Tori didn’t think they needed to rest before starting the energy transfer, but she’d lost this particular battle with Gabe enough times that she decided not to bother fighting it. As Lu, Brian and Mr. Yi wedged gear and plants into every free cranny of the Light Catcher shuttle, Tori hit her bunk, tired enough that she was out almost before she closed her eyes, no need to work complicated algorithms to settle herself for sleep.

She woke eight hours later, to the buzzing of her third alarm. She hadn’t even heard the first two. Feeling unusually alert for having just awakened, she downed some breakfast and sauntered out to the bridge.

Within minutes, Gabe joined her. His eyes glinted, and he bounced rather than stepped to his chair. “We ready for this?” he asked.

Tori...

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