“You think Mike Leneski is behind this?”

Commander Teague stared at his chief of security, his face a mix of surprise and confusion.

“If someone is manning an older structure on the Moon, they need supplies,” said Jasleen. “Resources. That means getting help from someone high up the food chain.”

Teague leaned against a titanium strut between two of his office’s windows, the shades still down from the day before. He was just as perturbed by the Moonscape after what happened as she was, Jasleen reasoned. She took this to mean that she could trust him, and she relaxed a little, slumping her shoulders somewhat. He glanced across the room at Natalia Romeo before continuing. "That still doesn't explain why it's Mike."

"Remember that faded logo we saw on the airlock door?" Jasleen said. "It belongs to Daedalus Corporation. Guess who serves on their board of directors."

Teague rubbed his face and groaned.

"In a way, it makes perfect sense," said Romeo carefully. "The entire science division is under his purview. He's in a perfect position to facilitate something of this magnitude in secret. And if this is a defense contractor they'd have people who could have easily rigged Donovan's shuttle to explode, while letting Luna 1 personnel take all the blame."

Teague stared at the floor, shaking his head. Finally, he glanced back up at Jasleen. "I understand what you're saying, and I agree he's definitely a suspect. It's just that I've known the man thirty years. I just don't see him being capable of something like this."

"I respect your loyalty to your friend," said Jasleen. "But we have to go where the evidence leads. And right now it leads to Dr. Leneski. I found no one else in the personnel files with public ties to Daedalus."

Teague scratched his chin in thought. "Well, if you're right Daedalus has some deep pockets. He might be the head honcho up here, but he's got high-powered help back on Earth."

"What do you want to do, Commander?" Romeo asked.

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"I don't know," said Teague. "We need to tread lightly. We can't tip him off until we're ready, and we need evidence, and I mean iron-clad evidence before we make a move. I'll contact General Steen on a secure channel, see what he knows. He's on the Senate appropriations committee. He can do things we can't. In the meantime, Jasleen, can you keep an eye on him without tipping him off?"

Jasleen shrugged. "Of course."

Teague nodded, moving to his desk. "Good." He sat down, swiveling uncomfortably in his chair. "Steen told me not to trust anyone. I guess he was right. Damn."

"At least we have someone to investigate now," said Jasleen. And when they make their next move we'll see them coming."

Teague rested his elbows on his desk, his head in his hands. "What are we doing this for anyway?"

Romeo leaned toward him. "Sir?" she said, a note of concern in her voice.

Teague looked up at her. "I didn't know I was being sent up here to route out a saboteur. Am I here to clean up Donovan's mess or take the blame when it all falls apart? What are we here for anyway?"

"To study the effects of long-term space habitation," said Romeo. "To learn how to live and work in space, and to provide infrastructure for future missions."

Teague scowled. "I know the mission specs, Nat. But are those the real reasons? Leneski seems to think that it's all about optics, that everything's a PR stunt. What if he's right? What if Luna 1 is just a distraction for a dying human race, something to take everyone’s minds of their troubles while everything collapses around our ears? Bread and circuses.”

“Commander,” said Romeo. “If you’re asking me do I believe in Luna 1’s mission, the answer is yes, I do. Is it ultimately futile? I don’t know. Maybe. But I believe we have to try. As long as there is life still in us there’s a chance at a future. I think that’s worth fighting for.”

Teague swallowed a lump in his throat, considering her words. After a long moment, he said, “I hope you’re right. Lieutenant. So we'll keep fighting, and damn the odds."

"So that's it then," said Jasleen, bringing the topic of conversation back around to the issue at hand. "We just wait for Dr. Leneski to make the next move?"

"We have to," said Teague. "We won't have enough evidence otherwise. If we confront him now, there's no telling what he'll do. Something dangerous. Something stupid. But whatever it is, it will jeopardize everything we've built up here. Besides, we don't know what kind of resources he has, how many people we're dealing with."

"We also don't know who is helping him on Earth," added Romeo.

Teague gave her a nod. "Exactly."

His desk chimed. Teague glanced at his screen in annoyance, then answered it. "What is it?"

"We've got another problem," said Dr. Cole. "Morrison's body. It's gone."