The proof was still before her: Valerie was keeping secrets. From the crew. From Naomi.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

123 Days After Launch

3 Days to Mars

126 Days to Cavendish

Mars was growing ever closer. Naomi was running out of time. By confronting Valerie, Naomi would be revealing that she and Evan were speaking privately.

She couldn’t let the other women do the test jump and then go to Cavendish without realising what the U.S. was offering. They deserved to know the truth, and Valerie was in the wrong for hiding it from them.

Bringing it up in front of the group with no warning would only trigger Valerie’s anger. The morning of the third day before the jump, an hour before breakfast, Naomi knocked on the observation room door, where Valerie had locked herself in to work.

“Yes?” came Valerie’s voice.

Valerie had clearly already been up for hours. Her eyes were bright and clear, the blueprints back up on the screens, the universe spread out before her.

“The others deserve to know,” Naomi said without preamble. “That the U.S. has offered us clemency.”

Valerie’s only response was a slow blink. If she was surprised Naomi had found her out, it didn’t show.

“What message did you send back to them?” Naomi asked. “What plan have they rejected?”

“I know what I’m doing here, Naomi,” she said.

“That’s not an answer.”

Valerie stood, and Naomi had to tilt her head up.

It would have been easier, to pretend not to see. To go through the ring, let the offer expire, keep her head down. Her heartbeat had risen, but she refused to back down.

“You don’t like me confronting you, any more than I like questioning your judgement.”

Valerie’s gaze flicked at the blueprints. “Look. I didn’t mention it because it’s an empty promise. Do you really think that they’ll land and let us carry on as we want, without repercussions? Don’t be so naive. I raised you better than that.”

Naomi’s neck stiffened. “We’d have documented proof they offered us a pardon. And if we’re there from the beginning, we can change things. Set the groundwork. I’m asking again: what plan did they reject?”

Valerie took a few moments, leaving her desk and staring out the window, and Naomi fought the urge to back down. To acquiesce as she had so many times before. Standing her ground before Valerie was a new and terrible, uncomfortable experience.

“I’ll tell you all at breakfast. Lay it on the table, discuss next steps.”

The taut rope of tension between them slackened.

“Thank you,” Naomi said.

Naomi made to leave, and Valerie’s hand snatched out, catching her shoulder in a vice of a grip. Naomi fought the urge to recoil.

“Watch how you go, Naomi,” Valerie said. “You can question me, but do not undermine me.”

Naomi kept her back to her, her chin high.