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opera was a success; the applause was loud and long. Lida was only a member of the orchestra, largely unnoticed by the crowd, but the music was, of course, essential to the production.
    Thrilled by that success, that night she had at Gloaming again. It wasn’t love, but it was emotion, and that was a fair portion.
    The next day she was inexplicably careless and spilled hot gravy on her left hand. She suffered a bad burn, and had to have her hand bandaged. It would recover in a few days. But her performance in the opera was now, and she couldn’t play. Her left hand was vital, fingering the strings.
    â€œDammit!” she swore tearfully.
    â€œThis I can do for you, if you wish,” Gloaming said.
    And he did. He took her place in the orchestra and played flawlessly. A few days later, the bandage off, she resumed. He had spared her the loss of her position.
    Almost, she loved him then. She clasped him at night, holding him close, not even bothering with sex, knowing that this was the best way she could thank him. He did appreciate it, relishing the closeness of almost-love.
    There came a hiatus of two weeks in the opera, for technical reasons. “Now it is time for you to tour the space station,” Aliena said.
    Lida hadn’t even thought of it, being so wrapped up in her own challenge. “That’s right! I must visit Quincy.” She felt guilty for not thinking of it before.
    It was a considerable trip. Maple joined them, alone, serving as an additional guide. “But why you?” Lida asked thoughtlessly.
    â€œTo see Mom.”
    She was Aliena’s human child! She had lost the mind of her mother and had to live with her mother’s body with the mind of another alien, but she still loved Aliena. “Oh, yes!” Lida exclaimed, hugging her.
    â€œYes, it’s like that,” Maple agreed.
    The car took them to the airport, which in turn took them to China, where they caught a private train traveling into the desert. Lida was amazed. “Isn’t this somewhat roundabout?”
    â€œIt’s an international project,” Sam explained. “They needed a guaranteed private base on Earth, and China had it.”
    â€œThe train, also, is secure,” Martha said. “Protocol requires us to be with you, but we’re essentially off-duty now.” She lifted an eyebrow toward Sam.
    â€œMy cue,” Sam said, and went with her to a private compartment.
    â€œThey have a thing,” Maple said wisely. “You can go too. I’ll play a game.” She turned on a video player.
    â€œThat’s our cue,” Lida said. She led Gloaming to another compartment.
    â€œYou are wonderful, in every respect,” Gloaming said as they stripped for the bed.
    â€œEvery respect but one. But I’m working on it.”
    â€œIf I could give you back your husband, I would.”
    â€œIf you could, I would take him. But you can’t.”
    â€œIf I could win your love by doing that, I would.”
    She laughed without mirth. “If you won my love by doing that, you still couldn’t have it, because you’d be gone. As Quincy is now.”
    â€œIt is ironic,” he agreed.
    â€œHold me. Kiss me. Enter me.”
    He obeyed, but of course she was still the one really doing it.
    They came to the subterranean spaceport and boarded the flight. Then suddenly they were in free-fall.
    â€œIt’s the stasis,” Maple said. “You don’t even feel it. Mom was in it for a hundred years.”
    â€œSo was I,” Gloaming said.
    â€œOh, I forgot!” Maple said, laughing.
    They connected with the space station orbiting the moon, and their weight returned. Maple knew the way, and led them into the station and along its halls. Lida knew she should be paying better attention to the remarkable details of the excursion, but she was distracted by the knowledge that she was about to face Quincy. In his new body. How should she react to