Leaving Blue 5.1 Read Free Page A

fired her because they were worried that if someone outside the company discovered that one of its employees was a hybrid, they would bomb AHE’s laboratories. No matter how irrational it sounds, some people will attack hybrids. They won’t speak to them.
    “Because Lisa spent nine years studying peptides and amino acids, she applied for a job aboard Exp One. It was a great opportunity.
    “About seven weeks ago, she came to me and mentioned that this ship’s days were numbered. Then she said that she had listened to Roger when he began discussing an escape plan.
    “I thought that any such plan sounded foolish and pointed that out to her.” Lesley wiped sweat off her forehead.
    I leaned forward. “What else did she say? Lisa must have been aware of how foolish it was.”
    “She insisted that Roger had a good plan.” Lesley narrowed her eyes.
    David blurted, “What a bunch of fucking idiots!”
    Lesley raised her eyebrows. “Anyway, one evening, I brought up the fact that although a group of hybrids known as the Awo had tortured civilians during the Territorial Wars, I would listen to her. She showed me text documents and videos. Those convinced me that she didn’t have anything to do with the Territorial Wars or the Awo.”
    Joel scowled. “Lesley, did Lisa talk to you about the other hybrids aboard Exp One?”
    “Yes. She said she knew that none of them were Awo members or sympathized with them. Lisa added that she was close friends with Seth, Susan and Larry. In face-to-face conversations with Lisa, all of them insisted that none of them had ever participated in the Territorial Wars. Then they showed their forty-eleven background documents—”
    I raised my voice, emphasizing my statement. “Do you mean forty-eleven affidavits, ones that have been stamped by a notary and signed by three credible witnesses?”
    “Exactly. Later on, Seth gave her Roger’s, Bette’s, Wanda’s, Steve’s, Rita’s and Marie’s forty-elevens. According to the documents, they didn’t even live close to the Deri River. And none of them ever contacted the Awo or any Awo sympathizers.”
    The room went silent.
    David and Joel began staring at their vtps, glowering.
    Jen’s eyes shifted back and forth.
    Sam crossed both arms over her chest.
    I looked around the room, waiting to see if anyone else would speak.
    No one did.
    I remembered the Deri River. At that location, six thousand Awo had tortured and killed hundreds of unarmed men, women and children because they wanted everyone to know how powerful the Awo were.
    Joel frowned. “I thought that Roger was pushy and inattentive. On many occasions, he talked rather than listened. On the other hand, when it came to plasma and tokamak engines, he knew a lot. He understood which software controlled engine plasma. I showed him more software. He picked it up fast.”
    Mary, a worried expression on her face, glanced at Joel. “What did Roger say that made you feel he was so inattentive ?”
    “He didn’t study engine walls or cooling fans thoroughly.”
    Sam kept studying her vtp. “According to my records, minutes from a meeting that the crew had a few months ago, you said that Roger was improving.”
    “He improved for a while. But then I programmed and built several RM robots. They inspected engine walls, cooling fans and discovered that many needed repairing or to be replaced. They had been overlooked. It was Roger’s responsibility to examine them. About thirty percent of the time, he didn’t.
    “About a month ago, an RM robot named RM Six went inside the engine and found that four cooling fans were on the verge of shattering. According to Roger’s reports, those fans were fine. He wasn’t following up. And now, protective walls are breaking down. At the same time, cracks keep spreading. Roger wasn’t looking hard enough.” Joel shook his head, an angry expression on his face.
    Sam turned toward him. “Are you saying that Roger was doing this deliberately?”
    “I