Naomi spent more time in the rec room, watching old films or toying with the various landscapes. It was still like eating artificial gummies when what she craved was fresh fruit. She’d open the console and send Evan messages every few days, even though she technically no longer needed his help with her work. She was hungry for information back home, even if it wasn’t good news. Cochran’s party had already swept the mid-term elections, and his re-election was almost guaranteed. His base was still so strong he might even, horribly, have a shot at a third term.

Stories about the Atalanta 5 were still vicious. Digs at Valerie’s age, at Lebedeva’s past, snide homophobic remarks about Hart and Hixon. Naomi was still painted as a nepotism pick. Naomi was the last person to pretend access to Valerie’s money and connections hadn’t put her in a position to be here. She’d still worked damn hard to make sure the opportunity didn’t go to waste.

Naomi knew there was still anger back home, deep and pulsing, about what they’d done. The Atalanta 5 had taken action against men who had told them they knew best.

Not everything Evan sent was negative. He knew she’d want to see the development of a new type of algae that could absorb more carbon dioxide, which could give Earth a few more years of habitability. San Francisco had successfully lobbied for higher taxes for the wealthiest, pledging the money towards environmentally friendly and sustainable housing to help combat rising homelessness. Yet it all felt too late.

Naomi sent him a message that evening when she knew Evan was more likely to be online.

Atalanta: It’s N. No specific queries from the crew. Requesting a general status update.

She scrolled through some of the medical training documentation Hart had given her, only taking in half of it, as she waited for his message to come through.

Earth: Sorry for the delay. Work’s been mad. Doing research to try and determine why there was a higher than usual resistance to the flu vaccine last year to see if that helps our approach for this year. Long hours.

She could feel his exhaustion, even from there. She wasn’t sure what to say beyond empty commiserations. She hadn’t been able to bear bringing up what had happened to the backup crew, and she wasn’t sure if Valerie had told him in her communications. A quick opening of the logs showed she hadn’t.

Earth: Construction on the Atalanta II is continuing.

Naomi inhaled slowly, then exhaled.

Atalanta: We’ll still have Cavendish, for a little while. And women will still be the first to step on that planet. That’s something they can’t take from us.

The symbolism of that would be undeniable. It could fracture the new status quo.

They’d seen what Cochran was doing with the old world.