After the feast, Koenig requested a private area where he could discuss Anansi's offer with his colleagues. The chief led them to a small dwelling constructed with a wood frame, straw walls, and a material with the texture and feel of canvas.

Outside, nightfall arrived, but darkness came and went in only two hours on Yomi due to twin suns.

Inside, a bioluminescent plant propped in a corner emitted a gentle glow and cast serene shadows on the walls. Koenig, Dr. Russell, and Professor Bergman huddled over a wooden table littered with printouts of survey results.

Helena told them, "I've conducted tests on the villagers. Their biology is almost identical to our own."

"You're saying we could co-exist with them?"

"I'm saying that, with time, we could be one with them. Alphans, and the people here, are compatible for reproduction."

"The human form," Bergman hypothesized as he paged through data, "Is favored by evolution on many worlds. Our size, organ functions, fingers and arms. Lends credence to the idea that we came from some original source."

"Now is not the time for philosophizing, Victor," Koenig admonished. "I'm not interested in a debate on evolution and celestial mechanics. I'm interested in the here and now. We just received an invitation to stay on this planet, and every test says it would make an ideal home for us."

Bergman's eyes, tired yet keen, flicked through pages. "It seems perfect," he muttered, almost to himself.

"But?" Koenig prodded.

Bergman tapped his chin with a finger. "It's the balance of the ecosystem here. Our surveys show an abundance of small animals, insects... creatures similar to Earth's."

"And the issue with that?" Dr. Russell asked, her voice calm but curious.

"Only Herbivores. No predators. No natural population control. Without predation, it begs the question—what keeps these species from overrunning the environment?"

Koenig said, "An oversight in their evolution? Or something else at play?"

Doctor Russell considered this. "An ecosystem can't thrive without checks and balances. Without predators, disease or starvation would normally keep populations in check. There are no signs of either among the villagers."

"Now," the professor said. "It's possible they engineered this balance, perhaps through controlled breeding or some other form of population management."

Helena shook her head. "If so, that's unlike any form of domestication we know."

Koenig paced a few steps, his mind racing through scenarios. "I don't think so, Victor. I see no indications the people here are anything other than passive in this environment. It gives, they take without question."

Bergman looked between them, his mechanical heart ticking a steady rhythm beneath his chest—a reminder of human ingenuity and its limits. "Perhaps there's more to this world than meets the eye," he said.

Doctor Russell did not share his concern; at least not to the same degree. "John, Victor, we've seen so many incredible climates and societies since we were thrown from Earth's orbit. And we have every reason to be suspicious. But so far, the data and our experience points to Yomi being an ideal place to settle. We can't throw all that away because you've got an itchy nose."

"There is one thing, however," the professor said as he reviewed a set of scans taken from orbit. "Our Eagle picked up something on our last pass before landing. You know, um, before dinner."

"What did you find?"

"A faint power source."

Helena asked, "From the crashed colony ship? How is anything still functioning on that wreck?"

"No, this seems to originate inside the village."

"Now that's something," Koenig said. "Can you identify it?"

"Not yet. Too low. Nothing major, mind you. It's possible we even picked up one of our commlocks, or maybe some of the gear Helena and Ben were using. I was thinking of taking a portable scanner and trying to track it down."

"We'll wait until the suns rise, and I'll go with you," Koenig said. "I want to answer every question before making a final decision."

"Yes, settling here is the question," Bergman said and, again, tapped his chin.

"Go ahead, Victor. Let's hear it."

The professor grimaced, as if dealing with a sharp but short pain before answering. "The momentum is building, John. The people back on Alpha are restless. They are watching the clock and they see it ticking down to the deadline to activate Exodus. About five hours left to keep to schedule."

Koenig heard a laugh from outside. He held back the flap covering the entrance and looked toward the center of the village, which was illuminated by a dozen of the glowing plants and a handful of torches. There, Alan Carter and Ben Vincent kicked some kind of ball—made from vines and sticks—with a group of children. Back and forth, giggling and playing in the flickering light.

He repeated what Victor said. "The people on Alpha are restless. And the ones down here don't want to leave."

"Can you blame them?" Helena asked. "It seems almost too good to be true."

Koenig's face hardened. "Yes, and you know what they say about that."

# # #

The hum of computers and the constant glow of monitors bathed Main Mission in a sterile light. Kano glanced around, then rose from his chair, stretching out the kinks that had settled into his back. "I'm going to grab a cup of coffee," he announced to Paul and asked, "Can I get you something?"

Morrow replied, "An Eagle and a one-way ticket to Beta 4."

"If I come across one, I'll let you know."

Paul held him in check for a moment. "David, everything computer has told us about Beta 4 sounds good. Or am I missing something?"

"Computer says Beta 4 is perfect for supporting human life."

Paul cocked a wry grin. "And computer is never wrong."

"You said it," Kano answered and walked from the room. "That's what I keep telling you."

His exit left Paul and Tanya Alexander alone in the cavernous heart of moonbase Alpha, each sitting at their respective consoles. He said to her, "Hey Tanya, I think I've got a malfunctioning fuse here on the number six panel. Any chance I could convince you to run down to engineering and grab a replacement one for me?"

She smiled. "Only if you make me a promise."

"Of course."

"Call me if we're leaving. I don't want to be the last one left on Alpha."

"Don't worry. Odds are that will be me."

Tanya drifted from the room, sent on a needless errand. She might have even guessed the truth.

The vastness of the control room seemed to amplify around Paul in his solitude. His hand moved almost of its own accord, activating the primary transmitter, punching in a specific commlock code, and hitting the send button.

"Sandra, come in," he spoke. "Are you awake down there?"

Sandra's face appeared on the viewscreen, her eyes reflecting a world unseen by those confined to Alpha's metal walls. "I'm here, Paul. It is good to hear from you."

"What are you up to down there? My scanners say it's past sunset in your region."

"It is dark, yes. I am on board Eagle Two with Bill Fraser, a few kilometers outside the village. When the suns comes up, I have a few more tests to run on the local flora. The commander is being quite thorough."

He squinted at her image as if trying to peer through the screen and see the planet with his own eyes. "Is it as beautiful as it looks from up here?"

Her smile bloomed like one of Yomi's many flowers. "It's breathtaking, Paul. More so than our scanners can show."

Paul frowned, drumming his fingers on the console. "I don't understand the commander's hesitation."

She glanced away for a moment. "The suns will rise soon," she mused. "Imagine, only two hours of darkness and twenty hours of daylight. On Alpha, it is always night."

"Watching a sunrise on Yomi..." Paul let out a slow breath, his voice tinged with longing. "I look forward to that. Perhaps someday we could... watch it together?"

Sandra paused, her lips curving into a tender smile. "That would be nice," she said. "I have to get ready, Paul. Fraser and I have work to do. If all goes well…" she led.

He finished, "If all goes well, I'm sure the commander will order another set of tests."

"I'm not sure that's fair, Paul."

He tried to recapture the light mood. "You're right, Sandra. Best of luck with your work."

"Goodbye. We will talk again soon, I hope."

Paul keyed a button and the viewscreen went blank. He sat there alone, staring into space beyond Alpha's confines, imagining the twin suns rising on the world below, and the company he yearned to share it with.

# # #

Koenig walked alongside Professor Bergman as they moved through the village, trolling for the mysterious energy signature. Koenig breathed in the early morning air. On it rode the eclectic mix of scents from the unusual flora surrounding the community.

Victor's attention focused on the small screen of a hand-held scanner. The device emitted intermittent beeps, like breadcrumbs leading them through the labyrinth of thatched huts and dirt paths.

"We've circled this area twice. If there's an energy source here, we should have found it."

"John, these readings are faint. It could be anything from a natural geothermal release to a malfunction in the scanner."

They approached an intersection where children laughed while chasing each other in a game akin to tag.

Koenig smiled, but kept his voice low. "I can't shake this sense. Something is off."

"You have good instincts, John, but we can't jump at shadows." He waved at a young woman who passed them carrying a basket of colorful fruits. "See? Friendly faces."

Koenig acknowledged her with a curt nod, but pressed on. "Friendly faces can hide unfriendly secrets."

Bergman stopped to recalibrate his equipment. The device whirred. "We'll find it, John. If there is something to find."

As if on cue, the scanner's beeps increased in frequency. Faster. Faster.

Chief Anansi stepped out from the shadows and into their path. Koenig's eyes narrowed, suspicion curling in his gut. Had the chief been tracking their movements?

The beeps on the scanner became a constant tone, and both men glanced at the screen before their eyes went to Anansi's crystal pendant.

"Greetings, commander; professor."

"Good morning," Victor replied, punctuating his words with a smile.

"Chief," Koenig said, "your pendant might be the source of energy readings we've been tracking."

Anansi glanced at the scanner, then back to Koenig. "Yes, commander. Every elder carries a piece of our history around their necks." He lifted the pendant, allowing it to catch the early sunshine from Beta 4's twin stars. Koenig leaned in, scrutinizing the glinting crystal.

"These crystals are fragments of what powered our colony ship, molded and shaped as you see them now. They serve as a symbol of the responsibility each elder must bear; a responsibility to continue the success of this colony. Every day, it reminds us of the debt we owe our ancestors and the sacrifices we must often make to ensure the survival of our people. I'm sure, commander, that you have made many such sacrifices during you trek through the stars."

Koenig's back stiffened. "Yes. That is the responsibility of being in command."

Bergman held his scanner a little closer to the pendant and smiled apologetically; he didn't want to be a bother but his curiosity was too strong.

"And what does your machine tell you?"

"Well, for one thing, it's of a construction foreign to us on Alpha. Whatever technology your people possessed, it is beyond ours. We aren't capable of such a device or the power inside."

The chief said, "To be honest, commander, professor; this crystal is far beyond our current capabilities, too. It is a piece of magic, in a sense, from a life lost to us. Ironically, none of us would crave a return to that life if it meant leaving this world behind."

"Anansi, this pendant of yours," the professor said. "It appears that, well, its power is fading."

For the first time since meeting the chief, Koenig thought he saw something like fear in the man's eyes. But the expression was brief. Gone before he could be sure he had truly seen it.

Koenig asked, "Draining? As if being drawn from some other mechanism?"

"No, no," Victor waved a hand. "Fading. Natural deterioration. At this rate, Chief Anansi, perhaps in a few years, there will be nothing but a crystal. Still, fascinating stuff."

The chief was quick to change the subject. "Commander, have you arrived at a decision?"

Koenig faced the elder, his gaze steady. "My people are thorough, Chief Anansi. We're running a last series of tests to ensure that Yomi is a viable option for us. After that, well, at that time, I will make a final decision."

"It is my understanding, commander, that you are nearing a point of no return. That your decision needs to be made in a few hours, or the opportunity will be lost."

Koenig felt a pang of irritation. "When the time comes, I will make the final decision."

The chief's lips tightened almost imperceptibly, a small tell that revealed his discontent with the answer. His fingers wrapped around the pendant laying on his chest, a thumb tracing its facets. "Like the energy within this crystal," Anansi said, "all power fades with time. It is the nature of things. I trust your hesitation does not stem from a reluctance to embrace change, or worse yet—a commander's fear of losing his grip on power?"

Before Koenig could answer, Anansi left them, his silhouette disappearing between huts.

# # #

Morning draped Yomi in a veil of tranquility, the air suffused with the scent of life. Sandra Benes collected soil samples from a thin stretch of open ground between a patch of light woodlands and a rocky slope. She knelt as her hands scooped dirt into sterile containers. She cataloged each sample with precision. She focused on the task at hand, even though thoughts of her conversation with Paul tried to break her concentration.

Bill Fraser nonchalantly leaned against a nearby tree, relishing their surroundings. "You know, Sandra," he said, "if you squint, those hills kind of resemble the ones back on Earth."

She glanced up, offering him a small smile. "Hills are hills, Bill. They are a geological formation of rock. I expect they look similar on every planet."

Fraser pushed away from the tree and sauntered to her. "That's a very dull way of looking at it. Show some imagination, San." He considered for a moment, then went on in a light tone, "For example, take you, Sandra Benes. You're unique, even among the women of Alpha, or even the women of this place. Why, you're like one of those rare flowers that only bloom here." He winked.

Sandra returned her attention to her samples. "I'm a data analyst, Bill. Nothing rare about that."

He chuckled, not deterred by her disinterest. "Come on, Sandra. We're standing on an alien planet that might become our new home. If that doesn't make you feel special, I don't know what will."

Her hands paused for a moment before sealing another container. "It's not about feeling special. It's about survival."

Fraser's gaze drifted to the lush expanse around them. "True. But I can't help thinking about Operation Exodus. Imagine it—settling here for good."

Sandra stood and brushed dirt from her knees. "We still have much to learn about this place."

"Now you sound like the commander."

"I'm just doing my job, which is to collect soil samples. It appears your job is to stand around and do nothing." This time, she winked at him, taking the sting out of her words.

He shrugged and flashed a grin that exuded bravado and boyish charm. "Optimism never hurt anyone."

Sandra allowed herself a small indulgence—a deep breath of Beta 4's fresh air—and for an instant, she shared Fraser's anticipation for what might come next.

But duty called.

"I'm going to analyze these samples onboard the Eagle."

"I'll be here when you come back. Maybe by then you'll be a little more optimistic about things."

She shook her head. "Your optimism, Bill, is misplaced."

He laughed.

Sandra walked around the rocky outcrop and boarded Eagle Two. Inside, she moved to the research equipment perched on a table near the computer banks. There, she fed samples into the analyzer. It buzzed and beeped as it worked. The chatter of technology filled the space and data streamed on the device's monitor; lines and numbers flowing fast. She leaned in, squinting at the results populating the display.

Her eyes grew taut. Something was off. The patterns emerging were too consistent, too deliberate.

Sandra tapped her commlock, initiating contact with Professor Bergman. The small viewscreen came to life, filled by the professor, who greeted her with a half smile. "Sandra, hello there."

"Professor, I'm analyzing more soil samples from Yomi, a few kilometers east of the village."

Bergman's voice crackled through the speaker. "And? Is the ground as fertile there as it is near town?"

"It's not that," Sandra replied, her voice urgent; unnerved. "I ran it through the sequencer program. The soil—it has DNA."

He nodded, unfazed. "That's to be expected. Organic matter decomposes into soil."

She insisted, "No, you don't understand. This isn't residual DNA from decomposing organisms. It's... uniform. As if the dirt itself has its own genetic makeup."

Bergman tilt his head and processed this information. "Uniform? That is peculiar."

"Yes," she affirmed. "Every sample I've analyzed carries the same sequence—identical."

"Sandra, that doesn't occur naturally. At least, not in our experience."

"I know," she said. "It is rather odd, is it not?"

"To say the least."

Bergman spoke in a lighter tone to tamp her growing unease. "Listen, Sandra, this could be a property unique to the area you're taking samples from. Have Bill fly you to another landing area. Head farther out and take some more samples and run them through the sequencer. Let me know what you find."

"I will do that, professor. Thank you."

"And Sandra, don't let this bother you. We're bound to find some unusual aspects to Yomi, given its many unique benefits."

"Yes, professor. I will contact you when we locate a new landing zone."

She set aside her samples and her worries, exited the eagle, and stepped back onto the rich soil of Yomi. She heard a chorus of rustling leaves and the chirps of unseen creatures. She scanned the immediate vicinity for Fraser, expecting to see the pilot lounging against a tree or meandering back with that trademark spring in his step.

"Bill?" she called out, her voice more assertive than she intended. The only response was the echo of her words against the stone hill and surrounding foliage. A wrinkle of concern grew between her brows. She activated her commlock, pressing the button to hail him. "Bill, it's Sandra. We need to find a new location for samples."

No reply.

"Bill, are you reading me? Where are you? Why do you not answer?"

Silence reigned over the commlock's speaker. Not even static dared to disrupt the unease settling in her chest.

With a steadying breath, she accessed the locater beacon function on her device. A small blip appeared on the screen—a signal pulsating like a heartbeat within the circuitry of technology. The steady, unwavering tone meant Bill's commlock was nearby.

Following the signal, she navigated through the woods that whispered secrets in a language only Yomi understood. She searched the underbrush and between trees until she found them—Bill's commlock and laser pistol discarded on the ground.

Her heart jumped as she crouched beside them. Her fingers grazed over the commlock first; it was intact, no sign of malfunction. She then picked up the laser. It was warm to the touch, meaning it had been used.

Bill Fraser fired his laser.

Why? At what?

The forest seemed to lean in closer as the implications raced through her mind.

Sandra stood, commlock clutched in one hand, laser in the other, peering into the surrounding wilderness. Something happened here, something that compelled Bill to fire his weapon and then vanish without a trace.

Sandra cupped her hands and shouted, "Bill! Bill, where are you? Bill Fraser! Can you hear me? Bill!"

Nothing answered, save the wind.