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Sitting outside Asher’s house, the cool morning air felt good to Renyu, though without the augments she had gotten before her pack started their journey to explore the stars, this temperature probably would have been nigh unbearable. Temperature acclimation was one of the simpler but very much required augments to get if you ever planned to leave Avali space.

Thinking of home made her recall how she finally regained contact with the Illuminate after Asher helped her set up a modified interstellar communicator using parts from her ship… They had assumed that after months of lost contact that Pack Kosente had been lost with all hands. They… weren’t completely wrong. A rescue ship was en route, though Renyu did make sure to tell them it wasn’t as urgent; she was safe, the others were already gone. No need to divert too many resources for one avali. Not even a whole avali, she was missing part of an arm, and a lot of herself died with her pack. Sometimes she wondered if she alone was even worth a rescue ship–

A metal clank knocked her from thoughts of home, her eyes darting to Asher, clad almost fully in a modified human space suit, placing a big metal tank labeled “OXYGEN” into the bed of his work truck. They were empty, but still, these were made to hold liquid O2 in space, and those aren’t light on their own.

Asher noticed her jolt, leaving the tank on its side to sit on her right, pulling her into a side hug, “Sorry about that, slipped out of my hand.” Renyu leaned into the hug, though it was markedly less soft with the equipment strapped to him, which is why he was keeping the hug light. He leaned down, nuzzling her head. “I know you’re feeling a little more anxious, don’t mean to make you jump.”

“I’ll be fine, Asher,” she tilted her head up to nuzzle him back, rubbing her cheek on his snout, “I can handle it, you’ve got a job to do, and I can’t keep you here constantly.” The avali reached up to place a hand on his cheek with a slight smile, “Gets easier every time, I promise.”

“Well… The first time I had to leave, you were a bit of a wreck, but yeah.” Standing up with a grunt, Asher stepped back over to the truck, detaching his backpack form the suit to place up against the tank.

Asher always made her feel better with a little humor, maybe she could use that, “I find it just a little but amusing that you drive to work in a space suit. Like your truck will turn into a space-capable vehicle.”

“Oh, for sure. If I go fast enough, I might even be able to drive right up the space tether,” the wicker gestured to the tether in the distance, visible from miles and miles away, “Ahhh, just imagine it. I wouldn’t even have to wait in line pulling a cart of part deliveries.”

Deliveries weren’t the only thing Asher did, he also installed the parts he brought onto various ships in geostationary orbit, docked to the space elevator. Apparently a wicker working that kind of job is rare, as Asher had to get custom fit gear. He had told her that most were content with staying on the ground; they weren’t the space-faring kind of race. This particular wicker was an oddity among his peers.

To Renyu, Asher seemed to want more than his world had to offer, and this job was the closest he’d be able to get to that desire. Never quite leaving his planet entirely, but being able to view it in a way that most wickers wouldn’t care for. If only he could see all the places she had been before she crashed here…

“But, alas, I have to wait in line anyway, which means I’ve gotta go,” Asher faced his avali companion, moved over to kneel in front of her, “Anxious, but making little jokes, so I take that as proof enough that you’ll be alright.” He gave her a smile, placing a gloved hand on her head to give her some reassuring touches before he left. “Remember, you can call me if you get lonely. I’ll try my best to answer.”

“Mmm,” Renyu leaned into his hand, looking up at him, the morning sun lighting him up from behind, “I may not be pack broken, but I think I can handle myself for a few days.”

“Then I’ll be back before you know it.”

The wicker stepped away, placed his gear into the passenger seat, gave Renyu one last smile and wave, and then entered the truck. As he drove off, Renyu felt a pang of loneliness set in, but she pushed it back as best she could. She wasn’t alone, Asher always came back. He had been strong for her for so long, she needed to be strong for him.

She wished she could go with him… And when that rescue ship arrives, she wants Asher to go with her.

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