"You seem restless, Sara," SAM said. Its voice peeled out from its little speaker on her desk, an external version of the tiny voice she always carried with her. She paused in her swaying. She'd stood at her desk reading messages, and ended up sidestepping and swaying and almost dancing. Fidgeting.

"I'm good. Tired, honestly." After a fourteen hour day running and jumping every bit of her hurt, and the fidgeting was more like little frustrated twitches. No matter how tired she was, bone-deep dissatisfaction kept her moving. And she had a good idea why, but she wasn't about to discuss it with SAM.

"I know. If I may broach a topic we do not often discuss, Pathfinder?" SAM said, diffidently. Its change in tone surprised her into grinning, turning to look at the speaker as if that was really where SAM sat.

"Go for it? Why so formal, SAM?" she asked.

"Because I have been informed that humans are very secretive about their sexual desires, and I do not wish to cause discomfort," SAM said.

Sara groaned, rubbing her face with both hands. She slumped down into her chair. "I take it back, SAM. Don't go for it."

"As you wish. I was going to offer insight, not ask questions," SAM clarified. Somehow that didn't make her feel better.

"Still. Come on. My parents made you. You're like. . . like a little sibling. Kind of. I don't want to talk about that with you. If we could just pretend you never saw. . ." That night, with Liam. It all happened so fast, and it was all so unexpected. She'd been halfway, ah, through the experience before she remembered about SAM. And nothing short of live fire would have stopped her then. It was only afterwards, listening to the resounding silence in her head, that she gave any thought to the AI.

"It is my understanding that most humans seek sexual release alone, in order to address chemical imbalances," SAM said. Sara groaned again.

"Most humans don't have a built in voyeur. That used to live in their dad." She kicked her feet up against the edge of the desk, curling into a ball against the back of her chair. "Seriously, SAM. I know we're going to have to address this eventually. I'm only human. I won't be able to just power through forever. But I'm not ready to have this conversation."

"All right." SAM paused. "If you would be more comfortable addressing your chemical imbalances with Kosta than alone, I could endeavor to remain silent when you are conversing, so that you feel more private."

"That really, really doesn't help, SAM. It's just the illusion of privacy. And. . . Liam would have to be interested in that too, and I think that was more a one time thing. A near miss." She scowled, scuffing the bottom of her shoe against the desk's edge. Right after that night together it really looked like something was going to happen. But then she'd gotten all wrapped up in the many messes of Kadara Port, and things slowly returned to normal between them. No more flirting. No more big soft eyes while he told her how amazing he thought she was. Just business. And the occasional almost-jealous outburst over Reyes, but that hardly counted.

Well, and that night they ended up cuddling on the cargo bay couch. But if he wanted more, wouldn't he have taken the chance then? It was time to face it- they might well have gotten as close as they were going to get. What was it he'd said about it? One night is one night?

"That does not seem right to me- I believe it is your time that is missing, not his interest," SAM said. She opened her mouth to snap at it to just drop this but it continued, "When you are speaking his pupils dilate significantly, a classic sign of interest."

"SAM. . ." Prudence warred with curiosity. "When did that start?"

"It has been going on as long as you have been Pathfinder. I was not connected to you on Habitat 7, so I cannot speak to what occurred before," SAM said. She deflated, slumping down even further.

"That probably doesn't mean anything then," she said. "I don't know how I feel about you collecting biodata on the people I talk to, SAM."

"I do not have to tell you what I learn. But I think it's an advantage that should not be ignored," SAM protested.

"Maybe in negotiations. Not to talk to our friends," she insisted. She realized, abruptly, that she was far too sleepy to properly explain this to SAM. "I'm going to get cleaned up for bed. It's late."

"Goodnight, Pathfinder," SAM said. It was probably just her imagination that the AI sounded resigned. And of course, saying goodnight was just a matter of politeness. SAM wasn't going anywhere.

"Goodnight, SAM."