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<p>“Please, just True Name is fine, but welcome all the same. Shall we?”</p>
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<p>“Please, just True Name is fine, but welcome all the same. Shall we?”</p>
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<p><em>“Please.”</em> Dear sounded its usual self, Codrin was pleased to note. No sourness or anger colored its tone. While the dark was pleasant, ey wished for at least light enough to see Dear’s expression. As far as ey knew, the fox hadn’t seen the skunk in two decades, not since their Death Day party. Certainly not since the <em>History</em> had come out.</p>
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<p><em>“Please.”</em> Dear sounded its usual self, Codrin was pleased to note. No sourness or anger colored its tone. While the dark was pleasant, ey wished for at least light enough to see Dear’s expression. As far as ey knew, the fox hadn’t seen the skunk in two decades, not since their Death Day party. Certainly not since the <em>History</em> had come out.</p>
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<p>At the table, introductions were made. Tycho remained as nervous as he had before, but ey was happy to see that he had at least gotten some sleep at some point, and none of the exhaustion that had gnawed at him last they spoke was evident.</p>
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<p>At the table, introductions were made. Tycho remained as nervous as he had before, but ey was happy to see that he had at least gotten some sleep at some point, and none of the exhaustion that had gnawed at him last they spoke was evident.</p>
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<p>Why Ask Questions looked much as the Odists that resembled Michelle did, though far happier and more ebullient than any Codrin had met. She was, as Codrin#Pollux had described her two decades previous, perilously friendly, casual, and a shithead. Ey liked her immensely. “Delighted to meet you all. Codrin, nice to meet you face to face on this LV. And Dear, how long has it been?”</p>
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<p>Why Ask Questions looked much as the Odists that resembled Michelle did, though far happier and more ebullient than any Codrin had met. She was, as Codrin#Pollux had described her two decades previous, perilously friendly, comfortably casual, and a shithead. Ey liked her immensely. “Delighted to meet you all. Codrin, nice to meet you face to face on this LV. And Dear, how long has it been?”</p>
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<p>The fox grinned, nodded its head to her. <em>“I believe nigh on sixty years. You are looking well.”</em></p>
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<p>The fox grinned, nodded its head to her. <em>“I believe nigh on sixty years. You are looking well.”</em></p>
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<p>“As are you! Your other partner did not wish to join us?”</p>
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<p>“As are you! Your other partner did not wish to join us?”</p>
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<p>In the light of the candle, Codrin watched as the fox’s grin faltered, and ey suspected that it was taking it a good amount of energy to maintain a pleasant façade for dinner. <em>“They were not able to make it, no, but they send their best.”</em></p>
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<p>In the light of the candle, Codrin watched as the fox’s grin faltered, and ey suspected that it was taking it a good amount of energy to maintain a pleasant façade for dinner. <em>“They were not able to make it, no, but they send their best.”</em></p>
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<p>They had not. There had even been a discussion that veered perilously close to an argument when Dear stated that it would be joining Codrin.</p>
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<p>They had not. The discussion veered perilously close to an argument when Dear stated that it would be joining Codrin.</p>
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<p>“Dear, you’ve had nothing positive to say about True Name basically ever. Why the hell are you going to this?” they had asked toward the end.</p>
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<p>“Dear, you’ve had nothing positive to say about True Name basically ever. Why the hell are you going to this?” they had asked toward the end.</p>
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<p><em>“Because I want to learn more if I can.”</em> It had paused, then added quietly, <em>“And because Codrin is going and I want to be by eir side, if only as a fork.”</em></p>
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<p><em>“Because I want to learn more if I can.”</em> It had paused, then added quietly, <em>“And because Codrin is going and I want to be by eir side, if only as a fork.”</em></p>
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<p>Their partner had wilted and nodded. “That, at least I can understand. I love you both, is all, and I’m not comfortable with either True Name or her up-tree instance. I want you to be careful, but I suppose you’re right. Having the two of you there makes me feel a little better than it being just Codrin.”</p>
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<p>Their partner had wilted and nodded. “That, at least I can understand. I love you both, is all, and I’m not comfortable with either True Name or her up-tree instance. I want you to be careful, but I suppose you’re right. Having the two of you there makes me feel a little better than it being just Codrin.”</p>
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<p>True Name nodded. “I understand. I harbor my own fears. We have to rely on the fact that all of the tests of the DMZ passed and that there really is no way for the border to be crossed. May Then My Name tested it quite thoroughly.”</p>
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<p>True Name nodded. “I understand. I harbor my own fears. We have to rely on the fact that all of the tests of the DMZ passed and that there really is no way for the border to be crossed. May Then My Name tested it quite thoroughly.”</p>
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<p>“Yeah, if you say so. From what Tycho#Artemis sent me, it sounds like it’ll be a trade, too.”</p>
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<p>“Yeah, if you say so. From what Tycho#Artemis sent me, it sounds like it’ll be a trade, too.”</p>
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<p>“A trade,” Sarah said thoughtfully. “Why, do you think?”</p>
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<p>“A trade,” Sarah said thoughtfully. “Why, do you think?”</p>
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<p>Why Ask Questions laughed. “No clue. My personal guess is that it is a hedge, that they are wanting to meet with on both spaces so that we can see what their lives are like while they see what ours are like, but also it gives them a chance ensure that we still meet on territory that they control, just in case we decide to murder all of them when they arrive.”</p>
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<p>Why Ask Questions laughed. “No clue. My personal guess is that it is a hedge, that they are wanting to meet on both vehicles so that we can see what their lives are like while they see what ours are like, but also it gives them a chance ensure that we still meet on territory that they control, just in case we decide to murder all of them when they arrive.”</p>
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<p>“Is that something we’re worried about, too?” Tycho asked.</p>
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<p>“Is that something we’re worried about, too?” Tycho asked.</p>
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<p>“It was Tycho#Artemis that thought about it in the first place,” True Name said.</p>
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<p>“It was Tycho#Artemis that brought it up the first place,” True Name said.</p>
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<p>He blinked, then shook his head. “I have only heard from him via sensorium message. He hasn’t merged back down yet.”</p>
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<p>He blinked, then shook his head. “I’ve only heard from him via sensorium message. He hasn’t merged back down yet.”</p>
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<p><em>“I will never understand taskers,”</em> Dear said, giggling. <em>“With apologies to present company, of course.”</em></p>
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<p><em>“I will never understand taskers,”</em> Dear said, giggling. <em>“With apologies to present company, of course.”</em></p>
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<p>Tycho looked nonplussed.</p>
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<p>Tycho looked nonplussed.</p>
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<p>Codrin grinned. “Dear’s an instance artist. Its entire existence is built around forking. If it did not fork, I’m sure it’d explode.”</p>
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<p>Codrin grinned. “Dear’s an instance artist. Its entire existence is built around forking. If it did not fork, I’m sure it’d explode.”</p>
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<p>Ey fiddled with eir wine glass in eir free hand as ey thought. “I think because I don’t have a frame of reference for what to expect. Launch was exciting and unprecedented, but I also knew that life would continue on in many of the same ways that it had before afterwards. Winding up in a relationship was new and unprecedented, but I can still comprehend my partners as people.”</p>
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<p>Ey fiddled with eir wine glass in eir free hand as ey thought. “I think because I don’t have a frame of reference for what to expect. Launch was exciting and unprecedented, but I also knew that life would continue on in many of the same ways that it had before afterwards. Winding up in a relationship was new and unprecedented, but I can still comprehend my partners as people.”</p>
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<p><em>“Fox people.”</em></p>
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<p><em>“Fox people.”</em></p>
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<p>Ey grinned. “That too, yeah.”</p>
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<p>Ey grinned. “That too, yeah.”</p>
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<p>True Name raised her glass. “I will drink to that, Mx. Bălan. I will admit to feeling some of the same trepidation around not having a frame of reference. We are limited to a few letters and a language primer. I do not know what to expect, and that is, as I am sure you can imagine, a somewhat frightening idea for someone such as me.”</p>
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<p>True Name raised her glass. “I will drink to that, Mx. Bălan. I will admit to feeling some of the same trepidation around not having a frame of reference. We are limited to a few letters and a language primer as yet. I do not know what to expect, and that is, as I am sure you can imagine, a somewhat frightening idea for someone such as me.”</p>
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<p>Ey raised eir glass and smiled warily, returning the subtle squeeze that Dear gave eir hand. Ey was thankful for the dim light of the candle, which let em make out the features of the two Odists sitting across from em, but not a whole lot more; ey could only hope that the same was true for them.</p>
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<p>Ey raised eir glass and smiled warily, returning the subtle squeeze that Dear gave eir hand. Ey was thankful for the dim light of the candle, which let em make out the features of the two Odists sitting across from em, but not a whole lot more; ey could only hope that the same was true for them.</p>
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<p>“And you, Dear?” Why Ask Questions asked. “I know that you are not joining us, but I am interested in your thoughts all the same.”</p>
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<p>“And you, Dear?” Why Ask Questions asked. “I know that you are not joining us, but I am interested in your thoughts all the same.”</p>
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<p>The fox retrieved its paw from Codrin’s hand, choosing instead to wave it up at the sky. <em>“This is the first time that I have been to this sim. It is yours, is it not, Dr. Brahe?”</em></p>
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<p>The fox retrieved its paw from Codrin’s hand, choosing instead to wave it up at the sky. <em>“This is the first time that I have been to this sim. It is yours, is it not, Dr. Brahe?”</em></p>
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<p>“<em>We</em> ever saw,” True Name added, laughing. “We got the moon, a few planets, and the brighter constellations.”</p>
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<p>“<em>We</em> ever saw,” True Name added, laughing. “We got the moon, a few planets, and the brighter constellations.”</p>
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<p><em>“Yes,”</em> Dear said with a hint of a bow. <em>“This, however, is incredible. We are seeing the stars as if there were a glass dome over our heads. They do not twinkle. The constellations are not quite as I remember them. They feel older, somehow. We are sitting beneath the universe, it feels, and above us lies eternity.</em></p>
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<p><em>“Yes,”</em> Dear said with a hint of a bow. <em>“This, however, is incredible. We are seeing the stars as if there were a glass dome over our heads. They do not twinkle. The constellations are not quite as I remember them. They feel older, somehow. We are sitting beneath the universe, it feels, and above us lies eternity.</em></p>
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<p><em>“You must forgive me for monologuing, it is an old habit, but when I think about what is happening, when I hear about Artemisians and emissaries, I feel every minute of that eternity. I feel every molecule of that universe. You ask how I feel, and I would say that I feel small. Insignificant, even. We have been on our journey for twenty years and have made it only seven-and-change light-days from Earth. How much of that eternity must they have been traveling?”</em></p>
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<p><em>“You must forgive me for monologuing, it is an old habit, but when I think about what is happening, when I hear about Artemisians and emissaries, I feel every minute of that eternity. I feel every molecule of that universe. You ask how I feel, and I would say that I feel small. Insignificant, even. We have been on our journey for twenty years and have made it only seven-and-change light-days from Earth. How much of that eternity must they have been traveling?”</em></p>
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<p>A thoughtful silence followed the fox’s short speech. It was Sarah who finally interrupted it, lifting her glass much as True Name had. “To eternity and the weight of the universe.”</p>
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<p>A thoughtful silence followed the fox’s short speech. It was Sarah who finally broke it, lifting her glass much as True Name had. “To eternity and the weight of the universe.”</p>
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<p>Dear sat up and clapped its paws, grinning brightly. <em>“I am pleased that you are going on this excursion, Ms. Genet. What a perfect toast.”</em></p>
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<p>Dear sat up and clapped its paws, grinning brightly. <em>“I am pleased that you are going on this excursion, Ms. Genet. What a perfect toast.”</em></p>
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<p>They all laughed once again, raising their glasses toward the single flame in the center of the table.</p>
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<p>They all laughed once again, raising their glasses toward the single flame in the center of the table.</p>
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<p>“I think that is a note to begin dinner on, yes?” True name said, waving her paw above the table, plates and flatware appearing, along with several dishes of various types.</p>
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<p>“I think that is a note to begin dinner on, yes?” True Name said, waving her paw above the table, plates and flatware appearing, along with several dishes of various types.</p>
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<p><em>She must’ve talked Tycho into giving her some ACLs in his sim,</em> ey thought. <em>Because of course she did.</em></p>
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<p><em>She must’ve talked Tycho into giving her some ACLs in his sim,</em> ey thought. <em>Because of course she did.</em></p>
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<p>“Please! Eat. Enjoy. I did not make it, but you may pretend I did if you would like to bolster my ego.”</p>
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<p>“Please! Eat. Enjoy. I did not make it, but you may pretend I did if you would like to bolster my ego.”</p>
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<p>The self-deprecating comment was delivered so easily that Codrin found emself laughing even before realising it.</p>
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<p>The self-deprecating comment was delivered so easily that Codrin found emself laughing even before realising it.</p>
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<p>“No more shop talk until dessert,” Why Ask Questions added. “Or I will have Tycho bounce you from the sim. There is lasagna, and I will not have you spoiling that.”</p>
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<p>“No more shop talk until dessert,” Why Ask Questions added. “Or I will have Tycho bounce you from the sim. There is lasagna, and I will not have you spoiling that.”</p>
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<p>Page generated on 2022-01-16</p>
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<p>Page generated on 2022-02-11</p>
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