"That's your job. You should come at this with an unbiased perspective and let the evidence dictate the investigation.”
"We like to think that’s what we do. Right now, we don't have a lot of evidence."
"Hopefully something will turn up."
"Did Weyland talk to you about HPNS?”
"If he did, I would not be able to discuss that with you.”
"Did you notice any symptoms?"
"I did not.”
I paused for a long moment, then said, "I thought you didn't do well in confined spaces."
“The habitat is different from an elevator in the dark with a stranger."
"I bet this can get claustrophobic really quickly."
"Call it immersion therapy," she said. "In an environment like this, I will have to get over my discomfort in small spaces or suffer the consequences.”
"A little bit of a gamble, don't you think, especially with other people's lives?"
Her eyes narrowed at me. "Like I said, the habitat is different than being on an elevator with a strange person in the dark.”
"How did you enjoy the hyperbaric chamber and the bell down?”
She forced a smile. "I'm here, aren't I?”
My skeptical gaze persisted.
"Look, I had plenty of training in the simulator and was able to get comfortable in the confined space. I know the crew well. You two are the only unexpected variables.”
I laughed. "In an environment like this, there are infinite variables."
Her jaw tightened, and she swallowed. "Are you trying to make me uncomfortable?”
"No. Not at all. I'm just surprised to see you here." I squinted as I thought about it. "Does anyone else know about your claustrophobia?”
Elana glared at me and cleared her throat. "I'm not claustrophobic. As I mentioned?—“
"I know, I know. Let me guess, you experienced some kind of trauma in an elevator before.”
That struck a nerve. Her face reddened, and she glared at me. "That is none of your business."
“Tristan doesn’t know. He would never have let you be a part of this mission had he known. Nobody else knows either.”
"If you don't mind, I would like to keep it that way. It's not going to be a problem. I didn't wash out during the training. I haven't freaked out at any point yet. I'm not going to call it a fear or a phobia. I'm going to label it something else. I think the termdiscomfortsums it up best. And I have overcome the discomfort. It's all in the mind anyway, isn't it? Panic is just a manifestation of fear. I am in control of my body and mental attitude. Sometimes you can just decide to let things go. I have officially let that part of my life go," she said with a confident smile.
"Good. I'm happy for you.”
Elana gave me a doubtful look. "So, what’s said in this room stays in this room?”
"Your secret is safe with me, unless this becomes a threat to the group or to the habitat.”
She scoffed. "Since when are you concerned about the group or the habitat?”
"Since our survival depends on both.”
