And, more to the point, what was this big double-secret crazy Reiver project—what would it do? How could it be stopped?

The Adventure crew needed some kind of base of operations . . . some set of rooms with sufficient power and secrecy and nearby transportation where Xavier (lacking Sanjay’s skills) would get the 3-D printers up and running.

The garage was barely large enough to park two ambulances, though tall enough to allow the Prasad Stores truck access. Xavier had been inside the truck two hours ago, when Adventure’s cargo had been transferred aboard.

Now, the lift still lowered, the vehicle’s rear stood open, revealing that five chairs—each with a seat belt and chest restraint—had been added. “Are we going over rough road?” Rachel said.

“Probably,” Tea said. “We’re supposed to stay on highways, but even those might be potholed. And we won’t have visual cues, so sudden moves will surprise us.”

In addition to seats, there was a chest for food and drink.

“Where do we go to the bathroom?” Rachel said.

“We won’t be inside long enough to worry about it,” Pav said.

“Easy for you to say.” But she gave him a hug and was the first to climb aboard.

Xavier extended a hand to Yahvi, which was silly, since the girl was taller and far more lithe than he would ever be. But she accepted it.

And sneezed. Xavier’s sympathy for the girl, who had never experienced a cold and was obviously deep in the worst of it, was counterbalanced by his worry that she had infected him. He hadn’t had a cold during his time on Keanu; his immune system was surely as compromised as Yahvi’s.

And it wasn’t as though he was going to be able to wash his hands right this minute. He had to settle for wiping them vigorously on his trousers.

Tea Nowinski climbed up next, though the maneuver was obviously a bit of a strain. She made a face and rubbed her thighs. “I suppose I could have simply waited for the lift.”

Then Xavier followed. Standing up inside the truck, he felt cramped already. Four of the chairs were standard human size, but the fifth was a kind of lounger for Zeds. It took up three times as much room.

“I hope Pav was telling the truth about not being in here for long.”

Two airmen helped steady Zeds on the lift. It groaned for a moment and brought the Sentry, in his full suit, which still showed bloodstains from the attack, level with the rest of them. The alien ducked and clambered his way to the big chair.

“It feels as though we ought to take a moment,” Tea said.

“Like when you flew to ISS?” Rachel said. She turned to Yahvi, who was about to ask what her mother was talking about. “My father told me, and I know Tea lived through it. When they left Star City for the launch site, astronauts and cosmonauts were supposed to stop and sit for a moment, just to reflect and hope for a successful voyage.”

“It’s an old Russian tradition,” Tea said.

“But we’re in India,” Xavier said. He couldn’t help it. He wanted to be rolling.

“How do we perform this ritual?” By speaking up, Zeds effectively made the decision for everyone.

Following Tea and Rachel’s directions, Yahvi and Xavier sat on the floor, backs of their thighs touching their feet, hands on top of their thighs. Even Zeds, with a grace and speed that shocked Xavier, made it to the floor in a similar posture.

“Do we say anything?” Yahvi asked, reasonably.

“Just sit for a moment, eyes closed,” Tea said.

Xavier counted to five, all the while encouraging the universe and his mother’s Jesus to look fondly on their mission.

At that moment Rachel’s cell phone beeped and a text from Pav appeared: IGNITION.

They could hear the garage door open. Before they were settled in their chairs, the truck pulled out.

The ride was even less fun than Xavier imagined it, and far longer than the promised hour and a half.

It took all of them several minutes to get safely into chairs and braced after their Russian travel blessing. Tea, in fact, bumped her head. “Okay, this truck is not for me.”

They weren’t all secured until the truck stopped for several minutes. MAIN GATE, Pav texted.

Then they felt the truck picking up speed, turning first one way, then the other.

They seemed to be on open road. Xavier tried to imagine Chang and Pav in the lead van, guiding them through the predawn darkness, but the only image that came to mind was of a grim Singh hunched over the wheel.

Within moments, the ride smoothed out . . . they were going somewhere, and no bullets were stitching the side of the vehicle. If Xavier listened, he could hear rain on the roof, but that was rather soothing.

Rachel was intent on the phone, occasionally typing messages and presumably reading news of waypoints passed.

Between sniffling and rubbing her red eyes, Yahvi was playing with the music player Remilla had given her. Zeds was inscrutable. Tea had closed her eyes.

Which seemed like a great idea to Xavier.

Then Rachel set the phone aside and nudged him. “Which one is it?”

It took him a moment to realize that she was talking about the transmitter. “Far left, halfway up.” The parcel wasn’t specially marked, but Xavier had memorized its number and made sure to place it where it could be reached swiftly. “I understand that’s a priority.”

“I’d hoped you and Sanjay would have it assembled by now. I really hate leaving Adventure without a working proteus.”

“Give me a secure location and two hours.”

“Soon, I hope.” She turned away, glancing at Yahvi and Tea. Her profile made her seem quite young—Rachel wasn’t any taller than when Xavier had first met her and had broadened only slightly, thanks to motherhood. When not bone-tired, she moved swiftly.

Xavier had to admit that, at various times, he was attracted to her . . . but that was true of many women he knew among the HBs. He had not acted on many of these impulses. Not that there were many or even any opportunities. The human habitat on Keanu was not where you went searching for privacy. You could probably find a place for a tryst, but you had to work at it.

Xavier knew that his inherent laziness was far stronger than his sexual drive. And that his looks and reputation probably did him no good, either.

Strange, though, to be sitting in the back of a truck in a secret convoy on Earth—Earth!—and remembering a momentary crush on Rachel.

Must be the kind of crazy shit that makes us human.

After two-plus hours and God knew how many texts—which Rachel faithfully reported—the truck lurched through a final set of contortions. “Pav says we’re almost there.”

“No problems?” Tea said, stretching. She had fallen completely asleep; so had Yahvi. Xavier had dozed. His only activity during waking moments had been to explore the supply chest for water and what turned out to be a sad collection of energy bars and fruit.

“None they’re telling me,” Rachel said.

“What is our next destination?” Zeds said. He had been silent for the entire trip, but Xavier could have kissed the big Sentry now for saying what Xavier could not.

Because these last three days had been nowhere near what Xavier expected when he imagined Adventure’s return to Earth—even after the harsh realities of the mission crystallized in his mind. His mission tasks aside—the work he planned to do with Sanjay—he had expected . . . well, maybe a parade. Meetings with scientists, perhaps. Or the head of the United Nations, if that organization still existed.

How about walks in the sunshine? Encounters with other people? Decent meals! Shopping!

And sightseeing! Even before being scooped up and hauled away to Keanu, he had never imagined he would be in India. Through a wildly unlikely set of circumstances, he was here, now! So couldn’t he see this Taj Mahal?