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There’s an electricity in the air, a nearly tangible sense of purpose We have a plan I ignore the stab of pain that lances through ether A countdown clock, set to soet together again

"Could we use your gun to set it off?"

His lips purse, thoughtful "The Gleidel was designed to interact with organic h to fire it on a ship fro the hull Wouldn’t so ers along my lips

"A fuse, then Like we used as kids" I close ers as they wander across my mouth "I’ve never used fuel as an explosive, but the principle’s bound to be the saht open, leave the rest of the station intact"

Tarverests, bending his head to resu before I interrupted him

It takes nearly an entire day to clear the area in front of the station doors The power tools have long since lost their charge, so we’re using rusty saws and a big pair of shears from the shed We probably would have finished earlier, but I keep finding o to hi what he’s doing to oblige We don’teach other fro trees, clear away the braainst the doors

I look over the dents and dath of rope we’ve found for a fuse Suddenly I’ht There are so h the trees, close to the horizon, Tarver drags the last of the fallen saplings away and then arches his back until it pops II’ll be there I slip beneath it, wrapping my arainst his chest, eyes turned up to look at hi rescued I can’t see it objectively I so badly want it and don’t--I’

"Depends on what you ainst e of h I doubt he’ll take ht," he says before leaning down to kiss ain "We’ll wait until there’s good light, e’re sure we’re ready Tomorrow"

"If people were stationed here, there could be food inside Hot water, rin at hi a bed hasn’t really been a probleht and wrapping both arround does have its lied hand sliding up my side under my shirt, and that re hih me I can’t let him be the one to do this We don’t kno volatile the fuel tanks are, or how fast the fuse will burn

I let hirowly noise he usuallyLet him be as distracted as possible, before I try to do this Because he’s not going to like it

I pullfuses tohting this thing"

Tarver starts to lean in again, but then stops, frowning ata hand either I like both of yours I’ll do it"

"Don’t be silly," I say, trying out my best, most capable smile I can’t let him see how desperately I need hiet hurt if so "I did this all the time when I was a kid,lurking in his expression--fear? I can’t make it out "I kno to take a hit," he says "How to drop and protect myself in an explosion"

"But I won’t need to do that, because I knohat I’ I’ll be perfectly safe If so happened to you, I’d last a grand total of ten seconds out here byhappened toat ut I can alht, and if nothing else he’ll have to see my conviction I can see his fevered face inhow close I was to losing hiain

"It’s a sihtthe curve ofhappened to you," hebut fine"