“Did you know he kissed her back at the base?”

“It was a mistake. He thought she was me.”

“Maybe I should kiss Lara by mistake, then you’ll want to be with me again.”

She sat on the edge of Kevin’s bed, feeling listless.

“That was a joke. I was joking.” Kevin sat up, shoving a second pillow behind his head. “Two weeks ago you couldn’t wait to get to Antarctica to spend time together. What happened? Did I do something to offend you?”

“No,” she said, staring out the viewport at the silent darkness.

“Know what I think it is? I think you knew it was over between you and him the day Omega was green-lit. Now that there’s a chance he could go to Europa, you’re not so sure.”

“I already told you, Ike’s not going to Europa.”

“Then why’s he on board? Goddamn it, Andria, tell me!”

“Oh, shit.” Dropping to all fours, she crawled to the control panel on the wall, shutting the drapes as one of the submersibles moved into view, its triangle of lights reflecting off the outer aero glass panel.

Kevin rolled out of bed. “I think you should leave.”

“Kev, I’m sorry.”

“Now, Andria.”

“You really want me to leave?”

“What I want is for you to remember your duty. We’re on a mission that will affect the future of this planet. I’m your CO. That means no secrets. Now tell me, why is Eisenbraun on board?”

She stood, adjusting her top before zipping the jumpsuit. “One of the male crewmen’s psychological profile was red-flagged as a potential sociopath. Ike’s been assigned to evaluate the situation.”

“Christ.” Commander Read sat on the edge of his bed, his mind racing. “Who is it?”

“Ike says he doesn’t know. Kevin, I’m not comfortable talking about this with you-know-who eavesdropping.” She glanced in the direction of the sensory orb glowing blue along the living room ceiling.

Kevin kicked the bedroom door shut. “Get in bed, get undressed again, and tell me everything you know.”

*   *   *

The two-man submersible banked sharply around Support Arm C, the pilot aiming the vessel’s forward lights once more at Oceanus’s middeck. “Sorry, Eisenbraun. They closed the drapes.”

I leaned forward against the annoying seatbelt harness crossing my sternum, my eyes squinting as they searched the midlevel of the Oceanus hull. “Thanks anyway.”

“One Jew helping another, right?” Yoni Limor’s Israeli accent was as thick as his waist, his three-hundred-pound frame barely squeezing into the pilot’s seat.

As if reading my mind, he said, “I know … I need to lose weight. Designing submersibles does not allow much time for exercise. Amanda says she likes big men, so maybe I am okay, yes? Of course, your creation knew that when it selected her as my mate.”

“What are you talking about?”