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Now or never, Skyler decided

"My name is Skyler," he announced They all knew this by now; he’d otten most of their names "I came here from Australia, and the Netherlands before that"

All eyes were on hi all over the globe Half of it, anyway Japan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, India, Russia, Hawaii Everywhere, really"

For ten minutes he recounted the events that had transpired on the other side of the planet The Elevator they knew of, but the aura had only been ruathered Skyler explained what led to his flight fro care to point out the sacrifices and heroics of all the others who’d come with them He also told them of his old crew, and the sacrifice they’d made "I at our peak We had an aircraft and went around looking for, well, whatever those trapped in Darwin needed There’s athere, by some counts, and just like you were trapped in that house, they are trapped in Darwin Only they can’t ever leave Not really"

Skyler downed the last of his coffee and set theat his side "Some made their way here when the new alien vessel arrived, and they found so remarkable" He told them of the aura towers, and how pockets of safety were now possible for those without the ioals that Tania, Zane, and the others had set for themselves

"The future," he said in conclusion, "remains ato the scientists they’ll be back in twenty uess All we know is, we need to get this new colony established, defended, and prosperous before that time arrives"

Everyone stared at hih from the child

"That’s all in jeopardy now Gabriel, and his … people … have overrun the ca shipped up to orbit, and the people up there will be forced to return to Darwin soon if the siege is not broken"

He left out his larger concern, that of the strange black-clad subhu Gabriel, he kneould just be the start

"I need your help," he said He er on Davi "You know firsthand what this Gabriel character is capable of I plan to put an end to his group, but I can’t do it alone Will you help me?"

One of the women cleared her throat Skyler nodded at her

"I’ve been held here, or places like this, for over a year," she said, her voice even and thickly accented "Raped almost weekly" She paused to let those words settle, as if noas the first tinant twice, both ending in e Held in solitude with no one to talk to except those who came to attack me: Gabriel, and many of his circle"

Skyler felt his hands ball into fists, his jagged fingernails digging into the flesh of his palms This woman would help--

"I cannot assist you," she said, and Skyler’s heart clenched "I’o, to flee and find so, but soh," Skyler said, "was horrible beyond cos that have befallen you But if you walk away now, Gabriel will just continue to do the same to others He had a dozen of you here, but there are hundreds in Belém and a thousand more in orbit This is the best chance to stop him before he hurts anyone else"

"I’ll coht that bastard"

"Me, too," said one of the aunt man with pale skin and distant blue eyes He looked at the woht for you, so that you can have peace"

In the end, four others agreed to join Skyler and Ana Davi was the last to speak

He stared for a long tilances at Skyler and the ground in front of her, withering under her brother’s gaze Skyler wondered if they’d agreed to leave now that they’d freed their friends, despite the deal they’d ed "Okay," he said "Let’s do it"

Ana closed her eyes, and the hint of a proud smile formed on her lips

"What’s the plan?" Davi asked

"No plan yet," Skyler adh missions in my day to know that plans are worthless if o back to Belém, we scout, and once we have information we choose a tactic and act, ied their fears or not, he couldn’t say But within an hour the goodbyes had been said The two groups, those co and those not, divided between the two armored trucks and went their separate ways

Despite initial protest froe While his volunteers watched fro vehicle, he built a small fire in the dirt just outside the door When the fla stick in until the end of it burned, then walked to the house

Skyler stepped into the building one last tiainst the wall

By the tiulfed in flah above the rainforest,an otherwise perfect sky

Chapter 20

Melville Station

6MAY2283

TANIA COULD NOT sleep The semblance of peace that her shared meal with Tim and Zane conjured had already vanished like the bittersweet departure of a good sunset

The sound of waves, lapping gently on a beach, failed to help, and she’d stopped the sound effect alht laps around the central ring hadn’t helped, either She’d run hard, treated the people she passed like an obstacle course, ignoring their concerned stares If they were concerned for her sanity, or the air she churned through exerting herself, she didn’t know, and didn’t want to know The only certainty was the question that waited on their lips: What’s your plan? What are we going to do?

Greg and Marcus called, at Ti no doubt, and offered to host her on Black Level for a few days They ran the now-fledgling research station, flush with scientific equip in computational power to handle analysis as Green Level was left behind above Darwin They’d turned to old-fashioned hts in front of a whiteboard--and seee in pace To escape there tempted her more than she cared to adht from her responsibilities

Next Ti tablets from the station’s supply roo her a bottle of wine, an upgrade fro her failures seeh, and so she’d declined that, too