They knocked over the trash can and disappeared.

“Wait, they forgot their change,” Edwin said.

“Shut the fuck up, Edwin.”

Markus looked out the window, and seemed about to go outside when his phone beeped.

“Hi Markus, this is Windee did you forget about our technical staff meeting? We’re waaaaiting for you!”

Now that donuts were being made in the kitchen, the replicators could be devoted to completing the stargate. And, with the base construction accelerated, Windee was already running full simulations on the alignment algorithm.

The captain had suggested they would use tectonic faults to power the stargate, as this region of the planet seemed full of them. However, there had been difficulties.

“As before, our main obstacle is the unpredictable nature of the faults. They offer adequate power, if we can predict when the earthquakes will happen.”

“Why can’t we just synthesize antimatter?” Markus complained.

“The captain says we can’t use antimatter,” Windee said automatically.

“Antimatter is far too dangerous for this planet, Markus. You know that,” Shirley said.

Markus shrugged. “That’s not our fault.”

“Markus,” Shirley warned.

“I was making a joke—get it, fault?”

“Yes, I do,” Shirley said, sounding unconvinced.

“Hey!” shouted Windee. “Maybe instead of passively gathering fault-line energy, we can actively initiate discharge using a modulated graviton pulse!”

“We’re trying to generate power, not use more of it,” said Markus.

Shirley paused. “So, Windee, your idea is to induce earthquakes, then instantly draw their power before they can damage the planet?”

“That’s what I saaaid!”

“We would need to be certain of our calculations to avoid devastating the region. But the concept has promise. Can you continue your work?”

“Okay, Shirley!” Windee saluted and returned to her station.

“Markus, what’s your progress on the modeling program?” Shirley said.

“It’s going well. But I have a few improvements on the interface that I’d like to run by you. Might you take a look?”

Markus led Shirley to his workstation, where he pulled up a screen. Shirley frowned.

“Markus,” she said quietly, “that’s not the modeling interface.”

Markus shook his head. “No. It’s a communications net. I’ve been constructing it in my spare time. The work is almost complete, but I need our exact travel path to recalculate our proper timeline.”

Shirley shook her head. “We’re not supposed to contact our timeline. Mother gave us orders.”

Markus continued as if he hadn’t heard. “I’ve been plugging in approximate values, and I have narrowed the possible timelines. But I can’t be sure which is the correct timeline without your help. You must have recorded the transit data, right?”

“Markus. Stop.”

“So, you’re saying you have the transit data but can’t share it?”

“Markus, please focus on your assignment. I look forward to hearing of your progress at our next meeting,” Shirley said. Then she disappeared.

Bitch.