Major paces around the edge of the cloud, steps firm, back rigid. She's alert — not necessarily prepared for a fight, but she's not about to let anyone sneak up on her. The concept of Heaven — angels, God, everything divine — it's not foreign to her, but it's also not somewhere that she thinks she belongs. She has a ghost, and she's starting to understand what that means. But an afterlife? When you can be reduced to nothing but code, does anyone ever really die?

Major stalks up to the cup, contemplates it. She dips a finger in, and rubs the pad of her thumb and index finger together.