Zed had one last stop to make. He sent a message to Johns.

  Hey, can we meet up? I’ve got a favor to ask.

  A few seconds later, he received a reply.

  Absolutely! Didn’t know you were out, or I’d have sought you out myself! I’m just futzing around in my “office.”

  Zed smiled. Time to head back to hydroponics and hopefully put the final piece into place before kicking things off.

  ***

  “Zed! Boy, I can’t tell you how good it is to see you up and about. They kept us mostly in the dark about how you were doing, but I got the impression it was a bit touch-and-go there,” Johns said as he lifted Zed off the ground with an effortless bear hug.

  “Good to see you too, Johns,” he wheezed. “It’s definitely been nice to see some faces besides Dr. Roth and Dr. Bailey.”

  Johns filled the part-strewn workspace with a booming laugh. “Isaac Roth. Now there’s a man with a stethoscope up his rear, if you get my meaning.”

  Zed smiled. “Yeah, he’s… a lot.”

  “Well, now that you’re free as a bird, I assume you’re getting up to some new mischief?”

  It was clear that Johns meant it as a good-natured jab, but Zed couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt as he thought back over all the ways he’d pushed the limits recently. Would what he was about to ask seem like some crazy conspiracy theory to Johns? He was definitely afraid that’s how the Commanders would see things. If he didn’t have Johns there for backup, then his prospects were dim at best.

  Zed sat down on a partly dismantled harvest robot. He loved the smell of grease and dirt that filled the workshop. It was a breath of fresh air in the otherwise sterile colony.

  “I do need your help with something, but I’m hoping you won’t see it as mischief. I think it’s actually important. Really important, actually.”

  Johns gave Zed a look he couldn't interpret. “You seem so… serious. A bit different than before—well, before whatever exactly you went through—with eating that plant and all.”

  “I don’t know that I’m more serious, but I know what I have to tell you is.”

  Johns turned his full attention to Zed. He pulled up a crate and lowered his intimidating frame onto it.

  “Alright, lad. Before you get started, I do have one question for you.”

  “Oh?”

  “What did it taste like?”

  Zed gave a short laugh. “You mean the Martian mushroom?”

  Johns nodded. “Yeah, what did it taste like?”

  “Now that I think of it, no one has asked me that yet. Honestly, it didn’t taste like anything at all. Just… texture, I guess. It pretty much dissolved in my mouth.”

  “Well, that’s just disappointing,” Johns said. “I was really hoping for something to spice up the food in the mess.”

  “Yeah, I’d say the side effects are more spice than people could handle. Believe me.”

  “Oh? The higher-ups have been pretty tight-lipped about your 'condition,'” Johns said, leaning in. “There are rumors, of course. Telepathy, super brain—any of that true?”

  Zed wasn’t sure how to respond. He hadn’t been given any explicit instructions not to talk about what he knew. Now, though, he was second-guessing himself. Was he setting himself up to get in trouble again without realizing it?

  But this was Johns, one of his few true friends. And besides, he was about to demand a lot of trust from Johns, so shouldn’t he show a little trust himself?

  “None of that’s true, at least not quite. I can’t read minds; I’m just really good at problem-solving now. That’s the best way I can put it.”

  “Problem-solving, huh?” Johns said. “That doesn’t sound nearly as fun as being telepathic.”

  “Maybe not, but as it turns out, it comes in pretty handy. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about, actually. I need your help talking to the Commanders. I need them to believe me, and I don’t think they will if it’s just me.”

  “Why, do you have something to say that they’re not going to like?”

  “It’s more that it’s hard to believe, but if they don't, it could put the whole colony at risk.”

  “Can you at least tell me what it is you’re so afraid of?” Johns asked, real concern on his face now.

  Zed spent the next several minutes laying out his evidence for the colony hack and his suspicions about what it might mean. Johns listened without comment or question.

  When Zed had finished, a heavy silence hung between them.

  He doesn’t believe me, Zed thought. If he doesn’t believe me, how can I expect the Commanders to take me seriously?

  Johns heaved himself off the crate and paced the room for a moment before circling his way back to Zed.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  “It’s a lot to take in, lad. And if you’re right, well…” Johns let the implications fill in the blank.

  “I know; it could all go really bad at literally any moment.”

  “Honestly, Zed, I’m desperately trying to find a hole in your logic, but I have to agree. You made the right call coming to me. I’ll set up a meeting with the Commanders as soon as possible and send you a message.”

  Zed exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. It felt so good to be believed.

  “Thank you so much, Johns. You just let me know when and where, and I’ll be there.”

  “Don’t thank me just yet. Even with me there, this is going to be… interesting.”

  ***

  It was the next afternoon before John’s message pinged Zed’s CIG.

  We’re all set! Meet me at the commander’s offices at four sharp. And I assume this goes without saying, but don’t tell anyone else about this. We don’t want this blowing up before we’re ready.

  Zed felt like he’d barely gotten any sleep the night before. Part of him was nervous about the commander’s reaction, but another part was afraid that he was already too late. If someone involved in the conspiracy got wind that he was onto them, they might escalate their timeline.

  The wait until four seemed to drag on forever. Zed started to wonder if the changes in his brain included his perception of time. The longer he waited, the more dread he felt. Sometimes it was hard to tell what came from him and what came from the new him. Usually, it was clear when Unen kicked in, but at other times, it was subtle. This dread could be real intuition or just his own anxiety kicking in.

  It really doesn’t matter at this point, Zed thought. I’ve done all I can.

  Four finally rolled around. As Zed was heading out the door, he sent a message to Baat asking if he had time to help Janice with something in the vehicle bay. He wasn’t entirely sure why he did it. Maybe he just felt better having his friends together.

  “Here we go.”

  ***

  As he walked through the door, Zed realized he hadn’t been back to this office since he’d tried to convince the commanders that Alina was murdered. Hopefully, this meeting would be a bit less dramatic.

  The office itself looked entirely spartan in its decorations. Zed had to wonder if either of the commanders had done any virtual decorating. If they had, they weren’t sharing.

  Commander Bolin Bao was the first to see him.

  “Hey, Zed! So glad to see you in better health. You’ve had quite the wild ride these last few months.”

  Commander Jones stood and shook Zed’s hand with an unflinching grip.

  “Something tells me the ride isn’t over yet,” she said, returning to her seat. “Johns didn’t say much but mentioned you two had something urgent to share. I trust you’ve done a little more thinking before leaping this time.”

  Zed felt a shiver of embarrassment. He couldn’t blame her for being wary. He didn’t exactly have a great track record at this point. From her perspective, he was just a whirlwind of chaos, throwing off the equilibrium of the previously well-ordered Naug. And now he came knocking with some fresh hell to throw on her plate.

  She wasn’t wrong, though. He had given this serious thought and care this time. What he had to say certainly wasn’t going to make her life less complicated, however.

  “Where’s your partner in crime?” Commander Bao asked, giving Zed a wink.

  It always amazed Zed just how much Bao’s upbeat energy contrasted with Jones’ stoic demeanor. Mar’s very own odd couple.

  “I’m right here,” Johns said as he stepped through the door. It closed behind him as he took a seat in the corner.

  Zed felt relief at the sound of the big man’s baritone, but as he turned around and laid eyes on Johns, he was confused.

  “Good of you to join us, Johns. I trust you’ve at least vetted what the boy has to say?”

  “Forgive my tardiness, Thabisa,” Johns said, tipping an invisible hat. “I had some last-minute preparations I needed to push through before the meeting.”

  Commander Jones flinched slightly when Johns called her by her first name. It wasn’t the first time Johns had done it, but it annoyed her every time.

  Zed noticed none of this as he stared at Johns, confusion on his face.

  “Zed, are you ready to proceed?” Commander Jones asked.

  Reluctantly, Zed’s eyes moved from Johns to the commanders. “Uh, yeah. Sorry, I was just confused. I didn’t think you would allow public projection in your workspace. That, and I assumed you’d show up in person, Johns. Everything OK?”

  The commanders exchanged a glance.

  “Are you feeling alright, Zed?” Commander Bao asked, genuine concern in his eyes.

  Commander Jones was less diplomatic. “What are you even talking about, Zed? Johns is right there in front of you.”

  Zed gave an embarrassed laugh. “Well, yeah, I mean, I can see him there, but he’s not really there. It’s his overlay self.”

  “Zed, we don’t allow other people to share overlays without permission in our office. It’s a security issue.”

  “Right, that’s what I figured, but all the same, that is a CIG projection of Johns sitting there.”

  Johns said nothing during this exchange. He looked back and forth between them as if watching a tennis match.

  “Zed, I’m ordering you to report to medical immediately,” Jones said, her tone now devoid of politeness.

  “I’m not crazy!” Zed insisted, though he was starting to feel that way. “Look, one of the side effects of the Martian plant is I can see more of the spectrum, so CIG projections don’t look quite real to me. There’s this shimmer to them.”

  The other three gave him blank stares.

  “Oh for frags sake,” Zed said, helpless anger building. He turned, grabbed the chair from the opposite corner, and flung it at Johns. It went right through Johns’ broad chest and bounced off the wall.

  Both commanders leapt to their feet.

  “What is going on here?” Commander Jones demanded. “Johns, explain yourself!”

  Johns sighed and stood with unconcerned ease. He brought his giant hands together in a slow clap directed at Zed.

  “Well done, lad. I was hoping to buy at least a little bit more time. Hadn’t tested the eye thing myself. Ah well. Best-laid plans and all that.”

  “I said, explain yourself!” Commander Jones repeated.

  She didn’t catch it, Zed thought.

  “I would, Thabisa, but it’s not really my style. I’ll leave that kind of monologuing to the mustache-twirling types.”

  Virtual Johns turned back to Zed. “I’m sorry about this, Zed. Truly I am. I would have liked to make this a smoother transition, but that clever mind of yours really threw a spanner into the works. But look on the bright side.” Johns tapped his temple. “At least you’re not alone anymore.”

  John's projection vanished just as Commander Jones was about to repeat her demand for an explanation. Her mouth hung open for a moment before she composed herself and marched to the door. She pressed the switch that should have opened it, only to be met with a beep of protest. She tried again and was met with the same result.

  Commander Jones snapped back around with military precision, her eyes filled with something new. Something that felt entirely out of place on her famously controlled face.

  Commander Bao saw it too. “Jones? What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “We’re locked in. Something’s about to happen. If we’re locked in, then he has control of the base.”

  She paused, eyes darting back and forth, tracking things only she could see.

  “Jones?”

  “I’m trying to get a message off to Earth. He’s blocked things off, but if I can get a connection to the backup satellite, I should be able to—”

  A deep thud reverberated through the room followed by a low rumble.

  “What was that?” Zed asked, knowing any answer was going to be a bad one.

  “He’s just blown the communications dish. And the backups,” Commander Jones whispered in disbelief.

  “There’s got to be some way,” Commander Bao said. “What about the attic? Can we—”

  “No,” Thabisa said, her voice confident once more. “He was thorough. What couldn’t be broken in software he just dismantled physically. And by the sound of it, explosively. We’re well and truly on our own.”