I wish I could have been there.

  When your worlds collided.

  Collected Unpublished Lyrics

  - Sibsil Creed, Stories of Shurwinn, (2778)

  When Peydran Madrano wanted to get things done, he did. Before me was a meticulous business plan outlining everything needed to launch Living Foods from Shurwinn with Dr. Ryst Nova.

  The plan included every single detail I could think of and more. Launch dates, projected viewers, collaboration with the animators Jasen and Alen, and with Produced by Peydran, his company.

  There were details on launching all three businesses at once because the crossover viewership would promote all of us. He listed every event: stream site dates, new video transmits, the projected viewership increases from co-launching.

  The only vague thing was “Shurwinn promotion,” and I thought that referenced what Lirin had told me about how they promote all local businesses to help people succeed.

  The stream site was—well, it was perfect. It was artistic and very simple. Almost rustic, but with a finished look that wasn’t overly casual.

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  At the top were vines in a deep, saturated green, with little pale lilac costamelons. The melons had that washed-out-Shurwinn-sun look to them.

  There were tabs for articles where he'd already added the content I'd sent him. Two recipes and an article on my basic philosophy for changing nutrition plans.

  There were images holding space for two videos. A curry recipe demonstration to be filmed at Media Monastery kitchen, and a placeholder for Jasen and Alen’s animation. Co-launching the businesses should get the viewership from outside Shurwinn everyone wanted to draw in.

  My launch was scheduled in 12 days, and Jasen and Alen's in 3 weeks. All of this coalesced with my citizenship deadline. I looked over Peydran’s proposal and was amazed but frightened.

  It was a lot, and it was fast. Only a few days. Somehow, the projected numbers totaled millions of views. It wasn’t simply me putting some recipes out there. It was intentionally circulating my ideas to the entire Known Cosmos.

  Everyone I knew back home could see it. The hospital staff, my friends—Neal, and Skyla. My family. Darwin. Would he see it? That turned my stomach. I got up and paced around the room.

  Was I really ready for this? Was I ready to come out from behind the curtain onto such a big stage? After the injury, I had retreated. I hadn't wanted to be around people. I had just… faded. Gone from everyone I knew on my home world. And I hadn’t kept in touch when I moved to Shurwinn.

  Buzz! A message from the Shurwinn Guild of Travel lit up my pad. My citizenship! It outlined the next steps—a meeting invitation in five days. If the meeting was successful, I would walk out a Shurwinn citizen. Five days!

  I accepted the citizenship meeting. It was really happening!

  My new life on Shurwinn was about to start, and I was ready to say goodbye to hiding. I signed my agreement to Peydran’s business proposal, eager for what would come next.

  Dream Journal

  I was light. It was pouring out of me. Glorious! Streaming. Flowing. Radiating. I was light, and it was so bright. So bright! I couldn’t stop it. Just pouring out of me. Pouring and pouring. And I was expanding and expanding. I reached out. And out. And out.

  He was there. Crashing into me.

  We were stars.

  We were stars.

  We were stars!