There were many things Allister adored about Arrokoth: the vast labs she had at her disposal, the resources, sure, but the most impressive piece, she thought, was the great glass dome near the middle of the research base, beneath which sat the gardens. Here, spliced through by cobblestone paths and small creeks powered by subsurface pumps, magnolia trees blossomed in white, delicate flowers next to pink cherry trees. Orange, gold, and purple flowers sprung up from the soil, soaking in the artificial lights tethered to beams overhead. There was Spanish moss hanging from the branches of a large oak in the center, ringed with a path that connected to the rest of the garden by four small bridges that cross a small, babbling brook.

Moths fluttered about the area, imported from Earth for their usefulness as pollinators. It added a serenity to the garden, she thought. Altogether, it was a place of life and vibrancy, oftentimes filled with other scientists, maintenance workers, and assistants, all looking to escape the otherwise clinical setting of the rest of the labs.

She sat on a bench here, legs crossed, a biochemistry manual sitting turned over on her lap as she simply stared out at the gardens. It reminded her of Ceres, and the great subterranean gardens that’d been planted under a great, long hallway cut out of the rock. Of course, Ceres’ gardens were more vast and more well manicured than could be afforded this far out from Earth. Back on the asteroid, there were lilacs, and rows of lavender and wildflowers mixed amongst the lines of tall pines and oaks. It was also more crowded on Ceres, so she supposed she didn’t miss every aspect of it.

Idly, she reached into the pocket of her jumpsuit and pulled out a small photo. Her eyes wandered down to her hand, where she looked upon herself, her husband, and a small child between them – their daughter, Tara. Allister looked into Tara’s beautiful green eyes that she’d inherited from none other than her mother herself, and her black hair that she’d gotten from her father. The young child, her lovely daughter, was smiling broadly in the photograph, proud to be with her family. Allister smiled softly.

“Doctor McCullinay,” a voice came from her left. She jumped a little, putting the picture back into her pocket and looking for the speaker.

It was Itomi Pratchett, her assistant, whose dark olive skin and finely combed, shoulder length black hair was as distinct as her shining blue eyes and delicate voice. Itomi looked down at her with a broad, white smile, and said, “May I sit?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Allister said, scooting over on the bench to make room for her. “Please do.”

Itomi sat beside her and looked down at the book on Allister’s lap, laughing lightly. “Can’t get you away from your work, even here, huh?”

Allister shrugged, smiling bashfully. “Well, if I’m ever to get the Medal of Discovery, I need to stay devoted to my passion.”

“You need a vacation, is what you need, Doctor,” Itomi said. She sat back on the bench and looked out at the gardens. “I love this place.”

“I do too.” Allister closed her book now and set it beside her on the bench. “It reminds me of home, except it’s more peaceful here. Less crowded.”

“Same, in a way,” Itomi said. “It reminds me of Earth. Not perfectly, of course. But it’s close enough that it’ll do.”

Itomi looked up, through the dome and out into the stars beyond. The sky here was magnificent. Painted, even, as though with dazzling rhinestones that twinkled in their own light. The orange-brown band of the Milky Way cut across the sky in a gaseous gash, and one could easily stare into it and get lost in how small they truly were in the face of such scale and beauty.

“Do you ever wonder if we’re alone out here?” she asked.

Allister looked at her, then upwards to join her in staring out into space. “You mean in the universe?”

Itomi shook her head and shrugged. “No, we’re definitely not alone in the universe I don’t think. But I mean here, in our galaxy. I mean, where is everyone, you know? We’ve been monitoring the reaches of space since we figured out how to make lenses. But we haven’t found anything? It’s just kind of weird, is all.”

“I don’t think we are,” Allister commented. “I think there’s something out there, waiting for us to find. Space is big, Itomi. Way bigger than we can really fathom. Maybe we just aren’t looking in the right places.”

“Well if your research is anything to go by, maybe we’ll have some answers soon,” she said, giggling. “How is that going, by the way? The tholins mixture, I mean. You set it in the centrifuge a few days ago, and I’ve been focused on my own research. Did you find anything?”

Thinking for a moment, Allister shifted, and then said, “Well, you were there when we discovered the fertilizing potential for the tholins. But the substrate we created with the centrifuge did illuminate a few things.”

“Oh? Like what?”

“Well, you know that tholins are created when inorganic compounds mix with solar radiation. But what you may not know, and what we just found out, is that these compounds, which become organic through dissociation and ionization, can mix with certain sediments when combined with water and spun up. Creates a sort of goop, or primordial sludge. It’s all really fascinating,” Allister said. If only Thomas could see her, making such breakthroughs, she thought, a whiff of sadness drifting through her mind.

Itomi must’ve read something on her face, because the girl leaned forward to look at her. “Doctor? Are you alright?”

Allister blinked, and turned to her, forcing a smile. “I suppose. I was just thinking about the research.”

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Itomi frowned. “I don’t think you were, Doctor. I think you were thinking of Thomas.”

A shock ran through her system as she flinched. Sighing, she said, “Yes. You caught me. How did you know?”

“I saw you looking at that picture you carry around.” Itomi offered a gentle half-smile. “I know you’re worried. Give it time. The Admin tends to be secretive on a good day. I’m sure it’s fine.”

A moth fluttered near, landing on Allister’s knee, its pink wings slowly batting up and down. Itomi and Allister watched it for a moment, before it fluttered off, continuing its journey to the next plant, tree, or person it felt like perching on.

“Will you walk with me?” Allister asked.

Itomi nodded, and they stood, Allister tucking her book under her arm as they began to meander down the walking path. They passed by a few people on their way to the center of the garden, a couple deep in the throes of the energy of a new relationship, a scientist reading a book as he walked, bags under his eyes, a gaggle of four newcomers to Arrokoth, being led by a senior scientist who nodded to Allister as they walked.

When the neared the great oak in the center, Itomi, looking out the side of her vision at the circles under Allister’s eyes, said, “You look tired. Are you sleeping alright?”

“No,” she said, her head hanging for a moment. She rubbed her eyes. “It’s been hard to get good sleep lately.”

“Just excited about your project? Or nervous about Thomas?”

“Both, I guess,” she said, looking to Itomi as they rounded the tree. She didn’t want to say more, to mention the thunderous booms that echoed in her nightmares, or the strange dreams she’d been having about red, cold oceans and drowning. Instead, she simply continued, “The doctors have given me some altrozidone, though. It helps.”

“Sleeping pills?”

Allister shrugged. “If it works, it works.”

“I don’t really blame you, you know. Especially with Doctor Garzha on your heels. That man doesn’t like you, I don’t think.”

“Well,” she said, tilting her head slightly, “he isn’t necessarily rude to me, so that’s good at least.”

“He could still stand to back off a bit. I think he’s jealous of your position, honestly.” Itomi brushed her hair back behind her ear, cocking her head and saying, “You’re the youngest person to lead the science team here, ever. And you’re from the Asteroid Belt. I’m sure he has some resentment about that.”

Allister chuckled softly. “Ah, office politics.”

That got a small laugh from Itomi as well. “Never were one for such things, were you Doctor?”

“I prefer to stick to myself and my projects,” she said. “Keeps things from getting inflamed.”

They walked in silence for a bit, slowly striding through the moth-livened garden. As they did, Allister’s mind wandered, thinking of home, of her research projects, of her husband and of her future. Then, she said, “Well, enough about me. How’s it going with Corporal Hayes?”

Itomi looked away, blushing. “Well enough. He’s kind to me.”

Inspecting her, Allister felt a wry grin appear on her lips. “Is he? Unsurprising, he’s a stalwart young man. And I’ve seen you two in the mess hall. I see you getting closer.”

Itomi cleared her throat. “Well, just don’t tell anyone. I don’t want him transferred out of here for fraternizing with the scientists.”

“Not on my watch he won’t be,” Allister said, her grin evolving into a full smile. “But don’t worry, I’ll keep it on the low.”

“I think it’s stupid that only preapproved relationships between the scientists and soldiers are allowed. Otherwise I’d have to date the other eggheads and, between you and me Doctor, most of them are just so boring,” she said with a groan. “It’s like their whole personality is their research.”

Allister raised an eyebrow. “Hey now. That’s half of my personality. Careful.”

“Oh! I didn’t mean it like that, Doctor,” she said, turning her head bashfully. “And besides, you’re different from them. Most of the people here come directly from the Stellar League schools. They’re privileged, whiny, obsessive little gremlins. You’re different. You worked to get here, and you have the talent to back it up.”

“As do you,” Allister said. “Sure, you’re from Earth. But jumping from a small university in Jakarta to the labs of Arrokoth is no easy feat itself. You should be proud.”

“I am,” she said, stopping by a row of vibrant purple flowers. She leaned in and inhaled deeply, their sweet aroma wafting through her senses. “I think we’re different, and that’s why we get along so well.”

Allister nodded. “I certainly wouldn’t have anyone else here as my assistant,” she said. “You’ve got quite the brain in that head of yours.”

“And you have a curious nose that you enjoy poking into other people’s science,” Itomi said, grinning.

With a scoff, Allister turned her nose up, peering down at Itomi playfully. “It’s called resourcefulness.”

“Or just being nosy,” said Itomi, turning her nose up too in gentle mockery of her boss.

They watched each other for a moment, and then broke into laughter.

“Well,” Allister said, “I think we’ve been derelict of duty for long enough. Do you want to accompany me to the lab, check on the centrifuge?”

Itomi smiled widely. “I would like that very much, Doctor.”

A small chime dinged in Allister’s pocket. She pulled out her PDA and examined its small glass screen. There was an incoming call on it.

“Excuse me for a moment,” she said to Itomi, stepping off to the side and pressing the PDA to her ear. “Hello?”

“Allister!” came a thick, burly voice from the other side.

“Sergei? What’s going on?”

The man laughed. “The funding you requested a while ago just came through.”

Her eyes lit up brightly. “Did it? Oh finally! We can progress with the substrate then!”

“Come back to the labs. We should go over our next steps.”

“I’m already on it.”

She hung up the call, and returned the PDA to her pocket, facing Itomi with a bright, wide grin. Itomi looked back at her, questioning her with her eyes.

“Itomi,” Allister said, “let’s go. There’s much to be done, and breakthroughs to be made!”

Smiling, Itomi replied, “I’ve always appreciated your enthusiasm for the sciences, Doctor. To the labs?”

“To the labs,” Allister said. And off they went.