Chapter 38

The next morning.

Time: Tuesday, January 29, 2019 7:04 AM

Three hours before sunrise, Jada placed a called to Mark. He answered at once.

“Hi, Jada. Are we starting early?”

“Hi, Mark. No, the away team is not even assembled yet. The plan is unchanged. They’ll depart White Mall lounge at 9:30 AM and start their descent at the southern vertex at sunrise. That’s when we’ll go live with the Leophone bridge.”

Mark nodded and sighed. “Thank God we have a working elevator in the White Mall library.” The elevator in the White Mall lounge was inactive, and it was only on the first floor where the group had instant access.

Jada agreed with Mark with a laugh. “Oh yeah. We’d be biking five kilometers from White Mall’s terminal store otherwise. We’re very fortunate Party #2 never opened their library elevator.” She yawned. “Emily just took off for a shower. I’m still in my bedroom. I’ve got my Leophone hooked up to my new mobile charger. Kiyoko made three of them, very professional looking, like something you would buy out of a store. Maddy will be carrying this phone when they leave. Emily will have one too.”

“Ah, okay. Sleep well?”

“Yes, fairly well, maybe a little restless thinking about the mission. And you?”

“Yeah, I stayed up a bit last night too, just thinking. Toshi and Frida went for a perimeter walk at daybreak. They won’t be back before eight.”

“Ah, so we’re alone now? I was hoping that would be the case. Tell me, do Toshi and Frida often take perimeter walks, or are they just being sweet?”

“Well, the walkways here are very pretty, but yeah, I think they’re just being sweet. We usually get up around 6 AM, a little after the artificial sun rises. We usually have a light breakfast of raw vegetables with a little honey. This morning though, they took off early.”

Jada glanced at the pitch blackness outside her window. “So you have daylight now? I’m a little jealous.”

“Yeah, this complex is running on its own timer. A little over thirteen hours of daylight, and the artificial sun here is the butter yellow of Earth. If you don’t focus on the slight imperfections at the horizon, it looks just like rolling picturesque meadows. There are flowers everywhere, even in the trees. We had a big thunderstorm last night, but there are blue skies now, and fluffy white clouds too. It looks just like Earth.”

“Ah. My jealousy in increasing. And Mark? May I ask? About how far away is my last conversation with you?”

Mark knew instantly what she meant. “One extra day.”

“Not more? I’m glad.”

Mark could hear Jada sighing deeply in relief. “It was Toshi’s idea for us to cut back. We only spend ten minutes a day in the three-way link now. That’s about one extra day of subjective time. We want to return to experiencing time the way the rest of the group does. Otherwise Toshi fears we’ll start to drift apart.”

“Toshi is very wise. Mark ... I love you.”

“I love you too.” Mark took a very deep breath and let it out slowly. “And I wish I could be holding you when I say this.”

“I know. How strange our lives have become. Last night, I kept reliving my memories, our first sexy night together, exploring the mall with you, all our chess games ... Mark, it was very sweet of you to take the time to date me.”

“Gee, I don’t know. I didn’t think I was being sweet. I was thrilled to date you. Damn! I wish I could be holding you right now.”

“Uh, Mark?”

“Yeah?”

There was a long pause, and then a squeaky whisper, “Am I your fiancée?”

“Jada ... Will you marry me?”

“Yes, I will.” Her acceptance was spoken in a calm voice, a great contrast to the whirlwind of emotions she was feeling inside. “Just a minute, dearest. I have to blow my nose.” A moment later she returned. “My love, I knew you wouldn’t refuse me. I remember your other promise. You promised you wouldn’t refuse me a third time.”

Mark gave a soft cry. Jada thought it sounded like the bleat of a lamb. “Sweet Jada, do you mean the night before the Intruder? I thought you were asleep.”

“I was asleep. I saw the promise later, in your mind. I saw it so clearly...” Jada started to cry.

“Jada?!”

“I’m okay!” She sucked in several deep breaths. “I’m okay! I’m so happy, Mark!” Several more deep breaths. “We have so much to talk about...” There were more sounds of her blowing her nose. “But ... But wow. Maybe can we put it off, just for a bit? I need some time to settle down.”

“Sure, sure. I love you.”

“I know! I love you back ... Uh, I have to blow my nose again, one more time. Hang on...”

A few moments later. “Right! Mark, there’s a few things you should know about. First of all, the three-way mind link you and Toshi and Frida are able to form, we tried to duplicate your ability last night. We must have tried over a hundred different three-way combinations, including lots of combinations with one man and two women. Emily has the exact number and all the details in her notes.”

Unseen by Jada, Mark’s face broke into a very worried frown. “And nobody could do it?”

“No, not at all. No triplet felt they even came close, and a whole bunch of us got dizzy trying. Paige and Holly say the effort gave them headaches. I wasn’t feeling too well myself.”

“Wow ... I don’t know what to say. It’s so easy for us. The three of us can sit and lock almost instantly. Any idea what the problem is?”

“Oh, a whole bunch of guesses. Mark, you and Toshi displayed exceptional linking abilities when you were us. Perhaps Frida is exceptional too, and it’s just a natural ability the three of you have and the rest of us don’t.”

“Well ... Gee, I don’t know ... I hope not. Toshi and I, Frida too, we want to share this with you, Jada.”

“Thank you. And you might get the chance. Emily has a completely different conjecture. She suspects something external, perhaps another drug in your environment that we here haven’t been exposed to.” Mark was silent for so long and Jada gave up waiting for a response. “Mark, are you still there?”

“Uh, yeah, sorry. I was thinking. We made our first three-way link the second or third day we got here. I’m trying to remember when. It’s been so long ago in subjective time. I think it was our third evening here. I remember now. Jada, you’re right, I think Emily is right. Our third evening, we were all a little ... It’s hard to describe, sort of like drunk but not drunk, like our first night here.”