U
gh, why does everything taste like cellulose?”Sesi threw the remainder of the protein bar across the room.
“Probably because it is.”Siku did not look up from his stack of Hexcel sheets.Sunlight flooded the NovAITech office, even though it was only 6 am.
“But it didn’t used totastelike cellulose.”Sesi wiped her mouth.“I think something’s wrong with my tongue.”
Siku put the page down.“No, you’re just pregnant.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
Siku stared blankly.“Did you do no research into this?”
“I did a lot of research!”It came out a lot more angrily than she had intended.“Sorry, she muttered.Just not this part of it, I guess.”
“What partdidyou research?”Siku narrowed his eyes.
“The science part of it.I guess I thought the pregnancy part would do its thing until labour.”
Siku grunted.
“Well, if you know everything, what am I supposed to do now?”
“Eat.”Siku shrugged.“Or don’t.I have no idea what people do in the city.We could ask Cat?”he suggested.
“What do people do outside of the city?”
“Qimmiq said he had to go fishing every day whenAnanaksaq was pregnant with mom.He said that’s why we liked the water.”
“I thought he said we liked water because we were born underUsruutaattiaq.”
Siku grunted.“I’m pretty sure Qimmiq just told us whatever he thought was funniest to say at the time.”
“Fine.You ask Cat, I’ll go fishing.”Sesi turned and headed to the door.
“You can’t go fishing,” Siku said, alarmed.
“Why not?”
“You’re eight months pregnant!”
Sesi looked down at her swollen abdomen.Everything felt weird and itchy.She felt unbalanced.And she felt like she wanted to murder everyone who tried to help. “Well, I’m not eating this shit anymore.”She waved toward the half-eaten protein bar in the corner.
“I’ll ask Cat.”Siku caught Sesi wincing.He sighed.“You really want fish, don’t you?” Sesi nodded.
July 23 2269
“How far out are we going?”Callie stepped out of the transport and attached the mask to her magstrip.The ground was too soft to continue driving.
“Far enough that Sparx gave me this.”Talia pointed to the rucksack.
“His survival gear?”
“He said it was a tent.Have you ever set one up before?”Talia handed Callie a Hexcel map.
Callie eyed it dubiously.“I’ve seen pictures of them.I can tell you when it looks like the picture.”
Talia arched an eyebrow.“You look at pictures of tents?”
