The last time Heriah stood outside Elegy’s door, battling with herself on whether to enter or not, it was Heriah who wanted to push onward and Rex who wanted to turn away. This time, Heriah was wringing her hands nearly pleading to take a step back, another step back, and a few more steps all the way back to her quarters. And it was Rex with the logical decision to enter and get this over with. Besides, Rex’s logic included…

’What did Rikata the Mole share with Elegy? That is what we need to know. Be honest with this guy. He may be an unjoined lowlife but he is not dumb and is not one to play games with the truth with.’

And it was with a shaky step that Heriah moved forward, into proximity of the door to Elegy’s office. It opened and there came no other option for her save for diving on it.

“Lieutenant,” she said as she entered the office. “May I speak with you…in private…for a few moments?”

Draped over the chaise lounge, Elegy Weld snapped his gaze in Heriah’s direction.  His eyes widened at her in a momentary flash of embarrassment, as his mouth was full with a slice of galzak.  He bit off as much as he could chew and he stowed the rest of the slice back on its plate on an end table.  Chewing as quickly as he could, Elegy swung his legs off the furniture and swiveled himself into an upright posture.  Then he swallowed.

Nodding tightly, Elegy replied, “Yes, of course, Heriah.  Please make yourself comfortable.”

“I do not mean,” Heriah started as she took a few steps inside, “to be interrupting you while you eat. I can come back later.” She finished speaking deeper inside his office.

Elegy shook his head at her offer and he looked her right in the eyes.

“No, please make yourself comfortable,” Elegy said.  His emphasis insisted this was important to him.  Elegy quipped, “If I needed complete privacy every time I was eating, I’d spend ninety percent of my life all alone.”

Heriah took the invitation to stay and did so. And, as she lowered herself into a chair, “I…uh…”

’You promised your boyfriend…’

“…I promise to be as transparent as I can. You were transparent with me, so…it is only fair. I…have been having episodes of symbiontambulism. That’s sleep-walking with an awake and conscious symbiont. In effect, Rex was in control of my body.” Heriah held herself defensively, wrapped her arms around her torso.

Elegy shifted his weight, leaning forward on his perch.  He rest his palms on the seat of his chaise, keeping his hands down in a non-threatening posture.  After nodding at Heriah’s words, Elegy took a breath through his nose.

“Doctor Mol suggested something like this could happen, in your patient notes,” Elegy said tentatively.  Perhaps he was over-stepping, perhaps not.  Their relationship had always been blurred with Heriah as Elegy’s sometimes patient, sometimes co-worker, sometimes subordinate, sometimes counseling mentee…  “Instances of talking to your symbiont as a separate consciousness, vivid nightmares, violent acts.”  –Elegy shook his head– “I had no idea it had gone this far.”

Elegy took another breath.  “Can I get you something to drink?  We have a lot to talk about.”