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“Well—there won’t be walls ”

“But I like the walls,” Victria whispers

And I realize, to her, theher into a claustrophobic existence No—to her, the walls are the walls of a co outside—that terrifies her

“Orion used to say we don’t knohat’s down there It could be anything ”

“The probes and scans all say the planet is habitable,” I start, but she cuts me off She drops to her knees and leans forward, her panicked eyesmine

“Orion used to show me stuff, forbidden records There were dinosaurs on Sol-Earth Monsters that eat you Anier than people Sinkholes and volcanoes and tornados and earthquakes ”

“Lions and tigers and bears, oh my,” I say softly, but Victria doesn’t see it as a joke—she nods in agreement These are monsters to her too

She’s rubbing her stomach so much that she reminds me of the shiny-bellied Buddha at the Chinese restaurant Jason took me to for our first date, back before I even knehat Godspeed was

“I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe,” Victria chants Her hand clutches convulsively against her chest

“Let’s get you in the chair,” I say, offering her my hand to help her stand Victria shakes her head so violently that her entire torso turns She jerks away fro, and I can see beads of sweat building on her face, tre her legs closer to her chest, gasping for breath

“I’!” Victria chokes out

“You’re not,” I insist, forcinga panic attack Victria, you’ve got to calm down The baby—”

“Oh, stars, the baby!” Victria wails, rocking faster “I can’t have a baby! Not here! Not there!” She wheezes, trying to drag air back into her

“Victria Victria! Cal,” I say, desperately “What’syou so scared?”

All I can ” and “Orion” and “planet” and “no ”