He walks out.

We watch the recording for another two hours. In this time, there’s frantic typing on handhelds, the beeps of received messages. It’s certain Leyton prepares a lifeboat regardless of his crew’s misgivings. We see him wandering from the bay to various supply stations, stocking carry-bots with essentials. What’s less easy to see is what the others make of this, or why they’ve agreed to silence. Video logs are commonplace on short- and long-haul missions, and yet they act as though they have no intention of carrying out the necessary protocols. Why? It’s unheard of. Everything else they do is with the strictest adherence to regulations. They know they’re facing the risk of being court martialled when they arrive home. Nevertheless, to a person, they isolate themselves in various places. The galley, their cabin, the WiSP drive bay, where they type, far from each other, refusing to log. It’s the damnedest thing to watch. None of us can work out why.

Two and a half hours pass until they meet in the lifeboat bay. Emilia, Bai and Leyton suit up, helmets in hand. Anis does not.

They’re stiff and formal. They hug, one by one. Anis and Leyton kiss without warmth; it’s easy to tell how she feels. Though they don’t talk much besides procedural discussions, from the look of things the plan is for Anis to stay aboard, maintain communications, and be ready for a possible pick-up if assistance is needed. They attach their helmets, enter the lifeboat. Anis swipes her eyes as if she’s angry with her own body. She steps out from the bay and lets the countdown procedure run its course.

A frozen screen. A staffer steps forward. The thickset blond, blocking the vid-gel with his body.

‘My apologies. The next recording of significance comes after seven days. For some unknown reason, at this stage the WiSP drive begins to reboot. It was initially suspected this had been done by Anis, or even possibly Emilia, but there are no records to support this. The countdown to the drive’s re-engagement has a ten-hour window. It would seem from the recordings Anis did everything in her power to stop this from happening, but could not. She finally uses the lifeboat to escape and join her crew. We still don’t know how the remaining two boats were jettisoned, as once Mimas returned to our present time all communications had ended.’

We sit, squeezed together on comfortable seats, staring at the empty deck where all this took place, unable to imagine. The staffer clasps his hands.

‘Perhaps you’d like to view the final thirty minutes?’

I really wouldn’t, and ignore the question. Wade and Roberta say yes. The giant nods to the left. He steps away from the screen.