*****
On the last day of the week, Leesol showed him how she built her models and let him help her put some of the pieces together. It was evening before Keelic realized that Mr. Hallod had not called them back to work. When it was time for Keelic to go, Mr. Hallod came up into the room and put a hand on each of their shoulders, leaning over to watch them for a while.
"Would you like to spend the night?" Mr. Hallod asked.
Keelic nodded.
Mr. Hallod went back downstairs, and Keelic stared at the schematic on the table, but was really feeling how nice it was to be where he was.
After dinner they went back to the model chamber. At the bench before the table, he leaned to press his shoulder against Leesol’s. She pushed back, and they sat together working on the ship until Lyn manifested beside them and said that it was time to go to bed.
They went to Leesol’s room, and after putting on their night clothes, Keelic started to get out the cot, blankets, and pillow that he usually used when Leesol said, "You don’t have to do that."
She crawled under her bedspread and scooted to one side, sitting with her back against the headboard. The invitation was clear. The alien took it up and hopped onto the bed and lay across Leesol’s lap. She giggled and ran her hands over his fur.
Keelic dropped the stuff he was holding and walked over to the other side of the bed, then climbed on top of the covers.
Leesol said to the alien, "What’s your name?"
He looked at her without understanding.
Keelic said, "I already asked him that. He doesn’t remember."
They both got a warm orange sense of the alien self.
Grinning, Keelic said, "Well, yeah, we know that’s you, but you still need a name."
The alien didn’t look convinced.
"Anny," said Keelic, then stopped himself, remembering that he wasn’t at home.
"Yes?" replied his House-Ann.
Anny was here? That seemed strange, and not quite right. He had never called Anny from anywhere but home. Would Leesol think he was a little boy by calling his Ann? Leesol didn’t blink. She pet the alien, waiting to see what Keelic was going to ask.
He swallowed his surprise and worry and said, "We need a name for my friend. How do people get names?"
"Who is he?" replied Anny.
"What do you mean?"
"People are often named for who they are, or who others hope they become, or to honor someone or something. Sometimes the name sounds nice. Family names are common. You are named for your great-great-grandfather. Old names are popular. Sometimes people are named for what they do, like the Tech family, who were engineers aboard the long-haul ramjet transports. What is it about your friend that makes him most himself?"
That was easy. "He can think to anyone," said Keelic. "He can think anything, and he’s really good at it."
Leesol asked, "What about Thinker?"
The alien quirked his eyes, but didn’t respond.
Keelic asked, "What’s an old word for thinking?"
"Thote is one," said Anny.
He looked at the alien and said, "It should be special to him."
"Thotti," said Leesol, adding a long e sound to the long o. The alien rose a bit from his position on Leesol’s legs.
Keelic repeated it. "Thotti."
Strong green recognition swirl, flowing orange friendship, maroon care, and blue affirmation.
Leesol hugged the alien, Thotti.
"Dark," she said, and the room light faded out. She scooted under the cover, and Thotti stood up to give her room. Keelic got in as well. Leesol’s hand sought his under the covers, and they held hands. Thotti moved up between them, flopped down on their arms, pulled in his eyes, and went dormant.
After a while, Keelic said, "My arm is going to sleep."
"Mine too," said Leesol, and they pulled their arms out from under the warm, heavy alien.
They looked at him nestled in the covers between them, and Keelic said, "He always likes where it’s warmest."
Leesol nodded and they looked at each other over the alien for a long time. Keelic got out of bed, took hold of Thotti, and pulled him to his side of the bed, then climbed in between Thotti and Leesol, who was smiling at him now. They lay close together watching each other. She looked at his lips, and before he knew what he was doing he leaned forward and touched his lips to hers. She pressed against his then moved back.
Keelic wasn’t sure what to think. The kiss wasn’t half as exciting as he expected. Leesol sighed contentedly and rolled onto her back, closing her eyes. In that moment Keelic decided to tell her about Alpha Base. The guns would be the proof to everyone. He closed his eyes and was soon asleep.