the table.
“I’m getting ready to test something.”
“Sure.”
“This’ll be the twenty-sixth try. Can’t say I’m expecting much, though. Backward engineering is one thing, but reassembling a hundred pieces and then doing it is slightly more complicated.”
“Keep me posted,” she said, getting ready to leave. She had no qualms with listening to Bart, but standing was proving difficult the longer she stayed. “I’ll see you at the meeting in a few hours.”
He didn’t answer.
She left the tent and went to the edge of the camp near the fence. Zoe was there, hanging on the door of the dirt cab, one arm dangling through the window frame. She was talking with John.
“So you think you can get it for me?” he asked.
“Pineapple? I’ll see what I can do,” she said.
“Remember, it spoils pretty fast once it’s exposed to Variant. After that, you only get a few hours to eat it, so don’t break the seal.”
“Yeah, yeah, okay. I got it.”
Mei made her way to the dirt cab, trying her best not to look too exhausted. “Do you have everything you need, Zoe?”
“Packed and loaded, ma’am.”
Mei looked at the tail of the vehicle, at the box with Travis inside. “And the extra cargo?”
Zoe’s face sunk. “Safe,” she said after a short pause. “I’ve got him.”
“Are you sure you don’t need me to go with you?” asked John.
“I might not look like much, but I make these trips every month. I know how to take care of myself. Besides,” she said, motioning toward Mei. “Your girlfriend looks like she might pass out any second now.”
“I’m fine,” said Mei. But she wasn’t. The energy in her legs had nearly given out. Her head was growing foggy. All she wanted to do was sleep.
“Uh huh,” said Zoe, unconvinced.
“Before I forget, Bart wants potatoes,” said Mei.
“Potatoes, got it,” she said.
John walked over to Mei and wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders. “See you when you get back, Zoe.”
Zoe nodded before climbing into the cab. A second later, the engines roared to life, and she drove off, kicking a small cloud of dust into the air.
John and Mei watched her leave. When she was far enough away, Mei let herself sink into John’s arms, relinquishing support. “I need to lie down,” she finally said.
John didn’t say a word. He simply swept her up and carried her into the tent.
Lying in her bed at last, Mei held his wrist, exhausted. “Wake me in a few hours.”
“I will,” he answered, stroking her arm. He smiled warmly at her.
A fog formed in her mind, pulling her to rest. She thought of Travis, imagining him standing beside her. She wished she could talk to him. Hear his voice. If only she’d paid more attention. If only...
“Mei, what’s wrong?” asked John.
She looked at him. “Nothing…” she whispered.
John tilted his head. “Are you sure?”
It’s all my fault. I killed him, the same as…
“Mei?”
…the same as Terry, all those years ago. Couldn’t see the answers. I’m always too late to see…
“Are you okay?” He felt her forehead. “You feel warm…”
…to see the truth…but I’m a fool, a stupid little girl trying to pretend, trying to be something I’m not…
“Can you hear me, Mei?” asked John.
…and it’s my fault…it’s all my fault…everything…because of me…
“Someone help!” shouted John. “Doctor Tabata? Somebody get in here!”
…my fault…
Ch ap ter 8
Ortego Outpost File Logs
Play Audio File 347
Recorded: April 23, 2350
PRESCOTT : I’m sorry, but what did you say your name was?
MITCHELL : Sophie Mitchell, sir. I’m Doctor Curie’s apprentice.
PRESCOTT : Why am I talking to you instead of your mentor?
MITCHELL : It’s as I’ve said, sir. She is currently occupied.
PRESCOTT : Occupied with what, exactly? She’d better have a good excuse for missing this call.
MITCHELL : As you are aware, sir, the recent tragedy involving Travis Scott has left a gap in
“I’m getting ready to test something.”
“Sure.”
“This’ll be the twenty-sixth try. Can’t say I’m expecting much, though. Backward engineering is one thing, but reassembling a hundred pieces and then doing it is slightly more complicated.”
“Keep me posted,” she said, getting ready to leave. She had no qualms with listening to Bart, but standing was proving difficult the longer she stayed. “I’ll see you at the meeting in a few hours.”
He didn’t answer.
She left the tent and went to the edge of the camp near the fence. Zoe was there, hanging on the door of the dirt cab, one arm dangling through the window frame. She was talking with John.
“So you think you can get it for me?” he asked.
“Pineapple? I’ll see what I can do,” she said.
“Remember, it spoils pretty fast once it’s exposed to Variant. After that, you only get a few hours to eat it, so don’t break the seal.”
“Yeah, yeah, okay. I got it.”
Mei made her way to the dirt cab, trying her best not to look too exhausted. “Do you have everything you need, Zoe?”
“Packed and loaded, ma’am.”
Mei looked at the tail of the vehicle, at the box with Travis inside. “And the extra cargo?”
Zoe’s face sunk. “Safe,” she said after a short pause. “I’ve got him.”
“Are you sure you don’t need me to go with you?” asked John.
“I might not look like much, but I make these trips every month. I know how to take care of myself. Besides,” she said, motioning toward Mei. “Your girlfriend looks like she might pass out any second now.”
“I’m fine,” said Mei. But she wasn’t. The energy in her legs had nearly given out. Her head was growing foggy. All she wanted to do was sleep.
“Uh huh,” said Zoe, unconvinced.
“Before I forget, Bart wants potatoes,” said Mei.
“Potatoes, got it,” she said.
John walked over to Mei and wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders. “See you when you get back, Zoe.”
Zoe nodded before climbing into the cab. A second later, the engines roared to life, and she drove off, kicking a small cloud of dust into the air.
John and Mei watched her leave. When she was far enough away, Mei let herself sink into John’s arms, relinquishing support. “I need to lie down,” she finally said.
John didn’t say a word. He simply swept her up and carried her into the tent.
Lying in her bed at last, Mei held his wrist, exhausted. “Wake me in a few hours.”
“I will,” he answered, stroking her arm. He smiled warmly at her.
A fog formed in her mind, pulling her to rest. She thought of Travis, imagining him standing beside her. She wished she could talk to him. Hear his voice. If only she’d paid more attention. If only...
“Mei, what’s wrong?” asked John.
She looked at him. “Nothing…” she whispered.
John tilted his head. “Are you sure?”
It’s all my fault. I killed him, the same as…
“Mei?”
…the same as Terry, all those years ago. Couldn’t see the answers. I’m always too late to see…
“Are you okay?” He felt her forehead. “You feel warm…”
…to see the truth…but I’m a fool, a stupid little girl trying to pretend, trying to be something I’m not…
“Can you hear me, Mei?” asked John.
…and it’s my fault…it’s all my fault…everything…because of me…
“Someone help!” shouted John. “Doctor Tabata? Somebody get in here!”
…my fault…
Ch ap ter 8
Ortego Outpost File Logs
Play Audio File 347
Recorded: April 23, 2350
PRESCOTT : I’m sorry, but what did you say your name was?
MITCHELL : Sophie Mitchell, sir. I’m Doctor Curie’s apprentice.
PRESCOTT : Why am I talking to you instead of your mentor?
MITCHELL : It’s as I’ve said, sir. She is currently occupied.
PRESCOTT : Occupied with what, exactly? She’d better have a good excuse for missing this call.
MITCHELL : As you are aware, sir, the recent tragedy involving Travis Scott has left a gap in
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