It grew quiet in the cabin. It took only a moment once silence had descended for Dev to realize that they were all expecting him to give voice to what could very well prove to be life or death questions.

—VI—

Thrust into the spotlight, Dev felt he could reasonably defer to someone better qualified to pose the critical inquiries. That he did not was due more to his own innate curiosity than to any fear of saying something that might prove damaging to their present situation. He wanted to ask questions. Besides, as Pavesi had obliquely implied, and Reed more directly, how much more hopeless could their current state become?

Facing the wall in which were embedded the smaller, food-providing pods, he asked straightforwardly, “Ship, how did you know what kind of foods to synthesize for myself and my companions?”

There was no reply. Essaying a variant of the query, Zimmer was rewarded with the same silence. They all tried, each employing variations of the same inquiry. Their compartments could provide beds, chairs, food, showers, and more, but it appeared that it could not, or would not, reply to a question verbally. Pavesi spread her hands and looked resigned.

“That’s that, then. We’re to be kept alive but ignorant.” She started toward the portal. Or rather, the section of deceptively solid wall that could produce a portal in response to an applicable touch. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m exhausted. I’m going back to my cabin and try to get some sleep.”

Zimmer nodded in approval. “I always think better after a meal and some sleep. Perhaps one of us will awaken to a brilliant idea.”

“Or maybe we’ll find out this is all a dream.” Muttering to himself, a disappointed Reed followed Pavesi out the doorway she generated.

As her husband was preparing their bed, Katou-Zimmer walked up to Dev and put a hand on his arm. As she did with everyone else, the diminutive scientist had to tilt her neck back in order to meet his gaze.

“Don’t feel bad. It was a good idea, worth trying.”

He was only slightly consoled. “So many questions. We’ve got so many questions, and no way to get answers.”

She gave his arm a maternal squeeze. “Jakob is usually right about such things. We’ve been under a great deal of pressure and all need to rest. Get some sleep, Dev, and we’ll get together later and see if anyone has any good ideas on what our next step should be. Assuming we can find a way to access such options.”