He starts to point in one direction, then stops. Then he picks a new thing, but stops there too. Like a kid in a candy shop. Finally, he settles on the 3-D printer. “That. What is that, question?”

“It makes small things. I tell the computer a shape, and it tells this machine how to make it.”

“I can see it make small thing, question?”

“It needs gravity.”

“That is why your ship rotates, question?”

“Yes!” I say. Wow, he’s quick. “The rotation makes gravity for science things.”

“You ship no can rotate with tunnel attached.”

“Right.”

He thinks it over.

“You ship has more science than my ship. Better science. I bring my things into you ship. Release tunnel. You make you ship spin for science. You and me science how to kill Astrophage together. Save Earth. Save Erid. This is good plan, question?”

“Uh… yes! Good plan! But what about your ship?” I tap his xenonite bubble. “Human science can’t make xenonite. Xenonite is stronger than anything humans have.”

“I bring materials to make xenonite. Can make any shape.”

“Understand,” I say. “You want to get your things now?”

“Yes!”

I’ve gone from “sole-surviving space explorer” to “guy with wacky new roommate.” It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out.

“Have you met Dr. Lamai?” Stratt asked.

I shrugged. “I meet so many people these days I honestly don’t know.”

The carrier had a sick bay, but that was for the crew. This was a special medical center set up on the second hangar bay.

Dr. Lamai pressed her hands together and bowed her head slightly. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Grace.”

“Thanks,” I said. “Um, you too.”

“I’ve put Dr. Lamai in charge of all things medical for the Hail Mary,” Stratt said. “She was the lead scientist for the company that developed the coma technology we’re going to use.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said. “So you’re from Thailand, I assume?”

“Yes,” she said. “The company did not survive, unfortunately. Because the technology only works on one in every seven thousand people and thus has limited commercial potential. I am very happy that my research may yet help humanity.”

“Understatement,” said Stratt. “Your technology might save humanity.”

Lamai averted her eyes. “You compliment me too much.”

She led us into her lab. A dozen bays were each full of slightly different apparatus experiments, each connected to an unconscious monkey.

I looked away. “Do I have to be here?”

“You’ll have to excuse Dr. Grace,” Stratt said. “He’s a bit… tender on certain topics.”

“I’m fine,” I said. “I know animal testing is necessary. I just don’t like to stare at it.”

Lamai said nothing.

“Dr. Grace,” Stratt said. “Stop being an asshole. Dr. Lamai, please bring us up to speed.”