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Tania held her hand up "Dr Brooks, please … is there anything we can do other than wait?"

The woman looked at her with a sad expression "There is brain activity," she said "You can talk to hi like that But you’re a scientist, so I know you prefer facts The fact is, none of that is proven to help I fear it is often rieve feel … useful"

"But it can’t hurt," Tis Keeping his, at least until we can get so this since you brought him in, with the help from a few of the station staff, but help would be appreciated"

"We could have assisted," Tania said Ti

Dr Brooks waved a hand "I know, but until we had an idea of ere dealing with, I wanted to limit contact and keep a close eye on him Now that he’s … stable, I would welcome the help"

"We’ll set up a rotation," Tania said "Teach us what to do, and we’ll make sure it all happens"

A few more details were discussed, and then the roo only Tim present, and Karl on the comm’s screen

"Zane’s insight will be missed," Karl started

"Don’t talk about him like he’s dead," Tim shot back

A silence fell

Tania cleared her throat "Go on, Karl"

"I was going to say that, as much as we all want to help, we have other issues that have languished since Zane fell ill The scavenger crews have spent sothe medical equipment necessary--"

"That stuff will be useful in the future, too For years," Ti, Tania, Tier on our side"

"What do you mean?" Tim asked

Tania knew but let Karl explain

"The Builders When we arrived here we kneould be roughly two years before they returned Or whatever they’re plotting"

"We don’t know for sure," Tania said "But you’re close enough If they keep to the schedule they’ve used so far, we’re non to just over eight months" Was it June already? Tania shook her head in disbelief

"That’s all I wanted to point out," Karl said

Tim’s brow furrowed "But … so what? I mean, what are we supposed to do with that? If there’s one thing we’ve learned about the Builders it’s that we have no idea what the heck they’re doing"

"I have a few ideas," Tania said

"Me, too," Karl replied

Tim looked back and forth between them "Well?"

"You first," Tania said to Karl

He took a breath and looked at the if we shouldn’t set up a satellite camp Take a tower and move it out to a safe distance Just in case"

Tania pretended to consider the idea, but instantly she disliked it

"What’s a safe distance?" Tim asked "I mean, SUBS spread across the planet almost as fast as the news of it"

"I don’t know," he said with a shrug "One hundred kilometers?"

"Hoould they acquire provisions?"

"Send one of the new scavenger creith them Plus, Skyler could fly supplies and personnel back and forth"

Tania grimaced "I don’t know…"

"It’s just an idea," Karl said "Should anything happen to the caood to have a place to run to"

"We have that already," Tilanced at each of theht of going back seemed absurd to Tania "We’d be treated as criminals Traitors I don’t think that’s an option"

"It’s an option," Tiood one It’s just there A last resort"

Karl leaned forward "Look, if so were to happen here that would drive us to flee, it stands to reason the saht even need to flee here Wouldn’t that be so"

Tania started to reply, then stopped A hundred thoughts raced through her mind Possibilities, reactions, counterreactions None of it appealed to her It all sees she wanted in the world: build a new haven for mankind, and discover what the Builders ultiuessing ga the aliens We simply have no idea what their purpose is Or if they even have a purpose"

"I refuse to believe the bastards are doing all this for no reason at all," Karl said

"Well," Tania said She sluht There’s still too many unknowns We have a date this time--March seventh, if the calculations are correct--but that’s not enough to take an action that drastic I’th is the best idea"

He persisted "At a minimum, then, we should identify a location Stock it with minimal supplies" He shut his eyes for a ht exposure to SUBS he’d experienced still left hiuilt every time she saw hi no worse and no better

"Okay," Tania said "Pick the spot and start a list of supplies We’ll wait until, um, ‘Builders’ Day’ is asupplies there"

"What was your idea, Tania? In terave each of them a look she hoped came across as earnest "As you both recall, just before this Elevator arrived, ere experiencing failures in Darwin’s aura Blips, outages, whatever you want to call it SUBS got through the protection, and if not for Skyler’s actions we ave her blank stares "Skyler’s actions?" Karl asked "I … what do you mean? What actions?"

"He doesn’t talk about it much," she said "Obviously, or you’d both know Neil sent hiate the base of the Darwin Elevator, which contrary to popular belief is quite deep below Nightcliff So Skyler doesn’t even understand But somehow, he fixed it, or … reset it"

"How?" Tim asked

"Like I said, he doesn’t know Nor do I, but I suspect his i to do with it"