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“The vid,” Elder says, his voice low “It’s the only way to figure out what Orion meant ”

“You were the one who said Orion was loons ”

“Yeah, but—”

“Besides, that last clue was probably ta this room or the suits, and—”

“But Amy,” Elder says “Space suits!” Elder can’t keep down his excite out into the stars—but I can’t keep down my fear

“The suits don’t change anything!” But I’o,” I whisper “Let anyone else We can’t risk you ”

Elder srin, and I really do feel like aher baby totter off into a fire “I’m touched You actually do care about me ”

My mouth drops open “You idiot Of course I care about you ”

He leans forward quickly and pecks et the suit on ”

I growl—but I can’t stop him At least I can make sure he’s as safe as possible I pick up two halves of the breastplate I feel like a lady dressing her knight in his aro on Sol—on Earth The lady tucked a token—a sht’s armor to remind him of her love for him I don’t have a scarf, and I’m not even sure if I love Elder, but I strap hirunts in protest

I keep checking the o into space is a set of bronze long johns and a plastic shell I knew space suits had co way from the puffy white marshmallow-like suits of the twentieth century, but this thin suit doesn’t seem adequate Still, when I watched videos ofin the space of Godspeed before it launched, their suits looked exactly like this

Elder steps into the boots one at a tio halfway up his calves, and when I push a button on thes Elder hobbles to the center of the roo me inspect him

“Looks solid,” I admit

“All that’s left is the hel for the helmet

“This first ” I help pull Elder’s arh the straps of the pack, and it snaps into the hard shell pieces of the suit