everyone?” “Yes.” Amber nodded. Then: “Why aren’t you?” Kiro shrugged. “Brain.” Amber understood immediately. No joke. She leaned back. “Work?” “Not exactly.” “Reyes?” Kiro looked at her. Amber raised one eyebrow. Kiro smiled faintly. “Partly.” There. --- Amber turned slightly toward her. “Bad partly?” “No.” “Complicated?” Kiro thought. “Not really.” Amber waited. Kiro looked down at her hands. Then: “It changed without changing.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Kiro looked over. “You see it too.” “Yes.” “We already had sex.” “Yes.” “We already liked each other.” “Yes.” “Nothing actually happened.” Amber smiled wider. “Except you started kissing her every five fucking minutes to annoy me.” Kiro laughed. “That helped.” “Monster.” “Affectionately.” Amber bumped her shoulder against Kiro. Kiro bumped back. Then quiet again. --- Kiro said: “I think I stopped treating it like a joke.” Amber nodded. “That’s the change.” Kiro looked toward the corridor. “She did too.” “Yes.” “You okay with that?” Amber stared. Then laughed softly. “Kiro.” “I know.” “No, seriously.” Amber took Kiro’s hand. “You and Reyes being closer doesn’t take Reyes away from me.” Kiro squeezed. “And it doesn’t take you away from Maeve.” “No.” “Or me away from Maeve.” Amber smiled. “No.” All real identities beneath Palace covers. No confusion where it mattered. Kiro leaned against Amber. Amber let her. --- After a minute Kiro asked: “Marisol?” Amber’s expression warmed. “Yes.” “Good night?” Amber froze. Kiro froze. Silence. Then Kiro whispered: “Fuck.” Amber fell sideways laughing. Kiro covered her face. “I walked into it.” Amber could barely breathe. “You absolutely fucking did.” Kiro laughed too. They tried to stay quiet. Failed. A bedroom door opened. Reyes appeared. Hair wild. Eyes half closed. She stared at them. “What?” Amber pointed at Kiro. “She said good.” Reyes stared. Then slowly looked at Kiro. Kiro covered her face again. Reyes started laughing. Amber collapsed harder. Another door opened. Maeve. She looked at the three of them. Then at the clock. Then: “Why?” Amber managed: “Language failure.” Maeve closed her eyes. “Of course.” --- Nobody went immediately back to bed. That was how all four ended up in the common room at half past midnight. Amber against Maeve. Kiro against Reyes. No drinks. No party. Just the aftermath of being awake. Maeve looked at Kiro. “You okay?” Kiro nodded. “Yes.” Reyes looked down at her. Kiro smiled. No uncertainty. Amber watched. Then looked at Maeve. Maeve saw. Amber smiled. --- Reyes eventually said: “Talia tomorrow.” Amber nodded. “Marisol maybe.” Maeve had work. Kiro had promised not to find any. Kiro looked offended when Maeve reminded her. Then Amber remembered something. She sat upright. Jessie. Ms. B. Zero-g. Maeve immediately saw the face. “No.” Amber looked at her. “What?” “Tomorrow does not automatically need another event.” Amber considered. Then slowly relaxed back against her. “Fair.” Everyone stared. Amber looked around. “What?” Reyes said: “You accepted that.” “Yes.” Kiro looked genuinely concerned. “Are you tired?” “Fuck you.” There. Everyone relaxed. --- Maeve kissed Amber’s hair. “Sleep.” Amber nodded. Reyes stood. Kiro stood with her. Amber watched them take hands automatically. Neither noticed. Or both did and no longer cared. Good. Maeve pulled Amber up. Amber followed. At the corridor junction, the four separated. Kiro looked back. “Night.” Amber smiled. “Night.” Reyes waved. Maeve squeezed Amber’s hand. No performance. Just home. Amber climbed into bed beside Maeve a few minutes later. Different things. Allowed to stay different. --- ## Chapter Thirty-Nine — Administration Has Teeth Amber woke to silence. Not suspicious silence. Occupied silence. Maeve was already gone from bed. That had stopped being unusual. Amber reached for her comm. 09:04. One message. > **MAEVE:** Coffee outside. Ms. B found something. Amber stared. Found something. That was administrative language for _your morning has been stolen._ She got up. Shorts. Loose shirt. Bare feet. No patience. --- The common room contained Maeve, Ms. B, Jessie, coffee and three floating panes. Amber stopped in the doorway. “No.” Ms. B looked up. “Morning.” “No.” Maeve smiled. “You haven’t heard anything yet.” “There are three panes.” “Yes.” “Three panes is a meeting.” Jessie drank coffee. “Could be pornography.” Ms. B slowly turned. Jessie froze. Amber folded against the doorway laughing. Maeve covered her mouth. Jessie stared into her cup. “I was attempting optimism.” Ms. B looked back at the panes. “Poorly.” Amber walked in. “I take back everything. Continue.” --- She stole Maeve’s coffee. Maeve let her. That worried Amber more than the panes. “What?” Maeve nodded toward Ms. B. “She reorganized the Palace-side contact queue.” Amber looked at Ms. B. “Voluntarily?” “Yes.” “Why?” Ms. B stared. Amber sat. “Right. Stupid question.” Jessie smiled. “She was complaining about it at midnight.” Ms. B looked at her. “I identified structural inefficiency.” “You called it a fucking mess.” “That was the concise version.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, I like administrative Ms. B.” Ms. B looked at her. “No.” “Yes.” “No.” Maeve smiled into the coffee Amber had stolen from her. --- Ms. B expanded the first pane. O’Sullivan SAS. Current Palace contacts. Existing clients. Follow-ups. Potential specialist referrals. Nothing dramatic. The problem was obvious once Amber actually looked. Everything had grown. Not massively. Enough. Enough that Maeve had been carrying too much of the coordination personally. Amber frowned. “When did this happen?” Maeve looked at her. “Gradually.” “That is a suspicious answer.” “It’s an accurate one.” Ms. B tapped a cluster. “Your last two visits created this.” Another. “Current client referrals created this.” Another. “Reyes and Kiro being competent yesterday created this.” Amber smiled. “They’re hot when they work.” Jessie choked. Ms. B did not even blink. “And comments like that are why I am handling the spreadsheet.” Amber looked delighted. “You said spreadsheet.” Ms. B looked toward Maeve. “Can I resign?” Maeve’s expression softened. “No.” Amber froze. Then looked at Maeve. Then Ms. B. Wait. “Actually.” The room shifted. Maeve knew what she had heard in Amber’s voice. So did Ms. B. Jessie put her cup down. Amber leaned forward. “How much of this are you already doing?” Ms. B looked at the panes. “Enough.” “That is not a number.” “Enough that Maeve has stopped correcting my categories.” Amber slowly looked at Maeve. Maeve nodded. There. --- Amber sat back. Thought. No joke. For perhaps ten seconds. Jessie looked at Maeve. Maeve smiled faintly. Amber caught it. “Do not.” Maeve raised an eyebrow. “You’re thinking.” “Yes.” “Dangerous.” “Fuck you.” “Affectionately.” Amber pointed. “Later.” Then she looked at Ms. B. “You want it?” Ms. B knew exactly what she meant. The role. Not a favor. Not temporary clerical cleanup. The administrative layer. She thought before answering. “Yes.” Amber nodded. “Then take it.” Silence. Jessie straightened first. Pride. Immediate. Ms. B looked at Maeve. Maeve nodded once. No ceremony. No corporate speech. Just confirmation. Ms. B looked back at Amber. “Authority?” Amber smiled. “Within reason.” Ms. B stared. Amber laughed. “Fine. Define your own operational limits with Maeve.” “Better.” Maeve nodded. “I was going to suggest the same.” Amber looked between them. “My wife and my administrator are forming a government.” Jessie said: “You deserve it.” Amber stared. “Family betrayal.” “Family governance.” Ms. B closed her eyes. “Please never call it that.” --- Maeve slid one pane toward Ms. B. “Client calendar.” Another. “External specialist availability.” Another. “Internal cover conflicts.” Ms. B looked at them. Then: “I am not becoming the person who schedules everyone’s sex.” Silence. Amber’s eyes widened. Jessie folded forward. Maeve bit her lip. Ms. B stared at all three. “That was not a joke.” Amber slapped the table. “IT IS NOW.” Ms. B covered her face. Jessie was dying. Maeve leaned back laughing. Amber pointed at the panes. “Administrative hard boundary!” Ms. B looked through her fingers. “Yes.” Amber nodded solemnly. “Respect.” --- By the time Reyes and Kiro came in, the laughter had mostly stopped. Mostly. Reyes looked around. “What?” Amber pointed at Ms. B. “Promotion.” Kiro blinked. “To?” Ms. B answered before Amber could. “Administrative lead.” Kiro’s expression brightened. “Oh.” Reyes nodded. “Good.” Amber froze. Reyes froze. Kiro closed her eyes. Jessie made a wounded noise. Ms. B looked at the ceiling. Amber slowly stood. Reyes pointed. “No.” “You walked into a promotion joke.” “It was sincere.” “That makes it better.” Kiro was already laughing. --- Then the work part actually began. Ms. B looked at Reyes. “Kiro.” Then Reyes. “I need your availability blocked correctly.” Reyes sat. “For work?” “Yes.” Kiro sat beside her. “Palace only?” “For now.” Ms. B opened a new pane. “Specialist sessions. Training can remain private unless it collides with client commitments.” Amber leaned toward Maeve. “She’s terrifying.” Maeve smiled. “Yes.” Ms. B continued: “Reyes, you’re available for physical systems work and site inspection.” “Yes.” “Kiro, network and systems diagnostics.” “Yes.” “Joint work takes priority when both disciplines are actually required.” Reyes nodded. Kiro too. No flirt. Professional. Amber watched. Again. There was something deeply satisfying about seeing the group change modes cleanly. Not because one mode was more real. Because all of them were. --- Ms. B looked at Kiro. “Yesterday’s infrastructure fix generated two requests.” Kiro frowned. “Already?” “Yes.” Reyes leaned closer. “What kind?” “One legitimate.” Ms. B moved it forward. “Transit systems audit.” Kiro read. Reyes read with her. Then both straightened slightly. Interesting. The second request: “Private residence security review.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Then Ms. B said: “No.” Amber laughed. The two specialists looked up. Ms. B continued: “Wrong fit. Mostly social-status security theater. I declined.” Kiro smiled. “Thank you.” Amber froze. Everyone froze. Ms. B looked at Kiro. Kiro looked horrified. Amber whispered: “Oh, this is magnificent.” Reyes folded forward. Kiro covered her face. Ms. B stared at the ceiling. “This household has destroyed ordinary professional language.” Amber nodded. “Yes.” --- The transit audit was real. Small. Two hours tomorrow. Reyes and Kiro accepted. No Palace trip becoming vacation mush. Good. Amber liked that too. Reyes looked at the scope. “Kiro?” “Yes?” “Node access first?” “Physical route first.” Reyes smiled. “Thought so.” Kiro leaned closer. “Same approach as yesterday.” “Except hopefully without wandering hardware.” Amber watched. Maeve saw. “What?” Amber whispered: “Hot.” Maeve whispered back: “Yes.” Amber turned. “Oh.” Maeve’s expression softened. Amber pointed. “You agree.” “Yes.” “Excellent.” Ms. B, without looking up: “I can hear you.” Amber smiled. “Administrative awareness.” --- Breakfast became lunch by accident. People arrived and left. Sera and Panam stopped in briefly. Imani wanted Sera later. Panam was going with her. Jessie disappeared to change. Ms. B remained at the table. Working. But not obsessively. That difference mattered. Maeve watched her. Amber watched Maeve. Then: “You’re relieved.” Maeve looked at her. “Yes.” No point denying it. Amber’s expression softened. “You were carrying too much.” “A little.” Amber frowned. “A little?” Maeve smiled. “Enough.” Amber leaned into her. “My wife.” Maeve kissed her hair. --- Then Jessie came back. Not Jessie-the-cover preparation. Just Jessie currently active because Palace. She looked at Ms. B. “Break.” Ms. B looked up. “No.” Jessie raised one eyebrow. Ms. B stared. Amber went silent. Maeve did too. Jessie waited. Ms. B sighed. Closed one pane. Then another. Then the third. Amber whispered: “Authority.” Maeve elbowed her. Jessie held out a hand. Ms. B looked at it. Then took it. “Where?” Jessie smiled. “Zero-g.” Amber’s head snapped around. Ms. B stopped. Jessie stopped. Everyone looked at Amber. Amber pointed at herself. “I said nothing.” Jessie smiled. “Yet.” Amber stood. “Are we—” Ms. B pointed. “No.” Amber stopped. “You don’t even know the question.” “Yes, I do.” Jessie laughed. Amber looked at Maeve. “My administrator is abusing power.” Maeve smiled. “Off duty.” Amber stared. That phrase again. Dangerous. --- Jessie looked at Amber. Then at Ms. B. Then back. “We’re doing another acclimation round.” Amber nodded. “Okay.” Jessie waited. Amber waited. Ms. B raised an eyebrow. Amber sighed. “No invitation fishing.” “Good.” Amber froze. Jessie bent over laughing. Ms. B closed her eyes. Maeve put her forehead against Amber’s shoulder. Amber pointed. “THE LANGUAGE IS ATTACKING BACK.” --- They left. Just Jessie and Ms. B. Amber watched the door close. Then sat. Maeve looked at her. Amber smiled. “What?” “You wanted to go.” “Yes.” “You’re okay not going.” “Yes.” Easy. The trio idea still existed. But it did not need to consume every zero-g session. Jessie and Ms. B were allowed their own experience first. Amber liked that. --- Reyes and Kiro left shortly after. Not together initially. Kiro had gone to grab something from her room. Reyes waited by the door. Amber looked at her. “Where?” “Coffee.” “With?” Reyes looked toward the corridor. Amber smiled. “Obviously.” Kiro came out. Reyes offered her hand. Kiro took it. Amber watched. No deliberate kiss. No show. Just hand. Reyes looked back at Amber. Amber smiled. No fake jealousy. Not today. Reyes’s expression softened. Then Kiro ruined it by kissing her anyway. Amber slapped both hands over her face. Kiro laughed. Reyes looked delighted. Amber pointed through her fingers. “FUCK YOU.” Kiro smiled. “Affectionately.” They escaped. --- Maeve and Amber were finally alone. Mostly. Palace unit. Middle of the day. Silence. Maeve looked at Amber. Amber looked back. Then toward the closed door. Then back. “My wife.” Maeve’s expression softened. “Yes?” “Everyone left.” “Yes.” Amber’s smile changed. Maeve saw. “Amber.” “What?” “You have at least four ideas.” “Five.” Maeve laughed. Amber stood. Walked closer. Stopped between Maeve’s knees. No urgency. Just proximity. Maeve looked up. Amber touched her cheek. “You’re tired.” Maeve started to deny it. Stopped. “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Bed.” Maeve’s eyebrow rose. “To sleep.” Maeve stared. Amber looked offended. “I have range.” Maeve laughed softly. “Yes.” Amber held out her hand. Maeve took it. --- They did sleep. Actually. For almost two hours. Amber woke first. Maeve still against her. Warm. Quiet. No work panes. No messages answered. Nothing needed. Amber lay there for several minutes and realized she was proud of herself. That was probably dangerous. Then Maeve’s comm pinged. Once. Maeve did not move. Amber looked at it. Then away. No. Off duty. Good. --- When they finally emerged, the unit was still empty. Amber checked time. 16:11. Marisol had not messaged. Fine. Reyes and Kiro were still out. Jessie and Ms. B too. Sera and Panam gone. Amber stretched. Maeve watched. “What?” Amber smiled. “Nothing.” Maeve stared. Amber laughed. “Actually.” She walked toward the kitchen. Then stopped. “Do you think they’ll invite me next time?” Maeve knew immediately. Jessie. Ms. B. Zero-g. Maeve thought. “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Why?” “Because Jessie wants you.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. Maeve continued: “And Ms. B wants Jessie happy.” Amber waited. Maeve smiled. “And Ms. B wants you too.” Amber froze. Then slowly turned. “My wife.” “Yes?” “That was filthy.” “It was accurate.” Amber stared. Then laughed. “Authority kink.” Maeve covered her face. --- The door opened. Jessie came in first. Ms. B behind her. Both looked relaxed. Amber immediately turned away. Maeve saw. Jessie saw. Ms. B definitely saw. Jessie smiled. “Wow.” Amber looked back. “What?” “You’re not asking.” Amber folded her arms. “I can grow.” Ms. B said: “Documented anomaly.” Amber stared. Maeve laughed. Jessie sat. Then looked at Amber. “Next time.” Amber froze. No teasing now. “Yeah?” Jessie nodded. “Yes.” Amber looked at Ms. B. Ms. B held her gaze. Then nodded once. “Yes.” There. Invitation. Not schedule. Amber’s smile warmed. “Okay.” Silence. Three women froze. Maeve turned away before she started laughing. Amber looked around. “No.” Jessie’s shoulders shook. Ms. B closed her eyes. Amber pointed. “That word is fine.” Nobody believed her. --- The second zero-g experiment had found its own shape. Jessie and Ms. B had made the room theirs first. Now the next one could become something else. Not Reyes repeated with different bodies. Not a four-person experiment reduced. Their own shape. Their own pace. Amber smiled. No rush. Soon. And somewhere in the middle of all that, O’Sullivan SAS had quietly gained an administrative lead who could probably keep the entire operation from drowning in its own success. Which, Amber suspected, was going to be considerably more dangerous than any zero-g room. Because Ms. B had spreadsheets. And unlike Maeve, she apparently enjoyed them. --- ## Chapter Forty — Soft Authority By evening, Ms. B had already found three things Maeve had been doing manually that no longer needed Maeve. Amber discovered this because Maeve was sitting on the couch. Doing nothing. Not pretending. Actually nothing. Amber stopped in the doorway. Looked at her. Then at the room. Then back. “My wife.” Maeve opened one eye. “Yes?” “Are you broken?” “No.” “You’re sitting.” “Yes.” “Without a pane.” “Yes.” Amber stared. Maeve smiled. Amber slowly looked toward the table. Ms. B sat there. Three panes open. Of course. Amber pointed. “She did this.” Maeve nodded. “Yes.” Amber looked at Ms. B. Ms. B did not look up. “Administrative efficiency.” Amber stared. Then smiled. “Hot.” Ms. B stopped typing. Jessie, beside her, started laughing before Ms. B even looked up. Amber immediately raised both hands. “I said one word.” Ms. B looked at Maeve. “Can I fire an owner?” Maeve considered. “No.” Amber smiled brightly. “Excellent governance.” Jessie leaned against Ms. B. “Family governance.” Ms. B closed her eyes. “I regret giving any of you vocabulary.” --- Reyes and Kiro returned half an hour later. Holding hands again. Amber saw. Reyes saw Amber see. Kiro saw Reyes see Amber see. Everyone saw everything. Amber pointed at the joined hands. “Subtle.” Kiro smiled. “Wasn’t trying to be.” That changed the joke. Just enough. Amber smiled. “Better.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Easy. No need to make a show of it. Then Reyes kissed Kiro anyway. Amber threw both hands up. “WHY?” Kiro broke away laughing. Reyes smiled. “For continuity.” Amber stared. Maeve covered her face. Jessie nearly fell sideways. Ms. B muttered: “I need a quieter company.” Amber pointed. “No you don’t.” Ms. B looked at her. Amber smiled. “You’d get bored.” Ms. B thought. Then, annoyingly: “Probably.” Amber froze. Jessie started applauding. --- Dinner became group logistics without becoming a meeting. That was Ms. B’s first real victory. No agenda. No formal turn-taking. No pane projected into the middle of the room unless needed. People ate. Talked. Interrupted. And somehow decisions still happened. Amber noticed. She hated how much she liked it. Ms. B looked at Reyes. “Tomorrow’s transit audit confirmed.” Reyes nodded. “Kiro?” “Already blocked.” Kiro looked pleased. Amber leaned toward Maeve. “She’s terrifying.” Maeve whispered: “Yes.” Ms. B continued: “Maeve, the client dinner tomorrow moved to eighteen.” Maeve nodded. “Fine.” Amber froze. Everyone else froze too. Maeve realized. Then sighed. Amber’s smile became enormous. “You said—” “Do not.” Jessie was already laughing. Panam walked in at exactly the wrong moment. “What happened?” Sera came behind her. Amber pointed at Maeve. “She said fine.” Panam stared. Then slowly: “Oh.” Maeve looked betrayed. “You’ve been here too long.” Panam smiled. “Very.” --- Sera and Panam joined dinner. Imani followed fifteen minutes later. That was new. Amber looked up. Then smiled. “Oh.” Imani stopped. “What?” Amber looked at the pigment case in her hand. Then at Sera. Then Panam. Then back. “Nothing.” Imani narrowed her eyes. “Actually?” Amber thought. “No.” Panam groaned. “Here we go.” --- Imani had come for food. Mostly. And because Sera had apparently decided Palace social boundaries no longer required every friendship to stay in its assigned room. Good. Amber liked that. Imani sat near Sera and Panam. Not between them. Not outside them either. Easy. Panam looked at the pigment case. “You brought work.” “Test material.” Amber leaned forward. Panam immediately pointed. “No.” Amber looked offended. “I’m not even near it.” “You’re thinking.” “Yes.” “That’s close enough.” --- Dinner stretched. Reyes and Kiro talked about the transit audit. Sera and Imani talked pigment response under lower gravity. Panam kept interrupting both with practical questions. Jessie and Ms. B argued quietly over whether one client follow-up needed to exist at all. Maeve watched. Amber watched Maeve watching. Then: “You’re happy.” Maeve looked at her. “Yes.” Amber smiled. “With this?” Maeve looked around. At Ms. B. At Jessie. At Kiro and Reyes. Sera, Panam, Imani. Then Amber. “Yes.” There. No joke. Amber leaned into her. “My wife.” Maeve kissed her hair. “Still dangerous?” Amber’s expression warmed. “Worse.” --- Later, the room split naturally. Reyes and Kiro stayed by the table. Work talk again. Not fully. Just enough. Sera, Panam and Imani moved toward the pigment case. Jessie and Ms. B disappeared into the corridor. Amber saw. Looked at Maeve. Maeve saw. “Do not.” Amber whispered: “I didn’t say anything.” “You had face.” Amber smiled. Then the door closed behind Jessie and Ms. B. Amber leaned closer. “Zero-g soon.” Maeve nodded. “Yes.” Amber smiled. No need to chase it. --- Imani opened the case. Panam looked suspicious. Sera looked delighted. Amber moved closer. Panam saw. “No.” Amber stopped. “Why?” “Because last time you turned one line into a social weapon.” Amber looked proud. “Yes.” Imani laughed. Sera held out her arm. “Small test.” Panam looked at her. “Again?” Sera smiled. “Different formula.” Imani nodded. “Pressure and temperature.” Amber’s eyes brightened. Panam groaned. “Fuck.” Amber pointed. “She sees it.” Imani looked at Amber. “Do you want to watch?” Amber froze. Panam turned. Sera smiled. Maeve looked over. Amber slowly sat. “Yes.” Panam stared. Then laughed. “Of course.” --- Imani applied one thin line along Sera’s forearm. At rest, nearly invisible. Panam touched it. Nothing. Held longer. A faint metallic trace emerged. Sera watched. Panam did too. Then Imani said: “Warmer contact.” Panam looked at her. “How?” Imani shrugged. “Figure it out.” Amber made a delighted sound. Panam pointed without looking. “Do not.” Sera smiled. Then leaned closer and kissed Panam. Brief. Warm. When she pulled back, Panam’s hand was still on Sera’s arm. The pigment brightened. Panam froze. Amber’s eyebrows rose. Imani smiled. “There.” Panam looked down. Then at Sera. “Oh.” Amber whispered: “Filthy science.” Maeve laughed. Panam turned. “I heard that.” “Good.” The room froze. Amber froze. Maeve covered her face. Panam stared. Then everyone laughed. --- It became more interesting after that. Not because the pigment was dramatic. Because it required closeness. Temperature. Pressure. Time. A quick touch barely registered. Lingering contact did. Sera rested her hand over Panam’s. The trace deepened. Panam watched. Then smiled. Imani noted something on her pad. Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve looked back. Amber whispered: “I want that formula.” Panam heard. “No.” Imani answered: “Later.” Amber smiled. Panam stared. “This conspiracy is expanding.” --- Reyes looked up from the table. Saw the pigment. Then Sera and Panam. Then Amber watching. Kiro saw Reyes looking. Reyes looked away. Kiro smiled. Amber caught it. Of course. She looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Then Amber tilted her head toward Reyes. Kiro’s smile widened. Reyes noticed both. “What?” Amber smiled. “Nothing.” Reyes stared. Kiro leaned closer. “She likes watching too.” Reyes froze. Amber’s eyebrows rose. Maeve stopped. Panam looked over. Sera smiled. Imani looked interested. Reyes stared at Kiro. Kiro looked entirely too innocent. Amber leaned forward. “Oh.” Reyes pointed. “No.” Amber’s mouth curved. “Noted.” Reyes looked at Kiro. “You are dead.” Kiro kissed her cheek. “Affectionately.” Amber laughed. --- The group stayed there late. Not because anything huge happened. Because nothing needed to. Imani’s test expanded to Panam. Sera did the application this time. Panam complained about artistic malpractice. Sera ignored her. Amber watched. Maeve watched Amber. Reyes tried not to watch anyone. Kiro watched Reyes trying. That was perhaps the funniest part. Eventually Amber said: “You know pretending not to look is still looking.” Reyes stared. “I hate you.” Amber smiled. “No.” Kiro leaned against Reyes. “Mostly?” Reyes closed her eyes. The room collapsed again. --- Jessie and Ms. B returned nearly an hour later. Amber looked up. Stopped. Jessie saw. Smiled. Ms. B saw too. Then Jessie sat beside Amber. Close. “Tomorrow.” Amber looked at her. There. “Yeah?” Jessie nodded. “Zero-g.” Warmth replaced the surprise in Amber’s face. Not huge. Ms. B sat on the other side. “We booked ninety minutes.” Amber looked at her. Then Jessie. Then back. “Three?” Ms. B nodded. “Yes.” Amber smiled. “No rush?” Jessie smiled. “No rush.” Good. There it was. The next piece. Not Reyes repeated. Not four repeated. Their own shape. Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve smiled. No problem. No tension. Just trust. Amber leaned back. “Okay.” Everyone froze. Amber looked around. “Oh, fuck off.” Laughter rolled through the room. --- Much later, when everyone finally started peeling away toward bedrooms, work, or whatever counted as Palace sleep, Ms. B stayed at the table. One pane open now. Only one. Maeve noticed. Amber noticed Maeve noticing. Ms. B looked up. “What?” Maeve smiled. “Nothing.” Ms. B narrowed her eyes. Amber whispered: “She’s proud of you.” Maeve looked at her. Amber smiled. Ms. B stared. Then, quietly: “Good.” Silence. Amber’s eyes widened. Ms. B froze. Jessie appeared in the corridor at exactly the right moment. Saw everyone. Then started laughing before anyone said a word. Amber pointed at Ms. B. “You did that to yourself.” Ms. B closed the pane. Stood. “Bed.” Jessie smiled. “Authority.” Ms. B took her hand. “Come on.” They left. Amber watched them go. Then looked at Maeve. “Soft authority.” Maeve smiled. “Yes.” Amber leaned against her. It fit. Not cold. Not corporate. Not someone replacing Maeve. Someone making room around her. --- ## Chapter Forty-One — Three Amber woke before the alarm. That irritated her enough that she checked the time twice. 07:52. Zero-g booking at eleven. Plenty of time. Too much time. She lay still. Maeve slept beside her. Amber stared at the ceiling. Then at Maeve. Then back at the ceiling. Maeve opened one eye. “You’re awake.” “No.” “You’re vibrating.” Amber looked offended. “I am lying still.” “Emotionally.” Amber stared. Maeve smiled. Then closed her eye again. Amber waited perhaps ten seconds. “My wife.” Maeve sighed. “Yes?” “Three.” Maeve started laughing without opening her eyes. --- Breakfast was worse. Jessie arrived first. Ms. B second. Amber was already at the table pretending not to care. Jessie sat opposite her. Ms. B beside Jessie. Amber looked at both. Then at her coffee. Then at both again. Jessie smiled. Amber pointed. “No.” “I didn’t say anything.” “You have zero-g face.” Jessie froze. Ms. B looked at her. Amber brightened. “SEE?” Jessie laughed. “What the fuck is zero-g face?” Amber considered. “Anticipatory.” Ms. B took a drink. “That sounded clinical.” Amber looked at her. “You’re the administrator.” “Off duty.” “Dangerous phrase.” --- Maeve entered. Looked at the table. Then smiled. Amber narrowed her eyes. “No.” Maeve sat beside her. “What?” “You’re enjoying this.” “Yes.” “Because you’re not coming.” Maeve raised an eyebrow. “That sounded accusatory.” Amber smiled. “A little.” Maeve kissed her temple. “Have fun.” Amber softened immediately. “Planning to.” Jessie looked between them. Then at Ms. B. Ms. B smiled. No jealousy. No theater. Just established trust. Good. --- Reyes and Kiro appeared halfway through breakfast. Kiro looked at Amber. Then Jessie. Then Ms. B. “Oh.” Amber slapped one hand over her face. Reyes sat. “What?” Kiro smiled. “Today.” Reyes understood. Then smiled too. Amber pointed at both. “Do not.” Reyes held up her hands. “I’m not saying anything.” Kiro took coffee. “Initially.” Amber froze. Jessie choked. Ms. B closed her eyes. Maeve folded against Amber laughing. Kiro looked pleased. Amber stared. “You have weaponized one adverb beyond all reason.” Kiro smiled. “Mostly.” Reyes groaned. --- They escaped breakfast at ten twenty. Not because they had to. Because staying any longer would have guaranteed somebody saying something unrecoverable. Amber walked between Jessie and Ms. B. No one held hands at first. Then Jessie did. Amber looked down. Jessie looked back. “What?” Amber smiled. “Nothing.” Jessie narrowed her eyes. “Actually?” “Yes.” Amber squeezed her hand. Jessie squeezed back. Ms. B watched. Amber saw. Held out her other hand. Ms. B looked at it. Then Amber. Then took it. There. Three women. Walking. No joke needed. For approximately twelve seconds. Then Jessie said: “This looks coordinated.” Amber looked left. Right. Then smiled. “Administrative formation.” Ms. B sighed. Jessie laughed. Amber grinned. Okay. Twelve seconds had been optimistic. --- The zero-g facility attendant recognized Amber. That was not ideal. Amber approached reception. The attendant looked at her. Then Jessie. Then Ms. B. Then back. “Room six?” Amber froze. “You remember me.” “Yes.” Amber stared. “Why?” “You asked whether additional guests could be added later.” Jessie slowly turned toward Amber. Ms. B looked down. Amber covered her face. “That was one time.” The attendant remained professionally neutral. “Room six is available.” Jessie whispered: “I love Palace.” Amber pointed at her without looking. “No.” --- They booked ninety minutes. Private. Full zero-g. Amber looked at Jessie and Ms. B. “Same rule.” Jessie nodded. “No expectations.” Ms. B nodded too. “Acclimation first.” Amber grinned. “Yes.” Then she realized. “Wow.” Jessie looked at her. “What?” “I’ve become Reyes.” Ms. B smiled. “Temporarily.” Amber stared. “That was cruel.” “Accurate.” --- Room six was larger than Amber expected. Not four-person large. Enough. Three anchor points. Soft walls. Handholds. Lighting low but practical. No gimmicks. Amber removed her boots. Jessie did the same. Ms. B folded hers neatly against the wall. Amber watched. “Of course.” Ms. B looked over. “What?” “You arranged your shoes.” “Yes.” “In zero-g.” “We are not in zero-g yet.” Amber looked at Jessie. Jessie smiled. “Administrative gravity.” Ms. B closed her eyes. --- Half gravity first. Jessie adapted faster than Amber expected. Ms. B slower. Not clumsy. Careful. She thought before every movement. Amber noticed. “You’re doing Maeve.” Ms. B looked at her. “What?” “Calculating.” Ms. B frowned. Amber smiled. “Stop.” “That is terrible advice.” “Here? No.” Jessie pushed lightly from one wall. Caught another. “Amber’s right.” Ms. B looked betrayed. Jessie smiled. “Emotionally upsetting, I know.” Amber brightened. “Thank you.” Silence. All three froze. Then Amber pointed at herself. “My fault.” Jessie started laughing. --- Twenty percent. Different. Jessie overshot once. Ms. B caught her badly. Both rotated. Amber laughed. Jessie looked at Ms. B. Ms. B looked back. Then both started laughing too. Amber pushed toward them. Caught Jessie’s wrist. Ms. B caught Amber’s shoulder. Three bodies drifted together. Poorly. Amber looked around. “Technical success.” Ms. B said: “We are rotating.” “Still success.” Jessie laughed. --- Zero. The room changed. Jessie let go first. No surprise now. She had done this. Ms. B followed. Amber pushed gently. No showing off. Not yet. She crossed the room. Turned. Caught a handhold. Jessie followed. Cleaner. Ms. B pushed third. Too little. Stopped near the middle. Amber smiled. Ms. B stared. “No.” Amber laughed. “I didn’t say anything.” “You were going to.” Jessie pushed toward Ms. B. Reached her. Caught both forearms. Redirected them together. Ms. B smiled. “There.” Amber watched. Something about that contact was different from yesterday. Not technical. Not entirely. Jessie noticed too. Stayed close. Ms. B’s hands remained on Jessie’s arms. No automatic separation. Amber did not interrupt. --- They trained for twenty-five minutes. Actually trained. Short pushes. Catching. Rotational correction. Using another person as temporary anchor after warning. Jessie learned fast. Ms. B learned carefully. Amber learned restraint. Mostly. At one point Jessie pushed toward Amber. Amber caught her around the waist. Jessie laughed. “You’re getting annoyingly good at that.” Amber grinned. “Practice.” Ms. B drifted toward them. Amber held out one hand. Ms. B took it. Three bodies connected. No floor. No automatic pressure. Each contact maintained deliberately. The room went quiet. Jessie looked at Amber. Then Ms. B. Amber looked at both. Not sex. Not yet. But the question had arrived. --- Jessie broke the silence first. “Still okay?” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Ms. B nodded. “Yes.” Amber looked at Jessie. “You?” Jessie smiled. “Yes.” Simple. No choreography. No need. --- Amber let go of the wall. All three drifted. Jessie stayed against Ms. B. Amber remained close to Jessie. Different triangle every few seconds depending on momentum. Nobody tried to freeze it. That became the point. Jessie kissed Ms. B first. Soft. Familiar. Amber watched. Not voyeuristically from distance. Part of the same space. Jessie pulled back. Looked at Amber. No assumption. Amber smiled. Jessie reached. Amber met her. Short kiss. Warm. Then Amber looked at Ms. B. Ms. B held her gaze. Amber asked: “Yes?” Ms. B smiled. “Yes.” Amber pushed closer. Their kiss started softer than the others. Careful. Not because anyone doubted. Because Ms. B’s rhythm was different. Amber noticed immediately. Liked that. --- Three became complicated quickly. Not sexually. Mechanically. A kiss changed momentum. A hand at someone’s waist redirected two people. Jessie tried to stay between them and accidentally sent all three into a slow rotation. Amber started laughing. Ms. B held onto Jessie. Jessie looked around. “Oh, fuck.” Amber laughed harder. “Welcome.” Ms. B caught a wall handle. Stopped the rotation. All three drifted against her. Jessie smiled. “Administrative anchor.” Ms. B stared. Amber nearly lost control again. “DON’T.” Jessie was laughing too hard to answer. --- Once they calmed down, undressing began gradually. Not a race. Jessie removed her outer layer first and anchored it to the wall strap. Amber followed, catching her own top before it could drift away. Ms. B took longer. Not hesitation. Choice. Amber saw. Waited. Ms. B looked at Jessie. Jessie smiled. No pressure. Then Ms. B removed her top. The lower layers came later and with more laughter than elegance: skirts or shorts worked free, underwear deliberately gathered and secured instead of disappearing somewhere in the room. Ms. B chose each step for herself, and the other two never moved ahead of her. By the time all three were naked, Amber’s expression had changed. Not because she had never seen Iris. She had. History mattered. This was different context. Different cover layer. Different choice. Amber grinned. “Hi.” Ms. B laughed softly. “Hi.” Jessie looked between them. Then: “That was disgustingly sweet.” Amber pointed. “You’re ruining tone.” Jessie smiled. “Family realism.” Amber laughed. --- Skin contact changed the room again. Warmth more immediate. Pigment absent. No visual marker. Only sensation. Amber touched Jessie’s side. Jessie touched Amber’s shoulder. Ms. B held them both near an anchor point. Not controlling. Stabilizing. That fit her. Of course. Amber noticed. “You like anchoring.” Ms. B smiled. “Someone has to.” Jessie looked at her. “Hot administration.” Ms. B closed her eyes. Amber screamed with laughter. --- Eventually the jokes thinned. Not gone. Enough. Jessie kissed Ms. B again. Amber watched. Ms. B reached for her without breaking from Jessie completely. Amber came closer. Three bodies. No fixed center. No one became observer by default. No one became mandatory participant either. Roles shifted minute by minute. Sometimes Amber watched Jessie and Ms. B. Sometimes Jessie watched Amber with Ms. B. Sometimes Ms. B simply held them both close and smiled. Nothing turn-based. No rotation pretending fairness required symmetry. --- Amber’s Shadow Aura stirred once. Faint. Jessie noticed first. Her eyes flicked toward the room edge. Then Amber. Amber stopped. “Sorry.” Jessie looked at her. “For?” “Aura.” Ms. B’s attention sharpened. Amber explained simply: “It can amplify what’s already there.” Jessie nodded. Ms. B asked: “Can you keep it low?” “Yes.” “Then do.” Amber smiled. No fear. No drama. “Done.” The aura settled close. Barely there. Enough to feel like the room had become more private. Nothing more. --- The anticipatory shift came later. Not because someone announced it. Because the movement changed. Less play. More closeness. More sustained contact. Breathing slower, then not. Amber looked at Jessie. Jessie looked at Ms. B. Ms. B looked back. Nobody needed a speech. Still, Amber asked: “More?” Jessie smiled. “Yes.” Ms. B nodded. “Yes.” Amber’s expression warmed. They moved closer. Found a stable arrangement against the wall. Not elegant. Functional. Mutual. Sex began there without a fixed center. Sometimes one woman held another against the anchor while the third stayed close; sometimes attention shifted because someone reached, kissed, or asked for more. Nobody was assigned a turn. Nobody disappeared into the role of observer unless she chose it for that moment. The closeness deepened. So did the quiet. --- Time blurred because the exact sequence mattered less than the continuity of choice. Hands. Breath. Bodies kept close by deliberate contact rather than weight. Laughter once when orientation failed again. A pause to fix position. A whispered check. An immediate yes. Then sex again, slower for a while, then more urgent when all three wanted it. Pleasure moved through the group unevenly rather than by schedule; one woman could be trembling while another kissed her and the third simply held them both stable. No one rushed toward an endpoint. No one performed for the others. Amber, for all her appetite, found herself unexpectedly content to let the moment take its time. Jessie did too. Ms. B perhaps most of all. --- Release arrived in uneven waves. Not synchronized. Not arranged into turns. Amber’s climax broke through while she was still kissing Jessie. Jessie’s breath failed against her before Amber had fully settled, her own body tightening as Ms. B held both of them steady through the overlap. Ms. B took longer, exactly as she had taken longer with every other choice, and neither of the others hurried her. When her own release finally softened through her, Amber and Jessie were still there—close, responsive and already holding her rather than waiting for a final box to be checked. Jessie held onto Ms. B. Ms. B kept one arm around Amber. Then stillness. Actual stillness. No gravity pulling anyone into a mattress. No floor. No weight. Only arms remaining where they were because nobody wanted to let go yet. Amber closed her eyes. Jessie rested her forehead against Ms. B. Ms. B’s breathing slowed. For a while, the three simply drifted. Together. --- Amber opened one eye. Jessie’s were closed. Ms. B looked at Amber. Amber smiled. No filthy line. No joke. Ms. B smiled back. Then Jessie murmured: “Hi.” Amber’s eyes widened. Ms. B started laughing. Jessie opened her eyes. “What?” Amber pointed. “You stole that too.” Jessie looked confused. Then Ms. B laughed harder. Amber joined. The stillness survived the laughter. --- They had thirty-five minutes left. Nobody used them for escalation. They floated. Kissed occasionally. Talked. Jessie discovered that curling around Ms. B while unanchored created a slow rotation neither could stop without Amber’s help. Amber helped badly. All three hit padding. No one cared. At one point Ms. B simply watched Amber and Jessie laugh while holding one hand from each. Amber noticed. “Observer.” Ms. B smiled. “Sometimes.” Jessie looked at her. “Like it?” “Yes.” Amber’s expression warmed. There. Different again. Not Jessie waiting to join. Not Amber waiting to join. Watching could be enough. Participation could be enough. Both could change. Perfect. --- Gravity warning at ten minutes. Everyone groaned. Amber smiled. “Universal reaction.” Jessie looked at her. “Longer next time?” Amber’s eyebrows rose. Ms. B looked at Jessie. Jessie smiled. “No schedule.” Amber laughed softly. “Exactly.” --- They dressed before gravity restoration. Mostly. That was easier now. At 0.2, Jessie nearly lost a sock. Amber caught it. Held it up. “Hero.” Jessie stared. “Give me my sock.” Amber pushed it away. Jessie gasped. Ms. B caught it. “Children.” Amber and Jessie both turned. “Excuse me?” Ms. B smiled. “Adults behaving badly.” Amber nodded. “Better.” --- At full gravity, all three stood quietly for a second. Heavy. Grounded. Different. Amber rolled her shoulders. Jessie bent one knee. Ms. B steadied against the wall. Amber looked at them. “You okay?” Jessie nodded. “Yes.” Ms. B nodded too. “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Good.” Silence. Then Amber covered her face. Jessie started laughing. Ms. B leaned against the wall. “No escape.” Amber groaned. “We’ve destroyed English.” --- Outside, they did not split immediately. They walked together. Slow. Amber in the middle now. Jessie holding one hand. Ms. B the other. Same as the trip there. Completely different weight. Amber looked left. Right. Smiled. --- Maeve was in the common room when they returned. So were Reyes and Kiro. Sera and Panam. Imani too. Of course. The entire fucking audience. Amber stopped in the doorway. Everyone looked. Silence. Amber raised one finger. “Think carefully.” Panam covered her mouth. Reyes looked down. Kiro stared at the ceiling. Sera smiled. Imani looked fascinated by the social hazard. Maeve looked at Amber. Only Amber. Then smiled. “Happy?” Amber’s expression softened immediately. “Yes.” Maeve nodded. Good. Amber walked over. Maeve opened one arm. Amber fit herself into it. Easy. Home. Jessie sat beside Ms. B. Their shoulders touched. No performance. No explanation. --- Kiro lasted longest. Almost two minutes. Then: “Was ninety enough?” Amber looked at her. Kiro smiled. Amber smiled back. “No.” Reyes closed her eyes. Panam whispered: “Oh, fuck.” Jessie laughed. Ms. B covered her face. Maeve tightened her arm around Amber. Amber leaned back against her. “Definitely not.” Kiro nodded. “Useful data.” Amber pointed. “Specialist.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Then kissed her. Amber watched. Smiled. No fake jealousy. Not today. --- The zero-g encounters had finally separated into their own identities. Reyes and Amber had been intimate, experimental, physical, almost private enough to become confession. Four had been coordination and possibility. Jessie and Ms. B had first claimed zero-g for themselves. And now Amber, Jessie and Ms. B had made something softer, more fluid and more openly observant out of the same impossible room. No repetition. No partner map. No checklist. Just people choosing different shapes. Amber rested against Maeve and looked around at the group. Room. --- ## Chapter Forty-Two — Parallel Lines The next morning began with work. Actual work. Amber considered this a personal attack. She walked into the common room at 08:31 carrying coffee, saw Reyes and Kiro already dressed, saw Ms. B standing beside them with a pane open, and stopped. “No.” Ms. B looked over. “Morning.” Amber pointed at Reyes. “Shoes.” Reyes looked down. “Yes.” “Kiro has jacket.” Kiro looked at herself. “Yes.” “You’re leaving.” “Yes.” Amber stared at Ms. B. “You did this.” “I confirmed their client appointment.” Amber looked horrified. “At breakfast time.” “It begins at ten.” “That is basically dawn.” Reyes took a drink. “You woke up thirty minutes ago.” “Exactly.” Kiro smiled. “Hard life.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “You two are leaving me here.” Reyes looked at Maeve, who had just entered from the corridor. Then back at Amber. “With your wife.” Amber paused. Then: “Acceptable.” Maeve laughed. --- The transit audit was larger than the previous infrastructure problem. Not dramatically. Enough that Reyes and Kiro both stopped joking the moment the client representative opened the systems map. That happened at 10:02. Amber was nowhere nearby. Good. Some things deserved to exist without her commentary. Reyes studied the physical routing. Kiro studied the network behavior. Their client, a woman named Yara, watched both. “We’re getting intermittent synchronization failures between maintenance control and two transit guide segments.” Kiro frowned. “Loss?” “No.” “Delay?” “Sometimes.” Reyes looked at the physical map. “Movement-related?” Yara shrugged. “We can’t correlate it.” Kiro moved one trace forward. Then another. Reyes stepped closer. No touching. No flirt. Just work. “Where does this cross structure?” Kiro highlighted three points. Reyes shook her head. “Too many.” “Agreed.” Yara looked between them. “That bad?” “No,” Kiro said. Reyes added: “Annoying.” Kiro nodded. “Much worse.” Yara laughed. --- They worked for almost an hour before finding the first useful pattern. Not a failure. A sequence. Kiro saw it first. “Wait.” Reyes stopped moving. Kiro replayed four events. Then shifted one timing layer. Again. Reyes leaned over her shoulder. “What?” “Look at the maintenance acknowledgment.” Reyes watched. Nothing. Then: “Oh.” Yara leaned closer. “What?” Reyes pointed. “It’s not the transit system.” Kiro nodded. “It’s responding late because maintenance control thinks the command completed earlier than it actually did.” Yara frowned. “Clock drift?” “No.” Kiro enlarged the trace. “Queue behavior.” Reyes looked at the physical access map again. “So software.” Kiro shook her head. “Maybe.” Reyes smiled. “Of course.” --- They checked two control nodes. Clean. Third. Clean. Kiro became irritated. Reyes noticed. “You hate invisible problems.” “I hate problems that pretend to be elegant.” Reyes smiled. “That sounded personal.” “It is.” Yara looked between them. “Long history?” Reyes said: “Yes.” Kiro said: “No.” Both turned toward each other. Silence. Then Kiro smiled. “Different history.” Reyes laughed. Yara wisely decided not to ask. --- The answer turned out to be ugly. Ugly answers were usually easier to trust. A maintenance process was passing through a compatibility layer that should have been retired months ago. Nobody had removed it because nothing had broken badly enough. Until now. Kiro stared at the route. Then at Yara. “Why is this still active?” Yara looked embarrassed. “Legacy dependency.” Reyes sighed. “Of course.” Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. “No.” Kiro smiled. “You were about to say something.” “Yes.” “Say it.” Reyes pointed at the compatibility layer. “Administrative archaeology.” Kiro froze. Then laughed. Yara smiled. “I’m stealing that.” “Please don’t.” --- The fix was software-side. Mostly. But Reyes found the reason the latent issue had finally surfaced. A recent physical controller replacement had improved one segment’s response time just enough to expose the older queue assumption. Kiro looked at her. “So the hardware got better.” “Yes.” “And broke the software.” “Yes.” Kiro smiled. “Beautiful.” Reyes looked offended. “That is not beautiful.” “It is.” “It’s disgusting.” “Exactly.” Yara shook her head. “You two are enjoying this.” Both answered: “Yes.” Silence. Reyes froze. Kiro froze. Then both closed their eyes. Yara looked confused. Reyes muttered: “Longer history.” --- They finished before thirteen. No emergency. No catastrophic discovery. Just competent specialist work. On the way out, Yara stopped them. “One more question.” Kiro turned. “Yes?” “If we need a larger resilience review later, do we come through you?” Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Then: “O’Sullivan.” Kiro nodded. “Ms. B handles intake.” There. Natural. No Maeve carrying every contact herself. Yara nodded. “Good.” Reyes froze. Kiro stared at her. Yara stopped. “What?” Reyes covered her face. Kiro started laughing. “Nothing.” --- Back at the residential unit, Ms. B received the referral before Reyes and Kiro had even reached the elevator. She looked at the message. Then at Maeve. “Resilience review.” Maeve looked over. “From transit?” “Yes.” “Size?” “Potentially substantial.” Maeve smiled. “Good.” Ms. B froze. Maeve froze. Amber, lying upside down on the couch with her legs over the backrest, slowly turned her head. “Oh.” Maeve closed her eyes. Amber grinned. “My wife.” “Do not.” “You’ve infected administration.” Ms. B looked at Amber. “You are physically upside down during a business conversation.” Amber smiled. “Leadership posture.” Maeve laughed. --- Amber had spent the morning doing almost nothing. This was deliberate. Mostly. She had answered Marisol. Ignored one boutique. Visited another café. Bought nothing. That last part concerned Maeve enough that she asked twice. “You didn’t buy anything?” “No.” “Nothing?” “No.” Amber looked offended. “I am capable of entering a shop and leaving.” Maeve raised an eyebrow. Amber sighed. “Fine. I bought earrings.” Maeve smiled. “There.” “Tiny.” “How much?” Amber stared. “Hostile question.” --- Sera and Panam were out with Imani again. Jessie had disappeared somewhere. Ms. B worked. Maeve had a client call at fourteen. Amber had Marisol at sixteen. No urgency. She liked that. Then her comm pinged. Reyes. > **REYES:** Done. Amber smiled. > **AMBER:** actual work? > **REYES:** yes Then Kiro: > **KIRO:** she found the physical trigger Amber: > **AMBER:** hot Pause. Reyes: > **REYES:** I knew you’d say that Amber: > **AMBER:** and yet you told me Kiro: > **KIRO:** she wanted praise Reyes: > **REYES:** traitor Amber smiled. Then typed: > **AMBER:** very proud. both of you. Longer pause. Kiro: > **KIRO:** that one was almost normal Amber: > **AMBER:** fuck off Reyes: > **REYES:** there she is Amber put the comm down. Still smiling. --- Maeve noticed. “Work?” “Finished.” “Cleanly?” “Yes.” Amber looked at her. “They’re really good together.” Maeve nodded. “Yes.” Not romantic. Not sexual. Not primarily. Specialist compatibility. Different layer. Important layer. Amber’s expression warmed. “I like that too.” Maeve understood. --- At fifteen fifty-three, Amber left for Marisol. No outfit change crisis this time. Same shorts. Different top. Marisol had won that war so thoroughly Amber had stopped pretending there was one. Maeve looked at her. Then down. Then back up. Amber sighed. “Yes, the shorts.” Maeve smiled. “I said nothing.” “You married me. Your face has legal standing.” Maeve laughed. Amber kissed her. “Later.” “Have fun.” Amber froze. Maeve froze. Then both started laughing. “Unavoidable,” Maeve said. “Completely.” --- Marisol was waiting by the same quiet garden band where they had first had coffee. No dress. No obvious date presentation. Simple clothes. Hair slightly messier than usual. Amber liked that too. Marisol saw her. Smiled. Then looked down. Amber pointed. “No.” Marisol laughed. “I didn’t say anything.” “Everyone has face.” “Apparently.” They started walking. No destination. --- Marisol asked about the trip. Not the sex. The trip. “What’s different this time?” Amber thought. That deserved an actual answer. “Less pressure.” “From Palace?” “From me.” Marisol looked over. Amber continued: “Last time I think I wanted to experience everything.” “And now?” Amber smiled. “I want what I want.” Marisol nodded. “That sounds healthier.” Amber looked at her. “Careful. That sounded almost responsible.” Marisol smiled. “You hate that?” “No.” “Good.” Amber stopped walking. Marisol stopped too. Both stared. Then Marisol sighed. “I did it again.” Amber laughed. --- They found food. Not planned. A tiny place with six tables. Amber sat across from Marisol. No group. Again. That kept feeling different. Marisol rested her elbows on the table. “So.” Amber smiled. “So.” “You’re going home eventually.” Amber’s smile softened slightly. “Yes.” “Two weeks.” “Yes.” Marisol nodded. No attempt to make that sadder than it was. Amber appreciated that immediately. “Does that bother you?” Marisol thought. “A little.” Amber waited. Marisol continued: “But not enough to make me pretend this should become something else.” Amber’s expression warmed. “Good.” Silence. Amber closed her eyes. Marisol laughed. “Sorry.” “No, you’re not.” “No.” --- Amber leaned back. “I like you.” Marisol looked at her. “I like you too.” “Not complicated.” “No.” “Not permanent.” Marisol smiled faintly. “Probably not.” Amber nodded. “Still real.” “Yes.” That was enough. No speech. No promise. No tragedy. Just a relationship allowed to have the scale it actually had. --- They ate. Talked. Walked again. No immediate apartment. No assumption. Marisol took Amber to another part of Palace instead. A narrow observation loop built around one of the station’s external structural ribs. No dramatic panorama. Instead, machinery. Actual orbital infrastructure visible through reinforced glass. Amber stopped. “Oh.” Marisol smiled. “You like machinery too?” “I like systems I can see.” Marisol nodded. “Thought so.” Amber looked at her. “Pattern recognition.” “Yes.” Amber groaned. --- They stood there a long time. Watching service vehicles move outside. Slow. Careful. Tiny against the station structure. Amber leaned against Marisol. Marisol’s arm came around her. No pressure. No progression. Just closeness. Then Amber said: “Reyes and Kiro had a job today.” Marisol looked down. “The technical one and the black-haired one.” “Currently black-haired.” Marisol laughed. “Yes.” Amber smiled. “They’re good together.” Marisol caught the tone. “At work?” “Yes.” “And otherwise.” Amber looked up. “Yes.” Marisol nodded. No chart. Still. Amber liked that woman more every time she refused to overcomplicate things. --- Eventually Marisol asked: “Back to mine?” Amber smiled. “Yes.” No need to think long this time. --- They made it to the apartment. Door closed. Amber turned. Marisol stepped closer. Then stopped. Amber looked up. “What?” Marisol smiled. “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “Actually?” “Yes.” Amber waited. Marisol touched her cheek. “I just like looking at you.” That hit harder than it should have. Amber’s mouth parted, but the joke never came. Marisol saw. Amber stepped closer. “Then look.” Marisol did. For a moment. Then Amber kissed her. --- The evening warmed gradually. No need to repeat the same progression as before. They kissed. Talked between kisses. Marisol touched Amber’s new earrings. Amber complained that Maeve had interrogated her about shopping. Marisol laughed. Amber accused her of complicity because Palace women had clearly formed a conspiracy around her wardrobe. Marisol denied everything. Badly. Eventually Amber’s top came off. Then Marisol’s. No hurry. The couch remained a known tactical hazard. They avoided it. Growth. --- At one point Marisol looked at Amber’s collar. Then at her. “Can I ask?” Amber nodded. “Why always that?” Amber touched the collar. No threat. No need to hide. “Mine.” Marisol waited. Amber smiled faintly. “Not owned by someone. Mine because I chose it.” Marisol nodded. That was enough. No lore excavation. No Triad explanation. No demand. Amber liked that. Marisol touched the collar lightly. “Okay?” Amber’s expression warmed. “Yes.” Then Marisol kissed her. --- The rest of the evening became intimate without becoming repetitive. Different pace. More talking. More pauses. At one point Amber ended up sitting in Marisol’s lap while both laughed about something too stupid to survive memory. At another they simply lay beside each other for ten minutes without doing anything except touching. No need to convert every minute into escalation. That was the difference. Amber felt it. Not restraint. Choice. --- Later, when desire returned, they followed it. No performance. No audience. No rush. They undressed as naturally as they had been touching: Amber’s shorts and underwear together, Marisol’s lower layers after, clothes gathered beside the bed instead of kicked somewhere out of reach. The anticipatory moment arrived clearly. Amber shifted closer and opened herself to the next step. Marisol checked. Amber answered. Sex began slowly. The rhythm came easier now. Familiarity was beginning—not enough to become automatic, enough to stop solving each other from scratch. Amber knew when Marisol was holding back to read her; Marisol knew when Amber’s breath meant more rather than stop. They adjusted without interrupting the closeness. Pleasure built on both sides instead of becoming a single destination. Marisol’s breath broke first, her climax tightening her against Amber while Amber was already losing words. Amber drew her closer rather than letting the contact end, and her own release arrived before Marisol’s breathing had fully settled. That felt right. --- Afterward, they stayed tangled together. Stillness first. Breathing. Warmth. Amber’s eyes closed. Marisol’s hand moved lazily along her back. Nothing else. No sudden separation. No joke required. Eventually Amber opened her eyes. Marisol looked at her. Amber smiled. “Hi.” Marisol started laughing. “You did that on purpose.” “Yes.” “Bitch.” “Learning.” --- Amber returned home later than planned. Again. Not catastrophically. The common room was mostly empty. Maeve sat at the table with Ms. B. One pane open. Only one. Amber stopped. Looked at them. Then at the time. “Working?” Ms. B shook her head. “Closing.” Maeve nodded. “Last thing.” Amber walked closer. “What?” Ms. B turned the pane. Transit client. Future resilience review. Possible O’Sullivan SAS contract. Amber looked. Then at Maeve. Then Ms. B. “Big?” “Potentially,” Maeve said. Amber nodded. “Worth taking?” “Probably.” Ms. B added: “If Reyes and Kiro want it.” Amber smiled. There. Not assuming their availability. Not swallowing them into the company. Good. “Ask them.” Ms. B nodded. “Tomorrow.” Amber looked at the time. “Not now.” Maeve smiled. “Exactly.” Amber froze. Maeve froze. Ms. B closed her eyes. Then Amber started laughing. “Even scheduling language.” Ms. B stood. “I am going to bed before vocabulary collapses further.” --- Maeve closed the pane. Amber sat beside her. Quiet. Maeve looked over. “Marisol?” Amber smiled. “Yes.” “Happy?” “Yes.” Maeve nodded. Amber looked at her. Then leaned in. Rested her head on Maeve’s shoulder. No sex. No report. No teasing. Just home. After a minute Maeve said: “You’re quieter with her.” Amber smiled faintly. “She lets silence stay.” Maeve nodded. “You like that.” “Yes.” A pause. “I like a lot of things.” Maeve smiled. “I noticed.” Amber lifted her head. “My wife.” “Yes?” “You are dangerously understanding.” Maeve kissed her forehead. “Occupational hazard.” Amber laughed softly. --- They went to bed before midnight. A miracle. And elsewhere in the unit, Reyes and Kiro had already fallen asleep together after spending the day doing the thing Amber found nearly as attractive as everything else— being extremely, specifically good at their jobs. --- ## Chapter Forty-Three — The Offer The next morning, Ms. B waited until everyone had coffee. This was not kindness. It was risk management. Amber noticed immediately. She walked into the common room, saw one pane closed on the table, saw Ms. B sitting beside it, and stopped. “No.” Ms. B looked up. “Morning.” “No.” Maeve sat nearby. Too calm. Reyes and Kiro were already there. Also too calm. Amber looked around. “This is a trap.” Kiro smiled. Reyes did not. Maeve lifted her cup. Amber pointed. “Everyone has meeting face.” Ms. B sighed. “There is no meeting.” Amber stared at the closed pane. “There is absolutely a meeting.” “Conversation.” “Corporate euphemism.” Maeve laughed. Amber sat. “Fine. Ruin breakfast.” --- Ms. B opened the pane. Transit resilience review. The larger one. Amber looked at the scope. Then at Reyes and Kiro. No joke. Not yet. “Big.” Reyes nodded. “Yes.” Kiro was already reading. Ms. B continued. “Potentially six days of work spread over three weeks.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. “During Palace?” “No.” Good. She relaxed. Maeve saw. “Post-trip.” Amber nodded. “Better.” Ms. B looked at Reyes. “Kiro.” Then Reyes. “This is not an assignment.” Both waited. “Client asked for O’Sullivan SAS.” Kiro looked at Maeve. Maeve nodded. Ms. B continued: “You two are the obvious specialist pair. If you want it.” There. Correct. No ownership assumption. Reyes leaned back. Kiro kept reading. Amber stayed quiet. That took effort. --- Kiro asked first. “Access?” “Full technical route.” “Physical?” Ms. B looked at Reyes. “Requested.” Reyes nodded. “Authority to stop systems?” “Limited.” Reyes frowned. “How limited?” Maeve answered: “Emergency stop available, planned interruption requires local approval.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. That same work-shift. Instant. Kiro said: “Acceptable.” Reyes nodded. “Probably.” Amber smiled faintly. --- Ms. B moved to compensation. Amber immediately leaned forward. Reyes saw. “What?” Amber looked innocent. “Business.” Kiro smiled. “Owner face.” Amber froze. Maeve looked at Kiro. Kiro smiled wider. Amber pointed. “Do not invent more faces.” Jessie entered from the corridor. “What face?” Everyone answered: “No.” Jessie stopped. “Rude.” --- Compensation was strong. Very strong. Reyes looked at Maeve. “This client actually pays.” Amber looked offended. “We have excellent clients.” Reyes looked at her. “You have clients who pay for discretion because they’re embarrassed.” Amber considered. “Also excellent.” Kiro laughed. Ms. B continued: “Travel and lodging covered if needed.” Kiro looked at the location. “Orbital.” “Yes.” Reyes read the same line. “Again.” Amber smiled. “Palace made you orbital specialists.” Reyes looked at her. “No.” “Not officially.” “No.” Kiro said: “Potentially.” Reyes turned. Kiro smiled. Amber slapped the table. “She admits it.” --- Maeve finally asked: “Want it?” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. No need for performance. Kiro smiled first. “Yes.” Reyes nodded. “Yes.” Ms. B closed the pane. “Accepted pending contract.” Amber smiled. “Hot.” Reyes closed her eyes. Kiro laughed. Maeve covered her mouth. Ms. B stared at Amber. Amber held up both hands. “Professional appreciation.” Jessie walked in with coffee. “Of what?” Amber pointed at Reyes and Kiro. “The specialists.” Jessie looked at them. Then at Amber. “Fair.” Reyes sighed. --- The rest of breakfast was lighter. Not because the job was small. Because it belonged later. Palace remained Palace. No reason to let future work swallow current time. Maeve looked at Ms. B. “Good handling.” Silence. Everyone froze. Ms. B looked at Maeve. Maeve closed her eyes. Amber slowly smiled. Jessie folded over laughing. Kiro whispered: “Professional.” Reyes covered her face. Ms. B said: “I am deleting the English language from company policy.” Amber laughed. “Administrative reform.” --- Later, Reyes and Kiro left together. Not for work. Coffee. Supposedly. Amber watched from the doorway. Reyes took Kiro’s hand. Kiro leaned against her. No performance. Then they disappeared around the corner. Amber smiled. Maeve noticed. “What?” Amber shook her head. “Nothing.” Maeve looked suspicious. Amber laughed. “Actually.” She walked back. “They look happy.” Maeve smiled. “Yes.” Amber sat beside her. “That changed fast.” “No.” Amber looked at her. Maeve continued: “It became visible fast.” Amber thought. Then nodded. “Yeah.” Better. --- Jessie and Ms. B left too. No zero-g. Just breakfast somewhere else because apparently eating the same food in a different room counted as vacation. Amber approved reluctantly. Sera and Panam had Imani. Which left Amber and Maeve. Again. Amber looked at her. Maeve looked back. Then both started laughing. “No,” Maeve said. Amber stared. “I haven’t done anything.” “You’re going to.” “Probably.” Maeve smiled. “Walk?” Amber froze. Then pointed. “You initiated.” “Yes.” Amber stood immediately. “Growth.” Maeve sighed. --- They wandered without destination. Palace had become familiar enough now that Amber stopped reading every sign. She moved through the place rather than touring it. Maeve noticed. “You know where you’re going.” “No.” “You didn’t check the map.” “Confidence.” “That is not navigation.” Amber smiled. “Works in Night City.” “Barely.” --- They found a small greenhouse band. Real plants. Mostly decorative. Some food production. Amber stopped. “Why haven’t we been here?” Maeve looked around. “Because you spent the first week finding clubs.” Amber looked offended. “Research.” “Of course.” They walked between low rows. Warmer air. Softer light. Not luxury. Not spectacle. Amber liked it. She touched one leaf. Maeve watched. “You really do like ordinary things.” Amber smiled. “Don’t tell anyone.” “Your reputation?” “Destroyed.” Maeve laughed. --- They sat near the far end. Quiet. Amber rested against Maeve. No reason. Good reason. Same thing. Then Maeve said: “Midpoint.” Amber looked at her. “Of the trip?” “Almost.” Amber frowned. “How?” “Time.” “Hostile.” Maeve smiled. Amber looked around. Then at her. “Feels like we’ve done too much.” “Have we?” Amber thought. “No.” Maeve nodded. Exactly. That was the strange part. Lots had happened. Nothing felt compressed. --- Amber’s comm pinged. Marisol. Of course. > **MARISOL:** occupied tonight? Amber’s expression warmed. Maeve saw. “Her.” “Yes.” Amber typed: > **AMBER:** not yet Marisol: > **MARISOL:** dangerous answer Amber: > **AMBER:** yours started it Marisol: > **MARISOL:** dinner? Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve smiled. “Go.” Amber stared. “You didn’t even ask.” “You want to.” “Yes.” “Then go.” Amber smiled. “My wife.” Maeve kissed her forehead. --- Amber met Marisol later. Different restaurant. Different part of Palace. No plan beyond food. That worked. Marisol looked at Amber. Then at the shorts. Amber stopped. Marisol smiled. “Tradition.” Amber laughed. “Your fault.” “Proudly.” --- Dinner stayed light. Work. Travel. Palace gossip. Marisol knew about the transit-system problem only because people in orbital logistics heard everything eventually. She looked at Amber. “Your people?” Amber smiled. “Reyes and Kiro.” “They fixed it?” “Found the problem.” Marisol nodded. “Good team.” Amber froze. Marisol froze. Then both started laughing. “Not you too,” Amber said. Marisol covered her face. “I hate that I understand this now.” Amber pointed. “You’re one of us now.” --- Marisol asked more about O’Sullivan SAS. Not probing. Curious. Amber answered. Small firm. Selective. Expanding slightly. Administrative support now real. Marisol smiled. “You sound proud.” Amber paused. “Yes.” That surprised her less than it might have a week ago. “My wife built most of the visible structure.” “And you?” Amber smiled. “I make trouble profitable.” Marisol laughed. “Believable.” --- After dinner they walked. Again. No immediate apartment. Again. Amber liked that. Then Marisol said: “You leave in a week.” Amber looked over. “About.” Marisol nodded. No sadness performance. Still, something there. Amber noticed. She reached for Marisol’s hand. Marisol took it. “Still real,” Amber said. Marisol smiled faintly. “Yes.” Enough. --- They did go back to Marisol’s place eventually. Not because habit demanded it. Because both wanted to. Inside, the rhythm was easier now. Familiar. Amber took off the jacket. Marisol touched the collar. Amber smiled. No explanation this time. Then Marisol kissed her. Long. Warm. Amber leaned into it. Their clothes came off in the same unhurried rhythm. Amber’s remaining outerwear and underwear. Marisol’s lower layers and hers. No skipped transition, just kisses interrupted long enough to move fabric out of the way before they settled together naked. --- The mood remained slower than before. No need to prove anything. Amber rested against Marisol. Marisol’s hand moved along her back. “Stay tonight?” Amber looked up. There. New question. Not permanent. Not dramatic. Still new. Amber thought. Maeve. Home. Marisol. Want. Then smiled. “Yes.” Marisol’s expression softened. Good. --- They made love later. Slowly. No race. No novelty requirement. The anticipatory beat came naturally. Amber shifted closer, drew Marisol over her and held her gaze. Marisol checked once. Amber answered. Sex began without urgency. The rhythm built differently again—not more intense, more trusting. Amber no longer had to prove that small did not mean fragile. Marisol no longer paused at every change as if she were still learning the rules from scratch. They knew enough now to stay responsive without becoming automatic. Amber’s breathing shortened gradually. Marisol stayed close through her climax instead of treating it as the end. Her own control broke while Amber was still unsteady, breath catching and body softening only after Amber tightened both arms around her and held her through the shared aftermath. The Shadow Aura stayed quiet. Nothing needed amplification. --- Afterward they remained close. Stillness. Breathing. Marisol asleep first. Amber noticed. Smiled. Then looked at the ceiling. No hurry to leave. Interesting. She reached for her comm. One message to Maeve. > **AMBER:** staying here tonight <3 Reply came minutes later. > **MAEVE:** sleep well <3 Amber smiled. No complication. No report. No demand. She put the comm away. --- Back at the residential unit, Maeve read the message. Kiro sat nearby. Reyes beside her. Jessie and Ms. B had returned. Sera and Panam too. Everyone calm. Maeve smiled. Kiro noticed. “Amber?” “Yes.” “Marisol?” “Yes.” “Coming back?” “Tomorrow.” Reyes nodded. “Good.” Silence. Everyone froze. Reyes stared. Kiro collapsed laughing. Maeve covered her face. Ms. B stood. “I am going to bed.” Jessie followed, laughing. Reyes looked at Maeve. “I didn’t mean—” Maeve raised one hand. “No explanation.” Kiro leaned against Reyes. “Permanent damage.” Reyes sighed. “Apparently.” --- And somewhere across Palace, Amber slept beside Marisol for the first time. Not because the relationship had become larger. Because the night had. That was enough. --- ## Chapter Forty-Four — Morning Somewhere Else Amber woke because the room was wrong. Not dangerous. Just wrong. Different ceiling. Different light. Different breathing beside her. She opened her eyes. Marisol. Right. Amber stayed still. That was unusual enough by itself. Marisol slept on her side, one arm under the pillow, hair half across her face. Amber watched for a while. No urge to leave. Interesting. Not permanent. Not home. Still comfortable. Amber smiled. Then immediately frowned at herself. “This is suspicious.” Marisol opened one eye. “What is?” Amber froze. “You were awake.” “No.” “You answered.” “Reflex.” Amber stared. Then started laughing. “I have created monsters.” Marisol smiled without opening the other eye. “You talk in your sleep?” “I was not sleeping.” “You were talking to yourself.” “That is different.” “Better?” Amber narrowed her eyes. “Dangerous question.” --- Marisol rolled onto her back. Amber shifted closer automatically. No performance. No decision point. Just morning contact. Marisol looked down at her. “You stayed.” Amber smiled faintly. “Yes.” “Regret?” “No.” “Good.” Silence. Amber’s face changed. Marisol covered her eyes. “Oh, fuck.” Amber started laughing into her shoulder. “You did it before coffee.” “I hate this.” “No escape.” Marisol pulled her closer. Amber let her. --- They did not have sex again immediately. That surprised Amber enough that she noticed it. They lay there. Talked. Then stopped talking. Then Marisol got coffee. Amber stole half. Marisol looked at her cup. Then Amber. Amber drank again. “What?” “That was mine.” Amber smiled. “Shared morning resource.” “You have your own.” “Yours tastes better.” “It is the same coffee.” “Emotionally different.” Marisol stared. Amber grinned. “There. Now you understand why Maeve suffers.” --- Breakfast was small. Marisol had actual food in the apartment. Another point in her favor. Amber sat on the counter while Marisol assembled something simple. Marisol looked at her. “You have chairs.” “I know.” “You’re sitting on the counter.” “Yes.” “Why?” Amber looked down. Then back. “Height advantage.” Marisol laughed. “You’re still shorter than me.” “Less dramatically.” “Strategic.” “Exactly.” --- Amber’s comm pinged. Maeve. > **MAEVE:** Morning. Amber smiled immediately. Marisol saw. “Maeve.” “Yes.” Amber typed: > **AMBER:** alive. coffee stolen. breakfast happening. Maeve: > **MAEVE:** Progress. Amber: > **AMBER:** fuck you Maeve: > **MAEVE:** <3 Amber smiled. Marisol looked at her. “That easy?” Amber looked up. “What?” “You and her.” Amber thought. Then nodded. “Yes.” Not always. Not historically. But now? “Yes.” Marisol smiled. Amber looked back at the comm. There was another message. Reyes. > **REYES:** Talia at 09:30. If I die, blame rotational drills. Amber checked time. 08:56. She typed: > **AMBER:** coward Reyes: > **REYES:** says the woman sleeping away from home Amber froze. Marisol noticed. “What?” Amber slowly smiled. > **AMBER:** jealousy is ugly on you Three dots. Then: > **REYES:** not jealousy Amber: > **AMBER:** then what Pause. Longer. Then: > **REYES:** amusement Amber laughed. Marisol shook her head. “Friends?” Amber smiled. “Very.” --- Back at the O’Sullivan unit, Reyes was stretching. Kiro sat on the couch watching her. Not subtly. Reyes noticed in the reflection. “What?” Kiro smiled. “Nothing.” Reyes looked over. “You’re staring.” “Yes.” “Why?” Kiro shrugged. “You’re stretching.” Reyes waited. Kiro continued: “And I like looking at you.” Reyes froze. That landed harder than expected. Kiro saw. Smiled. Reyes shook her head. “You’ve become dangerous.” Kiro took a drink. “Apparently.” Reyes walked closer. Stopped. Kiro looked up. “What?” Reyes kissed her. Quick. No audience. No Amber to react. Kiro smiled against the end of it. “Training.” “Yes.” “Talia.” “Yes.” “Go.” Reyes narrowed her eyes. “You’re dismissing me.” “I’m encouraging you.” Reyes smiled. “Hot.” Kiro laughed. “Go.” --- Talia was already waiting. Of course. Reyes walked in. Talia looked at the time. Then at Reyes. “You’re early.” “Two minutes.” “Growth.” Reyes sighed. “Everyone is saying that now.” “Problem?” “Yes.” Talia smiled. “Good.” Reyes stopped. Talia stared. Then: “What?” Reyes started laughing. “Nothing.” --- Training was mean. Not dangerous. Precise. Talia lowered gravity to twenty-five percent and removed most of the obvious wall-reference markers. Reyes looked around. “You’re fucking with me.” “Yes.” “Why?” “Because yesterday you were still reading orientation visually.” “I was improving.” “Now improve faster.” Reyes stared. Talia smiled. “Move.” --- The drill was simple. Which made it worse. Push. Rotate. Find a new reference. Do not chase the old one. Do not assume feet matter. Reyes failed three times. Fourth was cleaner. Fifth worse. Talia stopped her. “You’re overthinking.” Reyes laughed once. “You sound like Amber.” “That insulting?” “Yes.” “Useful?” Reyes stared. Then sighed. “Yes.” Talia smiled. There. --- They trained another forty minutes. Reyes stopped fighting the lack of orientation gradually. Not beautifully. Practically. Talia noticed first. “Again.” Reyes pushed. Turned. Did not search for floor. Found wall. Redirected. Stopped. Talia nodded. Reyes smiled. No joke. Good. She almost laughed at the word forming in her own head. Talia noticed. “What?” “Nothing.” “Actually?” “Yes.” “Terrifying.” --- After training, Talia sat against the wall outside the chamber. Reyes joined her. Both drinking water. No hurry. Talia looked over. “Your people seem good for you.” Reyes raised an eyebrow. “Specific.” “Black-haired technical one.” “Kiro.” “Yes.” “And Amber.” Reyes smiled. “Yes.” Talia watched that. “Different.” “Yes.” Talia nodded. No jealousy. No demand. Reyes appreciated that. Then Talia asked: “And me?” Reyes looked at her. “Also different.” Talia smiled. “Useful answer.” “Accurate.” “Better.” Reyes froze. Talia froze. Then both started laughing. Reyes covered her face. “This has spread too far.” --- Kiro spent the morning not working. This took effort. Ms. B had noticed her open one pane. Closed it. Kiro looked offended. Ms. B stared. Kiro sighed. “Fine.” Ms. B froze. Kiro froze. Then Kiro started laughing before anyone else could. “Unavoidable.” Ms. B pointed. “Go outside.” Kiro stood. “Yes, ma’am.” Ms. B’s eyebrow rose. Kiro stopped. Then grinned. “Sorry.” “You are not.” “No.” --- Kiro went outside. Actually. No Reyes. No work. No destination. That felt stranger than she expected. She wandered through Palace alone. Found a technical bookstore. Dangerous. Entered. Worse. Left twenty minutes later with two manuals, one historical systems-analysis text and a slim physical volume on orbital maintenance failures. She looked at the stack. Then at herself. “Vacation.” A stranger nearby laughed. Kiro looked over. The woman smiled. “Working vacation?” Kiro considered. “Apparently.” Then moved on. No flirt. No plot. Just Palace. --- Sera and Panam were with Imani again. This time the experiment involved neither full body paint nor dancing. Imani had built a smaller set of thermal-reactive test patterns along Panam’s forearm and Sera’s shoulder. Panam looked at hers. Then at Imani. “This one’s slower.” “Yes.” “Why?” “Because fast response was too noisy.” Sera smiled. “Better for sustained touch.” Panam looked at her. Then at the pattern. Then back. “You’re enjoying that phrase.” Sera smiled. “Yes.” Imani looked between them. “Should I leave?” Panam said: “No.” Sera said: “Maybe later.” Imani laughed. --- Amber left Marisol’s apartment at 10:41. Not hurried. Not reluctant. Balanced. Marisol walked her to the corridor. Amber stopped. Looked up. “Tonight?” Marisol thought. “Maybe not.” Amber smiled. “Good.” Marisol froze. Amber covered her face. “No. Different use.” Marisol laughed. “Sure.” Amber pointed. “I meant because we don’t need every day.” Marisol’s smile softened. “I know.” Amber nodded. “Tomorrow maybe.” “Maybe.” They kissed. Brief. Then Amber stepped away. No drama. --- She reached the O’Sullivan unit twenty minutes later. Maeve was there. Ms. B too. No one else. Amber entered. Maeve looked up. Amber’s expression warmed. “My wife.” Maeve stood. Amber walked directly into her. Arms around waist. Maeve held her. No report. Not immediately. Then Maeve said: “You smell like Marisol’s shampoo.” Amber froze. Slowly looked up. Maeve smiled. Amber stared. “You bitch.” Maeve laughed. Amber buried her face against her. “That was surgical.” Ms. B, from the table: “Accurate.” Amber turned. “Administrative betrayal.” --- Maeve kissed her forehead. “Good night?” Amber looked at her. Then smiled. “Yes.” No word trap this time. Maeve nodded. “Stay?” “Yes.” Amber laughed softly. “First time.” Maeve smiled. “You liked it.” “Yes.” “Different?” Amber nodded. “Yes.” No need to elaborate. --- Ms. B closed her pane. Amber noticed. “Done?” “For now.” Amber looked impressed. “Voluntary?” “Yes.” “That voice is going to get you in trouble.” Ms. B stood. “I am leaving.” Amber laughed. “Where?” “Lunch.” “With Jessie.” Amber smiled. “Date?” Ms. B looked at her. “Yes.” Amber froze. That direct answer caught her. Then she smiled warmly. “Good.” Ms. B closed her eyes. Amber slapped both hands over her mouth. Maeve laughed. Ms. B pointed. “Not one word.” Amber nodded vigorously. --- When Ms. B left, Amber looked at Maeve. “Lunch date.” “Yes.” “Cute.” “Yes.” Amber smiled. Then: “Zero-g changed them too.” Maeve thought. “Not exactly.” Amber looked at her. Maeve continued: “It made something visible.” Amber nodded. Same language as Reyes and Kiro. That fit. --- Reyes returned at noon. Kiro fifteen minutes later. They arrived separately. Reyes noticed Kiro’s books first. “You worked.” Kiro held up one finger. “I bought books.” “That is work-adjacent.” “Vacation-adjacent.” Reyes looked at the titles. Then smiled. “Hopeless.” Kiro leaned closer. “Training?” “Mean.” “Talia?” “Mean.” “You liked it.” “Yes.” Kiro smiled. Then Reyes looked at the stack again. “You bought a maintenance failure book.” “Yes.” Reyes took it from her. Opened. Kiro watched. Then smiled. “Hot?” Reyes looked up. Kiro grinned. Reyes laughed. “Maybe.” Amber entered the room at exactly that moment. Heard only the last word. Stopped. Looked between them. Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked at Kiro. Amber slowly smiled. “What?” Both answered: “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. Suspicious. --- Lunch gathered everyone gradually. Jessie and Ms. B returned. Date apparently successful. Nobody said the word. Sera and Panam came later. Imani did not. Amber noticed. “Studio?” Sera nodded. “She’s working.” Panam looked at Amber. “Actual work.” Amber smiled. “Artists allegedly do that.” Sera pointed. “Careful.” --- The afternoon remained open. No zero-g. No major plan. Amber ended up beside Reyes on one couch. Kiro opposite with the maintenance book. Maeve near Ms. B. Jessie half asleep. Panam and Sera arguing quietly over whether reactive pigment could survive sauna conditions. Amber heard. Sat up. “Sauna?” Panam looked over. “No.” Amber smiled. “Interesting.” Sera laughed. “We’re only discussing materials.” Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve knew. “No.” Amber pointed. “You don’t know what.” “Yes, I do.” Kiro looked up from the book. “Spa?” Amber froze. Everyone turned. Kiro smiled. Amber’s eyes widened. “Spa.” There. The idea landed. Not immediate. Not today. But real. Sera looked interested. Panam suspicious. Jessie opened one eye. Ms. B looked at Maeve. Maeve looked at Amber. Amber’s smile grew. “Later.” Maeve nodded slowly. “Later.” Good. No scheduling frenzy. Just another branch. --- Reyes looked at Amber. “You’re already planning.” “No.” “You have face.” Amber smiled. “Long weekend energy.” Panam stared. “What?” Amber laughed. “Nothing.” Sera narrowed her eyes. Amber leaned back. Not yet. There was time. A lot of it. Enough for spa. Enough for more Imani. Enough for Reyes/Talia. Enough for Kiro/Reyes. Enough for Marisol. Enough for Maeve. Enough for nothing. That last one mattered too. Amber rested her head against Reyes’s shoulder. Reyes looked down. “Comfortable?” “Yes.” Kiro looked over. Smiled. No jealousy. Maeve saw. Smiled too. And for the first time all day, nobody ruined the moment with the wrong word. --- ## Chapter Forty-Five — Heat The spa idea survived the night. Barely. Mostly because nobody let Amber talk about it after midnight. That did not stop her from thinking. Maeve knew. Of course. Amber woke with one leg thrown over Maeve and an expression she apparently believed was neutral. Maeve opened one eye. “No.” Amber stared. “I haven’t said anything.” “You’re thinking about the spa.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Maeve closed her eye again. Amber waited. Then: “Sauna.” Maeve laughed into the pillow. --- Breakfast went worse. Sera made the mistake of mentioning thermal stability. Amber put down her coffee. Slowly. Panam saw. “No.” Sera froze. Amber looked between them. “Sauna.” Panam pointed. “Testing materials.” “Yes.” “Not bodies.” Amber smiled. “Those seem related.” Ms. B took a drink. Jessie looked at her. Then at Amber. Then: “You’re not wrong.” Panam turned. “Betrayal.” Jessie smiled. “Scientific realism.” Reyes walked in halfway through. Heard only that. Stopped. “No.” Amber looked delighted. “You don’t even know.” “I know enough.” Kiro came in behind her carrying the maintenance book. Amber looked. Then at Reyes. Then Kiro. Then the book. “Hot.” Kiro froze. Reyes closed her eyes. Panam groaned. Maeve laughed. Amber smiled proudly. “I meant literally. Sauna.” No one believed her. --- The final decision happened by accident. Imani messaged Sera. Not Amber. That was apparently the only reason anyone trusted it. Sera read the message. Then looked at Panam. Then Amber. Amber sat forward. “What?” Sera smiled. “She has access to a private thermal suite.” Silence. Amber’s eyes widened. Panam stared at Sera. Ms. B slowly put down her cup. Jessie smiled. Maeve looked toward the ceiling. Reyes said: “No.” Amber pointed. “You’re not invited.” Reyes blinked. Amber smiled. “Unless you want to be.” Reyes stared. Kiro laughed. “Excellent recovery.” --- The thermal suite sat three levels above the main spa. Private. Quiet. Nothing like the public wellness area. No bright water displays. No crowd. Just warm stone, low-g relaxation pools, heated benches, steam rooms and one genuine dry sauna behind a glass partition. Amber stopped. Looked. Then whispered: “Oh.” Panam looked at her. “That was disturbingly sincere.” Amber pointed at the sauna. “Actual sauna.” Sera smiled. “Apparently.” Maeve looked interested too. That pleased Amber more than it should have. --- The group was smaller. Amber. Maeve. Sera. Panam. Imani. Jessie. Ms. B. No Reyes. No Kiro. They had work-adjacent plans later and, more importantly, neither had been specifically interested enough to come. Good. Not every branch required everyone. --- Imani opened the pigment case. Panam immediately pointed at Amber. “Behave.” Amber raised both hands. “I am a model of restraint.” Maeve laughed. Jessie looked at Ms. B. Ms. B looked back. Imani said: “Small application first.” Sera nodded. Panam nodded too. Amber looked at herself. Then at Imani. Imani smiled. “No full body.” Amber sighed. “Cruel.” --- The test lines went onto forearms. Sera first. Panam second. Amber third. Jessie volunteered next. Ms. B watched. Maeve watched Amber. Amber noticed. “What?” Maeve smiled. “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. Imani looked at the line on Amber’s arm. “Heat should bring it out without pressure.” Amber looked toward the sauna. Then back. “Excellent.” Panam groaned. --- They entered in stages. Towels. No theatrics. No ridiculous Palace wellness costumes. Amber approved. The sauna was properly hot. Dry. Almost aggressively familiar. She stepped inside. Stopped. Closed her eyes. “Oh, fuck yes.” Panam started laughing. Maeve followed. Then Sera. Imani. Jessie and Ms. B last. The door closed. Heat settled around them. Good heat. Real heat. Amber sat. Then leaned back. Silence. Actual silence. For approximately twenty seconds. Then Panam said: “This is nice.” Everyone froze. Panam closed her eyes. Amber covered her face. “NO.” The room collapsed. --- The pigment answered slowly. That was the point. Sera’s line surfaced first. Metallic. Warm. Not bright. Panam looked. Then at hers. Amber checked her forearm. A faint trace. Imani smiled. “There.” Amber looked delighted. “Heat only.” “Yes.” “No pressure.” “Yes.” “No touch.” “Yes.” Amber looked around the sauna. Then at Maeve. Maeve immediately said: “No.” Amber laughed. “I was thinking.” “That is the problem.” --- They stayed longer than expected. Not because of the pigment. Because the sauna was good. Eventually Amber stopped testing the line. Stopped watching everyone else. Just sat. Maeve beside her. Their shoulders touching. No need for more. Panam stretched her legs. Sera leaned into her. Jessie rested against Ms. B. Imani sat opposite them. Quiet. Different group rhythm. Soft. Adult. No pressure to turn warmth into sex. --- After the first round they moved into the relaxation room. Cooler. Low gravity. Not zero. Just enough to make bodies feel lighter after heat. Amber dropped onto one of the benches. Maeve sat beside her. Amber leaned immediately. “My wife.” “Yes?” “This is excellent.” Maeve smiled. “Actually?” “Yes.” Nobody pounced on it. Miracle. --- Panam looked at the pigment. Faded again. Sera touched her forearm. The line returned slightly. Temperature plus pressure. Imani watched. “Better.” Panam stared at her. “Do not.” Imani smiled. Amber looked at Maeve. “Filthy science.” Panam heard. “Again?” Amber smiled. “Yes.” --- The second sauna round became more playful. Jessie sat beside Amber. Ms. B opposite. Sera and Panam near Imani. Maeve at Amber’s other side. Heat deeper now. Everyone more relaxed. Amber looked at Jessie. Jessie looked back. Then both looked at Ms. B. Ms. B narrowed her eyes. “What?” Amber smiled. “Nothing.” Jessie smiled too. Ms. B sighed. “Zero-g has made both of you worse.” Amber thought. “More coordinated.” Jessie nodded. “Definitely.” Ms. B closed her eyes. --- The pigment on Jessie’s forearm surfaced strongly in the heat. Amber touched near it. Not on it. Jessie looked. Amber smiled. “Can I?” Jessie nodded. Amber pressed lightly. The line brightened. Jessie laughed. Ms. B watched. That look again. Amber saw. So did Jessie. Ms. B noticed being noticed. “Do not.” Amber smiled. “Observer.” Ms. B leaned back. “Sometimes.” Jessie smiled. “Still?” “Yes.” There. No embarrassment. Amber liked that. --- Maeve watched Amber now. Not the pigment. Amber. Amber saw. “What?” Maeve shook her head. “You’re happy.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Heat. People. No rush. No destination. Just yes. --- They cooled down in the low-g pool. Not swimming. Floating enough to let weight ease. Amber leaned back. Maeve supported her shoulders for a moment. Then let go. Amber floated. Slowly. Not zero-g. Still enough. Jessie and Ms. B were nearby. Sera and Panam across the pool. Imani sat on the edge with feet in the water. Amber looked around. Then smiled. “This is suspiciously wholesome.” Panam laughed. “Don’t ruin it.” Amber held up both hands. “Trying not to.” --- The third round was optional. Amber went. Maeve too. Jessie. Ms. B. Sera stayed outside with Panam and Imani. Different split. Inside, the sauna was quieter. Amber sat between Maeve and Jessie. Ms. B opposite. No pigment discussion. No experiment. Just heat. Then Jessie said: “Next zero-g.” Amber looked over. Ms. B looked at her. Maeve smiled faintly. Amber waited. Jessie continued: “Longer.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. Ms. B nodded. “Yes.” Amber smiled. “No schedule.” Jessie smiled. “No schedule.” --- Maeve looked at Amber. Amber looked back. Then: “You too?” Amber blinked. “For?” Maeve smiled. “Watching.” Amber paused. Then nodded. “Yes.” Jessie looked over. Ms. B smiled. No pressure. No assumption that Maeve must join. Just possibility. Amber touched Maeve’s hand. Maeve squeezed once. Enough. --- After the spa, everyone was hungry. Properly hungry. They found food nearby. No attempt to dress formally. Hair damp. Faces warm from sauna. Comfortable clothes. Amber looked at Maeve. Then Jessie. Then Ms. B. Then Sera and Panam. Then Imani. “This is better.” Panam frowned. “Than what?” “Clubs.” Silence. Everyone looked at Amber. Amber stared back. “What?” Sera smiled. “You said that.” “I did not say always.” Maeve laughed. Amber continued: “Sometimes.” Panam nodded. “Growth.” Amber threw a napkin at her. --- Reyes and Kiro arrived halfway through dinner. Fresh from their own afternoon. Amber looked at them. Then at Reyes. Then Kiro. Then smiled. “You missed sauna.” Reyes sat. “Tragic.” Kiro looked at the group. “Pigment worked?” Imani nodded. “Yes.” Amber froze. Kiro froze. Everyone stared. Amber started laughing. “NO SAFE WORDS LEFT.” Reyes covered her face. Kiro sighed. Panam whispered: “Good.” The table exploded again. --- Eventually Kiro showed them the transit audit notes. Not because work needed to invade dinner. Because Sera asked. Different. The review had gone well. No immediate disaster. Some weak points. Nothing that required tonight. Ms. B listened. Maeve listened too. Amber listened enough to understand. Then stopped. Work could end. --- Later, back at the unit, Amber sat on the floor with her back against Maeve’s legs. Reyes and Kiro on one couch. Sera and Panam another. Jessie and Ms. B close. Imani had gone home. Amber looked around. The trip had changed tone again. Less frantic. More layered. Good. Then Reyes looked at Amber. “Sauna?” Amber smiled. “Yes.” “Actually good?” Amber froze. Reyes froze. Kiro started laughing. Amber pointed. “You did that deliberately.” Reyes smiled. “Maybe.” Kiro leaned against her. “Mostly.” Amber groaned. --- Maeve’s hand settled in Amber’s hair. Amber leaned back. No rush. No plan. Amber closed her eyes. For once, nobody interrupted. --- ## Chapter Forty-Six — The Quiet Day Nobody planned the quiet day. That was why it worked. Amber woke at 09:17. Looked at the time. Looked again. Then rolled toward Maeve. “My wife.” Maeve made a noise from somewhere beneath the pillow. “We overslept.” “No.” “It’s nine seventeen.” “Yes.” Amber waited. Maeve did not move. Amber poked her shoulder. “We have lost the morning.” Maeve opened one eye. “To what?” Amber stopped. Nothing. No zero-g booking. No Marisol. No Imani. No client work. No training. No dinner. Nothing. Amber frowned. Maeve smiled. “Exactly.” “That’s suspicious.” “Sleep.” Amber considered. Then rolled closer. “Fine.” Both froze. Maeve started laughing into the pillow. Amber groaned. “Fucking language.” --- They got up at ten. That was decadent in an entirely different way. Amber walked into the common room wearing an oversized shirt, shorts and absolutely no intention of doing anything useful. The room was nearly empty. Kiro sat on the couch. Reading. Amber stopped. Kiro looked up. Amber looked at the book. Maintenance failures. Of course. “Vacation.” Kiro held up the book. “Recreation.” “You’re broken.” “Happy.” Amber froze. Kiro froze. Amber slowly pointed. Kiro closed the book over her face. “No.” Amber started laughing. --- Reyes emerged from the corridor. Hair unbrushed. Loose shirt. Bare feet. Amber stared. Reyes looked down at herself. “What?” “You look unemployed.” Reyes smiled. “Today I am.” Kiro lowered the book. “Hot.” Reyes looked over. Kiro smiled. Amber slapped both hands over her mouth. Reyes started laughing. “Okay. That one was deliberate.” Kiro nodded. “Yes.” Amber pointed furiously through her fingers. “Growth.” Kiro laughed harder. --- Maeve arrived. Then Jessie. Ms. B. Sera. Panam last. Nobody dressed for anything. Nobody asked what the plan was. That became the plan. Breakfast appeared from several different sources and became brunch through administrative neglect. Ms. B did not open a pane. Amber noticed after fifteen minutes. Then twenty. At twenty-three she could no longer resist. “Ms. B.” Ms. B looked up. Amber pointed at the empty table space in front of her. “Nothing.” “Yes.” “No panes.” “Yes.” “You’re off duty.” “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Proud.” Ms. B froze. Jessie froze. Maeve closed her eyes. Amber stared at herself. “No. Fuck all of you. That was sincere.” Jessie laughed. “No one said anything.” “You were going to.” “Yes.” --- They stayed at the table long after the food disappeared. Conversation wandered. Night City. Palace. Nothing. Sera told a story about Panam nearly destroying one of Imani’s pigment applicators. Panam objected. “I did not nearly destroy it.” “You dropped it.” “It survived.” “Because I caught it.” “That is survival.” Amber nodded solemnly. “Panam engineering standard.” Panam pointed. “You.” Amber smiled. “Yes?” “Tiny menace.” Amber looked delighted. “Thank you.” Silence. Amber’s eyes widened. Panam covered her face. Reyes dropped her head onto Kiro’s shoulder. Maeve laughed. Ms. B stood. “No.” Amber pointed after her. “You cannot escape language by leaving the table.” “I can try.” --- Eventually they went outside. All of them. No destination. That was unusual enough that Amber asked twice. “So where?” Maeve squeezed her hand. “Nowhere.” “Where is nowhere?” “Forward.” Amber looked suspicious. Kiro walked past. “Navigation confidence.” Amber stared. “You bitch.” Kiro smiled. “Learning.” --- They ended up in the greenhouse band. Amber blamed Maeve. Maeve accepted responsibility. Sera immediately found plants worth looking at. Panam immediately found machinery worth looking at. That separation lasted four minutes before each drifted toward what the other was doing. Amber saw. Smiled. Did not comment. Reyes saw Amber not commenting. “You okay?” Amber stared. “Yes.” “You missed an opportunity.” “I have restraint.” Kiro said: “Documented anomaly.” Amber looked betrayed. Ms. B smiled. “My line.” “Administrative intellectual property.” Jessie laughed. --- The greenhouse was busier than last time. Workers. Residents. Two children arguing over something purple growing in a low hydroponic bed. Amber stopped. Watched. Maeve stopped beside her. “What?” Amber smiled. “Nothing.” Actually nothing. They continued. --- At one point the group naturally split. Sera, Panam and Jessie went toward a small market. Ms. B followed because Jessie stole her hand. Reyes and Kiro wandered toward the structural viewing section. Amber and Maeve remained on the path. Nobody announced it. Nobody checked. Good. Amber watched everyone disappear in different directions. Then looked at Maeve. “Alone.” “Yes.” “Again.” “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Suspicious.” Maeve laughed. --- They found a bench. Sat. Amber put her legs across Maeve’s lap. Maeve rested one hand on them. No conversation for a while. Then Amber’s comm pinged. She looked. Marisol. > **MARISOL:** quiet day? Amber blinked. Maeve smiled. “She knows you.” “Apparently.” Amber typed: > **AMBER:** how the fuck did you know Marisol: > **MARISOL:** you haven’t messaged me Amber stared. Then laughed. > **AMBER:** rude Marisol: > **MARISOL:** accurate Amber showed Maeve. Maeve smiled. “Very.” Amber looked at her. “No.” Maeve laughed. --- Marisol sent another. > **MARISOL:** keep it quiet. tomorrow? Amber looked at it. Thought. No compulsion to say yes immediately. That felt good too. > **AMBER:** tomorrow <3 Marisol: > **MARISOL:** <3 Amber put the comm away. Maeve looked at her. “Happy?” Amber nodded. “Yes.” No trap. --- Across the greenhouse, Reyes and Kiro had found an exposed structural display. Kiro read the technical placard. Reyes looked through the glass. Then at Kiro. “You’re doing work face.” Kiro shook her head. “Interest face.” “Same face.” “Different.” Reyes leaned closer to read. Kiro looked at her. Not the display. Reyes noticed. “What?” Kiro smiled. “You.” Reyes’s expression softened. Again. That still worked. Kiro took her hand. No audience. Then Reyes kissed her. Not quick this time. Not for Amber. Not a joke. Kiro answered. When they separated, Reyes stayed close. Kiro smiled. “So.” “So.” Reyes looked toward the structure. Then back. “This is becoming something.” Kiro nodded. “Yes.” No fear. No need to define it immediately. Reyes squeezed her hand. “Okay?” Kiro smiled. “Yes.” There. --- Jessie and Ms. B found coffee. Sera and Panam found food. This was apparently inevitable. Jessie sat across from Ms. B. No zero-g. No administration. No audience. She looked at her. “You like the job.” Ms. B thought. “Yes.” “Too much?” “No.” Jessie smiled. “Good.” Ms. B froze. Jessie closed her eyes. Then both started laughing. “This is permanent,” Ms. B said. “Yes.” Jessie reached across the table. Took her hand. “Still like the job?” Ms. B smiled. “Yes.” “Still enough time?” “Yes.” “For us?” Ms. B’s expression softened. “Yes.” That had mattered more than Jessie had admitted. Ms. B knew. No need to make it heavier. --- The group reunited almost accidentally. Panam had food. That helped. Amber saw them approaching. Then Reyes and Kiro from the other direction. Then Jessie and Ms. B. She smiled. “My people.” Maeve looked at her. Amber froze. Then laughed. “What?” “Nothing.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “That one was emotional.” “Yes.” “Dangerous.” “Yes.” Amber leaned into her. --- They ate outside the greenhouse market. No table large enough. So they took two. Badly. Amber sat partly sideways between them because she refused to choose. Reyes looked at her. “There are chairs.” “I know.” “You’re making this harder.” “Yes.” Kiro smiled. “Strategic.” Amber pointed. “Exactly.” Panam looked around. “Why do I understand all of you now?” Sera leaned against her. “Exposure.” “Disease.” Amber nodded. “O’Sullivan household hazard.” Maeve looked at her. “That one I’ll accept.” Especially here. --- That quiet correction changed nothing about the mood. They stayed. Talked. Watched people. No spectacle. No Palace excess. Eventually Panam said: “I expected more insanity from this trip.” Amber stared. “You have seen enough.” “I mean constant insanity.” Amber thought. Then nodded. “Last time.” Sera looked at her. “And now?” Amber smiled. “Better pacing.” Maeve’s eyebrows rose. Amber pointed. “Do not look shocked.” “I’m impressed.” Amber froze. Maeve froze. Then Amber sighed. “Close enough.” --- They returned to the residential unit before dinner. Nobody had spent much money. Amber had bought nothing. Again. Maeve checked. Amber looked offended. “Stop monitoring my economic behavior.” “You bought nothing?” “No.” Maeve stared. Amber sighed. “One plant.” Maeve looked around. “What plant?” Amber smiled. “Delivery.” Maeve covered her face. “Of course.” --- The plant arrived twenty minutes later. It was tiny. Maeve stared. Amber stared back. “What?” “I expected something ridiculous.” Amber looked at the plant. Then Maeve. “It is ridiculous.” “How?” “I bought a plant on an orbital station to take back to Night City.” Maeve considered. “Fair.” Amber froze. Maeve froze. Amber pointed. “No. That one stays.” Maeve laughed. --- Dinner happened at home. Not ordered from anywhere expensive. Simple food. Jessie cooked part. Maeve helped. Panam interfered. Sera prevented casualties. Amber was banned from the kitchen after stealing ingredients twice. She sat on the counter anyway. Ms. B looked at her. “Why?” “Height advantage.” Marisol’s phrase now. Amber smiled at the memory. Maeve saw. “Her?” Amber looked over. “Yes.” No jealousy. Maeve’s expression softened. Good. --- After dinner, Reyes sat beside Kiro. Closer than usual. Not dramatically. Amber noticed. Of course. She did not tease. Again. That became suspicious enough that Reyes eventually looked at her. “What?” Amber shook her head. “Nothing.” Reyes narrowed her eyes. “Actually?” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Then both relaxed. Amber liked seeing that. No need to poke every soft thing just because it was funny. Not always. --- Later, Jessie and Ms. B disappeared first. Sera and Panam second. Reyes stood. Kiro stood with her. Amber looked up. Reyes smiled. “Night.” “Night.” Kiro waved. No kiss for performance. They left hand in hand. Maeve looked at Amber. “You didn’t say anything.” Amber leaned back. “Didn’t need to.” Maeve smiled. There. --- The common room became quiet. Just Amber and Maeve. The tiny plant on the table. Amber looked at it. Then at Maeve. “Successful day.” Maeve nodded. “Yes.” “We did nothing.” “Almost.” “Excellent.” Maeve froze. Amber froze. Then both stared. Amber whispered: “That one too.” Maeve laughed softly. --- Amber moved closer. Curled against Maeve. No sex. No plan. Just familiar contact. After a while she said: “Tomorrow Marisol.” “Yes.” “After that?” Maeve smiled. “No idea.” Amber thought. Then smiled too. “Perfect.” And this time, the quiet survived. --- ## Chapter Forty-Seven — Tomorrow Amber woke up with absolutely no plan. For once, this did not feel like a problem. She lay still. Maeve beside her. No messages demanding attention. No zero-g booking. No client coffee. No artist waiting. No training session. Just Marisol later. Maybe. Amber smiled. Maeve opened one eye. “You’re doing it again.” Amber looked over. “What?” “Thinking loudly.” Amber stared. “That is not a thing.” “It is with you.” Amber rolled closer. “What am I thinking?” Maeve smiled. “Marisol.” Amber froze. Then narrowed her eyes. “Witch.” “Pattern recognition.” Amber groaned. “Even you.” Maeve laughed. --- Breakfast had already started by the time they emerged. Reyes and Kiro were there. So were Jessie and Ms. B. Sera and Panam were not. Amber looked around. “Where?” Jessie answered: “Imani.” Amber nodded. “Of course.” Reyes took a drink. “Morning.” Amber stared. Nothing. No trap. Suspicious. “Morning.” Kiro looked up from a pane. Amber saw. “No.” Kiro blinked. “What?” “Work.” “Not work.” “You have pane.” “Personal.” Amber walked closer. Looked. Transit-system diagrams. Amber stared. Kiro covered the pane. “Personal interest.” Amber looked at Reyes. Reyes shrugged. “She’s hopeless.” Kiro looked at her. “You read the maintenance book in bed.” Reyes smiled. “Yes.” Amber pointed. “Hot.” Both Reyes and Kiro turned. Amber grinned. “Too easy.” --- Ms. B closed one pane. Amber noticed immediately. “Administration?” “Done.” “Already?” “Yes.” Amber looked at the time. 09:18. Then at Ms. B. “You’re terrifying.” Jessie smiled. “She likes it.” Ms. B looked at her. Jessie held up both hands. “The work.” Amber slowly turned. Jessie realized. Then closed her eyes. Amber started laughing. “Too late.” Jessie pointed. “No.” Maeve sat beside Amber. “Behave.” Amber smiled. “Probably not.” --- The day separated naturally. Reyes and Kiro had nothing mandatory. Ms. B had finished enough work to justify leaving. Jessie wanted breakfast elsewhere. Maeve had one noon client call. Amber had Marisol at sixteen. Everyone else drifted. No announcements. Good. Amber sat beside Reyes for a while. Kiro opposite. No fake jealousy game. That was still there, technically. Just dormant. Amber looked at Kiro. Then Reyes. Then back. “You two are boring today.” Reyes raised an eyebrow. “Thank you.” Amber froze. Reyes froze. Kiro burst out laughing. Amber slapped the table. “WE HAVE TO BAN GRATITUDE.” Ms. B, halfway toward the door: “Already proposed.” Amber pointed. “Administrative reform.” Jessie dragged Ms. B out before the conversation could worsen. --- Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Then Kiro smiled. “No audience.” Amber stared. “Excuse me?” Kiro leaned over and kissed Reyes. Long enough that Amber could not possibly pretend it was for her. Amber watched. Then smiled. Reyes pulled back. Looked at Amber. Amber raised both hands. “Nothing.” Kiro laughed. “Actually?” Amber nodded. “Yes.” Reyes smiled. There. Different now. Less game. More truth. Amber liked it. --- Maeve left for her call. Amber did not follow. That was progress too. Instead she went walking alone. No destination. Again. Palace had become familiar enough that she trusted herself to get lost and find her way back. Amber liked that more than she expected. She passed the club where she had met Marisol. Did not enter. Passed the boutique where the clerk had attacked her shorts. Did not enter. Stopped outside. Thought. Then kept walking. Victory. --- She found the plant shop by accident. That was how trouble usually started. Not the same one as yesterday. Smaller. More specialized. Orbital-adapted plants. Low-light. Variable humidity. Compact root systems. Amber stared. A clerk approached. “Looking for something?” Amber looked at the displays. Then smiled. “Unfortunately.” --- Twenty minutes later, Maeve received a message. > **AMBER:** hypothetical question Maeve looked at the comm. Then at the client pane still open. Ignored Amber. Amber messaged again. > **AMBER:** purely hypothetical Maeve sighed. Typed: > **MAEVE:** No. Amber: > **AMBER:** YOU DON’T KNOW THE QUESTION Maeve: > **MAEVE:** plant Long pause. Then: > **AMBER:** witch Maeve smiled. The client across the call looked confused. Maeve ignored it. --- Amber bought one more. Only one. Tiny. Again. This was becoming defensible. She arranged delivery. Then kept walking. --- Reyes and Kiro left the unit shortly after noon. No destination. Same habit spreading. They walked hand in hand. Kiro looked at Reyes. “Do we need to talk about this?” Reyes looked over. “What?” “This.” Kiro lifted their joined hands slightly. Reyes thought. Then: “Do you want to?” Kiro considered. “No.” Reyes smiled. “Then no.” Kiro nodded. They kept walking. No label. No negotiation. No insecurity demanding definition before experience had finished becoming itself. That suited both. --- After several minutes Kiro said: “Maeve.” Reyes looked at her. “What about her?” Kiro smiled faintly. “Nothing.” Reyes laughed. “Liar.” Kiro looked ahead. Then: “She’ll probably see it immediately.” Reyes nodded. “Yes.” “Problem?” “No.” Kiro looked at her. Reyes smiled. “She already knows you.” Kiro relaxed. No conflict. No triangle. No problem needing manufacture. --- They found a small technical exhibit. Of course. Kiro stopped. Reyes laughed. “What?” “You’re predictable.” “So are you.” “How?” Kiro pointed at the structural cutaway beside the exhibit. Reyes looked. Then smiled. “Fair.” Both froze. Then Reyes groaned. “Even that word.” Kiro laughed. --- Sera and Panam spent the same time with Imani. No pigment today. That surprised Panam. She looked at the empty worktable. “What?” Imani smiled. “Coffee.” Panam narrowed her eyes. “That’s it?” “Yes.” Sera laughed. Panam looked betrayed. “You invited us here for coffee.” “Yes.” “Artist fraud.” Imani handed her a cup. Panam took it. Then: “Good.” Silence. Sera folded over laughing. Panam stared at the coffee. “Fuck.” Imani smiled. “You people are a terrible influence.” Panam pointed. “You don’t even live there.” “Exposure.” --- Amber met Marisol at sixteen. Marisol was late. Three minutes. Amber checked the time dramatically. Marisol approached. Saw. “Do not.” Amber smiled. “You’re late.” “Three minutes.” “I’m devastated.” “Still here.” “Barely.” Marisol kissed her. Brief. Public. Amber accepted. Then: “Better.” Marisol froze. Amber started laughing. “No, that one was deliberate.” “Bitch.” --- They walked. No destination. Then Marisol said: “I have something awkward.” Amber looked over. “Excellent.” Marisol smiled. “Probably not.” Amber’s expression shifted. Real. “What?” Marisol hesitated. Not fear. Choosing words. “My work assignment changed.” Amber waited. “Temporary?” “No.” “Where?” “Tycho relay.” Amber stopped walking. Marisol stopped too. Amber knew enough orbital geography to understand. Not Palace. Not nearby. Not impossible. Far enough. “How soon?” “Four days.” --- Amber looked at her. No joke. Not immediately. Marisol continued: “It came through this morning.” “Long-term?” “Probably six months.” Amber nodded slowly. Okay. Not tragedy. Not betrayal. Not anyone choosing against anyone. Just life. Still. It landed. Not as six months in the abstract, but as stolen coffee, the music room, a jacket over Marisol’s chair, and all the small repetitions that had become familiar before Amber noticed them becoming anything at all. Marisol watched. Amber looked at the floor for a moment. Then back. “Congratulations?” Marisol smiled faintly. “Yes.” Amber smiled too. “Then congratulations.” Simple. Real. Marisol exhaled. “Thank you.” Both froze. Amber closed her eyes. Marisol started laughing. Amber laughed too. The tension broke without disappearing. --- They kept walking. Slower now. Amber took Marisol’s hand. No need to pretend the news meant nothing. It did. Just not catastrophe. Amber said: “So tomorrow.” Marisol looked at her. “Yes.” “And after.” “Two more days.” Amber nodded. No desperate scheduling. No attempt to consume every remaining hour. That would make it smaller, not larger. Marisol understood. “You don’t want to spend every minute together.” Amber smiled faintly. “No.” “Neither do I.” “Good.” Both froze. Then groaned at the same time. Amber laughed. “Fucking word.” --- They found dinner. Quiet place. No spectacular view. That fit. Amber talked about the plant. Marisol stared. “You bought another plant.” “Yes.” “How many?” “Two.” “That’s not many.” Amber looked offended. “I’m being responsible.” Marisol smiled. “Should I congratulate Maeve?” Amber pointed. “Hostile.” --- Marisol talked about Tycho. Work. Why she wanted the assignment. Better role. More autonomy. Different logistics network. Amber listened. Actually listened. No possessiveness. Some sadness. Both allowed. At one point Marisol said: “I didn’t expect this to matter.” Amber looked at her. “What?” “Leaving you.” Amber thought. Then nodded. “Me neither.” No need to pretend otherwise. Marisol smiled. “Still not tragic.” “No.” “Still real.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” --- They went back to Marisol’s apartment. Of course. No reason not to. But the energy was different. Not frantic. Not farewell-sex immediately. They sat first. Talked. Amber rested against Marisol. Marisol’s arm around her. No clothes removed for almost an hour. Eventually Marisol kissed her. Amber answered. The kiss deepened. Then slowed. No urgency. --- Later, clothing did become unnecessary. Gradually. They undressed each other instead of simply arriving naked: tops first, then trousers and shorts, then the last underwear moved aside while kisses kept breaking and returning. Amber paused before the final step. Not because she doubted. Because this one carried different weight now. Marisol noticed. “Okay?” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Then she shifted back, drew Marisol between her legs and held her there for one quiet breath. “Stay with me.” Marisol’s expression softened. “Yes.” No ambiguity. Sex began slowly. Full attention. No need for novelty. No zero-g. No paint. No audience. No jokes for a while. Just closeness. --- The sex was slower than previous nights. Not mournful. Not ceremonial. Just sustained. Both aware of time without letting it rush them. Amber’s hands stayed close. Marisol’s face near hers. No chasing intensity. It arrived anyway. Gradually. Shared. Marisol’s climax came first this time, quiet but unmistakable in the way her breath failed and her whole body tightened in Amber’s arms. Amber stayed with her. The sustained closeness carried Amber over later, Marisol still holding her when her own control broke. No simultaneous performance. No matching schedule. --- Afterward they did not separate. Amber lay partly across Marisol. Marisol’s arms around her. Breathing slowing. Stillness. Longer than before. Amber’s eyes remained closed. Marisol kissed her hair. Amber smiled faintly. Then whispered: “Six months.” “Yes.” “You’ll come back?” “Probably.” Amber opened one eye. Marisol laughed softly. “Not promise-probably. Logistics-probably.” “Better.” There. --- Amber stayed the night again. No reason not to. She messaged Maeve. > **AMBER:** staying. marisol leaves palace in 4 days. tycho relay, six months probably. The answer took longer. Then: > **MAEVE:** Understood. Stay with her. <3 Amber stared at the message. Marisol looked over. “Maeve?” “Yes.” Amber showed her. Marisol read. Then looked at Amber. “She really is dangerous.” Amber smiled. “My wife.” --- Back at the O’Sullivan unit, Maeve put the comm down. Reyes was nearby. Kiro too. No one asked immediately. Maeve appreciated that. Eventually Reyes said: “Marisol?” Maeve nodded. “Leaving in four days.” Kiro’s expression softened. “Amber staying?” “Yes.” Reyes nodded. Good. Then Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. A tiny reminder. Temporary things still mattered. Maybe more because they were temporary. Neither said it. --- Ms. B came in later. Jessie with her. Maeve told them too. No drama. Jessie said: “That’ll hurt a little.” Maeve nodded. “Yes.” Ms. B sat. “Amber okay?” “Yes.” Maeve thought. “Will be.” Good enough. --- Sera and Panam returned last. The whole group learned eventually. Nobody turned it into an event. Amber had her own relationship with Marisol. Not group property. No committee response. No countdown ceremony. Just people knowing. --- At Marisol’s apartment, Amber woke briefly after midnight. Marisol asleep. Amber looked at her. Then at the dark room. Four days. Not enough to become forever. Plenty to become memory. Amber smiled faintly. Then curled closer. No need to solve it tonight. Tomorrow was still tomorrow. --- ## Chapter Forty-Eight — Four Days Amber woke before Marisol. Again. This time she knew the room immediately. No wrong ceiling. No orientation delay. No moment of wondering where she was. That bothered her slightly. Not badly. Just enough to notice. She lay still. Marisol’s arm rested across her waist. Amber looked at it. Then at Marisol. Four days. Three after today. No. Do not count like that. Amber closed her eyes. Marisol moved. “Thinking loudly?” Amber opened one eye. “You’re all witches.” Marisol smiled without opening hers. “Morning.” “Morning.” A pause. Then: “Coffee?” Amber narrowed her eye. “Dangerous question.” Marisol laughed. --- They got up slowly. No morning sex. No attempt to squeeze extra meaning into every available minute. Amber liked that too. Marisol made coffee. Amber stole hers. Tradition now. Marisol stared. Amber drank. “Mine tastes emotionally better.” “You have your own.” “Not relevant.” Marisol smiled. “Four days of this.” Amber froze. There. Marisol saw. Amber put the cup down. “Don’t count.” “Sorry.” Amber thought. Then shook her head. “No. Not sorry.” Marisol waited. Amber looked at her. “We know.” “Yes.” “Just don’t make every sentence about leaving.” Marisol nodded. “Agreed.” Amber smiled. Better. --- Back at the O’Sullivan unit, breakfast had turned into work before anyone could prevent it. Reyes and Kiro sat beside each other. Ms. B opposite. Maeve beside her. One pane. Only one. Good discipline. The larger resilience review contract. Reyes looked at the scope. Kiro looked at scheduling. Ms. B looked at both. Maeve mostly listened. Jessie walked in. Stopped. Looked at the pane. Then at Ms. B. “You’re working before food.” “I ate.” Jessie narrowed her eyes. “What?” “Half an hour ago.” “Without me?” Ms. B froze. Maeve looked away. Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro bit her lip. Jessie slowly folded her arms. “Administrative betrayal.” Ms. B sighed. “I was hungry.” Jessie sat beside her. “Unacceptable.” Then stole half of Ms. B’s remaining coffee. Amber would have approved. --- Reyes pointed at one section. “Three-week spread.” Ms. B nodded. “Six working days.” Kiro looked at her. “Can be split?” “Yes.” “Preferable.” Reyes nodded. “No reason to stack physical work after long orbital shifts.” Maeve smiled faintly. Good. Not because the word was safe. Because the reasoning was. Ms. B noticed. “You’re both thinking longer-term now.” Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. “Yes.” Professional answer. Maybe not only professional. No one commented. Better. --- Amber and Marisol went outside after breakfast. No destination. Again. Amber had become almost addicted to that. Not novelty. Freedom from sequence. Marisol looked over. “You’ve stopped asking where.” Amber smiled. “I trust you.” That landed. Marisol’s expression softened. Amber noticed. “Do not make face.” “I’m not.” “You are.” Marisol laughed. Amber took her hand. “Where?” Marisol smiled. “Nowhere.” Amber laughed. “Excellent.” --- They wandered through a quieter commercial strip. No clubs. No galleries. No obvious luxury. Service places. Repair. Tailoring. Food. People who actually lived on Palace. Amber liked this part more every time. Marisol pointed at a tiny storefront. “Best noodles on this level.” Amber looked at the sign. “Bold claim.” “Accurate.” Amber froze. Marisol closed her eyes. Then both started laughing. “Fucking language,” Marisol muttered. --- They ate. Amber stole part of Marisol’s food. Marisol expected it now. That was dangerous. Amber noticed too. “You didn’t stop me.” “I budgeted for theft.” Amber stared. “That is relationship escalation.” Marisol smiled. “Logistics.” “Worse.” --- At noon, Reyes and Kiro left the unit. No work. No training. Just them. Maeve watched. Amber was nowhere nearby. Better. Kiro took Reyes’s hand at the door. Reyes looked down. Then at her. “Coffee?” Kiro nodded. “Maybe.” “Walk?” “Yes.” “Bookstore?” Kiro smiled. “Possibly.” Reyes laughed. “Predictable.” Kiro leaned closer. “You like predictable.” Reyes thought. “Sometimes.” Good answer. Kiro smiled. No trap. --- They walked. Quiet. Then Reyes said: “Maeve.” Kiro looked over. “Yes.” “You’re still thinking about telling her.” Kiro nodded. “Not telling.” Reyes waited. Kiro corrected: “Talking.” “Better.” Kiro smiled. “I don’t want it to sound like confession.” “It isn’t.” “I know.” “Then don’t make it one.” Kiro nodded. Simple. Reyes continued: “She’ll probably already know.” Kiro laughed softly. “Yes.” “Definitely.” “Yes.” No anxiety. Just anticipation. --- Sera and Panam spent the afternoon away from Imani. That had become rare enough to be notable. They found a public observation deck. Panam leaned against the rail. Sera beside her. Nothing reactive. Nothing painted. No experiment. Panam looked out. Then at Sera. “This trip got weird.” Sera smiled. “It started weird.” “Different weird.” “Yes.” Panam thought. “Better weird.” Sera looked at her. Panam froze. Then both started laughing. “Fucking infection,” Panam said. --- Jessie and Ms. B went shopping. Not operational. Actually shopping. Amber would have been proud. Jessie held up a dress. Ms. B looked at it. Jessie looked at her. “No.” Ms. B blinked. “What?” “You have administrator face.” “I was going to say it looks good.” Jessie froze. Ms. B froze. Then Jessie put the dress against her face and laughed into it. “This is permanent.” “Yes.” Ms. B smiled. Jessie lowered the dress. “Still buying it.” “Good.” Jessie stared. Ms. B started laughing first. --- Maeve had the unit to herself for nearly an hour. That had not happened much. She sat. No pane. No call. No Amber. No company. No problem. At first it felt strange. Then peaceful. She looked toward Amber’s tiny plant. Then the second one. Maeve smiled. Two. Of course. She checked whether either needed water. Neither did. Amber had apparently read instructions. Disturbing. Maeve took a picture. Sent it. > **MAEVE:** Still alive. Amber replied almost immediately. > **AMBER:** MY BABIES Maeve laughed. Then: > **AMBER:** do not overwater Maeve stared. Typed: > **MAEVE:** Who are you? Amber: > **AMBER:** growth Maeve covered her face. --- Marisol saw Amber laughing at the comm. “Maeve?” “Yes.” “Plants?” Amber looked up. “How the fuck did you know?” Marisol smiled. “Pattern recognition.” Amber groaned. --- They ended up at the music room again. Not planned. Marisol noticed the schedule board. Amber looked. Then smiled. “Again?” “Different musicians.” “Yes.” They went in. Sat closer this time. Amber leaned into Marisol before the first piece began. No conversation. No need. Forty minutes of music. Amber listened. Actually listened. Again. When it ended, Marisol looked at her. “You’re good at this now.” Amber froze. Marisol froze. Then Amber whispered: “I am going to murder one adjective.” Marisol laughed. --- Outside, Marisol stopped. Amber stopped too. “What?” Marisol looked at her. “Tonight.” Amber waited. Marisol smiled faintly. “I want to stay with you.” Amber blinked. “My place?” “Your unit.” Different. Amber thought. Not immediately. The O’Sullivan space. Maeve. Everyone. Marisol entering that. Not impossible. Just new. “Why?” Marisol considered. “Because I’ve seen your Palace.” Amber smiled. “And?” “I want to see a little of yours.” That landed. Amber thought again. Then: “Yes.” Marisol smiled. No trap. --- Amber messaged Maeve first. Not permission. Logistics. > **AMBER:** bringing Marisol back tonight. okay for the unit? Maeve answered: > **MAEVE:** Of course. Then: > **MAEVE:** Guest room available if needed. Amber smiled. Thoughtful. No assumptions. Then she messaged the group channel. > **AMBER:** Marisol joining us tonight. behave. Immediate response. Reyes: > **REYES:** you first Kiro: > **KIRO:** impossible requirement Jessie: > **JESSIE:** define behave Ms. B: > **MS. B:** No. Panam: > **PANAM:** I’m leaving Sera: > **SERA:** she is not Amber stared at the screen. Marisol looked over. “That bad?” Amber showed her. Marisol read. Then started laughing. “I like them.” Amber smiled. “Dangerous.” --- They arrived at the unit just after nineteen. Amber opened the door. Marisol entered beside her. Conversation inside stopped. Not awkwardly. Everyone looked. Amber immediately pointed. “Do not.” Reyes lifted both hands. Kiro smiled. Jessie looked delighted. Ms. B composed. Sera warm. Panam suspicious in the way Panam looked at anyone new for approximately thirty seconds. Maeve stood. That mattered. She walked over. Amber watched. Marisol watched. No tension. Maeve smiled. “Marisol.” Marisol nodded. “Maeve.” Then: “Finally.” Amber froze. Maeve’s eyebrows rose. Marisol smiled. “I’ve heard a lot.” Amber covered her face. “Oh, fuck.” Maeve laughed. “Likewise.” Amber slowly lowered her hands. “My wife.” “Yes?” “You are enjoying this.” “Very.” Nobody reacted. Miracle. --- Introductions were unnecessary for most. Marisol had seen the group. Names filled in properly. Jessie. Ms. B. Reyes. Kiro. Sera. Panam. No real identities. No mistakes. Marisol sat beside Amber. Maeve opposite. That was probably accidental. Probably. Amber looked between them. Then: “No.” Maeve blinked. “What?” “You both have face.” Marisol laughed. Maeve smiled. Amber sighed. “Hostile environment.” --- Dinner became easier than Amber expected. Marisol fit. Not perfectly. That would have been weird. But enough. She listened. Asked. Answered. Did not try to impress anyone. Panam tested her with one blunt logistics question. Marisol answered directly. Panam nodded. Accepted. Sera smiled. Kiro asked about Tycho relay. Marisol brightened. Technical enough to matter. Reyes joined. For ten minutes the table became orbital infrastructure. Amber watched. Maeve saw. “What?” Amber smiled. “Everyone I like becomes technical eventually.” Marisol heard. Looked at her. “I was technical before you met me.” Amber stared. “Details.” --- Ms. B asked about the move. Not emotionally. Practically. Travel window. Contract duration. Housing. Marisol answered. Six months. Maybe longer. Maybe shorter. Nothing guaranteed. Amber listened. Again. No flinch this time. Then Jessie said: “You’ll come back through Palace?” Marisol nodded. “Likely.” Amber looked at her. No promise. --- Later, dinner broke apart. Panam and Sera moved to one couch. Reyes and Kiro another. Jessie near Ms. B. Marisol stayed beside Amber. Maeve sat close enough to be part of the same conversation. No territorial geometry. No performance. Just people. Marisol looked around. Then at Amber. “This makes more sense.” Amber blinked. “What?” “You.” Silence. Amber stared. Marisol continued: “Why you can go anywhere.” The answer died on Amber’s tongue. Maeve watched. Marisol said: “You have somewhere to return to.” Amber did not answer immediately. No joke. Not yet. What caught her was that Marisol did not sound excluded by the truth. She sounded glad Amber had it. Maeve’s hand found hers. Amber squeezed. Then smiled. “Dangerous observation.” Marisol smiled back. “Logistics.” That saved it. Amber laughed softly. --- Kiro leaned toward Reyes. Whispered something. Reyes smiled. Amber saw. Reflex. Marisol saw Amber see. Then: “Still watching.” Amber looked at her. “Yes.” Marisol smiled. “Good.” Amber froze. The entire nearby half of the room froze. Kiro closed her eyes. Reyes covered her face. Maeve bit her lip. Marisol stared. Then realization. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Amber collapsed against her laughing. --- The joke broke whatever tiny formality remained. Marisol relaxed further. Panam tried to explain why ordinary words kept detonating in the unit. Badly. Jessie corrected her. Worse. Ms. B attempted taxonomy. Catastrophic. Within five minutes Marisol understood absolutely enough and regretted all of it. Amber looked delighted. “See? You’re learning.” Marisol pointed. “Your fault.” “Mostly.” Kiro shouted from the couch: “NO.” --- Much later, the others began disappearing. Not because Amber and Marisol needed the room. Because people were tired. Reyes and Kiro first. Hand in hand. Sera and Panam next. Jessie looked at Ms. B. Ms. B nodded. They left. Maeve stayed. Amber looked at her. Maeve looked back. Marisol noticed. No discomfort. Maeve stood. “Guest room is ready.” Marisol smiled. “Thank you.” Silence. Amber’s eyes widened. Maeve froze. Marisol groaned. Amber started laughing. “IT GOT YOU BOTH.” Maeve covered her face. Marisol pointed. “No more language.” --- Maeve looked at Amber. “Bed?” Amber smiled. “Eventually.” Maeve nodded. Then looked at Marisol. “Good night.” Amber’s head snapped up. Maeve stared. Then just walked away before anyone could react. Amber screamed with laughter. Marisol folded against the couch. From the corridor Maeve called: “NOT DELIBERATE.” Amber shouted: “LIAR.” --- Eventually only Amber and Marisol remained. Quiet. Different quiet. Amber leaned against her. Marisol looked toward the corridor. Then at Amber. “She really is okay.” Amber smiled. “Yes.” Marisol nodded. “I knew.” “Different seeing it.” “Yes.” Amber understood. There. --- Marisol touched her hand. “Guest room?” Amber looked at her. Then smiled. “Do you want the guest room?” Marisol looked back. “No.” Amber’s smile warmed. “Then no.” No ambiguity. She stood. Held out her hand. Marisol took it. --- Amber stopped outside the bedroom. Maeve inside. Different moment. She looked at Marisol. Then opened the door. Maeve was awake. Reading. She looked up. Amber entered first. Marisol stopped at the threshold. Maeve understood. No surprise. Amber said: “She’s staying.” Maeve smiled. “Yes.” Marisol looked at her. “You sure?” Maeve closed the reader. “Yes.” No drama. No invitation beyond sleep. No assumption beyond shared space. Good. --- The bed was large enough. Palace. Of course. Amber changed. Marisol too. Maeve did the same without making it an event. Then Amber climbed into the middle. Stopped. Looked left. Maeve. Right. Marisol. Then: “This is ridiculous.” Maeve smiled. “You arranged it.” “I know.” Marisol laughed. Amber settled. Maeve’s arm around her. Marisol close on the other side. No sex. Not everything had to escalate because three women shared a bed. Amber closed her eyes. Then opened one again. “My wife.” Maeve sighed. “Yes?” “Thank you.” Silence. Amber froze. Maeve froze. Marisol started laughing into the pillow. Amber groaned. “I hate this language.” Maeve kissed her forehead. “Sleep.” Marisol touched Amber’s hand beneath the blanket. Amber smiled. Then finally did. Three days remained. Nobody counted aloud. --- ## Chapter Forty-Nine — Leona Amber woke between two women. For once, she did not immediately make this everyone else’s problem. She opened her eyes. Maeve on one side. Marisol on the other. Both asleep. Amber stared at the ceiling. Then smiled. Quietly. There was something almost absurdly peaceful about it. No sex had happened. No negotiation. No strange morning-after geometry. They had simply slept. Together. Amber liked that more than she expected. She shifted slightly. Maeve’s arm tightened around her by reflex. Marisol moved closer from the other side. Amber froze. Then looked down at herself. Trapped. Completely. She smiled. “This is fucking ridiculous.” Marisol murmured: “You arranged it.” Amber’s eyes widened. Maeve started laughing without opening hers. Amber stared left. Then right. “You were both awake.” Maeve opened one eye. “Eventually.” Marisol opened hers. “Thinking loudly.” Amber groaned. “Witches.” --- Breakfast was less ridiculous. Mostly because Marisol left before the rest of the unit fully woke. Work. Actual work. Amber walked her to the door. Marisol stopped. Amber looked up. No countdown. No mention of three days. Good. Marisol touched her cheek. “Later?” Amber smiled. “Maybe.” “Good.” Both froze. Amber closed her eyes. Marisol laughed. “Still cursed.” “Completely.” They kissed. Soft. Then Marisol left. Amber watched the door close. A few seconds longer than necessary. Then turned. Maeve stood behind her. Amber pointed. “No.” Maeve raised both hands. “I said nothing.” Amber walked closer. Maeve smiled. “Happy?” Amber nodded. “Yes.” There. No joke. --- The morning stayed loose. Until Kiro appeared. Amber knew something had changed because Maeve looked at her twice. Not casually. Thinking. Kiro noticed on the second time. “What?” Maeve looked at her. “Nothing.” Amber nearly laughed. Kiro narrowed her eyes. “You have face.” Amber covered her mouth. Maeve looked at her. Amber shook her head. “Not helping.” Kiro looked between them. “Now I’m worried.” Maeve smiled faintly. “Do you remember Leona?” Kiro stopped. Amber stopped too. Finally. Kiro’s expression shifted from suspicion to recognition. “The systems architect?” “Yes.” Amber looked at Maeve. Then Kiro. She remembered enough. A previous Palace conversation. Easy. Technical. Longer than planned. Maeve watching from nearby and noticing two things simultaneously: Kiro had not wanted the conversation to end. And Leona had been very clearly willing to let it continue. Nothing had happened. Not then. Maeve had remembered anyway. Kiro looked at her. “Yes.” Maeve waited. Kiro slowly smiled. “Oh.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. “Oh?” Kiro looked toward her. “Do not.” “I said one syllable.” “You made it filthy.” Amber smiled proudly. “Tradition.” --- Maeve sat opposite Kiro. No command energy yet. Just conversation. “Have you seen her this trip?” “No.” “Want to?” Kiro thought. “Yes.” Maeve nodded. “Only see her?” Kiro looked at Maeve. Different current. Amber felt it immediately. She stayed quiet. Heroically. Kiro took longer this time. Then: “No.” Maeve smiled faintly. Not triumphant. Not assumption. “Okay.” Amber slapped both hands over her mouth. Maeve looked at her. Amber shook her head violently. Not the word. Not now. Maeve laughed. Kiro covered her face. --- Amber finally spoke. “Am I allowed to know what this is?” Maeve looked at her. “Yes.” Kiro did too. Maeve continued: “Kiro wanted to explore me taking more control.” Amber’s smile appeared instantly. Kiro sighed. Amber held up one hand. “No joke.” Both stared. Amber smiled. “Mostly.” Kiro groaned. Maeve laughed. Amber continued: “And Leona?” Maeve’s expression sharpened. “I think she might fit.” Kiro looked at her. “For me.” “Yes.” “Because?” Maeve did not rush the answer. “She’s older than you.” Kiro nodded. “Not dramatically.” “No.” “Technical.” “Yes.” “Confident.” “Yes.” Kiro’s mouth twitched. Maeve saw. “And you liked her.” Kiro looked away for half a second. “Yes.” Amber smiled. That one was too clear. Maeve continued: “She liked you too.” Kiro looked back. “You’re sure.” “Yes.” Maeve certainty. Not claiming knowledge of Leona’s consent. Just reading the old interaction. Kiro leaned back. Then smiled. “Find out.” Maeve nodded. “Yes.” --- Amber looked between them. Something about the exchange made her deeply happy. Not because she wanted to watch. Although— Yes. Obviously. But because Kiro looked different when Maeve took the lead. Not smaller. Not passive. Focused. Relieved of one category of decision without surrendering the important ones. Amber understood that better than she would once have admitted. Maeve looked at her. Caught the expression. “What?” Amber smiled. “You’re hot.” Kiro folded forward laughing. Maeve sighed. Amber pointed. “That was sincere.” “Worse.” --- Maeve messaged Leona. Not cryptically. Not an invitation pretending to be business. Simple. > **MAEVE:** Leona. Maeve O’Sullivan. We met briefly during the systems forum last visit. Kiro and I are on Palace again. Coffee, if you’re free? Kiro read it. Then looked at Maeve. “You mentioned me.” “Yes.” “Deliberate.” “Yes.” Kiro smiled. Amber watched. Fuck. There it was again. That ease. --- Leona answered twelve minutes later. > **LEONA:** I remember both of you. 15:00? Maeve showed Kiro. Kiro read. Smiled. Then caught herself smiling. Amber saw. “Kiro.” “No.” “You’re cute.” “Fuck you.” “Affectionately.” Maeve closed her eyes. --- By fourteen fifty-three, Maeve and Kiro were walking toward the café. Amber was not with them. That had been Maeve’s choice. Kiro had agreed. Important. Amber had complained for exactly thirty seconds. Then admitted it made sense. Also important. This was not Amber’s choice to steer. She could hear about it later. Probably loudly. --- Leona was already there. Shorter than Maeve. Taller than Kiro. Slightly older than either of them had remembered. Or perhaps simply carrying herself with more settled confidence. Slim. Understated clothing. Technical-corporate without becoming corpo. No theatrical Palace fashion. Her attention went to Maeve first. Then Kiro. And stayed there half a beat longer. Maeve noticed. Kiro noticed Maeve noticing. Leona smiled. “Maeve.” “Leona.” Then: “Kiro.” Kiro smiled. “Hi.” “Still taking broken interfaces personally?” Kiro laughed immediately. Maeve sat. This would be easier than expected. --- Coffee became systems architecture within four minutes. Of course. Leona had been working on redundancy design for a private habitat ring. Kiro hated two decisions in the current implementation. Leona agreed with one. Defended the other. Maeve barely spoke for ten minutes. She watched. Kiro leaned forward when interested. Leona did the same. Neither talked over the other. Neither simplified. Neither performed expertise. Easy. Again. Exactly as before. Maeve smiled into her coffee. Leona saw. “What?” Maeve shook her head. “Nothing.” Kiro looked at her. “You have face.” Leona laughed. “I remember that too.” Kiro froze. Then laughed. “You remember too much.” --- The technical conversation eventually ran out of immediate fuel. Not interest. Just subject. Leona took a drink. Looked at Maeve. “So.” Maeve raised an eyebrow. “You invited me.” “Yes.” “And Kiro.” “Yes.” Kiro sat quieter now. Not withdrawn. Waiting. Leona saw. Interesting. Maeve did not disguise the shift. “I did.” Leona smiled faintly. “I assumed this wasn’t about habitat redundancy.” Kiro looked at Maeve. Maeve looked back. Then at Leona. “No.” Direct. --- Leona rested one arm on the table. “Then what is it about?” Maeve answered calmly. “Kiro.” Kiro inhaled. Barely. Leona’s eyes moved to her. No surprise. Not much. Maeve continued: “You two liked each other the last time we met.” Leona smiled. “Yes.” Kiro’s eyes widened slightly. That direct. Leona looked at her. “You weren’t sure?” Kiro laughed softly. “I suspected.” “Badly.” “Yes.” Leona smiled. Maeve let them have the moment. Then: “Kiro has been exploring something with me.” Leona’s attention sharpened. Maeve continued carefully. “Control.” No euphemism. No melodrama. Leona did not react theatrically. “What kind?” Kiro answered this time. “Social first.” Leona looked at her. Kiro continued: “Maeve choosing. Ordering. Setting pace.” Leona smiled slightly. “You like it.” Kiro held her gaze. “Yes.” Maeve watched. No need to rescue her. --- Leona looked at Maeve again. “And where do I fit?” Maeve smiled. “If you want to, perhaps nowhere.” Important first. Leona nodded. Maeve continued: “But I thought you might be someone Kiro would enjoy meeting again while that dynamic is active.” Leona understood. Very quickly. “You choosing for her.” “Yes.” Kiro’s breathing changed slightly. Leona noticed. So did Maeve. Leona looked at Kiro. “And you want her to?” Kiro smiled. “Yes.” No hesitation. --- Leona leaned back. Thought. Not performing coyness. Then: “Dinner.” Maeve raised one eyebrow. Leona smiled. “Tonight.” Kiro looked at Maeve. Automatically. That mattered. Maeve noticed. Leona definitely noticed. Maeve smiled. “Yes.” Kiro’s expression brightened. Leona laughed softly. “Oh.” Kiro looked at her. “What?” “That really does work for you.” Kiro froze. Then laughed. “Yes.” --- Maeve chose the restaurant. Of course. Not expensive for the sake of it. Quiet enough to talk. Leona accepted without asking where. Kiro noticed that too. The conversation continued another forty minutes before Leona had to leave. Work. Real life. At the end she stood. Looked at Maeve. “Twenty?” Maeve nodded. “Twenty.” Then Leona looked at Kiro. “I’m glad you came back.” Kiro’s mouth curved. “So am I.” Leona left. Kiro watched. Maeve watched Kiro. Kiro eventually noticed. “What?” Maeve smiled. “Nothing.” Kiro stared. Then laughed. “Actually?” “No.” There. --- They walked home. Kiro was quiet for the first several minutes. Maeve let her be. Then: “You chose well.” Maeve looked over. “That is not decided yet.” Kiro nodded. “Fair.” Both froze. Kiro groaned. Maeve laughed. “Even alone.” “Permanent.” --- Back at the unit, Amber was waiting. Not obviously. Which made it more obvious. She sat on the couch beside Reyes. Reyes had one arm around her shoulders. Both looked up when Maeve and Kiro entered. Amber stood. Then deliberately stopped herself. No interrogation. Maeve saw the effort. Kiro saw too. Reyes smiled. Amber stared. “What?” Reyes shook her head. “Nothing.” Amber pointed. “Do not reward me for restraint.” Kiro laughed. Then: “Dinner at twenty.” Amber’s face exploded. “Oh.” Kiro smiled. Amber looked at Maeve. Then Kiro. Then back. “Leona.” “Yes.” “Interested.” Kiro smiled. “Yes.” Amber took one breath. Then: “Fuck, that’s hot.” Reyes laughed. Kiro covered her face. Maeve walked past them. “My wife.” Amber followed immediately. “Yes?” “Dinner.” Amber stopped. “What?” “You have dinner too.” Amber blinked. “Do I?” Maeve looked at the time. Then Amber’s comm. Marisol had messaged. Amber checked. > **MARISOL:** food later? Amber laughed. “Oh.” Reyes looked at her. “You forgot Marisol?” “No.” Amber smiled. “I forgot clocks.” “Palace.” “Yes.” --- The group split again. Marisol and Amber. Maeve and Kiro with Leona. Reyes had Talia later. Sera and Panam had their own evening. Jessie and Ms. B had disappeared without explanation. Good. Parallel lines. Still. But one of those lines had finally reached Leona. And Maeve, walking beside Kiro toward dinner a few hours later, noticed the small change in Kiro’s posture whenever Maeve made the next decision for her. Which restaurant. Which table. Which seat. Whether Kiro ordered first. She did not. Maeve did. Kiro smiled. Leona watched. Then smiled too. No one rushed. No one needed to. Because the interesting part was no longer whether Leona fit. It was discovering exactly how. --- ## Chapter Fifty — Chosen Maeve ordered for Kiro. Leona noticed. Of course she noticed. The server had barely finished asking when Kiro glanced toward Maeve instead of answering. Not exaggerated. Not submissive theater. Just a small transfer of decision. Maeve read the menu once more. Then chose. Kiro smiled. “Drink too,” Maeve said. Kiro’s smile changed. “Yes.” Leona leaned back slightly. Watching. Maeve looked at her. “What?” Leona smiled. “Nothing.” Kiro closed her eyes. Maeve laughed. “No. Absolutely not.” Leona looked between them. “What?” Kiro sighed. “Long story.” “Amber did this to ordinary language,” Maeve said. Leona considered that. Then: “I’m sure I’ll understand eventually.” Kiro put her forehead against the table. Maeve stared at Leona. Leona stared back. Then realization hit. “Oh.” Maeve started laughing. Kiro groaned into the table. “Welcome.” --- Dinner did not become a test. Maeve did not manufacture decisions just so she could make them for Kiro. She chose when there was a reason. Left Kiro alone when there was not. Leona noticed that too. Eventually she said: “You vary it.” Maeve looked at her. “Yes.” “Deliberately.” “Yes.” Kiro took a drink. Leona looked at her. “And that matters?” Kiro nodded. “A lot.” “Why?” Kiro thought before answering. “Because if Maeve controlled everything, I’d spend all my time noticing the control.” Leona waited. Kiro continued: “When she changes the amount, I stop predicting it.” Maeve smiled faintly. Exactly. Leona looked between them. “So sometimes you’re simply having dinner.” “Yes,” Kiro said. “And sometimes—” Maeve reached across the table. Held out her hand. Kiro looked at it. Then placed her own hand in Maeve’s. Maeve turned it over. Palm up. Held it there. Nothing else. Kiro’s breathing shifted. Tiny. Immediate. Leona saw. Maeve released her. Kiro picked up her glass again. Leona stared. “Oh.” Kiro smiled. “Yes.” --- No embarrassment. That was one of the things Maeve liked most about Kiro in this. Curiosity, yes. Nerves sometimes. But no shame. Leona looked intrigued rather than shocked. Also promising. Then she asked Maeve: “Why me?” Kiro looked at her too. Maeve answered honestly. “You’re attractive.” Leona smiled. “Useful start.” “You’re confident without needing to prove it.” Leona’s smile softened. “You and Kiro can actually talk to each other.” Kiro nodded. “And?” Maeve looked at Leona. “You watch before acting.” There. Leona understood why that mattered. She nodded once. “Anything else?” Maeve smiled. “You’re not twenty-five.” Kiro choked on her drink. Leona stared. Then laughed. “How diplomatic.” “I considered saying slightly older.” “That would have been worse.” Kiro recovered enough to say: “She did say that earlier.” Leona turned toward her. Kiro froze. Maeve smiled into her glass. Leona looked back at Maeve. “Interesting selection criteria.” “Effective.” Kiro whispered: “Please stop evaluating her like hardware.” Maeve looked at her. “You like hardware.” Kiro covered her face. Leona laughed. --- Across Palace, Amber was having a completely different dinner. Marisol had chosen a small Korean place. Amber stared at the table. Then at Marisol. “You’re doing this deliberately.” Marisol smiled. “Food?” “You know Maeve is Korean.” “Yes.” “And you brought Amber O’Sullivan here.” “Yes.” Amber narrowed her eyes. Marisol leaned closer. “Cover-safe enough?” Amber smiled. “Very.” Good. Marisol knew enough now to understand boundaries without needing the real identities underneath them. No mistakes. No careless questions. Amber relaxed. Then tasted the food. Stopped. Marisol watched. “Well?” Amber stared at her. “Do not.” Marisol laughed. “That good?” Amber pointed. “You nearly killed us.” --- Marisol’s departure stayed out of the conversation for most of dinner. Deliberately. They talked about Tycho only when Marisol wanted to. About Palace when Amber wanted to. About nothing for long stretches. Then Marisol asked: “Your wife and Kiro tonight?” Amber’s eyebrows rose. “Maeve, Kiro and Leona.” “Leona.” “Technical woman.” Marisol smiled. “That narrows it down enormously around here.” Amber laughed. “Systems architect.” “Better.” Amber told her the safe version. Maeve had introduced them. Kiro liked her. Dinner. Maybe more. No private details. Marisol nodded. “You’re not there.” Amber looked offended. “I noticed.” “Surviving?” “Barely.” Marisol smiled. Amber sighed. “Actually, yes.” Marisol let the answer stand. Then looked at her. “You trust Maeve.” “Yes.” “Kiro too.” “Yes.” “And you’re curious.” Amber stared. “Painfully.” Marisol laughed. --- Elsewhere, Reyes was getting thrown sideways. Talia had increased gravity. Not normal. Forty percent. Enough that Reyes’s growing zero-g habits betrayed her. She hit the padded wall shoulder-first. “Fuck.” Talia smiled. “You adapted.” “That sounded positive.” “It isn’t.” Reyes pushed herself upright. Talia continued: “You’ve started assuming low mass.” “You taught me to.” “I taught you to adapt to conditions.” Reyes stared. Talia pointed toward the center. “Again.” Reyes muttered something obscene. Talia smiled. “Louder?” “No.” “Good.” Reyes stopped. Slowly turned. Talia froze. Then Reyes started laughing so hard the next drill had to wait. --- Dinner with Leona lasted nearly two hours. No one noticed until the server quietly asked whether they wanted anything else. Maeve checked time. Kiro did too. Leona smiled. “Well.” Maeve looked at Kiro. Not Leona. Kiro understood the question. Not _do you want sex?_ Not yet. Continue? Kiro nodded. “Yes.” Maeve looked at Leona. “Walk?” Leona smiled. “Yes.” --- They left the restaurant. Maeve chose direction. Kiro fell beside her. Leona on Kiro’s other side. No one touched at first. Palace around them. People. Light. Enough privacy through anonymity. Maeve let the conversation drift back toward ordinary things. Work. Tycho expansion. Night City. Leona had spent time planetside but preferred orbital environments. Kiro understood that instinct immediately. Maeve mostly listened. Then Leona asked Kiro: “Do you always look at Maeve before answering now?” Kiro blinked. “I don’t.” Leona smiled. “You just did.” Kiro looked at Maeve. Realized. Then laughed. “Fuck.” Maeve’s mouth curved. “Not always.” Kiro looked at her. Maeve continued: “Only when you’re uncertain whether I want the decision.” Leona’s eyebrows rose. Kiro thought. Then nodded. “Yes.” Maeve smiled. “Good.” Kiro stopped walking. Maeve kept going two steps before noticing. Leona stopped too. Kiro stared at Maeve. Maeve smiled innocently. Leona looked between them. Then started laughing. “Oh, that was vicious.” Kiro pointed at Maeve. “Deliberate.” “Yes.” --- Maeve waited. Kiro caught up. Then, without being asked, slipped her hand into Maeve’s. Maeve accepted it. Leona watched. No jealousy. Curiosity. Maeve looked at her. Then at Kiro. Kiro’s eyes moved toward Leona. Maeve stopped. Turned toward Kiro. “Do you want to kiss her?” Kiro’s eyes went straight to Leona. “Yes.” “Ask.” Not _go ahead._ Ask. Kiro looked at Leona. Leona had gone very still. Not uncomfortable. Present. Kiro stepped closer. “Can I kiss you?” Leona smiled. “Yes.” Kiro kissed her. Briefly. No spectacle. When they separated, Leona remained close. Kiro smiled. Maeve watched. Then: “Again.” Kiro looked at Maeve. That hit differently. She turned back. Leona’s smile had changed too. Second kiss. Longer. Still public-safe. Still unmistakable. Maeve watched until Kiro pulled away on her own. Then: “Enough.” Kiro inhaled. Looked at Maeve. And smiled. “Yes.” Leona stared at both of them. Not shocked. Interested. Very. --- They continued walking. Leona eventually said: “I see why variation matters.” Kiro laughed softly. “Yes.” Maeve smiled. No need to demonstrate further. Not yet. --- Amber and Marisol were walking too. Completely unaware. Amber had stolen Marisol’s hand. Marisol had apparently budgeted for that as well. They passed a club entrance. Music heavy enough to feel through the corridor. Marisol looked at Amber. Amber looked back. Then toward the club. Old Amber instinct: yes. Current Amber: Maybe. She smiled. “Not tonight.” Marisol’s eyebrows rose. “Really?” “Yes.” “Who are you?” “Growth.” Marisol groaned. Amber laughed. They kept walking. --- Sera and Panam had ended up with Imani after all. Nobody was surprised. Imani had finished the first stable version of the thermal-reactive pigment. Panam looked at the sample. “Stable how?” “Normal contact won’t smear it.” “Water?” “Fine.” “Sauna?” “Fine.” Sera smiled. “Long contact?” Imani looked at her. “More visible response.” Panam closed her eyes. Amber was not even there and Panam could still hear her laughing in her head. Imani smiled. “Want to try?” Panam looked at Sera. Sera looked back. Then Panam sighed. “Yes.” Imani froze. Sera started laughing. Panam pointed. “Not. One. Word.” --- Maeve finally asked Leona: “Your place or ours?” Kiro went very still. There it was. First real threshold. Leona noticed. Looked at Kiro. Then Maeve. “Mine is quieter.” Maeve nodded. Then looked at Kiro. Kiro waited. Maeve could have chosen. That was precisely why she did not. “Your decision.” Kiro’s eyes narrowed slightly. Not disappointment. Adjustment. Variation. She thought. Then: “Leona’s.” Maeve smiled. “Then Leona’s.” Leona watched the exchange. “Interesting.” Kiro laughed. “See?” --- They reached Leona’s apartment twenty minutes later. No rush. Inside was exactly what Maeve expected. Clean. Functional. Personal without clutter. One wall carried actual physical books. Kiro stopped. “Oh, fuck you.” Leona laughed. “What?” “You have books.” “Yes.” Kiro walked closer. Maeve looked at Leona. Leona smiled. “I may have an unfair advantage.” “Apparently.” Kiro looked over her shoulder. “I can hear you.” A small smile crossed Maeve’s face. “Good.” Kiro froze. Leona covered her mouth. Maeve sighed. “Fuck.” --- They had drinks. One each. Nothing more. No need to blur anyone. Kiro sat beside Maeve at first. Leona opposite. The conversation softened. Then Maeve shifted. Not verbally. She moved to the chair across from them. Leaving space beside Leona. Kiro noticed immediately. Looked at Maeve. Maeve held her gaze. Then tilted her head once. Kiro understood. She stood. Crossed the small distance. Sat beside Leona. Leona looked at her. Then at Maeve. Maeve smiled. No command. Not needed. Kiro chose the rest. She leaned closer. Leona met her. Their kiss came easier now. Maeve watched. Calm. Attentive. Exactly as Leona had noticed earlier. Kiro’s hand found Leona’s. Leona’s other hand rested lightly at Kiro’s waist. No rush beyond that. --- When they separated, Kiro looked at Maeve. Not asking whether she had done well. Asking what came next. Maeve let the silence stretch. Just enough. Then: “Come here.” Kiro stood. Immediately. Leona’s eyebrows rose. Kiro crossed to Maeve. Maeve looked up at her. “Still want this?” “Yes.” “Leona?” “Yes.” “Me choosing the pace?” Kiro smiled. “Yes.” Maeve nodded. Then looked at Leona. “You?” Leona answered just as clearly. “Yes.” There. All three. No ambiguity. --- Maeve stood. Touched Kiro’s cheek. Kissed her once. Short. Familiar. Then turned her gently back toward Leona. “Go.” Kiro laughed softly. Not mockery. Nerves releasing. Then she went. Leona stood to meet her. The next kiss was no longer public-safe. No reason for it to be. Maeve stayed close. Not detached from them. Not trying to direct every part of it either. Control did not require constant touch. Kiro had already learned that. Leona was beginning to. --- Clothing loosened gradually. One layer. Pause. Another. No race. Kiro’s outer layers came away first, then Leona’s. Their lower clothes followed, and when underwear became the last barrier Leona stopped long enough to look directly at Kiro before either woman removed it. Kiro answered that question herself. Maeve remained dressed. That mattered too. She was present because Kiro had asked her to choose and to stay, not because choosing Leona entitled Maeve to every part of what followed. Maeve occasionally redirected. A word. A touch. Once simply Kiro’s name. Enough. Leona adapted quickly, but never began treating Maeve’s direction as permission on Kiro’s behalf. She still checked Kiro. Kiro still answered. That mattered more than anything else. Maeve saw it. Approved. --- Eventually Kiro stood between them, breathing harder now, Leona close in front of her, Maeve behind. Maeve’s hand rested at Kiro’s waist. Not restraining. Present. Leona looked past Kiro toward Maeve. Question. Maeve did not answer for Kiro. She said: “Ask her.” Leona smiled. Then looked directly at Kiro. “More?” Kiro’s answer came without hesitation. “Yes.” Leona kissed her again and Kiro answered with her whole body. Maeve guided Kiro once—where to settle, when to wait—and then deliberately gave the next decision back. Kiro took it. Kiro and Leona had sex with Maeve close enough to remain part of the control Kiro had asked for, but not so close that Leona ever became an instrument in someone else’s game. Leona watched Kiro. Kiro watched Maeve when a decision belonged there and Leona when it did not. The variation was the point. Sometimes Maeve chose the pace with a quiet instruction. Sometimes she said nothing and Kiro had to choose for herself. Each handoff landed differently because none of them could be mistaken for ownership. Pleasure built slowly enough for Kiro to feel that distinction all the way through it. When her breathing broke, Maeve did not praise her or tell her what she should feel; she simply stayed. Leona stayed too, close and responsive until Kiro’s climax passed through her and left her shaking between them. Kiro drew Leona closer before that shaking had stopped rather than collapsing into passivity. Leona’s own breath was already fraying; her release arrived inside the same unbroken contact, with Kiro holding her and Maeve still present exactly where she had promised to be. Maeve intervened only once, when Kiro looked to her for it. Choice inside control. Control inside trust. --- The intensity finally ebbed. Not all at once. Leona remained close. Kiro’s eyes closed. Maeve stayed against her back until breathing settled. No immediate separation. No transition into analysis. Just shared stillness. Warmth. Contact. Kiro eventually opened her eyes. Looked first at Leona. Then Maeve. Smiled. Maeve touched her cheek. No praise. Not yet. Kiro knew anyway. And beneath the satisfaction of Maeve having chosen well sat something even steadier: Maeve had chosen Leona, but every yes afterward had still belonged to Kiro. Leona looked at Maeve. Then said quietly: “You chose well.” Kiro started laughing. Maeve closed her eyes. “No.” Leona realized. “Oh, fuck.” Kiro laughed harder. Even Maeve lost it. The stillness dissolved into three exhausted women laughing against each other. Good. Perfect, actually. --- Amber received a message from Kiro at 00:41. She was lying beside Marisol. Still awake. Marisol nearly asleep. Amber checked the comm. Only three words. > **KIRO:** Maeve chose well. Amber stared. Her eyes widened. Then she buried her face in the pillow so she would not wake Marisol by screaming. Another message. > **KIRO:** do NOT Amber typed with both thumbs. > **AMBER:** I SAID NOTHING Kiro: > **KIRO:** you are screaming somewhere Amber froze. Looked at Marisol. Marisol opened one eye. “You are.” Amber whispered: “Emotionally.” Marisol started laughing. Amber looked back at the message. Then smiled. Kiro. Maeve. Leona. Whatever shape tonight had taken, the three-word message told Amber the important part. Kiro was happy. And somewhere across Palace, Maeve was probably wearing that tiny calm smile she got when a complicated thing had become simple for exactly the right reason. Amber put the comm away. Tomorrow she could be unbearable about it. Tonight, she let them keep it. --- ## Chapter Fifty-One — The Morning After Choosing Kiro woke warm. That registered first. Second: not her room. Third: Leona. Fourth— Maeve. Kiro opened her eyes. Maeve was already awake. Of course. She lay on the other side of Kiro, head supported on one hand, watching her with an expression far too composed for the circumstances. Kiro stared. Maeve smiled. “Morning.” Kiro narrowed her eyes. “Don’t.” “I said morning.” “You have face.” Maeve’s smile widened. Kiro closed her eyes. “Fuck.” Behind her, Leona laughed softly. Kiro froze. Then slowly turned. Leona was awake too. “Both of you?” “Apparently,” Leona said. Kiro stared at the ceiling. “I hate mornings.” Maeve reached across her and touched Leona’s arm. “Coffee?” Kiro opened her eyes again. “You are discussing coffee over me.” “Yes.” “I am literally between you.” Leona smiled. “Useful table.” Kiro’s mouth dropped open. Maeve made one strangled sound— and lost it. Kiro stared at Leona. Leona looked very pleased with herself. “Oh, fuck you.” “Possibly later.” Silence. Maeve buried her face in the pillow. Kiro stared. Realization widened Leona’s eyes. “Oh.” Kiro started laughing. Hard. “You fit.” “I’m beginning to understand that.” “No, you really fucking fit.” --- They stayed in bed another twenty minutes. Not for sex. Nobody seemed particularly interested in turning the morning into an encore just because they could. Kiro liked that. Last night remained last night. This morning could simply be warm bodies, terrible jokes and the strange satisfaction of discovering that nothing had become awkward while they slept. Eventually Maeve moved first. Kiro immediately looked at her. Maeve caught it. “What?” “Nothing.” Maeve stood. Kiro remained where she was. Maeve looked at her. Then smiled. “Stay.” Kiro relaxed back against the pillow. Leona noticed. Maeve disappeared toward the bathroom. Leona looked at Kiro. “You really like that.” Kiro nodded. “Yes.” “Even now.” “Yes.” Leona thought for a moment. “Because she chose whether you got up.” Kiro smiled. “Partly.” “And partly?” Kiro looked toward the bathroom door. “Because she could have let me choose.” Leona’s expression shifted. Understanding. “The uncertainty.” “Yes.” Leona nodded slowly. “That is more interesting.” Kiro laughed. “Careful.” “Why?” “You’re going to encourage her.” Maeve called from the bathroom: “I can hear you.” Kiro closed her eyes. “See?” --- Maeve came back. Looked at Kiro. “Shower.” Kiro sat up. Then stopped. Looked at Leona. Maeve saw the question. “Alone.” There. Another change. Kiro smiled. “Yes.” She got up. Leona watched her go. Then looked at Maeve. “You’re not maximizing it.” Maeve sat on the edge of the bed. “No.” “You could.” “Yes.” “But then it would become constant.” “Yes.” Leona smiled. “And predictable.” Maeve returned the smile. “Exactly.” --- By the time Kiro came back, Leona had found clothes and Maeve had made coffee. Kiro stopped in the bedroom doorway. Looked at both. Then at the coffee. “Mine?” Maeve nodded toward one cup. Kiro reached for it. Maeve said: “No.” Kiro’s hand stopped in midair. Leona nearly inhaled coffee. Maeve picked up the cup herself. Held it out. Kiro took it from her. Maeve smiled. “Now.” Kiro stared at her. Then drank. Leona watched Kiro’s expression. “Oh, that was mean.” Kiro looked at her. “Yes.” Maeve took her own coffee. “No, it wasn’t.” Kiro laughed. “No. It really wasn’t.” That was the problem. Or the appeal. Same thing. --- Amber had been awake for forty-seven minutes. This was unacceptable. Not because of the hour. Because Kiro had not messaged again. She lay beside Marisol staring at her comm. Marisol opened one eye. “You’re waiting.” “No.” “You’ve checked that four times.” “Three.” “Five.” Amber looked offended. “You were asleep.” “Apparently not.” Amber put the comm down. Five seconds. Picked it back up. Nothing. Marisol smiled. “You want details.” “I want proof of life.” “You received proof of life at midnight.” “That was historical proof.” Marisol stared at her. Amber sighed. “Yes. I want details.” “Thought so.” Amber rolled onto her back. “Maeve chose Leona.” “I gathered.” “Kiro wanted Maeve to choose someone for her.” Marisol nodded. “You said.” “And I’m not there.” “Yes.” Amber looked toward her. “This is emotional abuse.” Marisol laughed. “You agreed not to be there.” “Past Amber was an idiot.” “She existed yesterday.” “Ancient history.” --- Marisol leaned over and kissed her. Amber answered automatically. Then Marisol pulled back. “Distracted.” Amber stared. “Sorry.” Marisol smiled. “I’m competing with your wife having sex with another woman and the woman she chose for another woman.” Amber thought. “That sentence makes my life sound excellent.” Marisol froze. Amber froze. Then Amber slapped both hands over her face. Marisol laughed so hard she had to roll away. “FUCK.” “You did that yourself.” “I know.” --- At Leona’s apartment, breakfast became unexpectedly normal. Leona cooked. Maeve helped. Kiro was told to sit down. She obeyed. Happily. Leona looked over from the counter. “You cook?” Kiro nodded. “Yes.” Maeve answered without turning. “She’s not cooking.” Kiro smiled. Leona’s eyebrow rose. “I wasn’t asking her to.” “I know.” Kiro looked between them. “That was filthy.” Both turned toward her. Kiro’s mouth curved. “Not sexually. Control-filthy.” Leona laughed. Maeve shook her head. “Amber has ruined you.” “Amber has refined me.” “That is absolutely something Amber would say.” --- Food reached the table. Maeve chose where Kiro sat. Not dramatically. A touch to the chair. Kiro took it. Leona sat opposite. Maeve beside Kiro. For several minutes they simply ate. Then Leona asked: “What happens now?” Kiro looked at Maeve. Maeve noticed. This time: “Answer her.” Kiro nodded. “I don’t know.” Leona smiled. “Useful.” Kiro laughed. “I mean that literally. This wasn’t supposed to create an arrangement.” “I didn’t assume it did.” “Good.” All three froze. Leona closed her eyes. “Fuck.” Kiro pointed. “Now you’re properly infected.” Maeve laughed. --- Leona looked at Kiro again. “I’d like to see you again.” Kiro’s expression softened. “I’d like that.” Then she looked at Maeve. Not because she needed permission to see Leona. Maeve understood the distinction. “Outside this?” Maeve asked. Kiro thought. “Yes.” Leona nodded. “Me too.” Something eased in Kiro’s shoulders. Last night had not bought Maeve ownership of what came after; that was exactly why giving her control had felt safe. Maeve smiled. The control experiment had produced something it did not need to own. Kiro asked: “And inside this?” Leona looked at Maeve. Maeve did not answer immediately. Kiro waited. Leona waited too. Then Maeve said: “Maybe.” Kiro smiled. That answer clearly pleased her more than yes would have. Leona saw it. “You’re evil.” Maeve raised an eyebrow. Kiro answered for her. “Yes.” --- Reyes arrived back at the unit from an early session with Talia at 09:36. Amber was waiting. Reyes stopped in the doorway. Looked at her. “No.” Amber pointed. “You know.” “Yes.” “You’ve heard from Kiro.” “Yes.” Amber stood. “Traitor.” Reyes smiled. “She messaged me at eight.” Amber stared. “EIGHT?” “Yes.” “What did she say?” Reyes took off her jacket. Amber followed her. “Reyes.” “No.” “Reyes.” “No.” “Reeeeeeyeeees.” Reyes turned. Amber nearly walked into her. Reyes smiled. “She said she’s happy.” Amber stopped. That took the joke away. “Yeah?” “Yes.” Amber’s expression softened immediately. “Okay.” Reyes smiled. Then: “And that Maeve is a fucking menace.” Amber lit up again. “There she is.” --- Reyes walked toward the kitchen. Amber followed. “How happy?” Reyes looked over her shoulder. “Amber.” “Scale.” “No.” “Body language?” “She texted me.” “Punctuation?” Reyes stared. Amber grinned. “Fine. Fuck you.” Reyes opened the refrigerator. Amber leaned against the counter. Then Reyes said: “She also said Leona was exactly the right kind of woman.” Amber went quiet again. “Maeve nailed it.” “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Of course she did.” No insecurity. Only pride. Reyes saw. That was one of the things she loved about Ace. Under all the noise, that part was simple. --- Amber looked at Reyes. Then down. Training clothes. Sweat still drying at her neck. Hair pulled back. Amber’s attention stayed there half a second too long. Reyes noticed. Slow smile. “What?” Amber looked back up. “Nothing.” “Liar.” Amber smiled. “Talia work you hard?” “Yes.” “Mm.” There. Reyes’s eyebrow rose. Amber knew exactly what she had done. Did not retract it. Reyes stepped closer. Amber stayed. “Problem?” “No.” “Want one?” Amber’s smile widened. “Maybe.” Reyes laughed softly. Then kissed her. No Kiro. No audience. No joke. Just a kiss that lasted long enough to remind both of them that this line had existed long before Palace and had never needed rescuing from anything else. When Reyes pulled away, Amber looked pleased. “Morning.” Reyes laughed. “You’re impossible.” “Still kissed me.” “Yes.” “Again?” Reyes stared. Then kissed her again. Shorter. Amber smiled. “Excellent service.” Reyes shoved her lightly backward. “Fuck off.” --- Maeve, Kiro and Leona returned to the unit shortly after eleven. Leona did not come inside. Not this time. The three stopped outside the door. Kiro looked at her. No Maeve glance. Interesting. “I’ll message you.” Leona smiled. “Yes.” Kiro leaned in. Kissed her. Brief. Her own decision. Then Leona looked at Maeve. “Thank you.” Silence. Kiro’s eyes widened. Maeve bit her lip. Leona stared. “Oh, fuck all of you.” Kiro collapsed against the wall laughing. Maeve finally lost it too. Leona pointed at them. “I am leaving.” Kiro caught her hand before she could. “One second.” Leona looked back. Kiro kissed her again. Then smiled. “Now.” Leona shook her head. Walked away laughing. --- Maeve opened the unit door. Kiro walked in first. Amber was there. Of course. Sitting on the couch. Too casually. Reyes beside her. Too amused. Kiro stopped. Amber smiled. “Morning.” Kiro looked at Maeve. Maeve immediately said: “No.” Amber stood. “I have said nothing.” Kiro pointed. “You screamed into a pillow last night.” Amber froze. Reyes turned. “You what?” Amber looked betrayed. “Marisol is a fucking informant.” Maeve started laughing. --- Kiro walked closer. Amber looked at her. The joking dropped naturally. “You okay?” Kiro smiled. “Yes.” “Happy?” “Yes.” Amber nodded. Then looked at Maeve. Maeve’s expression said enough. Amber smiled. “Nice work.” Silence. Maeve stared. Kiro stared. Reyes covered her face. Amber screamed: “NO. THAT IS A NORMAL PHRASE.” Kiro folded over laughing. Maeve leaned against the wall. Reyes managed: “Context.” “FUCK CONTEXT.” --- When the laughter finally died, Kiro dropped onto the couch. Amber sat beside her. Maeve took the chair opposite. Reyes stayed on Amber’s other side. Kiro looked around. Then: “I’m seeing Leona again.” Amber’s eyebrows rose. “Maeve?” Kiro shook her head. “Me.” Amber smiled. “Good.” She froze. Everyone froze. Amber slowly looked upward. “I’m going back to Night City.” Reyes laughed. --- Kiro continued. “Maybe with Maeve too.” Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve shrugged lightly. “Maybe.” Amber understood immediately. Not ownership. Not a new fixed triad. Not Leona drafted into anything. A connection. And an option. Better. Amber leaned back. “Okay.” Silence. Amber’s face twisted. “NO. FUCK YOU. I’M KEEPING THAT ONE.” Kiro laughed. --- Sera and Panam arrived before noon. Jessie and Ms. B shortly after. News spread through the unit. Not details. Nobody needed them. Only the shape. Maeve chose well. Kiro enjoyed herself. Leona enjoyed herself. Kiro would see Leona again. Potentially independently. Potentially with Maeve. Nobody had accidentally invented a new relationship constitution overnight. Panam listened. Then looked at Kiro. “So you let Maeve pick who you fucked.” Kiro nodded. “Yes.” Panam looked at Maeve. “You picked a systems architect.” Maeve nodded. “Yes.” Panam stared. Then: “Of course you fucking did.” Sera started laughing. Amber pointed triumphantly. “SEE?” --- Jessie leaned toward Ms. B. Whispered: “That is hot.” Ms. B looked at her. “Yes.” Jessie smiled. Amber’s head snapped around. “I HEARD THAT.” Ms. B closed her eyes. Jessie laughed. Reyes muttered: “Predator hearing.” Amber looked at her. “Speaking of.” Reyes immediately regretted everything. Amber’s eyes travelled down her training clothes again. Kiro saw. Then looked at Reyes. Then Amber. Slow smile. Reyes saw Kiro seeing. Oh. No. Kiro leaned over and kissed Reyes’s cheek. Amber stared. Kiro smiled sweetly. Reyes started laughing. Amber pointed at both. “Do not restart this.” Kiro kissed Reyes’s mouth. Quick. Amber’s jaw dropped. The room erupted. Maeve covered her face. Panam shouted: “Oh, this shit again.” Sera was already laughing too hard to speak. Reyes looked at Kiro. “You menace.” Kiro smiled. “I learned from Amber.” Amber stood. “I AM THE VICTIM HERE.” “No one believes that,” Ms. B said. --- Amber stared at Reyes. Reyes smiled. Kiro rested against her shoulder. Deliberately. Amber narrowed her eyes. Then smiled. Dangerously. “Fine.” Reyes’s smile faltered. “What does that mean?” “Nothing.” “Amber.” Amber stood. Walked toward the corridor. Reyes watched. “Amber.” Amber looked back. Bright smile. “Later.” Then disappeared into her room. Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked at Maeve. Maeve was visibly trying not to laugh. Panam said: “You’re fucked.” Reyes considered. Then smiled. “Possibly.” Kiro kissed her cheek again. “Optimist.” --- Behind the closed bedroom door, Amber leaned against it. Smiling. Not angry. Not even close. Kiro and Reyes had just rediscovered exactly how entertaining this could be. And Amber had rediscovered something too. Reyes in training clothes. Reyes grinning at her. Reyes kissing her in the kitchen without anyone watching. A thread left unattended for too long. Amber looked toward the ceiling. Then laughed softly. “Yeah.” Palace still had a few days left. Enough. More than enough. --- ## Chapter Fifty-Two — Later Reyes knew Amber. This was the first problem. The second problem was that Kiro also knew Amber. The third problem was that Kiro had apparently decided none of those facts represented a reason to behave responsibly. Reyes waited until Amber’s bedroom door had closed. Then looked down at Kiro. “You did that deliberately.” Kiro was still leaning against her. “Yes.” “You restarted it.” “Yes.” “Why?” Kiro smiled. “Because it was funny.” Panam pointed from across the room. “Correct.” Reyes looked at her. “Stay out of this.” “Absolutely not.” Sera laughed. Maeve had recovered enough to sit down. Barely. Reyes looked at her next. “You could have stopped her.” Maeve’s eyebrows rose. “My Kiro?” Kiro smiled. Reyes closed her eyes. “Fuck.” Jessie looked delighted. Ms. B was trying to look less delighted. Failing. Reyes pointed at everyone. “You understand she said _later_.” Panam nodded. “Yes.” “That is not a neutral word from Amber.” Sera smiled. “No.” Kiro kissed Reyes’s cheek again. Reyes slowly turned. “Kiro.” “Yes?” “You’re enjoying this too much.” Kiro considered. Then: “Yes.” Reyes sighed. “Fine.” The room went silent. Reyes froze. Everyone stared. Panam whispered: “Oh, you poor bitch.” --- Amber did not emerge for twenty-three minutes. This made it worse. If she had come back immediately, Reyes could have handled that. Noise. Filthy commentary. Threats involving creative retaliation. Normal Amber. Instead— nothing. Reyes tried reading. Failed. Kiro noticed. “You’re waiting.” “No.” “You haven’t changed the page.” Reyes looked down. Same page. Fuck. Kiro smiled. Reyes leaned closer. “You caused this.” “Yes.” “You fix it.” “No.” “Kiro.” Kiro kissed her. Not cheek. Not quick enough to be innocent. Reyes answered automatically. Then Kiro pulled away. Reyes stared. Kiro smiled. “Made it worse.” “You absolute shit.” “Probably.” Maeve laughed from across the room. --- Amber finally came back wearing different clothes. That should not have mattered. It did. Shorts. Of course. Black fitted top. Bare midriff. Loose jacket hanging open. Nothing unusual by Amber standards. Except she had clearly taken the time to shower. And fix her hair. And change. Reyes stared. Amber saw. No smile. That was worse. She walked into the kitchen. Got water. Drank. Then looked toward Reyes. “Hi.” Reyes narrowed her eyes. “Hi.” Kiro made one tiny choking noise. Amber ignored her. Reyes waited. Nothing. Amber walked over to Maeve. Kissed her. Maeve smiled. Amber said something quietly. Maeve nodded. Still nothing. Reyes watched. Amber knew she was watching. Absolutely knew. And did not give her a fucking millimeter. Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro was openly delighted now. “You created a monster.” Kiro whispered: “She already existed.” --- Amber sat beside Maeve. Crossed one leg over the other. Joined a conversation with Sera about Imani’s pigment. Normal. Completely normal. Reyes lasted four minutes. “Amber.” Amber looked over. “Yes?” “What are you doing?” Amber blinked. “Sitting.” Kiro buried her face against Reyes’s shoulder. Reyes ignored her. “You said later.” Amber smiled. Finally. Tiny. “Yes.” “Well?” Amber looked at the time. “Later.” Panam stood. “Nope.” Sera grabbed her hand. “Where are you going?” “Anywhere else before this becomes a crime scene.” Amber laughed. Reyes pointed. “You are enjoying this.” “Immensely.” There. Normal Amber returned for exactly one second. Then she looked away again. Reyes stared. “Bitch.” Amber smiled at Maeve. “My reputation survives.” --- The afternoon separated. Slowly. Sera and Panam left for Imani. Jessie and Ms. B had plans. Maeve had a call. Kiro— Kiro should have stayed. Instead she stood. Reyes looked up. “Where are you going?” Kiro smiled. “Bookstore.” “You went yesterday.” “Yes.” “You have books.” “Yes.” Reyes narrowed her eyes. “Kiro.” Kiro bent. Kissed her. Soft. Then whispered: “Have fun.” Reyes stared. Kiro straightened. Amber, from the other side of the room, heard. Of course. Her smile was obscene. Reyes looked at Kiro. “You’re abandoning me.” “Yes.” “With her.” “Yes.” Amber raised one finger. “Technically, Reyes is being left in her own residential unit.” Reyes turned. “Shut up.” Amber smiled. Kiro waved. Then left. The door closed. Reyes stared after her. “Traitor.” Amber stood. Reyes heard it. Turned. Amber was walking toward her. Finally. --- She stopped directly in front of Reyes. 145 centimeters of smug. Reyes looked down. Amber looked up. Neither spoke. Then Amber’s gaze travelled slowly over Reyes. No training clothes now. Reyes had changed too. Loose trousers. Tank. Nothing special. Amber clearly disagreed. Reyes folded her arms. “Well?” Amber smiled. “Hi.” Reyes laughed despite herself. “Fuck you.” Amber stepped closer. “That was eventually the idea.” There she was. Reyes smiled. “Twenty-three minutes in your room for that line?” Amber’s eyes widened. “You timed me?” Reyes froze. Fuck. Amber’s smile became catastrophic. “Oh.” “No.” “You timed me.” “I noticed.” “Twenty-three minutes.” “Amber.” “You were waiting.” Reyes pointed at her. “Careful.” Amber stepped closer again. “Or?” Reyes looked down at her. Amber looked delighted. The game changed. Not Kiro anymore. Not the room. Not everyone laughing. Just them. Reyes uncrossed her arms. Amber’s smile softened slightly. “Hi.” Reyes shook her head. Then put both hands around Amber’s waist. Lifted her. Amber made a startled sound— then laughed. “Oh, fuck.” Reyes set her on the back of the couch. Now they were nearly eye level. Amber looked at her. “That was hot.” “I know.” Amber froze. Reyes smiled. “Finally found a safe use.” “Bitch.” --- Reyes kissed her. Amber answered immediately. No teasing delay now. The first kiss was already harder than the kitchen ones had been. Amber’s hands went around Reyes’s neck. Reyes stepped between her knees. Familiar. Very. Not new. Their bodies remembered things Palace had not invented. Amber pulled back just enough to breathe. “Better.” Reyes stared. Amber’s eyes widened. “Oh, fuck off.” Reyes started laughing against her mouth. Amber kissed her again to shut her up. Effective. --- The kiss slowed eventually. Reyes rested her forehead against Amber’s. Amber smiled. “You and Kiro are fucking adorable.” Reyes groaned. “There it is.” “What?” “You waited all afternoon to say that?” “No.” Amber’s smile changed. “I waited all afternoon because it was funny.” “Asshole.” “Yes.” “And now?” Amber looked at her. There. Less joke. “Now I wanted you.” Reyes’s expression softened. No insecurity behind the question. Still good to hear. “Yeah?” Amber nodded. “Yeah.” Reyes kissed her again. Slower. --- Maeve’s call ended. She stepped out of the bedroom. Saw them. Stopped. Amber sitting on the couch back. Reyes between her legs. Both still very much dressed. Both looking toward Maeve now. Amber smiled. “My wife.” Maeve raised an eyebrow. “Yes?” Amber looked at Reyes. Then back. “You busy?” Reyes laughed. Maeve smiled. “No.” Amber’s grin widened. “Want to watch?” Reyes turned toward her. Not alarmed. Interested. Maeve looked at Reyes rather than Amber. Reyes understood. Then smiled. “Yeah.” Maeve nodded. “Yes.” Amber looked unbearably pleased. --- Maeve sat in the chair opposite. Not close. Not joining. Amber watched her settle. Then looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Something in Amber changed. Not shy. Never that. But more aware. Seen. She liked being watched. Reyes knew. Maeve certainly knew. Amber reached for Reyes again. “Come here.” Reyes’s mouth twitched. “You’re giving orders now?” Amber’s eyes brightened. “Problem?” “No.” Reyes kissed her. --- Clothing became inconvenient gradually. Reyes’s tank first. Amber’s jacket somewhere behind the couch. Then her top. No magic disappearance. No rush. Maeve watched. Amber checked her more than once. Not for permission. For the pleasure of knowing she was there. Maeve’s expression remained warm. Interested. Very interested. Reyes noticed. Amber noticed Reyes noticing. “Distracted?” Reyes smiled. “Your wife is watching me undress you.” Amber looked toward Maeve. Then back. “Yeah.” Reyes laughed softly. “You really like that.” Amber’s answer was immediate. “Fuck yes.” Maeve smiled. No need to pretend otherwise. --- Reyes’s hands settled at Amber’s waist. Amber drew her closer. The teasing had mostly burned away now. Not the warmth. Not the familiarity. Just the performance. Reyes kissed along Amber’s jaw. Amber tilted her head. Breath catching. Then looked toward Maeve again. Maeve held her gaze. Amber smiled. “Still there?” Maeve’s eyebrow rose. “Where else would I go?” Amber laughed softly. Reyes kissed her neck. The laugh disappeared into a breath. Better. --- Eventually Amber slid down from the couch. Bare feet on the floor. Reyes close. Amber looked toward the bedroom. Then at Reyes. Clear. No ambiguity. Reyes touched her cheek. “You want me?” Amber smiled. “Very fucking much.” Reyes kissed her once. Then they moved. Maeve followed. --- The bedroom door stayed open behind them. No reason to hide. Amber sat on the edge of the bed. Reyes stood in front of her. Maeve took the chair near the wall. Amber looked at both. For one brief second, she seemed almost overwhelmed by how much she liked the geometry. Reyes laughed softly. “What?” Amber shook her head. “My life is ridiculous.” Maeve smiled. “Yes.” Amber looked at her. “Excellent.” Silence. Amber stared. Then started laughing. “FUCK.” The tension broke beautifully. Reyes bent over her laughing too. Even Maeve lost it. --- When they recovered, the mood returned without effort. Reyes kissed Amber again. Amber pulled her closer. Their lower clothes came away next: Reyes’s loose trousers, Amber’s shorts, then the remaining underwear, each piece visibly moved aside until neither had anything left to negotiate with fabric. Maeve stayed dressed. Watching. Amber noticed the contrast. Liked it. Reyes saw that too. “You like her dressed.” Amber smiled. “Right now?” “Yes.” Amber looked at Maeve. Then back. “Fuck yes.” Maeve crossed one leg over the other. Amber made a tiny helpless noise. Reyes laughed. “Oh, that’s evil.” Maeve smiled. “I said nothing.” --- Reyes eased Amber farther onto the bed. Amber went willingly. No hesitation. She lay back. Looked up at Reyes. Then reached for her. Invitation unmistakable. Reyes came closer. Amber wrapped her legs around her. No mechanics. Just bodies finding a known fit. Breath. Heat. Choice. Reyes paused. Amber looked directly at her. “Yes.” Sex began with Reyes close over her, Amber drawing her in rather than waiting to be handled. --- Maeve watched Amber’s face. That was what Amber wanted. Reyes understood eventually. Not her body. Not the sex itself. Her. The moments where Amber stopped talking. The moments where pleasure took the jokes away. The way her eyes kept finding Maeve across the room. Reyes smiled. Then kissed her. Amber’s attention snapped back. “Jealous?” Reyes whispered. Amber laughed breathlessly. “Of my wife?” “No.” “Of me looking.” A small smile crossed Reyes’s face. “Maybe.” Amber’s eyes lit. “Hot.” Reyes kissed her harder. --- The rhythm built. Not rushed. Not theatrical. Amber’s hands moved across Reyes’s back. Reyes stayed close enough that there was almost no space between them. Maeve remained visible whenever Amber turned her head. Exactly where she wanted her. At one point Amber reached one hand toward her. Not asking her to join. Just reaching. Maeve stood. Came close enough to take it. Amber smiled. Maeve held her hand. Reyes looked at them. Then at Amber. That did something. Amber saw. “Yeah?” Reyes nodded. “Yeah.” No joke. --- Amber’s pleasure sharpened gradually. Reyes knew her well enough not to chase it. Let it build. Amber’s breathing changed. Her grip tightened around Maeve’s hand. Reyes stayed with her. Close. Steady. Amber looked at Maeve. Then Reyes. No words left. Good. When release finally took her, Reyes held her through it. Maeve did too. Amber’s eyes closed. Her body gradually softened. Nobody moved away. Stillness. Breathing. Maeve’s thumb moved once across Amber’s hand. Reyes rested against her. Amber eventually opened her eyes. “Fuck.” Reyes smiled. “Hi.” Amber stared. Then laughed weakly. “You bitch.” --- Reyes did not get up. Amber did not let her. The shift came slowly. Amber kissed her. Long. Then looked at her. “I want you.” Reyes smiled. “You sure?” Amber’s expression was almost offended. “Reyes.” “Had to ask.” “Yes.” --- Maeve returned to the chair. Amber noticed. Smiled. Then turned her attention fully to Reyes. Not repayment. Not symmetry. Amber’s own release had not ended her desire; it had only changed what she wanted to do with it. Reyes lay back. Amber moved over her. Small body. Enormous confidence. Reyes looked up. “Dangerous.” Amber smiled. “You started this.” “Kiro started this.” Amber paused. Then laughed. “Fair.” Silence. Both stared. Maeve groaned from the chair. Amber dropped her forehead against Reyes’s shoulder. “NOT NOW.” Reyes shook with laughter beneath her. --- They recovered. Eventually. Amber kissed Reyes’s shoulder. Then lower. Reyes’s laughter faded. Amber looked up once. Clear question. Reyes answered with a nod and a quiet: “Yes.” Amber went down on her. Reyes’s response made the change unmistakable: the first sharp breath, the hand finding Amber and then deliberately easing rather than directing, the way her attention kept slipping toward Maeve and returning to Amber. Maeve watched Reyes now. That changed the geometry again. Reyes felt it. Amber knew she felt it. Exactly enough. Pleasure built differently. Slower. Then not slow at all. Reyes’s hand found Amber’s. Amber took it. Held on. Maeve stayed visible. Present. Watching. Reyes stopped trying to hide how much that added. No reason. --- When Reyes climaxed, Amber stayed with her. No immediate joke. No movement away. Reyes’s breathing slowly settled. Amber remained close against her. Maeve came to the bedside. Touched Reyes’s shoulder. Reyes opened her eyes. Looked at Maeve. Then Amber. “Okay.” Silence. Amber’s eyes widened. Reyes realized. Maeve realized. Reyes closed her eyes. “Fuck my life.” Amber collapsed against her laughing. Maeve sat on the edge of the bed. Even Reyes eventually joined them. --- Much later, clothes began returning. Slowly. Reyes found her tank under the couch. Amber’s jacket had somehow reached the floor behind it. Maeve refused responsibility. Amber accused her anyway. Normal. By the time Kiro returned, the three of them were back in the common room. Dressed. Calm. Almost respectable. Kiro entered carrying another book. Stopped. Looked at Reyes. Then Amber. Then Maeve. Three faces looked back. Kiro slowly smiled. “Oh.” Reyes pointed. “Not one fucking word.” Kiro put the book down. Walked over. Kissed Reyes. Then Amber. Then Maeve. And sat beside Reyes. “Have fun?” Reyes stared. Amber started shaking with silent laughter. Maeve covered her mouth. Kiro blinked. Then: “Oh, fuck.” Reyes dropped her head back. “I hate all of you.” Kiro curled against her. “No, you don’t.” Reyes looked at her. Smiled. “No.” Amber immediately pointed. “SAFE.” The room erupted again. And whatever danger Reyes had been expecting from Amber’s _later_— she had survived it. Barely. The more dangerous realization was that she would absolutely provoke her again. --- ## Chapter Fifty-Three — Homeward Departure morning arrived offensively early. Amber objected on principle. Not to leaving. Not yet. To the existence of 07:10. She stood in the common room wearing one boot, one sock, a long loose shirt and the expression of a woman personally betrayed by orbital scheduling. Maeve walked past carrying two packed cases. Amber stared. “My wife.” Maeve kept walking. “Yes?” “Time is hostile.” “Yes.” Amber waited. Maeve stopped. Turned. Amber pointed accusingly. “You agreed too fast.” Maeve smiled. “It’s 07:10.” “Exactly.” “That is how time works.” “Hostile propaganda.” --- Reyes came out of her room fully dressed. Completely awake. Amber looked at her. Then at the clock. Then back. “No.” Reyes smiled. “Morning.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “You’re enjoying this.” “Little bit.” Kiro appeared behind her. Hair still slightly disordered. Barefoot. Carrying coffee. Amber brightened. “See? Human.” Kiro took a drink. Reyes reached over. Stole it. Kiro stared. Reyes drank. Then handed it back. Amber pointed. “That.” Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes smiled. Kiro kissed her cheek. Amber’s expression became deeply suspicious. “Still doing that.” Kiro looked at her. “Yes.” Amber nodded slowly. “Interesting.” Reyes sighed. “Do not start another round before departure.” Amber stared. “What counts as a round?” Reyes closed her eyes. “Whatever you are currently planning.” “I’m not planning anything.” “That is worse.” Maeve walked past again. “Much.” Kiro started laughing. --- Sera and Panam arrived from their room carrying far less luggage than Amber believed possible. Amber looked at Panam’s single case. “That’s it?” “Yes.” “For two weeks?” “Yes.” Amber looked at her own luggage. Then Maeve’s. Then the extra bag containing body-paint materials Imani had insisted they take. Then another bag. Then the plants. Panam looked too. “You moved in.” Amber gasped. “My children needed transport.” Panam stared at the two tiny plants. “They’re weeds.” Amber’s face went cold. Sera physically turned Panam away. “Walk.” “I said plants.” “You said weeds.” “Same category.” Amber pointed after her. “HOSTILE.” --- Jessie and Ms. B emerged last. Jessie looked offensively fresh. Ms. B had already checked departure confirmation, luggage transfer and one inbound O’Sullivan SAS summary before Maeve caught her. Maeve looked at the pane. Then at Ms. B. “No.” Ms. B blinked. “What?” “Work.” “It’s one message.” “You’re leaving Palace.” “Yes.” “Then leave Palace.” Ms. B looked at Jessie. Jessie smiled brightly. “I support management.” Ms. B stared. “You are not management.” “Emotionally I am.” Amber, from across the room: “Promote her.” Maeve: “No.” Jessie clutched her chest. “Oppression.” --- Ms. B shut the pane. Maeve nodded. There. Administrative Operations could survive a transit window without intervention. Probably. Ms. B looked uncomfortable for almost three seconds. Then Jessie took her hand. Problem solved. --- Their last Palace breakfast was deliberately ordinary. No ceremonial table. No private dining room. No attempt to turn departure into an event. Food. Coffee. People half awake. Amber stealing from everyone. Marisol arrived midway through it. Amber saw her first. Stopped. Then smiled. No surprise. They had arranged this. Still. Marisol came over. Amber stood. They kissed. Not long. Not performative. Then Amber pulled out the chair beside her. “Eat.” Marisol sat. Panam pushed a plate toward her. “Before she steals everything.” Amber looked offended. “I redistribute.” Marisol smiled. “I know.” That landed softer than the joke deserved. Amber looked at her. Then stole part of her breakfast anyway. Good. Normal. --- Marisol left for Tycho tomorrow. Amber left Palace today. That asymmetry helped. No shared departure gate. No dramatic simultaneous goodbye. Just one leaving first. The other later. Marisol looked around the table. “So this is it.” Amber looked at her. “For Palace.” “Yes.” “Not existence.” “No.” --- Maeve spoke with Marisol privately for several minutes after breakfast. Amber did not follow. Also growth. She sat with Reyes instead. Watched them from across the room. Reyes noticed. “Nervous?” Amber shook her head. “No.” “Curious?” “Yes.” “Of course.” Amber looked at her. “Maeve likes her.” “Yes.” “Marisol likes Maeve.” “Yes.” Amber smiled. “That makes me happy.” Reyes nodded. “I know.” Amber looked at her. Then smiled crookedly. “You know too much.” “Occupational hazard.” Amber leaned against her shoulder. Reyes allowed it. Kiro saw. Came over. Sat on Reyes’s other side. Amber looked across Reyes at her. Kiro smiled. Amber narrowed her eyes. “Do not.” Kiro leaned against Reyes too. Reyes sat trapped between them. She looked straight ahead. “This is my life now.” Amber smiled. “Could be worse.” Kiro nodded. “Yes.” Reyes stared. Both started laughing before the cursed word could even properly land. --- Maeve returned. Marisol with her. No visible tension. No mysterious secret. Amber stood. Marisol looked at her. “I should go.” The actual moment. Amber nodded. “Yes.” Nobody crowded them. Amber walked Marisol to the corridor. Maeve stayed back. The door closed behind them. --- For a moment they simply stood there. Palace moving around them. People passing. Transit carts. Soft station announcements. Ordinary life refusing to provide cinematic silence. Amber liked that. Marisol touched the front of Amber’s jacket. “You kept this one.” Amber looked down. Leisure jacket. Black. Loose. “Yes.” “I like it.” Amber smiled. “You like what’s under it.” “That too.” Better than tragedy. --- Amber looked at her. “Tycho.” “Tycho.” “Six months probably.” “Yes.” “No promises.” Marisol nodded. “No promises.” Amber smiled. “Message me anyway.” Marisol smiled back. “Yes.” “When you want.” “Yes.” “If you come back through Palace—” “I’ll message.” Amber nodded. “And if I’m here—” Marisol laughed softly. “You’ll probably be busy corrupting somebody.” Amber’s grin appeared. “Strong possibility.” Marisol leaned closer. “Then I’ll wait five minutes.” Amber laughed. --- The laugh faded naturally. Amber touched her cheek. Marisol covered the hand with hers. No countdown. No big declaration. No attempt to manufacture permanence because the connection had mattered. That was not the same thing. Amber understood. Marisol did too. They kissed. Slow. Warm. Long enough. When they separated, neither moved immediately. Shared stillness had uses outside sex too. Amber rested her forehead against Marisol’s. “Go build your relay.” Marisol smiled. “Go home.” Amber inhaled. Then smiled back. “Yes.” Marisol stepped away first. Amber watched her walk down the corridor. Marisol looked back once. Amber raised one hand. Marisol did too. Then turned a corner. Gone. For now. Amber stood there another few seconds. Not broken. Not untouched either. Exactly right. Then she opened the door and went back inside. --- Maeve was waiting near the entrance. Amber walked straight into her. Arms around her waist. Maeve held her. No question. Amber breathed. Then: “I’m okay.” Maeve smiled against her hair. “I know.” Amber tightened the hug. “Still sad.” “I know.” “Still happy.” “I know.” Amber pulled back. “You’re irritating.” Maeve kissed her forehead. “Yes.” Amber froze. Maeve froze. Amber’s mouth twitched. Then both started laughing quietly. Enough. --- Departure logistics consumed the next hour. Bags vanished into Palace transfer systems. The plants received disproportionate protection. Amber personally verified the container twice. Panam mocked her. Amber threatened to leave Panam in orbit. Sera sided with Amber solely because it annoyed Panam. Jessie discovered that Ms. B had hidden one last work pane. Confiscated it. Ms. B objected. Jessie kissed her. Objection withdrawn. Reyes received final specialist transfer confirmation. Kiro received another message from Leona. Amber saw the expression. “Oh?” Kiro looked up. “No.” Amber smiled. “What did she say?” “No.” “Is it filthy?” “No.” “Technical?” Kiro smiled. “Mostly.” Amber stared. “Mostly.” Kiro walked away. Amber looked at Reyes. Reyes smiled. “I don’t know either.” Amber narrowed her eyes. “Liar.” “Actually true.” Amber sighed. “Terrible organization.” --- Leona came to the departure level anyway. Kiro noticed her across the concourse. Stopped. Maeve saw. So did Reyes. Amber followed their gaze. Then smiled. Leona walked over. No drama. No suitcase. Just herself. Kiro stepped forward. “Hi.” Leona smiled. “Hi.” Amber looked at Maeve. Maeve’s expression was warm. No ownership. Exactly as intended. Leona looked toward the group. Then Amber. “I assume you’re Amber.” Amber brightened. “I have a reputation.” Leona considered. “Yes.” Kiro closed her eyes. Reyes looked away. Amber grinned. “What did she tell you?” Leona looked at Kiro. Kiro stared back. Then Leona smiled. “Enough.” Amber gasped. “Betrayal.” --- Leona greeted Maeve next. Simple. Then Reyes. Then the others. No awkward explanation about what she was to whom. She was Leona. That was enough. Kiro stood close to her. Not glued. Not hiding either. Eventually boarding status changed. Ten minutes. Leona looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. No Maeve glance this time. She stepped closer. Kissed Leona. Public. Easy. Leona answered. When they separated: “Message me.” Kiro smiled. “I will.” Leona looked at Maeve. “Maybe next time.” Maeve’s smile changed slightly. “Maybe.” Kiro noticed. So did Amber. Amber’s eyes widened. Maeve looked at her. “No.” Amber held both hands over her mouth. Heroic. Leona laughed. “I understand her now.” Kiro nodded. “Unfortunately.” --- Talia arrived with eight minutes remaining. Reyes stared. “You came.” Talia raised an eyebrow. “You’re leaving.” “Yes.” “Apparently I understand departure.” Reyes laughed. They hugged. Not performative. Talia stepped back. “You adapted fast.” Reyes smiled. “Until you changed gravity.” “That was the point.” “I know.” Talia looked at her. “Next time, less confidence.” Reyes stared. Amber whispered to Kiro: “She likes her.” Kiro whispered back: “Very.” Reyes heard both. “Fuck off.” Talia looked at Amber and Kiro. Then at Reyes. “Your friends?” Reyes sighed. “Unfortunately.” Amber smiled brightly. “Talia, we’ve met.” “I know.” “Then you know I’m delightful.” Talia looked at Reyes. “Six months?” Reyes laughed so hard Amber looked offended. --- Imani did not come. Instead Sera received a package alert. She opened it. Three sealed pigment cartridges. One note. > Try not to waste these on anything boring. Panam read over her shoulder. “Challenge accepted.” Sera looked at her. Panam froze. “Wait.” Amber began laughing. Panam pointed at everyone. “Shut up.” --- Boarding opened. Actually leaving. The group compressed automatically. Bags mostly gone. Nothing left to organize. Amber looked once down the concourse. Marisol not there. Good. That goodbye had already happened. No need to repeat it. Kiro kissed Leona once more. Reyes hugged Talia. Sera sent Imani a message. Jessie checked Ms. B for hidden work panes. Found none. Maeve stood beside Amber. Amber reached for her hand. Maeve took it. “Ready?” Amber looked toward the boarding gate. Then back at Palace. Two weeks. Zero-g. Body paint. Marisol. Reyes. Kiro. Leona. Talia. Imani. Jessie and Ms. B discovering entirely new categories of bad ideas. Maeve choosing. Amber being chosen. Sex. Love. Work. Music. Food theft. Two fucking plants. She smiled. “Yes.” This time nobody laughed at the word. --- Transit away from Crystal Palace was quieter than transit toward it had been. Partly fatigue. Mostly satisfaction. Amber took the window seat. Maeve beside her. Reyes and Kiro across. Sera and Panam farther down. Jessie and Ms. B behind them. Amber looked out as Palace slowly receded. No dramatic ache. Just distance increasing. Maeve touched her hand. Amber looked over. “My wife.” “Yes?” “Come here.” Maeve leaned closer. Amber kissed her. Not long. Not sexual. Home-center. There. When they separated, Amber rested against her shoulder. Across the aisle, Kiro was reading Leona’s message again. Reyes noticed. “Technical?” Kiro smiled. “Mostly.” Reyes laughed. Amber opened one eye. “Still suspicious.” Kiro ignored her. --- Hours later, when Night City finally existed beneath them again in dirty light and familiar geometry, Amber became visibly more awake. Maeve noticed. “Home.” Amber looked down. “Yes.” Not Palace. Not luxury. Not cleaner air. Not controlled gravity. Night City. Home. --- The safehouse smelled exactly the same. Amber entered first. Stopped. Looked around. Then spread both arms. “LOOK WHO SURVIVED ORBIT.” Panam walked past. “Unfortunately.” Amber turned. “Hostile.” Sera laughed. Reyes dropped one bag. Kiro immediately checked local network state. Ms. B almost opened a work pane. Jessie slapped her hand. Maeve carried in the plant container. Amber gasped. “BABIES.” Panam groaned. --- The plants went back into their place. Both alive. Amber crouched in front of them. Maeve stood behind her. “Happy?” Amber looked up. “Very.” Maeve smiled. Amber stood. Then looked around at everyone. All of them home. Not all in one relationship. Not all on one payroll. Not all attached by the same kind of love. None of that mattered. They were here. Reyes had Kiro tucked close while pretending she did not. Kiro was pretending not to enjoy the pretending. Jessie and Ms. B were arguing about whether checking one email counted as working. Sera was already unpacking Imani’s pigment. Panam was telling her absolutely not on the couch. Maeve stood beside Amber. Amber smiled. Then louder: “Who wants food?” Panam looked over. “Real food?” Amber pointed. “Night City food.” “That’s not an answer.” “It is emotionally.” Reyes laughed. Kiro shut down her pane. Jessie raised a hand. Ms. B did too. Sera nodded. Maeve looked at Amber. “Order enough.” Amber’s eyes narrowed. “Are you implying something?” “Yes.” “About me?” “Yes.” “Food theft?” “Yes.” Amber stared. Then smiled. “My wife knows me.” Maeve kissed her. “I do.” --- Later, much later, after food and noise and the first genuinely ugly Night City view through familiar glass, Amber and Maeve finally ended up alone. Bedroom. Door closed. No urgency. Amber sat on the edge of the bed. Maeve stood in front of her. Amber looked up. The Palace had given her experiences. A ridiculous number of them. Bodies. People. Pleasure. Curiosity. Marisol. Reyes. Watching. Being watched. Freedom. Maeve had been there through all of it without ever becoming background. More than Amber could phrase cleanly. So she did not try. She reached for Maeve. Maeve came closer. Amber wrapped her arms around her waist. Pressed her face against her stomach. Maeve touched her hair. Quiet. Amber eventually looked up. “Missed you.” Maeve’s eyebrows rose. “You spent almost every day with me.” “Not what I meant.” Maeve understood. She had been beside Amber through almost all of Palace, but this was not about physical absence. It was about coming back to the part of them that needed no audience, novelty, cover performance, or borrowed possibility. “Yes.” Amber smiled. “Come to bed.” Maeve touched her cheek. “Yes.” No joke. Not now. --- They undressed slowly. Not Palace-slow. Home-slow. Familiar clothes. Familiar room. Amber’s shorts came away with the rest of her outer clothes. Maeve’s followed. Then underwear, unhurried and visible, until there was nothing between them but skin. No observer. No novelty. No game. Amber lay back and reached for Maeve. Maeve came to her, settled close between her legs and kissed her. Amber held her there. The difference was immediate. Sex at Palace had been freedom. This was return. Neither diminished the other. Amber looked into Maeve’s eyes. “Love you.” Maeve smiled. “Love you too.” Sex began without either of them needing to invent a new way into it. No performance. Bodies already knowing. That familiarity did not make the lovemaking automatic. It made attention finer. Maeve knew the difference between Amber tightening because she wanted more and because she wanted her closer. Amber knew the small change in Maeve’s breathing that meant her calm was beginning to fray. They answered those shifts almost before either had to ask. Pleasure built through recognition rather than surprise. Amber’s hands stayed at Maeve’s back. Maeve remained close enough that every breath was shared. When the rhythm changed, it changed because both changed it. No one watching. No one needed to. Amber climaxed first, holding Maeve close rather than turning inward from her. Maeve stayed with her through the release and the first unsteady breaths afterward. Amber did not let the contact end there; she kept moving with Maeve, slower now, until Maeve’s control finally broke too and Amber held her through her own climax. Then stillness. Long. Skin cooling. Breathing settling. Amber’s eyes closed. Maeve’s forehead against hers. No reason to separate yet. --- Eventually Amber whispered: “Next time?” Maeve laughed softly. “Already?” Amber opened one eye. “I said next time. Not tomorrow.” “Growth.” Amber smiled. “Careful.” Maeve kissed her. Amber curled closer. Outside the bedroom, Night City continued being Night City. Inside, the Palace trip was over. Not sealed away. Not resolved into lessons. Simply added to them. Marisol would go to Tycho. Leona would message Kiro. Talia would probably make Reyes suffer in low gravity again. Imani’s pigment was already in Sera’s hands, which meant Panam was doomed. Ms. B had a job she would actually have to be prevented from doing sometimes. Jessie would consider that a sacred duty. And Amber— Amber had come home with two living plants. Maeve considered that the most improbable development of all. She smiled into Amber’s hair. Amber, already half asleep, murmured: “What?” “Nothing.” Amber did not open her eyes. “Liar.” Maeve kissed her forehead. Amber smiled. Then settled fully against her. Home. For now. --- ## Epilogue — After Orbit Three days later, Night City had already reclaimed them. The Palace covers were gone with the trip. ChromeLock had been released and washed out; Ace’s short hair was black again and her violet eyes uncovered. Mai was silver-haired again. Jessie had become Brenda, Ms. B had become Iris, and Sera had folded back into Shammy. Panam, having never needed a second visual identity in the first place, simply looked like Panam. Not completely. Never completely. But enough. Enough that the Palace felt distant in the specific way orbital places always did after landing. Too clean. Too quiet. Too carefully engineered. Ace sat sideways on the safehouse couch with one bare foot tucked beneath her and the other hanging off the edge. One of the two plants sat on the table in front of her. Mai had moved it there deliberately. Ace had objected. Then spent twenty minutes reading its care instructions again. Kiro had witnessed this. Unfortunately. “You know it’s a plant.” Ace looked up. Kiro sat in the chair opposite, legs crossed, pane balanced against one knee. “Yes.” “It cannot love you back.” Ace stared. Mai walked through the room carrying coffee. Without stopping: “Do not antagonize her children.” Kiro froze. Ace slowly turned toward Mai. Mai kept walking. Ace’s mouth opened. Then closed. Then opened again. “You.” Mai disappeared into the kitchen. Kiro started laughing. Ace pointed after her. “She’s getting worse.” Reyes, from the other end of the couch: “No. You’re getting easier.” Ace turned. Reyes smiled. Ace narrowed her eyes. Then noticed Kiro leaning slightly toward Reyes. Barely. Enough. Ace smiled. Reyes saw. “No.” Ace held up both hands. “I said nothing.” “You made face.” Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes looked at Kiro. Both started laughing. Ace sighed. “Disgusting.” --- Iris had been officially doing Administrative Operations for less than a week. She had already become dangerous. Not because she worked too much. Brenda had solved that. Violently. Metaphorically. Mostly. Iris sat at the table with a pane open. Brenda sat beside her. Watching. Iris scrolled. Brenda watched the scroll. Iris stopped. Brenda raised one eyebrow. Iris sighed. “Ten more minutes.” “Five.” “Eight.” “Six.” Iris looked at her. Brenda smiled. “Management.” “You’re not management.” “I manage you.” Ace looked over from the couch. “Ooooh.” Iris closed her eyes. Brenda grinned. Mai returned with coffee. “Do not encourage her.” Ace looked offended. “I would never.” Everyone in the room looked at her. Ace stared back. Then: “Fuck all of you.” --- Sera was in the workshop. Panam was suffering. This had apparently become routine. Imani’s pigment had survived transit perfectly. Which meant Sera had tested it again. Which meant Panam had somehow ended up involved again. Ace had not asked how. She had learned restraint. A little. Sera emerged carrying a sample panel. Panam followed. There was a faint reactive shimmer across one of her forearms. Ace looked. Smiled. Panam pointed. “No.” Ace raised both hands. “Beautiful.” Panam stared. Ace froze. Everyone froze. Panam slowly closed her eyes. Sera started laughing. Ace collapsed sideways into Reyes. “I DIDN’T MEAN IT LIKE THAT.” Reyes patted her shoulder. “Of course.” Ace sat back up. “Fucking Palace.” --- Kiro’s pane chimed. Tiny sound. A smile appeared before Kiro could hide it. Ace saw. So did Reyes. Neither said anything. For almost four seconds. Then Ace leaned forward. “Leona?” Kiro looked up. Ace smiled. Kiro sighed. “Yes.” Ace brightened. Reyes looked at Kiro. “Technical?” Kiro smiled. “Partly.” Ace pointed. “There it is again.” Kiro ignored her and read. Then smiled a little more. Not dramatic. Not embarrassed. Just pleased. Reyes saw. Her expression softened. Ace saw that too. And for once did not poke. Mostly because Mai sat down beside her and handed her coffee. Ace took it. Looked at her. “Mine?” Mai nodded. Ace took a drink. Then immediately stole Mai’s instead. Mai stared. Ace smiled. “Yours tastes better.” Kiro, without looking up: “Marisol taught her nothing.” Ace went still. Not hurt. Just caught. Mai looked at her. Ace smiled faintly. “No.” Then took another drink. “She taught me to steal earlier.” Kiro smiled. Good. --- Marisol had messaged that morning. Short. Transit complete. Tycho transfer beginning. Nothing dramatic. No promise. A photo of ugly relay infrastructure. Ace had stared at it for a while. Then sent back: > Looks like shit. You’ll love it. Marisol had replied: > Accurate. Ace had laughed so hard Mai had come to see why. Then both had stared at the cursed word. Ace had finally typed: > fuck you. Marisol: > six months probably <3 There. Enough. --- Reyes’s pane chimed next. She checked. Talia. Ace looked. Reyes looked at Ace. Ace smiled. Reyes sighed. “She wants another low-g block when we return.” Ace grinned. “You’re going back.” “Yes.” “With Kiro?” Reyes looked at Kiro. Kiro smiled. “Maybe.” Ace leaned back. “Dangerous.” Reyes raised an eyebrow. “For who?” Ace looked between them. Then smiled. “Me, apparently.” Kiro laughed. --- The safehouse settled around them. Not quiet. Never quiet. But familiar. Brenda arguing with Iris about work limits. Sera explaining something technical enough that Panam pretended not to understand while clearly understanding. Kiro reading Leona’s message again. Reyes pretending not to notice. Mai beside Ace. No covers. No Amber. No Maeve. No Jessie. No Ms. B. No Sera-as-cover distinction needed here either. Just them. Ace looked around. Then down at herself. Black shorts. Loose jacket. Triad collar. Home. She smiled. Mai noticed. “What?” Ace shook her head. “Nothing.” Mai smiled. Ace looked at her. Then laughed softly. “You know that never works.” “Yes.” Ace leaned against her. Mai let her. --- Later, when the others had scattered into their own corners of the safehouse, Ace stood by the window. Night City outside. Ugly. Bright. Loud even through glass. Mai came up behind her. Wrapped both arms around her waist. Ace relaxed immediately. No need to turn. She rested her hands over Mai’s. “Tycho.” Mai nodded against her hair. “Kiro and Leona.” “Yes.” “Reyes and Talia.” “Yes.” “Iris working too much.” “Yes.” “Brenda enjoying stopping her.” Mai laughed softly. “Very much.” Ace smiled. “Panam doomed by pigment.” “Apparently.” Ace thought. Then: “We had a good trip.” Mai was quiet for half a second. Then: “Yes.” Ace froze. Mai froze. Ace slowly turned in her arms. They stared at each other. Then both started laughing. Not loudly. Just enough. Ace leaned forward until her forehead rested against Mai’s. “Still cursed.” “Apparently.” Ace smiled. Then kissed her. Small. Familiar. No Palace. No audience. No cover. Mai kissed her back. When they separated, Ace stayed close. “Next Palace trip.” Mai sighed. Ace grinned. “I didn’t say when.” “That is not reassuring.” Ace’s smile widened. “Growth.” Mai closed her eyes. Ace laughed. Then Mai kissed her again before she could make it worse. Outside, Night City kept moving. Inside, nothing needed concluding. Ace and Mai were home. And sooner or later— something would happen. <3