AJ froze. Was that what he’d done today when she hadn’t shown?
“I’m going to bed,” said Noah. “I suggest you do the same. Good night.”
AJ, Toni, Xiaobo, and Dave pretended to be deep in conversation as Noah’s door slid shut and Anjalee’s pissed-off stilettos marched back up the staircase.
“Oh, Scion of Darkness,” said Dave, curling up in a ball to contain himself. AJ was trying and failing to quell a shit-eating grin.
“Maybe he’s attached?” said Xiaobo.
“Maybe after filming all that sex onSparta,he doesn’t get out of bed for less than a threesome,” said Dave, and AJ’s dinner threatened to repeat.
As Dave and Xiaobo continued to banter, AJ found Toni staring deeply into the fire.
“Fuck,” Toni said softly, and AJ’s blood ran cold. Toni was crying.
“Hey,” said AJ quickly. “This changes nothing.”
“I amsuchan idiot,” said Toni, her eyes bright with tears. “They’re obviously going to pair off, and she’s going to be Alara, and—”
“No,” said AJ. “No. You are going to be Alara. It can’t be Navi—she’s a robot!”
“Halfrobot,” said Toni in exasperation. “And it doesn’t matter. It’s gonna be them. It always was. They’re about six minutes away from hate-fucking, and once that happens it’s done.”
AJ couldn’t help it—her eyes flew to Noah’s window.
“Shit,” said Toni. “Age, I—”
“No, you’re probably right,” said AJ, but she couldn’t meet Toni’s eyes.
Toni placed a hand on her arm. “What’s the deal with you two?” she asked gently. “I can tell he means something to you. And I know you’ve never set foot in the Magnet.”
AJ felt her throat constrict. “He— I…don’t talk about it much.” She swallowed. “Actually, I’ve never talked about it.” Not their friendship. Or their training. Or their kiss. She’d certainly never talked about it with Toni or Dave.
Maybe that was the problem—Noah was the last person she’d actually trusted. Maybe that’s why all of this felt so…big. Maybe it wouldn’t if she let someone else in. As Toni held her gaze, AJ realized that was exactly what she needed to do. And as Xiaobo and Dave flirted close to the fire, AJ told her everything.
Todd’s Coverage, Episode 4:“Asleep”
When Gilamede flies into a swarm of Endymion gnats, both crale and crew lose consciousness dangerously close to an unstable pulsar.
That morning, Ian sentAJ to retrieve a video switcher from across the lot. AJ took the off-camera assignment to mean that he had accepted her rejection of the Ana–Rho pairing, which was a relief, because she had been fairly certain he’d be pissed.
“Just be back by noon,” said Ian. “That’s when shit starts going down.”
With three minutes to spare, AJ entered the set on the third level. It happened right on schedule: Gilamede’s glowing walls changed from yellow to blue.
The crale had gone to sleep.
Like clockwork, a clang hit the right side of the set; that would be the pulsar sucking them in.
AJ listened for signs of commotion, but none came.Strange.Figuring Ana would check on her grandfather, AJ headed down to Jack Tar’s quarters only to find Elmore slumped next to the crale’s temple—the navigation hub, where Jack interfaced with Gilamede.
Shit.
Elmore wasn’t young. Was something wrong? “Er…Grandpa?” asked AJ tentatively.
As she approached to check his vitals, Elmore stirred, emitting a loud, theatrical snore. AJ rolled her eyes. “Grandpa,” she said again, giving him a shake.
But Elmore did not wake.
