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I’m snuggling with Chili. I figure once Khoth sees her I won’t get a chance! Gehenna told him.

He looked over to her and saw that indeed the little pig was in her metal hands. Matias had given her a little black bow around her neck. She was sitting very still in Gehenna’s hands as Matias explained where to pet her.

I’ll lose Khoth’s attention too, I think! Jace laughed.

“You are smiling. This is good,” Khoth murmured.

“Your one true love is here,” Jace said. “I’m contemplating being replaced in your affections, pig whisperer.”

Khoth blinked, confused, until he heard the “title”. He snorted though he did glance over at Chili.

He turned back and whispered, “You are my special pig.”

Jace let out a laugh that had everyone looking. He almost fell again with the gales of laughter that wanted to escape. It was likely an effect of the horror followed by that very special endearment.

“I meant that as a compliment--”

“I know, Commander. And I love it.” Jace kept chuckling though.

“You’re the ship’s doctor?” Sami asked Dr. Isa as she saw that Jace was overcome for the moment.

“One of them.” She nodded. “Somehow I have become the chief medical officer.”

“Not somehow. You’re the best choice for the job,” Jace told her, the laughter subsiding somewhat.

“Well, thank you. But I have so much to learn. The Med Bay itself is a miracle. Luckily, the ship appears to anticipate what I need to know next,” Dr. Isa said. “It is giving me a course in medicine. Every doctor is receiving their own personalized extended learning.”

That was exactly what the Osiris was doing. Everyone on the ship was getting personalized lessons that they could familiarize themselves with during their free time.

Sami bit her lower lip even as he gazed at her family who was trying some of Adiratna’s food. “That sounds amazing. I’ve always wanted to be a doctor.”

“I didn’t know that,” Jace said, looking at her carefully.

“It’s beyond my reach,” she said, pulling back in on herself. “I mean with my responsibilities.”

“Sami…”

“I’ll miss you, Jace.” She got up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Sunrise won’t be the same without you. It won’t be… but you won’t forget us, will you?”

“Never,” Jace promised, his voice thick with emotion.

“I need to go--go check on George. I’ll be back,” she said, swiping at tears she didn’t want to show.

“Sami, wait, we can--”

“I’ll be back,” she said as she quickly dashed away to her parents.

He was about to go after her when Dr. Isa put up a hand to stop him. “Let her be for now.”

“But she needs to know that she can have these things--”

“You offered her a place on the ship, yes?” Dr. Isa checked.

He nodded.

“Nothing you say can convince her right now. She must make her own decision on this. Only she can determine where she must be,” Dr. Isa counseled him.

“We leave tomorrow,” he said.