Valerie Black was a zealot to her own cause. To her, everything she was doing was rational. She would never be persuaded to another path. She’d take loyalty bought with blood as long as people followed her.

This whole scenario was a rigged, exaggerated version of the trolley problem, Naomi realised.

In Valerie’s mind, what she was doing to Earth was simply the same thing—destroy some to save the species as a whole. In her mind, killing those on Earth meant protecting the lives that could one day flourish on Cavendish, free from humans making the same mistakes as before.

Naomi went to the med bay, Valerie following, peering as Naomi arranged the medicine. Sodium chloride—saline. Sodium thiopental to knock Lebedeva out. Potassium chloride for cardiac arrest. Quick. Painless. A mercy.

Valerie said nothing, letting Naomi choose her methods. She remembered what Hart had taught her not long after they’d taken off. Back when they all believed in the mission, in Valerie. It had been only a few months ago, but she already thought of her past self as heartbreakingly naive.

“Let’s finish this,” Naomi said, her voice heavy.

Valerie’s face broke into a horribly sweet smile. “Call her here,” Valerie said, drifting back into a corner. “No Russian, no warnings.”

Naomi stepped closer, sending her comms to the hallway outside Hart and Hixon’s quarters. “I’m back up in the med lab. How are things with the door?”

A silence and then the crackle of the channel opening. “Still unsuccessful. The lock is difficult to crack. What has happened with Dr. Black? Has she agreed to share the cure?”

“Yes. With a caveat. Can you come to the med bay for a second?”

“Are you injured?” Lebedeva asked, concern colouring her voice.

Naomi closed her eyes, feeling her face crumple as she lied. “Yes. Need help with a bandage.”

“Coming.”

Valerie crouched, spider-like. Did she truly think that this death would bond them, along with all that happened on Earth? People always said that astronauts were so brave. To ride a controlled bomb up to such an inhospitable place. To risk death on so many occasions. At that moment, Naomi felt cowardly.

She could refuse Valerie, try and find another way to get the cure. She could hope that Evan had found it, negating her need to do any of this. Or she could fall into line, sacrifice Lebedeva for the cause. Sacrifice her own morality at the same time. Flip the switch.

Lebedeva came in. Naomi wasted no time, wrenching her hands behind her back. Lebedeva struggled when she saw Valerie in the corner and rammed Naomi into a wall, hitting her shoulder hard. Panicked about the baby, Naomi whispered “trust me” in Lebedeva’s ear, out of sight of Valerie.