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"We found the devices in a pet store," Ana explained brightly "Supposed to tell you when your dog has left the yard"

"Each tower has a beacon, and the crew assigned to that tower all wear matched receivers Stray too far, we’ve set it for one hundred seventy-five oes off"

"That’s fantastic," Tania said The fear she’d confessed to Karl, of such crews beconed to the like this for all the colonists?"

"Maybe," Karl said before Skyler could answer "The problem is that the receiver can only be paired to one transreat for these crews, but that’s because they’re only worried about their oer"

"We could at least provide them for those who stay near camp, tied to the Elevator cord itself," Skyler added "But we need to find more, first The store that provided these is now depleted"

"I see," Tania said "Please do that; it would give the colonists some peace of mind"

Skyler looked at Karl "Bump it up the list," he said

"Will do"

Tania handed the map back to Ana and returned her attention to the crews themselves "What else?" she said

"Each crew has been trained," Skyler said "Everything I could think of in ter and survival techniques thanks to Pablo, Vanessa, and Ana here"

Tania nodded thanks to the three iether The fifth crew, she thought

"In addition we’ve drilled them extensively in self-defense, tactics, and weapon use They all have assigned arms they carry and are responsible for nate their leader"

"Leaders!" Karl shouted "Coed up The one called Colton was last to arrive, returning from his demonstration of the beacon

"You all are to report to the coht, for your priority lists," Karl said to them Then he turned to Tania "I’ll be the keeper of the master list, and everyone’s been instructed to refer toI’ll also keep an inventory list of what the crews bring in"

"That’s a lot to do," Tania noted "You should pick an assistant froreed

"Well," Tania said, "I’m very i for this role I knoill have its dangers, but your ill be vital to the success of the colony"

The leaders all sh sincerity She heard the words as if they came from someone else--a politician or an actor, not her In her heart of hearts, Tania would still rather be up on Black Level, alone in a quiet lab, poring over telescope data

Absently she smacked an insect that had landed on the back of her neck

The show ended, Karl dis on the lists they’d been provided thatthem off

Tania watched with soroup huddled over laan to guide their aura tower down the dusty street

"That youngbeacon"

"Yes?" Tania asked

"He’s bright Motivated Soht Pardon the pun"

"Good to know"

Karl cleared his throat "Sa A dark-haired youngster in Colton’s crew strode out in front of the tower, scouting ahead Even from this distance Tania could see the innate coe and simple commands that kept each constantly aware of the other "Nachu," Karl said "A machinist from Platz Station He and Colton both were, actually Best friends Each is clever as hell in his own right, but as a team they’re a roill need good leaders"

"Don’t go stealing my people so soon," Skyler protested

"Not soon, but in time Before the Builders return … if they do … we’ll want to have a task force that can be reed," Skyler and Karl said in unison

A sober silence followed She despised being reht not be done If their schedule held as calculated, the colony had a year and soht happen was anyone’s guess, and Tania detested speculation without data

Yet the words of Neil Platz still haunted her He’d been wrong about the third event, expecting a Builder invasion fleet to come and claim the planet, but that didn’t mean his fear wouldn’t yet be realized Who kne many Builder ships were lined up to reach the planet? There could be a hundreddaily Hourly

Tania shivered at the prospect despite the heat She struggled enough to iht co and Marcus called "analysis paralysis"