"You do know that staring at your tablet like that won't make another message appear, right?"

.         "You don't know that!"

.                   “BUT. If it somehow does you gotta tell me immediately, snitch rules don’t apply to affini and I will track her down SO FAST you’ll–”

“Not helping, Mangle. Cirs, sweet bloom, if she’s reached out to you this once I can guarantee you she will again, she’s not the kind of girl to do anything without reason, am I wrong?”

.         “I– No, I suppose not.”

“Then there is no doubt you’ll hear from her in time, hardly any at all if my instincts are correct! Everything will work itself out, I promise~!”

.                   “It would work out a heck of a lot faster if you’d let me make a back door to your messenger so I could nab her coords next time and–”

“Mangle, the tablet was unregistered and she messaged from a brand new temporary account. It was found at the bottom of the lake and orbital monitor telemetry gave us no significant tracking data for any craft leaving at the corresponding time and coordinates. She is smart enough to cover her tracks. But of course you already know that because you’re such a genius~.”

.                   “I’m just sayin, you should let me help next time. You know how good I am at tracking things down!”

“...You want to see her again too.”

.                   “...Maybe. My babes certainly do. She was a fun one, once you cracked her open. I gotta say, the prospect of never having another game night with her does make my heart ache.”

“You do know by now that you lack a heart, yes? You are far too old not to know this.”

.                   “Well no shit, sherlock. I mean my metaphorical heart, my inside heart.”

“Wh– a normal terran heart is an inside heart. And just what is a sherlock? Insulting your captain with words she is unfamiliar with still counts as an insult.”

.                   “I dunno, it’s something Tam said that I liked the sound of. He told me about inside hearts too! That boy is a never ending fountain of goodies, I swear.”

“...Cirsi?”

.         “...Nnnnnm…Whhff?”

“You’re melting a bit, dear.”

Cirsi’s terran form was slowly unraveling into a mess of vines smattered over the picnic table she shared with Tetra and Mangle. It wasn’t the sort of mess affini became when they wanted to demonstrate their absurd multitasking prowess, nor the sort of mess that was left behind by obsession sessions with their florets in the bedroom. It was the sort of mess that no longer had the energy to remain a non-mess. It had been four days since she received the message they all had assumed was from Kira, not that it could’ve been anyone else. Four days of commanding, then begging her messenger to deliver her another when she should’ve been sleeping or working, four days of contemplating a trip to that lake herself despite the efforts of the search team, and four days of progressively falling hope. She should’ve known better than to demand Kira’s location, she should’ve known that would scare her off. She could’ve coaxed out another response, just a few more words, anything. It would've been enough to resume her hunt, give her some hope. But instead she overreached and now… now she had nothing again. 

She pulled herself loosely back into shape and turned to find Tetra’s concerned face looming above, piercing through the tangled boughs of “hair” obscuring her own. A red hand brushed the boughs away to hold her cheek and Tetra rumbled softly, “It will be ok dear, if she was affected enough to reach out to you once I would be shocked if it's not repeated. And if by some miniscule chance she does not, you know we'll remain ever vigilant. I know how much it still hurts but we’re here to ease that hurt and we aren’t going anywhere.”

Well, she didn’t have nothing.

Cirsi nodded slightly and pulled herself up to sit properly, mustering as much affini pride as she had left. Mangle had correctly assumed the moment’s privacy and turned away politely to watch his florets playing in the adjacent meadow, but left a single vine intertwined with Cirsi’s for solidarity. All around them affini and their florets played, lounged, and cuddled in every corner of the sprawling lakeside park, soaking in the simulated starlight of the Mandragora’s premier leisure ring. It was exactly the sort of scene affini were supposed to revel in and it would have been once for Cirsi, but the last few months had tainted it. The entire population of the ship frolicked with their beloved others while she burned through leads in the hunt for her own. It wasn’t fair, she was so careful, she’d searched so hard, she– she fought the ugly impulse of jealousy rising inside and turned to watch Mangle’s florets with her friends. At least there were a few she could still direct her waylaid affections at. But the ancient need of her kin was still there, freshly kindled, and the florets of another could never satisfy it. She needed hers, needed to analyze, to attune, to dote and fuss and squeeze. She needed to pull the pieces apart, to break and remake, to perfect. She’d suppressed the inborn urge expertly for so long, but now… now she’d been reminded of what she was missing. By her. And roots, the missing burned. 

Mangle’s florets had been ramping up their doses all day until the terran and myrmex could now do little more than roll in the grass and express their euphoria however they saw fit, kept company by a few of mangle’s vines trailing through the grass. They made for exactly the distraction Cirsi needed. She sighed dreamily at the display, allowing the jealousy to drain out of her– Ba-Dwing!

She had a message. A message. She opened her messenger to find a new chat from an unknown user. 

<temp.user_KI00984392B>  

[Image]

 

One more chance, i mean it. No snitching no tracking. Dont ruin this. What should i see next?

 

– K

P.S. Kinda looks like Bee’s hair doesn’t it?

The attached picture was dominated in the center by the lazy curve of a massive gas giant’s horizon. The gas itself was vibrant pink stricken with streaks of orange and peach that wound into half a dozen superhurricanes splattered across it, carving sherbet rivers into its upper atmosphere. If it was half as gorgeous in person it would’ve made for a breathtaking destination. Around the periphery it was unclear if Kira stood on a station or a moon but wherever she was was certainly of affini make. Pearlescent wood grown into sweeping arches and delicate fractal lattices outlined what must have been the structure’s windows and along the bottom a long polished black stone table displayed an impressive spread of food and drink. Skewers of some alien shellfish, bowls of broth and something that looked like purple noodles, delicately decorated cakes in whimsical shapes, a cornucopia of otherworldly delights, and Cirsi recognized barely any of it. Although one dish in the front looked eerily similar to one of her little one’s favorites, so much so she could almost smell it. 

Wherever Kira was she was certainly treating herself to a feast. Her darling was treating herself. Her core sang with joy at the thought of watching Kira enjoy her food in the particular way she did, the little happy dance she did and the precious little hums and moans when she found something she really loved~~. Always such an eager darling at dinner time. Roots below and stars above, how she yearned to hold her little love.

“Huh, that does rather look like Bee’s hair!” Cirsi jumped with a rustle. She hadn’t even noticed Tetra peering over her shoulder. Their rumbling chuckle was equal parts warm and smug. “I told you it was only a matter of time! So, shall you resume your pursuit or watch from afar?”

Cirsi sighed languorously, “My core wants nothing more than to lure her somewhere easily monitored and ensnare her permanently but… some errant sense tells me there is something more here. Maybe… maybe we play into her game?”

Tetra’s signature grin split their face in two, “A splendid game it will be! I’m sure you could give her a lovely tour, I know few affini who have traveled the breadth of the milky way that you have.” Their eyes crackled with gold the way they did when they were right about something.

Mangle’s head whipped around, “Excuse me, WHAT? You got another pic?! You give me those coords asap, I will get that little–”

“MANGLE.” One booming word from Tetra was enough to quiet him. “Calm down, we’re just going to see where this goes, understood?”

He shrank back and gave an apologetic glance to Cirsi, “Fer Sure, yeah. I can totally keep my cool. No sweat. Chill. No biggie. Mmhmm.” His fingers dancing on his crossed arms were decidedly un-chill.

Cirsi returned her attention to the chat screen, “I… I think I know a good spot. Something she will like.”

<(Startographer)> Look up the Orsu system, the trinity bay station there has a view I think you will appreciate. Plenty of leisure options as well! Enjoy yourself little one. I will await your next message. <3<3<3

She paused. And watched… Ba-dwing!

<temp.user_KI00984392B>  Thx. There better not be an ambush. TTYL. Maybe. –K

She closed the messenger and placed the tablet back within herself at last, secure in the knowledge that it wasn’t over. She wasn’t gone yet.

Tetra chuckled warmly next to her, "I haven't seen that particular happy wiggle in months! I've missed it~."

Oh dirt.

Cirsi was made painfully aware of the gentle writhing and swaying cascading down through her vines and boughs that only happened when she was embarrassingly ecstatic. Her flora was telling on her like a petal-eyed first bloom. Her instinct was to restrain herself but frost take it, she was allowed this moment of joy! She met Tetra’s knowing stare and sighed happily, “I really hope this leads… where I hope it leads.”

“I have a feeling it will~~.” Tetra chuckled again, the reverberations shaking the table.

Feelings and hope. She'd been given a golden opportunity to take her little one back. A location, provided by herself, the perfect rekindling for her hunt. Was she truly going to leave the rest to feelings and hope simply to avoid breaking a barely implied promise that her darling would readily forget once the needles sank in? What in frost was she doing? She should be there already to–

"Cirsi. Tell me, sweet bloom.”

Great, now she was sagging and writhing. Total lack of composure or control, unacceptable, embarrassing, unbecoming– 

“Cirsi.”

“I just… how could I be so inept as to allow her to slip away the first time, and now just give in to waiting and hoping when given the best possible lead? I– what pathetic excuse for an affini is so USELESS at keeping control of the ones they care for? How can I just–”

“STOP.” Cirsi withered beneath Tetra’s command. “I will not have you talk about yourself this way Cirsi, you are not just any affini and she is certainly not just any terran. You have not failed. She is elusive quarry even among affini and skittish to a fault, we are all aware of that. There is no shame in taking particular finesse in your handling of her, and if that means allowing this new little game to play out then so be it! Consider this merely a new stage of our hunt, a carefully placed snare.”

Cirsi pulled herself up again, steeled by her captain’s assurance, and nodded to her companion. “I...I hope you are right. But what if she gets herself into trouble? What if... what if she gets hurt?” ice gripped her very soul at the thought.

"She is in affini space darling, the compact's reach will keep her safe at every turn. And if the time comes when you have to go to her, when only you can give her the safety she needs, you will know. I am sure of it." Tetra's powers of persuasion were criminally unfair. As was their talent for lifting Cirsi's waning spirit. Met with the Golden glow of her captain's eyes and a smile to match, she couldn't help but return them. Stars, what would she have done without them?

Mangle leaned back into the conversation, “Soooo… we’re not gonna ambush her? Because I could absolutely arrange a–”

“NO.”

“NO.”

He threw his hands up in surrender and turned to his florets again, “Fiiiiine, whatever! Also, speaking of Bee’s hair, where’d the little lady run off to?”

“The grove just beyond those trees.” Tetra gestured vaguely to the small orchard at the park’s far end. “Have no fear Mangle, I always know where my little sundrop is. She'll be back soon with her latest masterpiece! I can’t wait to see what she makes this time~.” The captain gave the treeline a longing look, absently coiling a few more vines around Cirsi’s. “Oh! I can't wait to see her face when she finds out Kira is thinking of her! She'll become such a little puddle~~.” Cirsi involuntarily cooed at the thought, she would have to make sure was there when Tetra told her. Maybe they would have her over again. For the fourth night in a row…