Credit: Jamie Tufrey

Rohan raised his eyebrow after she returned, ignoring the handheld she offered him. He stood, towering over her. "You made quite a deal, didn't you, Amaranta?"

Amaranta felt a touch of alarm. She opened her mouth, not sure what she would say. Rohan was right. She was nowhere close to being able to purchase a residence on her own.

"Save your wide-eyed looks of innocence and protestations, Amaranta." Rohan tapped his handheld. "I know you now. Don't worry; I'm a man of my word. Comp, I need you to witness a legal binding agreement. I, Rohan, agree to merge resources with Amaranta in a 65/35 partnership. Conditional on immediate acquisition of a residence."

Amaranta trembled. She hadn't seen his assets yet. "I, Amaranta, agree to merge resources with Rohan in a 35/65 partnership, and agree to the terms as stated."

"Witnessed and recorded," the computer acknowledged.

Amaranta couldn't believe her luck. She was getting a residence before she was 40. The looks she caught Rohan shooting at her shackled her exultation.

Not that he wasn't professional when she looked directly at him, but in her peripheral vision, she could see him looking. She gave a mental shrug. She'd figure out the look later. They'd have plenty of time to iron out the kinks of the merger.

The real estate agent ushered a beaming woman out of his office, then waved Amaranta and Rohan in. "Pleased to meet both of you. Let's start with you telling me what you are looking for in a residence."

Amaranta opened her mouth, but Rohan was already speaking, and she closed her jaw with a not quite audible snap.

"Hourly backups. Plenty of memory for our current configurations as well as lots of room for upgrades..." Rohan's list went on.

Amaranta interjected her own request. "Elegant residence options. Lush surroundings."

Rohan's glance quelled further input from Amaranta. There was an awkward silence.

The real estate agent chuckled. "Newly-mergereds, aren't you? I think I've got a good idea what you want. Check these out." He brought up holographic images of the residences, one by one. "These are at a 2.7 per cent scale. Let me know when you want to look at any in 100 per cent mode." The agent scrolled through the residences.

Amaranta gasped in delight. "Wait. That one is lovely." They could start residence in style. Then she saw the minimum memory size and premiums. And that residence owner's association fee ... Definitely pricey. She looked at Rohan – he was the one with the money. "What do you think, Rohan?"

Rohan studied the hologram in silence for long moments. "Let's look at the 100 per cent."

The real estate agent toggled the view. "A beauty. You've got a real eye for this sort of thing."

Rohan preened. "Yes. I pride myself on my ability to quickly size up parameters and find the best option."

Amaranta's mouth quivered with a suppressed smile at Rohan's posturing. This was going to be a great merger. Her mother always told her it was the subtle ones you had to worry about.

They strolled through the house.

Amaranta walked in silence. She let Rohan ask the questions and drive the deal. Her mother always told her that if a partner is full of himself, he won't have a lot of room to think of any other manoeuvres.

The agent grinned, already planning how to spend his commission. "That's all settled then. I'll email the contracts to your escrow agent. Go there, sign the papers, and throw a party at your new home."

Rohan nodded. They left the office and waited in line for the non-resident transport booth. Amaranta tried to still the flutters in her stomach. "You still have four days until your sponsorship expires. Maybe we should think about it, run a few more queries. Check the builder out, that sort of thing. We don't have to purchase immediately."

"No. Do it right away. We agreed to immediate acquisition as a term of the merger."

Amaranta stepped back at the harshness in his voice. "Okay?"

Rohan ignored the implied question. "Good. Last one to the new home has to empty the bit bucket." He stepped into the booth and was gone.