“The Liars appeared to offer the galaxy to us – when, in reality, they offered us just short of thirty systems, out of billions. The Liars pretend to be scattered and separate groups, but they must have acted in a coordinated way to herd and corral we foolish humans, and to keep us confined to just a few carefully selected sectors of space. Elena’s ship stumbled upon some sort of automated Liar repair station, and it accidentally revealed the truth: the Liars have vastly more powerful bridge technology, capable of going anywhere in the galaxy. Now the Liars are determined to hide that secret, at any cost.” He sighed. “I don’t see how we survive this.”

“I came to pretty much the same conclusion, but I do see a possible way out. The Liars want to kill us to preserve their secret – so let’s make that pointless. When we get back to human-occupied space, we’ll send a wide transmission, revealing everything we know and everything we suspect. Once the secret is out, the Liars won’t have any reason to try to kill us anymore.”

“Except for spite, vengeance, irritation, and so on,” Stephen said.

“Except for those, yeah, but I think the Liars will be too busy getting rounded up and interrogated by every human polity in the galaxy that has a military or police division. They’ll have much bigger problems than blowing us up out of pique.” She gazed out at the planet, just a shape cast in darkness with red light shining around its edges from the dwarf star beyond. “The alternative is, we look for a habitable planet out here somewhere and retire, but then we don’t get justice for Meditreme Station.”

“I’d planned to retire somewhere with a better breakfast buffet. Your plan is certainly worth a try,” Stephen said. “Though when the alternative is certain death, any plan would be. Shall I put together a recording with our findings? You’re always going on about my wasted gravitas.”

“Sure. You’re good at being measured and methodical. If I tried to record a statement I’d start yelling and waving my arms around and kicking things.”

“Your argumentation style is very persuasive, but when one is presenting an insane conspiracy theory, it is better for one to be calm about it.”

Callie closed the channel, then stared out the window some more. Everyone had a job. Everyone except her–

And Elena, who tapped tentatively at the open door. “Mind if I join you?”

“Come on in. Enjoy the view.”

Elena walked over and sealed her boots to the deck next to Callie, close enough to hold hands, if either of them had wanted to. Instead they just gazed into the pinpricked dark.

“It’s so…” Elena shook her head and fell silent.

“What?”

“No, it’s nothing. I shouldn’t say it.”