“Well, it’s not as if you left me a choice,” Fulbreech commented, wry. “I wasn’t just going to say no to you and go back to sleep. You’re wrong on one point, though.”

“Which point is that?”

Fulbreech stared down at Hunter like he was viewing a body in an open casket. “I didn’t come because I supported your idea,” he said softly. “I only helped because I support you.”

—

Headachy morning came eventually, and with it seeping artificial dawn: gray light touching gray walls. Park sat in the medical bay for the entire night, keeping watch over Hunter, who never stirred. She kept watch over herself, too, vigilant for symptoms, disorientation from an earlier injury—or anything else. But little by little, she felt more like herself again.

Sagara checked in on her intermittently—he even once deigned to bring her sim-coffee—and after a while Wick popped in as well: she had to spend some tiresome moments re-explaining everything that had transpired. Wick looked at her with concern and said, “Are you sure you’re up for this?”

Do I have a choice? Park wanted to ask. She could only smile tiredly at him and say, “It’s what I’m here for, Commander.”

He gave her a look that said they both knew it wasn’t true. But he nodded and left her to her work.

Eventually Jimex came back, as well; he only stared at her when she asked him what he’d been up to in the intervening hours, so after a while Park gave up. She stationed him by the door in case she drifted off and Hunter wandered away again. But in the end she stayed awake, idly testing the signal strength of the communication systems (still down) and wondering if Keller really had been feeling the effects of this affliction, and had kept it hidden from everyone until she was frozen. Had she also felt nauseous and dizzy? Had she sleepwalked for a period of time before anyone found out—or had it hit her all at once?

But her thoughts were too gray—her brain stung with weariness—and after a while the concerns over Hunter, Keller, and even herself faded away from her.

In the late morning Chanur showed up, followed closely by Ellenex. She made as if to shunt Park out of the room, but Park said firmly, “I have instructions from Captain Sagara to supervise your examination.”

Chanur made a low clicking sound with her tongue: another Martian rudeness. But she conducted her checkup of Hunter without further complaint, until she straightened and said softly, “You said you were the one to knock her out?”

By the door, Jimex gave one slow blink.

“That’s right,” Park said, calm. She’d already reviewed the details in her head. “Ellenex administered the sedative afterward.”

Chanur looked at Ellenex, who looked back without saying anything. Then she smiled a little, her blue eye staring.