Talissa was wordless. She had to say something, but the simple question had unveiled another problem, clad in its strangeness, and it was expected of her to come up with some sort of answer. But, to her surprise, it didn't come.

"The reason I'm asking you this is that my boyfriend Skylar was also going to come to the launch," Cassitude decided to explain without hesitation. "He was called in by Polsakov, signed the papers and was right on the launch plat when they called him off. We were fearful of separating, as usual, but he's still a military man and he's to do anything they tell him," she said. "But the recent news has spurred quite a sum of suspicion within me."

Talissa was about to reply, but someone interrupted:

"Howdy, gals? Been waiting for ya, Talls! Morning too, Cass! How've you been?" a dark-skinned girl in their group spoke up, having noticed Talissa's and Cassitude's conversation a few minutes following. She was undoubtedly a workaholic, and only after an hour did she notice that her colleagues had arrived. The cubicles had high sound isolation (an invisible sound barrier was formed between each cubicle, not as dense as a solid yet not lighter than gas; not to be confused with breaking the sound barrier­, although that too was, to some extent, incorporated in the system); in addition to that, the women spoke quietly, hence they weren't heard at first. The two other girls in their group, Faouzia and Carla, had been too absorbed in their work, ergo only the talkative brunette had perked up after some while. She was plainly called American girl, despite her having a name: Jennie.

"Good, fine, thanks, you?" Talissa said. American girl hoisted herself up on her shoulders to get a better view of her; the smile on her face grew more and more.

"Meh, sam-old, sam-old, good you're fine, all that been nagging me for eons as Levon used to call it," American girl replied, brushing some strands of hair out of her face as her ponytail was quite a bit messy. Overall, a standard case of Friday morning hair. "That lad's been loud lately, pills and stuff. Though how've you call him loud when lad ain't shown his face never. Think's gon' come 'round someday, he never does. All he doing those tablets, those tablets. Don't be better 'cause of it, don't be better I reckon," American girl finished her rant-like tirade looking at the place's fake windows. "Oldie, glad you're fine, gall. Been hell worried 'bout ya' lately."

"You too?" Talissa asked. She wanted to know why everyone including her co-workers was somehow worried about her, or showered her with more attention in some way. Unless she was imagining something, it was a normal case of Friday hotness, her behaviour was ordinary and didn't arouse suspicion, although the question about the launch had startled her quite a lot. Undoubtedly, it was filled with normalcy. Like in the olden days.

"Ever since the news bout launch came, us gals looked up IntChain and saw that article bout reform in the world and things," American girl said. "There been lots of rumours lately. Hate comms much as loves, hate much as loves. It said you be going on a grand goal, Talls, a grand and chivalrous goal. Don't know true or not, but they sayin' you away for two years or so, whole lot o'years or more. Now, I instantly believed they can't be right and all, but that got me thinkin' all sorts of things bout it. Wanted to take the cat out of the hat, Dr Seuss would say, but that sort o thing ain't plain possible these days. Don't want losing touch, gall," Jen said.

"I appreciate your concern, but I think there's no reason to worry now, really. I haven't been away for too long, and there hasn't been any evidence for a chivalrous long-range mission of sorts. I mean, there were some anomalies in the pattern of UV change," she added after some consideration, "but don't we find that every year? The ozone layer is intact and it may simply be a false alarm. There's no need for urgent extraterrestrial exploration." She asserted, rolling her eyes.

"Come to think of it, even world hunger's ended," Esra said. "It's as if Richards has gotten rid of not only the struggles for our basic necessities, but also of any need for progress and improvement on the global front."

The girls sighed in unison.

"But wasn't he killed a few days ago? Or, like, his co-worker," Faouzia put forward. Everyone stared at her, somewhat surprised.

"Jake Richards? The scientist?" Cassitude quietly clarified. There was something strange about the way she looked almost astonished, more unnerved than the others.

"I don't really know - perhaps the news has been blowing it up. It could've been a person with the same name; we don't know what the chap looks like, after all."

Suddenly, a shrill, high-pitched sound spread through the room. An initial moment of shock passed. Everyone got up. Esra and American girl hastily looked all over. The noise repeated, now louder. It was an alarm, perhaps.

But for what?