“Did you hear what I said?”

“Hrmm, yes.”

“Great. And can you let me in the airlock now?”

“I’m thinking about it.”

“What I said or letting me in?”

“Yes.” It was at this point I realized that perhaps I had poorly chosen my moment. For all my education and fancy degrees, interpersonal nuances do tend to elude me.

“The eclipse is just about over, and it would be nice to be in the shielded portion of the ship. Come to think of it, it’d be nice to get some kind of answer.”

“Oh,” she starts as if out of a daze, “Yes. I mean, I need time. There’s so much to consider, and well, I think it comes down to space.” Space and time. It would come down to that, two things I should understand as an astrophysicist.

My heart breaks, “I’ll take that as a no.” My hand releases the ring behind my back. It would have been more dramatic had it fallen to the floor, but that’s weightlessness for you.

“I’m sorry. I hope we’ll be friends.”

“Um, sure, friends. So, friend, can I come in from the airlock now?”