Rei's Spacewalk - Part 4 of 10

Five years before the events that were described in Rome's Evolution, Rei and Rome had left the Tabit system and were just starting out on their one-year trip to Deucado. At the time, they didn't know it would only take a year, they were planning on more like two-plus years. However, Rei had a burst of inspiration that allowed them to ultimately double their speed. This is a little vignette about Rei's spacewalk which facilitated a vastly shortened journey. This is part 4 of 10:

     “There is no risk worth me losing you,” she said, softly. “Rei, I do not think you understand. We are one. So you are mine now. I cannot describe it any other way.”
     “And you are mine,” he said. He kissed her gently but then suddenly, he cut the kiss short.
     “I know,” he said, “I’ll compromise with you.”
     “What?” Rome asked hopefully.
     “You get in your pressure suit but you stay in the airlock. You don’t come out. If you need to know what’s going on, you tug on the tether whenever you want. You can do it every 30 seconds if you need to. You tug once and that means ‘are you ok?’ I’ll tug back twice. That means ‘I’m fine.’ If I miss even one tug, you can come after me. But if I don’t, I want you to promise me you will stay here, inside the airlock.”
     Rome’s mouth turned upwards into a smile even as the tears continued to flow. “That is very fair,” she said. “I agree to your proposal.”
After Rome was dressed but before they put on their helmets, she said, “Wait.”
     “Wait what?” Rei answered.
     “If you have a problem, if you need me, you tug on the tether three times. All right?”
     “Sure,” Rei said. “That’s a great idea. I think we have a system, huh?”
     “Yes, a system,” Rome said. She leaned forward to hug Rei as best as she could, given the bulk of the pressure suits.
     “Let’s get this show on the road,” Rei said.
     “You always say that,” Rome observed. “What does that mean? What show? What road?”
     “The Rei and Rome show, of course,” Rei answered. “And the road? I guess it’s the road of life.”
     “I see,” Rome said, even though she didn’t. She nodded and wiped away her tears. They put on their helmets and entered the airlock together. Rome clamped twin lights on the sides of Rei’s helmet and clipped a hammer and screwdriver to eyelets on the side of the suit. She attached the tether and tugged on it to make sure it was secure. Rei immediately tugged it twice. He could see Rome smile within her helmet.
     Rome leaned forward and pressed her helmet against his.
     “You be careful, Rei Bierak,” she said in a muffled voice. “You come back to me.”
     “Of course I will, sweetheart,” he said. “I love you, Rome. I could never leave you.”
     Rome pulled her helmet back and nodded. She mouthed the words, ‘I love you too, mau emir’ back to Rei. Rei turned to the airlock and pressed the stud to begin the depressurization cycle. When all the air was evacuated, the outer door opened and Rei was looking at interstellar space.

Tomorrow, the adventure begins.