Ivan wasn’t actually quarantined. The captain hadn’t actually issued an order requiring him to stay in his cabin. He rehearsed these statements as he stared at the door.

Finally, having generated enough courage, Ivan reached for the release. He stepped out into the corridor and looked both ways. It felt as if years had passed, and he was freshly paroled. He spent only a moment savoring the feeling of freedom before turning in the direction of the common room.

Tenn, Will, and Raul sat at a table, nursing coffees. The sudden silence as he stepped into view probably said all that needed to be said about his level of welcome. Ivan gave them an embarrassed smile and headed for the coffee machine. He’d been missing coffee—the subtle kick from that first cup was one of those rituals that made him feel in control of his day.

He drew a coffee, the sound of the flowing liquid filling the silence in the room. He held the steaming cup under his nose, and inhaled the aroma of fresh, quality coffee. Nose still works. That’s good.

Ivan turned in the direction of his crewmates, and was dismayed to see them look away quickly. Will, at least, looked embarrassed, but the thin line of his lips showed his determination. Defeated, Ivan aimed for a table at the other end of the room. He took a quick sip of the coffee, and—what the hell?

He couldn’t swallow. He wasn’t choking, but he simply couldn’t form the action. He could taste the coffee in his mouth, he could feel it cooling, but…

After a few frustrating moments, Ivan spit the coffee back into his cup, then poured it down the sink. So now drinking was out. The conversion seemed to be slowly stripping parts of his life away. Maybe he really was just an imitation of a person.

As he handed the empty cup to the dishwasher mech, Ivan felt a sudden jolt of rage and hate, accompanied by the image of the bear cub. It didn’t make sense. The mech wasn’t at fault, and anyway, the reaction was out of character for him. Assuming those emotions were even coming from him. What if they weren’t? What if his transformation came with an alien consciousness? It would at least explain the bear cub.

Ivan walked slowly out of the common room, pondering the possibility that he wasn’t alone in his head.

27.Most Paranoid Wins

27.Most Paranoid Wins

Josh had made the soccer team. Suzie was in the semi-finals in her chess tournament at school. Judy’s boss had been passed up for a promotion, the position going to the CEO’s nephew. The email had the usual updates about all things family that you could expect to get when you were away from home. But nothing more. Events. Descriptions. Like the annual Christmas letter to relatives.