Connie made a point to hunch over a bit and free up an extra strand or two of hair to appear a little downtrodden. When they arrived at the Squares, Rennish already stood at the entrance between two armed mercenaries. "Young Eneko. You always were a little more sensible than many."

Eneko moved closer to her. "The swarm is in turmoil. They've sent me to talk. They want to understand what you're doing and not wait for the full Gallin Council."

"Of course. Perhaps you can help them come to their senses because what we're doing will be good for all of us. I'll talk to you. Come ahead, Eneko."

"I'm bringing Connie. She wants to go back to Earthside." He reached back for her, and they walked toward the Squares.

"Really? A little surprising. But then again, now that your rarity as signaler no longer makes you special, I suppose you'd rather go back among your own. I guess we owe you a little for some of your, all be it – coerced, efforts."

She led them inside and ordered the mercenaries to separate Connie and Eneko.

Connie was gutted when they led her back to the rooms she had occupied with Harnell and Quill. A colourful, unfinished piece of knitting lay on one of the couches.

Their plans were unravelling. How could she and Eneko get themselves to the passage? And in two days the Dahrians would try again to breach and overtake the enclosure. So many more would die.

Connie stood out on the balcony and took in the forest vista in the late afternoon sun. One of the mercenaries came in with a tray of food.

"I want to eat in the dining room. I'm not going anyplace. I want to go back home," she barked at him.

He left the tray. In a few minutes Ainsley came.

"What's your story, sister dear?"

"There's no story. I just can't do this anymore. I want to go back home where I understand what's going on. This is more than I can deal with. I want out, okay? Now, can I go eat in the dining room?"

"Oo, touchy. Your little Dahrian friends not so happy with you now?"

Ainsley walked Connie down to the dining room. They sat at a table with Grayson and Hastings. No sign of Eneko. Or Rennish.

Connie said little, which wasn't hard as Hastings enjoyed the sound of his own voice and spooling out stories of his mining triumphs. Grayson played the role of savvy interviewer, feeding his father flattering cues of forgotten exploits to keep the old man rolling. And Ainsley provided the adoring audience, eagerly squirming and eyeing him and Grayson like an insecure Labrador retriever trying to please its master.

That Connie sat expressionless no one seemed to notice or care. At least eating in the dining room, she didn't have to worry about what might have been slipped into her food. She needed to make sure to keep her wits about her. And she needed to hang onto every wit.

"What are you planning on doing when you get back, missy?" Hastings suddenly boomed at Connie, startling her.

God, she had to play this right. "Go back to my life. I'm not made for this. Grayson knows this." She nodded toward Grayson and continued. "I think the Dahrian world is interesting. Unique. And I hope they'll be able to keep many of their ways and customs when all of this calms down. Right now, I'm scared and very tired. Plus, I know I'll never fit in here. I just want to go home. And then I want all of you to leave me alone." She worked up a quiver in her voice which wasn't difficult, as the next thing she said was true. "I'm having a really hard time coping right now."

She didn't realize that Rennish had come up behind her until the older woman placed her hands on Connie shoulders, "These are difficult times. It's understandable that a person might want to leave. Though I'm a little surprised at you, Connie. But then I never really got to know you."

Ainsley piped up, "I think it's not surprising, the way she's been coddled her whole life."

"Let's give Connie a bit of a break, Ainsley," Grayson said smoothly.

"Just send her back," Hastings huffed.

"She won't cause trouble for us Earthside?" Rennish massaged Connie's shoulders.

Grayson said, "What is she going to do? Who on Earthside would want to stop this?" He laughed. "Anyway, I do know Connie. And all she's ever wanted is a quiet, little life."

Hastings stood. "Okay. That's settled. I can certainly do without her moping around here." He looked over at Ainsley, "Get her out."

"Wait, now?" Connie asked.

Ainsley smirked, "It's what you want. Make up you mind."

Connie didn't know what to do. "I...I need to get my things."

Ainsley followed Connie to her rooms leaving her no opportunity to try to find Eneko. Connie looked at the items in her backpack. Her passport, wallet, cellphone, things she'd had no use for in Dahria would become essential again on Earthside. She didn't want to leave, but immediately cut off the thought. Much more urgent was finding Eneko.

"I want to at least say goodbye to Eneko."

"You had plenty of time to say goodbye before you...defected, dear sis. C'mon, before Hastings changes his mind."

Grayson was waiting for them downstairs. "I'll go with you too. The boys and girls in the compound are a little on edge right now. I want to make sure they don't get trigger-happy seeing you."

He led them to the stairs leading down to the tunnel that came out by the passage.

Connie grabbed his arm and spoke emotionally, "Grayson, I really want to say goodbye to Eneko. I didn't know they would separate us right away."

Ainsley snarled, "I told her to get over it."

As they walked, Connie hung onto Grayson arm and pleaded, "Please. I may never see him again. I need this, I really need this." She began weeping.

They came to the stairs leading up to the enclosure. Connie sobbed, "I just need a few minutes with him. It's such a small thing. It's nothing for you...and means so much to me." She was now gulping and crying so hard, she could hardly speak.

Grayson heaved a sigh. "Go get him, Ainsley. Just do it quietly. I worry what might happen if I take her out there in hysterics like this with everyone so edgy."

Ainsley shook her head but did as she was told. Grayson put his hands on Connie's shoulders, "You need to calm down. He'll be here soon."

Connie slowly evened her breathing, "I'll pull myself together. Thank you, Grayson. This means a lot to me."

When she and Grayson emerged from the tunnel into the enclosure, Grayson explained to the mercenaries what was happening. They glared at Connie for a few seconds then turned back to watch for movement outside the enclosure. The piles of supplies and equipment had grown since the last time Connie had gone through the passage.

She looked anxiously back down the stairs leading to the tunnel. What would she do if Eneko didn't come? She lowered her head hoping to avoid talking to Grayson.

He moved close to her. "I think you're wise to go back. You're not cut out for this."

She wanted to punch him in the face.

She saw the top of Ainsley's head coming up from the tunnel. And then Eneko. Soon they were both standing in the enclosure. Before she could feel a nanosecond of relief, she heard Rennish yelling in the tunnel.

"Idiots. What are you doing? Keep them apart."

Ainsley turned on Eneko and pushed him back toward the tunnel. Rennish appeared and grabbed one of his arms. Working in unison, the two women inched him toward the tunnel steps. Ainsley began kicking at his legs with the intent of toppling him backward down the stairs.

Grayson grabbed Connie's arms and held her. He yelled up at the mercenaries who were turning to look at the scuffling, "Don't shoot. Keep watch. Greg, Dory, come down and help us."

Connie kneed Grayson hard in the crouch and he went down. Eneko was holding his ground but not able to free himself from the two women. Connie grabbed Ainsley from behind. Eneko shook loose of Rennish who fell down the stairs. He and Connie shoved Ainsley to the ground. She landed hard on her shoulder, from her cry, possibly breaking her collarbone. At that moment the two mercenaries Grayson yelled up to made it down to the ground.

Connie had noticed a pile of something familiar and tossed one to Eneko and kept one for herself.

"They don't know these," she yelled to him. Then opened the pop tent letting it spring out of her arms, startling the mercenaries, immediately followed by the one Eneko held and opened.

The two ran for the passage which now had a foot wide gap thanks to James' expander.

Connie hurled herself along the passage, knowing she was carrying the future of Dahria and knew Eneko felt the same. Her brother, who she would never see again. A bullet, its trajectory muted by the miasma, grazed her shoulder. She felt a sharp pain and slumped against Eneko.

"I'm okay," she pushed herself up.

They frantically drove ahead to the place where they felt the change of direction in the passage waves.

"Arden!" they yelled in unison. Connie turned around, forcing her injured arm up so that she and Eneko could touch their fingertips together, pulling in the vibrations from the passage as they had practiced. The ether began thickening. Eneko, jerked and fumbled to find her. Was he hit too? He grabbed her hand, then once again aligned his fingertips on hers.

They stayed touching as the space became increasingly glutinous. When it reached the viscosity of cold molasses, Eneko broke the connection with Connie and the two backed away from each other as their signaling efforts increasingly knit together the passage. Eneko seemed to be crumbling down to his knees but then, Connie couldn't make him out anymore.

A part of her thought she should let herself become encased in the passage. She had done her job. It seemed like a fitting end. But the notes from Peter and Eneko needled, and she used every ounce of strength to back all the way out into Irish countryside.