His expression hardened. “The Mandate has deceived the world for so long that even if the opportunity arose to come clean, I doubt they would take it. Humankind was near extinction. They needed hope. And that hope came from the Heroes in the Sky. The soldiers of the orbitos. Your unknown ‘sacrifice’ is a continual reminder that Earth cannot be taken for granted. It is used to keep humankind focused. Humans are not content to remain in peace for long. Your presence in space is a queen on a political chessboard. The key to controlling Earth’s population.”

“They should have at least told us!” Elara accused, getting to her feet.

Atlas didn’t move; he simply studied her. He didn’t look at her the way Houston did. Atlas looked at Elara the way Romy had seen him looking at the poisonous milky myrtle plant—with distaste. It shouldn’t have made her so happy.

“And with Earth dangling right in front of your eyes every day, would you have been content to stay in space? To protect a planet and people you’d never met?” he asked. “Playing the martyr could get old after a few years.”

“You sound like you’re justifying their lies,” Thrym noted.

“I understand it,” Atlas stressed. For the first time he appeared tense. “It doesn’t mean I agree with it.”

Something bothered Romy.

“Well, someone has to be up there,” she said. “If we abandon our post, the Critamal will invade Earth.”

“You know our technology has made large advancements.” Atlas shook his head. “The Earth is completely carbon-neutral now. And has been for 157 years.”

Excitement fluttered under Romy’s sternum, despite the debris Atlas continued to dump on them. "Incredible," she murmured.

“What’s your point?” Thrym asked.

Atlas stood and met the eyes of Knot 27. “I am trying to tell you that the technology to destroy the Critamal has been around for over a century.”

Romy had done many space walks in her time, usually for maintenance. The silence in space was always eerie and daunting. . . .

And yet it did not compare to the silence of that moment.

She choked on the horrible words. “The war could have been over a century ago?”

Thousands aboard the orbitos had been lost in the war efforts over the last century and a half. Blown apart one second and callously replaced the next by the fresh cadets the orbitos had on tap. Each of them gave up living a full life, constantly putting their life on the line and submitting to the disgusting tanks at thirty-five. They accepted this out of necessity, persevering through each life cycle because it was the only way to earn the right to live on Earth again.

Except it wasn’t a necessity at all.