Page 63

And if that was the last time she saw him then so be it. She would say goodbye and they would never see each other again. Forever separated, galaxies apart.

Her lip quivered, and her hands tightened around her legs, but Aly refused to cry. Her crying days were over, left back on Earth with her estranged family.

She swallowed down her feelings and picked herself up. It began to rain again as she went back to the generator, the droplets hitting the metal with a hiss.

A few minutes later, after several more attempts to reconnect the generator's system, her techband went off. Heart jumping a little, she checked it and saw it was from Mark. He wanted to know if she was free after her shift.

Disappointment swelled in her as she went back to work, ignoring the message. Then her thoughts began to wander again, and her eyes drew back down to her techband.

She should see him and talk. She hadn't been engaging with the others enough lately and they noticed. And maybe what she really needed most was to talk to someone.

She lifted her band and responded back with a short reply then returned to the generator.

***

Mark was waiting for her by the end of a bridge that went across a small pool and waterfall on the fifth level. The water cascaded down into a deep, narrow chasm on one end, down into darkness. Mark leaned against the rail, looking down this chasm, when she approached.

"Hey." She gave him a smile, though it didn't meet her eyes, and he returned his own.

"Hey, Aly." He hugged her with one arm, and she, in turn, wrapped one around his backside. They sat down by the edge of the rail, and Mark took a small metal bottle out of his pack. "Care for a drink?"

Aly arched a brow at him. "Drink?"

He handed the bottle to her, and she took a careful sip. The bitter tang of the svas stung her throat, and she grimaced.

"Where did you get that?" she choked.

Mark laughed and took the bottle back. "Ethan and Davis have been going to Shadowpoint more. And started sneaking nuri and svas out with their canisters, hoarding it in their units." Mark rolled his eyes and took a swig.

"I thought you didn't drink?" she said, eyeing him curiously.

Mark shrugged. "A place like this will change a man."

Aly laughed for the first time in a while. "Yeah, I can attest to that."

They smiled at each other then sat quietly, drinking from the bottle and watching the water falling.

"Julian is going to talk to you soon, just so you know."

Aly looked over at him. "Oh? And why is that?"

He took another drag from the bottle then set it down between them. "He's noticed how distant you've seemed lately. You know the man can sense a troubled mind a mile away."

"Do I really look that troubled?"

Mark shrugged again. "Honestly, I'm sure we all do. But you've been the most positive one here until recently. And I guess seeing you looking so down has made us nervous. I mean, if the sunshine queen isn’t smiling, something is definitely wrong."

Aly did smile then, but it was a sad one. "I just...this place is taking a toll on me."

His hand gripped hers, and Aly almost flinched. She stared down at his hand in hers, but she didn't pull away.

"You’re not alone, Aly. Remember that."

'Then why do I feel like it?' she thought. Even though she knew she shouldn't, somehow, she felt more alone than ever.

"I...I just," Aly began. She looked straight at him and frowned. "What do you do when someone you've come to really care about turns from you? Or doesn't want you around them? How do you cope with that?"

Mark looked back at her with a confused frown. "This someone we know?"