The Chronicles of Monster Planet

“About Cheng, what else?” I dropped my spoon with distaste. “I'm trying to understand the motive. Because that’s most important. I can't let go of the feeling that we all saw something, but couldn't realize its true meaning. We missed it. And she didn't. I keep replaying the events in my mind, but I can't point my finger on anything, except that she often checked her watch. But why? To monitor the flow of time? I don't understand why. She was a physicist, so she could know something that we don't. I have no idea.”

“I'm thinking of something else,” Lisa said. “About justice. It's truly sad how Ji ended up. A person grew, studied, aspired to something, to the stars, dreamed. Then some bastard just cut it all off. And we were powerless, we failed to help her.”

“We'll find the culprit, we will,” Finn said. “I'm going to see Trevor now.”

“I don't know, I'm not so sure we'll find them,” I muttered as the captain was leaving.

Lisa and I got up and went to our rooms. The mood was foul. I wanted to talk to Boris, but his door was locked, he probably hadn't returned from the medical bay yet. Exhausted by the tests, I fell asleep quickly enough, but my sleep was troubled. I dreamed of monsters – green, with huge eyes like black holes. They were stretching their hands with branching fingers to my neck. I knew I had to run, but I couldn't. My leg muscles seemed to have lost all their strength, they wouldn’t respond to my brain's frantic orders urging them to move, my knees trembled and buckled.

Day 3

A knock on the door. I opened my eyes. This was becoming a tradition.

“Who's there?” I asked.

“Anna,” a voice from behind the door answered.

“Just a moment, let me put something on!”

“Hello! Today I will finally take you with me,” she smiled, entering the room, a tool bag over her shoulder.

“Good for you, but I need a shave,” I replied.

“Oh, do you?” she asked slyly, “A light stubble looks fine on you.”

“May I at least brush my teeth, boss?”

“If you insist,” Anna chuckled, and I went to the bathroom, running my hand over the stubble.

“I also need to report to Finn.”

John was at his room.

“Come in,” he invited us, stepping aside from the door. “Max, I was about to come to you myself to tell you that you are now at Anna Ericsson's disposal.”

“Did you manage to talk to Trevor yesterday?”

“Yes,” said Finn thoughtfully.

“And?”

“You will work under Anna, me – under Alexander, Trevor's deputy. I will do administrative work and maintenance of non-standard equipment.”