Now that we were orbiting one of the gas giants a couple things changed; first and foremost, obviously the scenery of the nebula was greatly obscured by the massive planet, but the new view was really cool too. We orbited what I would guess was the stratosphere of the gas giant, so we were able to see the constant lightning storms rather easily, looking like an endless blue and purple lightshow. Aside from the regular view from orbit, passengers were also able to take tour-pods down to the planet to get an even closer look. Now of course you might be thinking the tour-pod would be the perfect opportunity for some stowaways to board or pirates to snatch people, but it wasn’t that simple. People were secured in these great golden orbs that were completely tethered to Leisure-21 and dropped straight down some several thousand miles into the planet’s atmosphere, then brought up after about an hour—all strictly managed by a team of droids, no deviation from the path or schedule whatsoever.

  We decided we wanted to go on the gas giant tour, so we collected our friends and signed up for the next available pod. Turned out we didn’t have to wait long, there were dozens of pods available, and we were even able to sign up for an exclusive tour with just our mission team.

  Me and Eve, Zyno and Yun, Kianna and Densdor, with Vinnago and Lobae was our standard squad; I wasn’t sure if it was the fact we simply got along better with this group, or if we unconsciously made it a point to avoid the leaders of the team, but this ended up being our regular party while enjoying the vacation stations.

  Our group got into the tour-pod together, and same with everything in the Holistia Nebula, it was rather luxurious. It reminded me of that first room we visited with the Luxury hologram; red silks draped the golden walls, black recliners and couches all in a circle, with a giant viewing window in the center, and three more smaller windows on the walls around us.

  “Welcome American Automations, are we waiting for anyone else?” The feminine android asked, all cheery and energetic—eager to grant our every wish.

  Everyone in our group looked around at each other; it seemed like no one was really interested in involving the mission leaders—a professional distance with management same across the universe I guess.

  “No, we’re all set.” Zyno confirmed.

  The golden android clapped her hands together, “Great! Give us a few moments while we prepare for the drop.”

  There were three golden androids coordinating with each other, and it was strange to see how human they acted—talking to each other about their roles and what all they needed to do to prepare for the tour. I would guess it was all for show to make them seem more like people for the guests. Their faces were all cute, looking like average college-aged girls, with black helmets that seemed like hair buns, and they even had attractive feminine curves. It did make me curious what all the androids were willing to do for their guests—like if they even performed sexual services. I didn’t really want to ask, I was just wondering; Eve acted like she wanted to show off in front of the androids, a little exhibition kink I guess, but so far we hadn’t involved any of the androids back in our honeymoon suite in any weird sex stuff—at least not yet.

  Eve leaned over to me, “Thinking about having the androids watch us back at our suite?” She said coyly.

  I sighed and shook my head slowly, “Ever since you put it in my head I am a little curious.”

  Eve shrugged, “I’d like to try it.” She turned to me and smiled mischievously, “You know I want to get weird with you and honestly wouldn’t mind putting on a show for some audience.”

  I rolled my eyes at that, “With as possessive as you are, I’m surprised you’d be willing to share me.”

  Eve’s gaze darkened, “Not share you, but show you off.” She shook her head, “No one else will ever get to touch you, same as no one else will ever touch me in that way.” Her smile turned playful again, “But I think a little exhibitionism would be rather thrilling.”

  I quirked up an eyebrow, “Anything to get weird with me, right?”

  Eve rolled her eyes, “Don’t act like you aren’t weird, darling.” Her smile turned vicious, “Remember, I developed to be your perfect mate, so if I want to get weird with you, doesn’t that mean you have quite a bit of weirdness you’re just dying to unleash—waiting for the right partner, hmm?”

  Shit, she had a point there.

  There was a gentle hum and then a loud metallic noise from outside the pod, and then slowly I could see us descending towards the gas giant from the viewports. Everyone gathered into their seats then—together as couples—staring down towards the deadly planet.

  “HHK-33 has lightning and static storms all year round, constantly over the entire planet. If you touched down without the proper shielding, chances are you would be electrocuted before you even entered the lower atmosphere.” The tour android announced cheerfully.

  Despite how dangerous the planet was, it really was beautiful, and as we lowered down thousands of miles at a wildly fast pace (protected in the pod, same as always), purple and blue lightning started arcing up towards us, snapping against the pod.

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  “Not to worry folks.” The android declared after everyone flinched away from a particularly violent lightning strike, “You’re all completely shielded and protected in the tour-pod.”

  Everyone relaxed again and looked down into the window, and it really was a cool sight; it was like we were in the middle of some tesla coil, or those weird lightning orb-lamps back on Earth, the really cheesy ones you could touch with your hand so the lights would arc towards you when you touched it. The lightning flashed out constantly around us, snapping against our pod, but the noise was all muffled, and despite our initial alarm, everyone calmed down quickly to enjoy the show.

  “You know my home planet has really violent lightning storms, but they usually only happen during storm season.” Lobae said mildly.

  “I’m from a water-world with endless rain and some mild storms, but all our settlements were underwater so inclement weather never affected us.” Yun added.

  Zyno nodded, “I’m from a rainforest world, so we had plenty of storms back home—frequently too.”

  Hearing everyone talk about their home planets made me realize I didn’t actually know that much about where my alien coworkers came from—forgetting their fake covers for the mission and everything.

  “Were you guys all born on your race’s home planet, or are you from other Imperial core worlds?” I asked.

  Zyno confirmed he was from his own planet, and so was Yun, but Lobae and Vinnago were from other settled Imperial core worlds. Everyone turned to Kianna next, and she just sighed, “I was born and raised on a space station—went to college on a space station, work on a space station.” She shook her head slowly, “Probably die on a space station.”

  I quirked up an eyebrow, “If you’re tired of being on space stations, why not find a different career planet-side?” I asked.

  Kianna shrugged, “Because in my field all the best…” She paused, looking around at the friendly androids, “Employment opportunities are always out on space stations.”

  Clandestine research was generally done out on space stations? Well, I guess that would make sense, able to move around and hide in any system or sector they could. I remember they said the Predazoan research started on a space station, but that was considered too dangerous as the Predazoans could all survive in the vacuum of space, that’s why they relocated to NX-947b—of course they escaped that all just fine, so who’s to say which would’ve been the better option.

  Lastly, Densdor confirmed he was born on his race’s home planet, but his family moved to an Imperial core world when he was still young. Apparently people moved between planets out in the Empire as easily as people would move from one city to the next back on Earth.

  “Did they have much crazy weather back on Earth?” Eve asked, always eager to hear more about Earth.

  I shrugged, “Where we were, not much—a rare tornado, some thunderstorms and blizzards occasionally. There were other parts of the world that had it way worse than us; hurricanes, monsoons, Earthquakes and volcanoes—dunno if that counts as weather, but there were places that were straight-up natural disaster danger zones, no idea why people would want to live there.” I explained.

  “Earth is actually a really interesting planet, very rare in the fact parts of it would be classified as a paradise planet, while other parts would be classified as part of a death world.” Zyno offered.

  I turned to him, “Really, that’s rare?”

  Kianna nodded, “Usually it’s one or the other.” She smiled, “Just like the humans, your Earth was a perfect average of everything all meshed together—some places wildly dangerous, others incredibly safe and peaceful.”

  I shrugged, “Maybe that’s why humans evolved to be so average—a split down the middle for everything.”

  “Probably.” Kianna shrugged.

  It was funny, Eve talked about Earth so fondly, but I really didn’t miss it at all. I missed some of the people—Gramps and Gram specifically, maybe a couple of my buddies, but I had no real desire to return. Looking down at the beautiful, deadly storm on planet HHK-33, it was an amazing sight I never would’ve seen if I’d been stuck back on Earth. And there was still so much more out there to see and experience—an entire universe to explore, rather than just some dirtball planet.

  It finally hit me I would actually get the chance to go out and explore it all—I was fucking immortal thanks to Eve’s magical enzyme. It took me a long time to come to terms with it, but I just finally realized in that moment I would be able to live forever with her, seeing every kind of planet, meeting who knows what kind of aliens, getting up to God knows what kind of mischief. I almost broke out in a fit of giggles when it finally clicked what a gift I was given.

  Sensing my thoughts, Eve leaned her head on my shoulder and squeezed my hand gently, “I told you I would do anything for you; anything you want—anything you want to be or experience, I can make it happen for you.” She turned to look at me with that adoring gaze of hers, “And we’ll have forever to explore it all, just you and me.”

  It was almost terrifying to realize there were so many limitless possibilities before me now—such a wide-open future we could explore. Even the drama with The Radiance wouldn’t matter in a few thousand years, after they all died of old age, but Eve and I would still be together—young and powerful and immortal. It felt like I would just float away into space, into the unknown endless future, but Eve held onto me—Eve would be my beacon to immortality, just like I was her beacon to humanity.

  She smiled, seeing I finally understood, “That’s exactly it Adam, and it’s why we’re perfect for each other.”

  I pulled Eve into my lap and kissed her, not caring what kind of audience I had, just needing to share this feeling with her—needing her above all else in my life. It wasn’t just that I was grateful for the gift Eve had given me, it was also the fact she would be there with me for all of it; people and planets would crumble away to dust, but we would still have each other, and our love would continue to grow and blossom and flourish across the universe.

  For the first time in my entire life I felt like I had a real direction, no longer just wandering aimlessly on Earth trying to pursue my random passing passions, working a career I never really cared about while I was waiting for my future to properly start. No, I finally had a direction for my life, and it led me straight to Eve—to the endless adventures and who I would share them with, the forever wandering and limitless futures we could explore, but it would always be together.

  “I love you Adam.” She whispered into my ear, her words laced with such a deep, loving adoration.

  “I love you too Evie, forever and for always.”