The Soulmate Curse

BERGAMOT (for control) - Part 2

For the next week, when they weren't at work, Finn and Zhen spent every waking moment together, trying to find any information about MechSoft's lunar facility. They scoured everything that was available to the public about the Lunar Base, getting familiar with the structures that they would encounter. Finn was working with Darren to get familiar with the PR aspects of the trip. She kept her ulterior motives secret but was sure to secure a place for her on the supply ship with her.

"I can't believe that you still have conditions to come when you're the one who owes me," said Darren, good naturedly.

"I was just curious to see if you really can get your hands on anything on and off planet," said Finn, shamelessly toying with his ego. He was a braggart, but it wasn't for show. Darren really could do wonders.

"And you chose to test that by asking for a plus one ticket to the moon?" he said, with that crazy half smile that was his signature. "That's amateur hour stuff. Let me know when you have a real challenge for me."

Finn laughed and thanked him again before hanging up. She walked over to where Zhen was busy building more stuff for Joe.

"You officially have a seat on the supply ship next week," said Finn. She sat cross legged on the ground next to Zhen. "What are you up to?"

Zhen sat up and stretched her back after being hunched for a few minutes, snapping together 3D printed pieces of whatever contraption she was creating.

"I'm taking a break from the MechSoft stuff. If I'm going to be in jail a few weeks from now, I figured I should leave Joe a gift," she said. "So, I'm building him an elevator access module that will respond to his meows, like the automatic door opener I installed before. I've seen him sneak into the elevator with a resident every so often. This way he'll be able to explore the apartment building whenever he likes."

Over the next few days, Finn passed the last of the tests required for a space tourist trip. Zhen too, although it wasn't much of a challenge for her. She was amused at every stage of their application and kept pointing out to Finn how much tougher the astronaut tests were. Finn didn't mind. This was her favourite version of Zhen. The open Zhen with non-existent barriers between them. Finn cherished every minute of it, trying to commit every single moment to memory. They laughed and played and pushed each other around. It was fun. Pure bliss. If the enormity of what they were about to attempt wasn't hanging over their heads like a dark cloud, it would have been perfect.

"I missed you," said Finn as she walked into Jesse's home.

Jesse shut the door and then walked over to Finn and covered her in kisses. Finn laughed. "I missed you too, babe."

Finn noticed the catch in her voice.

"Jesse, what's wrong?"

"Can we talk about it later?"

"Jesse..."

Jesse cut her off with a kiss that Finn responded to with a content, happy sigh before being led to the bedroom. Finn wanted to get back to the topic of Jesse's earlier malcontent, but Jesse had a way with her, being able to clear Finn's mind of any thought in an instant with the right touch. Jesse was an expert at touch. Finn absentmindedly promised herself that she would come back to the issue at hand. Later. For now, she just let herself melt into the warmth and emotion that Jesse readily and generously covered her in every time they had sex.

Enveloped in an embrace, under the covers, Finn broke the silence. "Will you tell me what's wrong now?"

Jesse laughed a little. "You're like a dog with a bone, aren't you?"

"You have no idea."

"Okay," Jesse said, sitting up a little. "It's this whole trip to the moon. I'm not comfortable with you going. I was thinking that maybe we should stop messing with MechSoft."

"That's not what you said before. I always had your support. What about how they killed your friends and got away with blaming it on someone else? The real killer is still out there. Still under their control somehow. What about that?" Finn said, confused by Jesse's sudden change of heart. "If we take them down, we get justice for your girls."

"I don't know, Finn."

Finn sat up fully and faced Jesse. "What changed?"

"They got an engineer with a squeaky-clean record sentenced to eight lifetimes," said Jesse. "And they got Zhen arrested too. She's lost every chance she ever had to be an astronaut, something she's worked her whole life for. These guys aren't messing around, Finn. I'm not worried about what they could do to me, I'm a nobody. I'm more worried about you."

"This plan will work," said Finn. "I have people who'll help once we're at the base. And I have Zhen. I'll be fine."

"Don't make me do this, Finn."

"Do what?"

"Ask you to choose."

"Choose?"

"It's either me or her, Finn. You can't have both."

"Who? Zhen?"

Jesse stayed silent, but the way she looked at Finn said it all. Finn looked away. She'd felt that nagging guilt at the back of her mind for a while now. Maybe Jesse was right. Finn shouldn't have been stringing her along. She'd never had a partner before, but she was pretty sure there was no manual to follow when you had a star-crossed soulmate you couldn't love and a lover you couldn't fully give yourself to. What she did know was that what she felt for Jesse couldn't hold a candle to her feelings for Zhen. And that was forever going to be an issue she'd have to contend with if she chose to pursue what she had with Jesse.