“It’s summer, Rosemary. The plants are yellow because they’re dry. And to my knowledge, eucalyptus trees have always been this colour.”

She tilted her head, even as her pulse began to rise. “How long has the water been safe?”

“At least five years,” he replied seriously.

“But if the water is safe in Australia, wouldn’t it be safe elsewhere?” she asked quietly.

He didn’t reply.

Romy studied him more closely than she had since their first meeting.

“You’re tall,” she observed.

Atlas had that look in his eye that told Romy he was contemplating her intelligence. She threw him a withering glare. “I mean, you’re taller than any other soldier I’ve seen. I’m five foot eleven. My knot mates are six foot, at the most.” She folded her arms. “You must have had a bit of trouble getting around your station.”

“I did,” he grunted. She could hear the annoyance in his voice. The ceilings were only six foot three inches. It would’ve sucked poacher poop stooping down the halls every day.

“I guess you would’ve needed a bigger bed,” Romy noted.

He appraised her with an amused look. “Thinking about me in bed?”

His question had an undercurrent she didn’t understand; his eyes were saying something his mouth wasn’t.

She narrowed her eyes. “I’m thinking about your feet sticking off the end of the bunk.” And wondering why you’re taller than any space soldier I’ve ever met.

Atlas laughed and offered her a hand to stand, pulling her up with a quick jerk. His gaze trailed downwards and a low humming sound came from his throat.

“Have I got something on my face?” she asked as he continued to stare.

He flashed a smile. Not answering. Again.

“You didn’t eat any milky mangrove by accident?” she teased.

“That doesn’t cause fatigue—it causes blistering and blindness.”

“My mistake,” she said demurely. She returned his questioning gaze with innocent eyes.

He turned his head to the right. “We can camp here tonight.”

It was still light. “There are still hours of daylight left.” She frowned up at him.

Was it just the sunlight, or was there a twinge of sorrow in his eyes?

Romy took the plunge.

“Look, Atlas . . . if you don’t want to return to the Orbitos, I understand. Earth is beautiful. I just think that the other soldiers deserve to know there’s a place we can return to. And that . . . if the research teams have been lying to us, then the High Command needs to be told.”

There was too much here that didn’t add up. There was an entire country safe for colonisation. How was it that the Orbitos didn’t know?

His head snapped up.