with a child-sized bed at its centre. On a counter against one wall was what looked like a small viewscreen, but at once Nathaniel recognized it, and knew what it was for.

“It’s facing towards the city,” he observed.

She nodded. “It’s been my one reminder of home. Mashuwa salvaged it from one of the towns that were abandoned when the war ended.”

“Why?”

“For me. I didn’t ask him to, but he knew what it would mean to me.”

He frowned at her, and looked solemnly at the dark screen. A power cell sat on the counter beside it, a small black cube that could comfortably fit in the palm of the hand. A grey power cable connected it to the screen. He picked the cell up to inspect it, and smiled wryly at the makeshift connection.

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