"This really isn't what I was expecting," Apollonia said quietly to Urle.

The Executive Officer glanced at her, only a quarter of his face showing skin today. His lower face was a metal mask that was so tight it suggested he had no jaw at all, along with his left eye and the area around it. The cluster of sensors were expressionless, disturbing even, but it was lessened by his right. His bright blue eye was pleasant, and he smiled frequently with just the wrinkles around it.

Which he was doing now. "What were you expecting from an AgriStation?"

Urle swept his hand out, clad in a heavy gauntlet glove, at the massive metal vats that stretched floor to ceiling.

"I was expecting big fields of crops," she said. "Waving grain, with little bees and butterflies fluttering about."

Urle looked somewhat amused still. "We grow things in vats and then shape them into more familiar forms later. Very few foods do we husband in old-fashioned ways."

"That's really kinda gross, isn't it?" she muttered.

Urle shrugged. "It's been centuries and we're healthy on it so far. Even the luddites gave up complaining about it."

He knew she knew the reasons; their food production methods made things with perfectly-balanced nutrients, fiber, and calories for baseline human consumption - or for any species in the Union. The grown stuff, whether literal slabs of meat or algae, would be converted into stuff that was superior to the natural thing in safety, quality, and even taste.

At a certain point of understanding and technology, it was better-suited for them than even the food nature provided, and thousands of times more efficient in production.

When she had been told they were going to an Agricultural Station, she had been interested. Not many wanted to actually go with him, only Cenz seemed excited - he would be boarding the station to help them with some research for awhile and then rejoin the ship later.

So she'd gotten on the team going in, naively still imagining big fields of plants.

But it was just a stupid tour. Like what tourists got.

She raised her hand, catching the attention of their tour guide.

"Yes, miss?" he asked.

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"Has anyone ever fallen into one of the algae vats?" she asked. "Like while they were stirring it or something?"

The man looked slightly confused. "They're hermetically sealed, miss. You can't fall in."

"But if they managed, what would happen?"

The man froze for a moment, then glanced to Brooks.

"She's joking," he said calmly, waving it off. "Please, go on."

"Oh, well . . . as I was saying, there are over three million algae vats . . ."

Brooks seemed to be genuinely interested in all of this, Apollonia thought.

From some perspective it had to be interesting. Certainly important. Just not exciting to her.

What she'd hoped for was a touch of nature, like she'd seen in the Cloud Forest on Earth . . .

Damn it, she thought too much about Earth.

And thinking of Earth had other consequences. It made her think of the seat of government around it, Korolev Station.

And that made her think of her Command Aptitude Test.

It had been over three weeks now - with no word. Jaya had told her to be patient, and she had been. But this was a very long time to wait for her results.

"It is abnormal," Jaya had admitted. But her concern had been distant - as had she, overall.

It seemed to be going around, Apollonia thought.

Looking to Jaya, standing near to the Captain and listening to their guide with the same level of professional attention as he, she felt a stab of guilt.

She should not be so selfish that all she could think of was her CAT, while Jaya herself clearly had something bothering her.

Could she be this shaken up by getting a bump on the head and the insanity around the relic temple?

She had even inquired with Y, and while he had told her he could not tell Jaya's private information, he did assure her that she did not need to worry.

Though even Y seemed distracted lately. She'd taken to eating most of her lunches and even sometimes dinners with Ann, Zey, or both, who seemed to be the only people she knew who were acting normal.

Brooks spoke again, breaking the monotonous drone of the tour guide. The man was himself of high rank, but he was still the one giving this tour. He wasn't good at it.

"Are nitrogen and phosphorus sources secure for the station?" he asked. "What is the supply situation?"

"We keep at least three month's worth on hand at all times," the man said. "It's not something we really need to worry about."

"Yes, but what if . . ." Brooks trailed off, turning to look around him.

Urle stepped forward. "I have the list, Captain."

"Ah, thanks," Brooks said, distractedly, catching sight of him.

Apollonia realized that Urle had been hanging back with her, rather than staying with the Captain as he usually did.

It didn't really seem intentional. More like he was as bored as she was, she thought.

"This way," the guiding commander called, gesturing them towards the door. "After the clean room are the meat vats, they're fascinating!"