“I’m sorry to disturb you,” Michelle said. The only reason she was sorry was because she didn’t want to talk to him. Sometimes she did feel embarrassed that she didn’t have any substantive education—despite child labor laws that were supposed to ensure that. Omweer just intensified that feeling. “Look, Dr. Orie, I know you think I’m an idiot and you have contempt for what I do for a living, but I’ve seen far more combat than you have and as far as this mission is concerned, you’re low man on the totem pole.”

She knew this was a certain amount of dick waving, but she needed him to respect her enough that he would follow her orders should anything happen to Klaus.

He gave her a patronizing smile. “My dear girl, of course I understand the hierarchy. Most sincerely, I would rather be anywhere than on this mission. I have real work to do, and it is only my sense of duty to my country that keeps me here.”

He stopped talking. Michelle assumed their conversation was finished. Thank God.

“You can’t help your wretched upbringing,” he continued. “We can’t all succeed in academia.”

Michelle felt herself blushing. Then her embarrassment was replaced with anger. She gave him an icy smile. “Marcel, I don’t give a shit what you think of my ‘wretched upbringing.’ We can’t all be smug, overeducated assholes. Do your lightning thing, don’t get dead, and don’t get anyone else dead. It’s pretty straightforward.”

He opened his mouth as if to say something else, but she narrowed her eyes and gave him her best killing look. His mouth snapped shut, and he picked up his journal and began reading again.

Michelle went back to her seat with Sheeba. “I really hate that guy,” she said in a low voice.

The Angel laughed. “Get in line,” she chortled. “At least you didn’t get him started on mathematics and statistics. Talk about a bore.”

“Oh, there’s no chance he’ll go on about anything like that with me. I’m a simple girl with a simple mind, far too stupid to be engaged in such a conversation.” When Michelle thought about it, she was actually quite pleased he thought she was an idiot.

The plane was climbing to its final altitude. When it went supersonic, it felt like someone was gently pushing her in the back. The clouds thinned out and then vanished altogether. They were at the edge of the atmosphere now. The sky was littered with stars, and the moon was a bright, silver disc.

She stared out the window, looking into the vastness before her. It made her feel small. And much to her surprise, that didn’t bother her at all.