for friendship.
21 "I would like," she wrote, "very much to correspond. I find your
company extremely pleasurable, and would like if possible, to see you
again on other occasions."
22 Morn had hardly considered the girl a child, but now he realized she
was quite a beautiful young woman. He took time to record a lengthily
tape expressing his pleasure that she desired to keep in touch with
him. Their correspondence would continue for many months.
23 Then, the young woman named Bright Comet, would come to stay with
relatives on the colony that was Morn's main station. Six months later
they would be married. But that would not be for some time. Now the two
young officers travelled out to meet their ships.
24 Aboard a system cutter North stood by her forward observation bay,
watching the tiny dot of light in the distance grow larger. "A view
screen’s all right," remarked the Officer beside him, "but this is the
only way to see your ship for the first time!"
25 North had to agree, as the tiny dot grew and took shape into the
form of a star drive cruiser. Two pods were already attached, and a
third floated nearby, ready to be picked up. "Sorry about our transport
beam being out," apologized the cutter's Commander, "we'll have to
transfer you through the hatches."
26 "That's alright," assured North, "I prefer it that way!" He rubbed
behind his left ear.
27 "Implant giving you trouble?" asked the other Officer.
28 "Just a little," answered North. "Keep getting a buzzing and feels
like a pressure. They say that's common for the first few months."
29 "Mine gave me trouble for almost a year," the other Officer told
him. "Now, it's almost second nature. We're close enough, if you want
to try it out."
30 North thought to the tiny transmitter that had been implanted in his
skull. "Ship, do you read?"