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Galley They called it a galley on ships

Tilly picked halfheartedly at a farrown tomato and real mozzarella salad that Anna could have afforded on Europa by selling a kidney, and said, “Have you heard fro a piece of fried tofu “I got another video last night Naravity, but the drugsher off of them early, even if it means more physical therapy”

“A,” Tilly said It had a pro fore the subject

“Robert hasn’t checked in for a week now,” Tilly said She seened rather than sad

“You don’t think he—”

“Cheating?” Tilly said with a laugh “I wish That would at least be interesting When he locks himself away in his office at 2 a at? Business reports, stock values, spreadsheets Robert is the least sexual creature I’ve ever met At least until they invent a way to fk money”

Tilly’s casual obscenity had very quickly stopped bothering Anna There was no anger in it Like s Tilly did, it struck her as another way to be noticed To get people to pay attention to her “How’s the ca?” Anna said

“Esteban? Who knows? Robert’s job is to be rich and have rich friends I’ just fine”

They ate in silence for a while, then without planning to, Anna said, “I don’t think I should have coospel at her “None of us should have”

“We pray, and we get photographed, and we have s about interfaith cooperation,” Anna continued “You knoe never talk about?”

“The Ring?”

“No Iall the time What is it, what’s it for, why did the protomolecule make it”

Tilly pushed her salad away and chewed another lozenge “Then what?”

“What I thought we came here to do To talk about what it ians on this ship And none of us is talking about what the Ring ical anthropology is a lot simpler when humans are the only ones with souls”

Tilly waved at the waiter and ordered a cocktail Anna had never heard of The waiter seeet it “This see I’ll need a drink for,” she said “Go on”

“But how does the protomolecule fit into that? Is it alive? Itstructures that are astonishingly advanced Is it a tool used by someone more like us, only smarter? And if so, are they creatures with a sense of the divine? Do they have faith? What does that look like?”