Aloy spent a day hunting meat and trading with the Utaru for supplies. She gutted and skinned the rabbits outside the base, rinsing them in the clear water flow from a nearby stream before tying their feet together and slinging them over her shoulder. Alva had offered to come with her but Aloy was uncomfortable about leaving Tomas alone with Beta and said she could handle it alone.

A Charger had to help her bring all the supplies up the mountain where she let Alva know she was at the eastern door. A moment later, Alva and Beta appeared to help haul Aloy’s bounty in.

“Where’s Tomas?” Aloy asked.

“He’s…uninclined for physical labour.” Beta shrugged.

“I’ll incline him…” Aloy threatened and went to go in. Beta grabbed her arm.

“I’ll carry his weight.” She offered.

“He can damn well carry his own.” Aloy retorted, yanking herself out of Beta’s grasp and striding into the base. She hung the rabbits from a hook in the kitchen then went to the science lab where she knew Tomas would be. He barely acknowledged her presence, focused on aligning his printer with a black panel on the table. “Tomas, get your arse outside and help bring in the supplies.”

“No.”

She ground her teeth. “Everyone here pulls their weight. We all share the load.”

“Well, as I have no intention of eating or drinking from that ‘load’,” Tomas said mockingly, “I see no need to help.”

Aloy grabbed his arm and forced him to look at her. “You will…”

“Or what?” Tomas sneered. “You lack the killer instinct, the cold bloodedness that the Zeniths possessed to kill just for the hell of it. Or are you going to beat me into submission until I’m black and blue?”

“Keep talking and I just might.”

“I didn’t ask to be brought here,” Tomas pulled his arm out of her grasp, “I never wanted to be a part of this folly and I’m fed up living like a primitive so, if you’ll excuse me, I have a printer to configure and some half decent comforts to create.”

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Aloy turned and stalked out of the room, swearing under her breath. She spied Alva and Beta in the kitchen, having managed to bring in all that she’d accumulated after a day in the wilds.

“Arrogant…superior…lazy…”

“Aloy,” Alva smiled, “we got this. Let us handle Tomas.”

“He’s a spoiled brat. He doesn’t need handling,” Aloy glowered at the science lab, “he needs a hiding.”

“I rather doubt that will make him comply.” Beta put the wheat grains in a bag on the shelf. “He’s too intent on setting up his printer.”

“I’m curious to see what it will do.” Alva nodded then paused, her fingers over her ear. Aloy recognise the expression when someone was listening to a voice through a FOCUS that others couldn’t hear. “A message from Diviner Bohai. The Quen at Fleet’s End have been rescued. They’re on their way back to our homeland.”

“You could still catch them on a Sunwing, if you wanted to go home…” Aloy offered.

“I would have to face giving up all I’ve gained and denying all I know to be true.” Alva shook her head, lightly toasting some flat bread. “Bohai has your ember message. He will deliver it. That’s not my responsibility anymore.”

Aloy smiled. “The Quen’s loss is our gain. Look at you, proficient in the kitchen with the bread and grains. Zo would be proud.”

“She was a patient teacher.” Alva giggled.

“I’ve done it!” Aloy’s spine immediately tensed and her mouth turned down as Tomas darted out of the science lab. “I’ve aligned the printer and it’s ready to receive fuel to convert for the reconstitution process.”

“That’s great, Tomas.” Beta praised.

“It’s better than great,” Tomas beamed, “I can finally improve the quality of the standard of living around here.”

“Let me guess, just for you?” Aloy snapped.

“Trust me, I’m not doing it for you.” Tomas retorted, grabbing a piece of bread and tearing it off, putting it in his mouth as he retreated to the lab. “Beta, come see this!”

Beta put down her food and hurried after him. “Beta…what about lunch?” Aloy exclaimed.

“I’ll eat later!”

Aloy sighed and shook her head. She caught Alva’s grin and rolled her eyes. “What?”

“Sisters…they’re both a blessing and a trial.” Alva handed her more bread.

“I just don’t know why Beta’s so…happy around him.” Aloy muttered. “He’s a brat and he’s selfish…and he’s Ted Faro’s clone!”

“And he speaks her language.” Alva hinted. “Beta and Tomas, for all the differences in their education, they are more contemporaries than we are to them.”

“Even though Beta and I are essentially the same?”

“If anything that makes it more likely that you wouldn’t get along.” Alva laughed. “We’re attracted to opposites. People we’re too similar too…we rub each other the wrong way.”

“Beta and I did do that,” Aloy admitted, “but I thought we worked that out.”

“You worked that one out,” Alva corrected her, “there will be other moments. Beta’s still figuring herself out as well. Just give her space.”

Aloy heard Beta laugh and turned to the science lab, seeing the two Odyssey born clones talk excitedly over the printer that glowed and began to work.

“As long as the space doesn’t fill up with Tomas.” She groused.