Alcott couldn't work up the effort to do anything. She felt exhausted, whether from the stress or tension she couldn't tell. She sat on the couch, contemplating what she would say to Dashiell and coming up short. She was worried that he would retaliate, and while she didn't care what he did to her, she knew that Levi and the others had much at stake.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Tyson inquired.
"I want to strangle Dashiell," she said.
"It would be hard to do, he's much taller than you," he replied.
She snorted a laugh. "Fair enough. Come on. If I don't go now, then I'll lose my nerve."
She rose from the couch and moved toward the door with purpose.
"Alcott, can I ask you something?" Tyson inquired once they were down the hall.
The way he phrased it made Alcott frown. She looked at him as they continued walking down the hall.
"Oui? What is it?"
"I did talk to my parents yesterday," he mentioned. "They were aware of the situation as you suspected but they were not sympathetic. I guess my question is: is there anyone else who could possibly be as qualified?"
Alcott knew there wasn't. No one in cryo would understand the Canary tekcom as well as understanding the scientific materials from Earth. Gliére would have been perfect, but he was dead. Cameron's papa, from what Levi had said, would have been the other option, and he was also dead. O'Keefe's hadn't been captain in years, and his actions were still costing the base.
"Wouldn't it be better for you to be Anatoly's second in command, and Levi stay where he is?" Tyson continued when Alcott didn't reply. "I would never say that it is ideal, but think of it. You, Dylan, Levi, Cameron: you all will be in charge of the base in a couple years. Levi may love botany, but he's so much more than that. Dashiell, true to form, pointed this out in the worst way possible, but what Levi's working on –not just the data from Earth- could shape this base for decades to come." He gestured at himself. "I'm also a unique resource. Of course I could work in a different field, but that's not to the benefit of the base."
"The future of this place should not have to rest on Levi's shoulders," Alcott sighed, though seeing Tyson's point. "I'm worried about him."
"You two have been through a lot together," Tyson observed. "I know it's not how this base works, but you two seem like, I don't know, a couple."
"He has Dylan," Alcott replied immediately.
"Now he does," he countered. "He didn't before. You didn't call her when you thought he might be drinking again and it didn't seem like Dylan knew about any of that in the first place."
"She doesn't," Alcott scoffed. "Anyway, we're here."
She knocked on the door; and to her bafflement, Libba answered it with a smile.
"Hello!" Libba said. "Levi's not here, he went home."
"Why would Levi be in Dashiell's office?" Alcott questioned.
"Oh, Dashiell gave his office up for the archive work," Libba gestured inside, showing Matisse at the holos at the desk. He waved. "I'm not sure where my husband –sorry, my partner- is now. Maybe at home? Maybe personnel, but I didn't see him there."
"Would my father have room?" Tyson asked.
"He has been using one of the spare berths, there should be space," Libba replied. "You're right; Dashiell might be there. If you see him, tell him to fix Teren lunch; I'm not going home today. I'll message him but he is terrible about answering his holo-rib." Her eyes gleamed. "We found some new blueprints that we're trying to convert and send over to Lully. I'm not sure what they are, but Matisse seems excited."
YOU ARE READING
If Jove Stray
Science Fiction{✨Book 5✨} Earth. Light years away, and yet now that some on the base were born there, it seems so...close. As communication with the mother planet seems more and more likely, Dylan and Alcott have to wonder if Earth really has anything to offer to...
