Back at the hotel, Finch loosens his tie. Adelheid and he will inform Zeppelin at dinner. He’s surprised at how possessive he was of Adelheid when Giffard wooed her. A knock at his door interrupts this train of thought.

Adelheid flings herself at Finch. She can’t help herself. Kissing him full on the mouth, she pushes him on the bed. Her apple-cheeks are flushed, her body is boiling. She can’t stop pressing her lips against his. She’s surprised when he adds some tongue. As if she wasn’t hot enough for him!

Finch sees the statuesque woman frown ever so slightly. Then he notices the device over her eye, like one of the screens in the Alder and Simmix base, but a lot smaller. Finch can only conclude they are definitely another group of star people.

Miri controls her surprise. The negolens just revealed the truth about Emperor Norton: a former businessman who lost his senses after total bankruptcy. Then who is Finch? The negolens crunches the available data and concludes that a) he’s here to rescue Norton, b) he must be some kind of friend, and c) he is very diplomatic. He managed to get Miri to agree to the emperor’s departure without having to explain his true nature. Doing so would have pained Norton too much. Now this is something Miri can respect. But why isn’t there more information about him? “Mr Finch. I hope to meet with you and the emperor another time. We apologize for any misunderstanding.”

The Simmix translator in Finch’s head flashes an appropriate phrase for goodbye. He salutes Miri. “Gol teph te lo reth, Miri-Na-Rū. Until our paths cross in prosperity.”

It’s been a very, very long time since Miri felt a chill crawl down her back. And this young man with a boyish, honest face did this to her.

Elizaveta is horrified. Tady-Lic is falling. In mid-air she sees her throw Audrey up.

Error signals warning and blinking, Tady-Lic’s body absorbs the landing with a mechanical whine and groan. Looking up, she dashes ahead and pushes herself off a rock.

Shonali can’t believe the fembot catches the pale girl, then manages to come down on her feet.

Audrey’s face is bright with excitement.

Eljamit can’t believe it! Finch is offering her the Simmix, all of Trirrox!

She remained standing while he sat on the couch in her ready room explaining his plans. It took her full concentration not to throw herself at his military genius. With an inner smile, she brings up an old Simmix custom, no one ever heard of.

“In the dark ages of Trirrox, when leaders met in frank deliberation, they found only one way to prove their honesty.”

Eljamit removes her jacket, her shirt, her trousers, her underclothes. She motions Finch to follow her example.

“Why were you scared?”

“I was afraid I would never see you again. That hurt me more than I expected. I think we are at war, and I don’t want to lose you.”

“You don’t think I’m a good warrior?”

“I think you don’t have to go to war alone.”

Tandarine froze. Finch wondered what happened. Finally, she asked: “Do you want me to go into battle with you?”

Finch could hear that the question was important to her in some way, and so was his answer. “Tandarine, we already are.”

A first tear trickled down her cheek. She kissed him with more fervor than before. “Oh, Finch, you don’t know how much this means to me.” She kissed him again. Finch kissed her back.

The next day, Tandarine told him that when a Simmix man asks a Simmix woman to go into battle with him, they are bonded for life.