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having just spent more than an hour in the same type of aircraft , she had little fascination for the spectacle and was turning her eyes to the screen when they were drawn back to the hovering aircraft . a number of dark shapes seemed to drop into the pacific before the big sikorsky clawed its way back into the sky . search and rescue training , a man to her right said diffidently , probably showing off his knowledge to the woman who sat on his other side . not bad work for a young man . the woman on jans left smiled as she looked over . she was an older woman , wearing a wide-brimmed hat and she gazed back out across the gently rolling ocean . jumping out of airplanes , swimming , saving lives she smiled to herself . my henry was in the coast guard and i know he loved it , god rest his soul , but he would never admit it to me ! jan smiled and returned to her book , hoping her new companion would leave her in peace . she had just reached the reunion of edmond and mercedes when she was interrupted again . ooh my ! the older woman said with obvious approval . if i were just forty years younger jan couldnt resist curiosity after a statement like that , so she looked over at her neighbor and followed her gaze to the man climbing up onto the low stone wall of an artificial tidal pool . he paused to strap black swim fins and a mask onto a large waterproof bag before he stood . he slung the bag over a shoulder and followed the low wall around to the sand of the beach . if thats search and rescue , said the woman to jans right , then im off to find a nice leaky boat ! the man sitting with her pretended a sudden intense interest in the surfers , his ears a dark red . the man walking up the beach was tall and lean with a subtle musculature . they werent the flamboyant muscles of a bodybuilder but the hard , purpose-built muscles of a man who made a living in harsh environments . jan watched him with surprise . he had always been fit , but he had never looked like this when they were students . she felt a thrill of possessive pride as it became clear that liam was coming straight towards her - to the surprise of her neighbors . how did he find me that quickly ? she smiled at him as he dropped his gear on the sand and dropped to recline at her feet , one arm casually draped over the bag . how did you find me in this crowd ? she asked as her eyes took in the tracery of old scars on his skin . we really did choose different paths . | [["spend", 17], ["spends", 17], ["spendest", 17], ["spent", 17], ["hour", 35], ["type", 52], ["aircraft", 64], ["aircrafts", 64], ["little", 81], ["fascination", 93], ["spectacle", 111], ["turn", 127], ["turning", 127], ["eye", 136], ["eyed", 136], ["eyes", 136], ["screen", 150], ["screening", 150], ["draw", 171], ["drawn", 171], ["draws", 171], ["back", 176], ["number", 212], ["numbering", 212], ["dark", 220], ["shape", 227], ["shapes", 227], ["seem", 234], ["seeming", 234], ["seemed", 234], ["drop", 242], ["pacific", 259], 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i was headed for hia when i spotted you with the binocs . he looked around the beach before continuing . the pilot was heading for hickam after he got rid of me so he was more than happy to drop me out there and save a stop . im not intruding , am i ? its just that its so bloody cold up there on that mountain and my mates arent nearly so interesting once youve heard the same old war stories for the hundredth time . jan smiled and his grin came back instantly . i hear the surfrider does the best ribs youll ever taste ! famished , he said as they stood up . he hefted his bag . do you have somewhere i can change first ? the older lady turned her head to look towards diamond head . jan had seen the knowing smile that she was politely concealing . the frey house antioch , california june 7th , 2026 kevin finished dumping the last bag of powdered aluminum into the cement mixer before walking over to the bench where callum was working . he watched in silence for a few moments as cal test-fit the two hollow half pyramids of rigid styrofoam . well mix in carbon fiber to give added strength to the concrete , in case the heat causes it to crack . he explained to his friend . wouldnt chicken wire have been cheaper ? asked kevin dubiously . we have some left over from when gram used to keep a garden out back . no , think about it , kev . this has to contain a reaction at five thousand degrees . he looked over at his co-conspirator . chicken wire cant stand up to that kind of heat . he placed the inner half of the mold and tacked on the closers at the bottom and sides . it would produce a crude , semi-pyramidal shape with the top cut off . when two halves were placed together , it would look exactly like a hollow pyramid , with the capstone missing . callum had to refrain from snapping at kevin . it was easy to forget that he didnt know the whole picture . none of his cadre would know the full plan until the moment of implementation . that way , cal reduced the risk of rumors getting out . he trusted his people as far as he could , but only a fool laid out a plan like this for all to see . more importantly , he was aware that few of his helpers would be likely to stand up under a police interrogation . | [["head", 12], ["headed", 12], ["hia", 20], ["spot", 35], ["spotted", 35], ["binocs", 55], ["look", 67], ["looked", 67], ["around", 74], ["beach", 84], ["continue", 102], ["continuing", 102], ["pilot", 114], ["head", 126], ["heading", 126], ["get", 150], ["got", 150], ["rid", 154], ["happy", 186], ["drop", 194], ["save", 216], ["stop", 223], ["intrude", 242], ["intruding", 242], ["bloody", 279], ["bloodying", 279], ["cold", 284], ["mountain", 310], ["mate", 323], ["mated", 323], ["mates", 323], ["nearly", 336], ["interesting", 351], ["hear", 368], ["hears", 368], ["heard", 368], ["old", 381], ["war", 385], ["story", 393], ["stories", 393], ["hundredth", 411], ["hundredths", 411], ["time", 416], ["jan", 422], ["jans", 422], ["smile", 429], ["smiled", 429], 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he knew that there was a very real risk of some of them being picked up by city police for any number of infractions . most of them had serious problems with government authority and laws in general . that was what made them so easy to recruit , but it also made them potential liabilities . though kevin knew more than the others , he still had no idea what the strange shapes were meant for . he shrugged and went back to the cement mixer , tying a plastic sheet over the mouth before turning it on . as the noise filled the small garage , callum looked at his mold , wondering if there was a way to mass-produce the shapes . he would need forty-eight pyramids , which meant ninety-six molds , unless he could find a way to make five or six re-useable molds . he laughed suddenly as the answer came to him , waving off kevins inquiring look . he had been working on construction sites for years and had never really paid attention to the concrete form workers . he realized , now that he gave it some thought , that they often employed re-usable forms . in callums mind , he could already see the forms he would use , reinforced with two-by-two lumber and held shut with clamps . with some motor oil as a releasing agent , they would be able to make several each night . he had almost a month before they would be needed , so time wouldnt be a problem . klm flight 5332 over the pacific june 19th , 2026 mrti was exhausted . he rarely traveled long distances and , when he did , he invariably remained awake for the entire duration . now , two hours into the flight out of los angeles and almost twenty hours since leaving zurich , he found his mind coming back to the conversation at the swiss guard barracks in the vatican . the looming presence of aliens in the solar system had been hanging over humanity for months now . mrti wondered in a purgatorial state of almost-sleep . why settle on a planet with very little atmosphere when they could come straight here ? maybe god really did send them and hes giving us time to accept that . he stared at the lcd screen in front of him , not really seeing the english language mini-series that he had selected . between zurich and amsterdam , he had enjoyed the first episode , showing the training of marines for the fight in the pacific during the second world war . | [["know", 7], ["knowest", 7], ["knew", 7], ["reis", 34], ["real", 34], ["risk", 39], ["riskest", 39], ["pick", 68], ["picked", 68], ["city", 79], ["police", 86], ["number", 101], ["numbering", 101], ["infraction", 116], ["serious", 143], ["problem", 152], ["problems", 152], ["government", 168], ["authority", 178], ["law", 187], ["laws", 187], ["general", 198], ["easy", 232], ["recruit", 243], ["recruitest", 243], ["also", 257], ["potential", 277], ["liability", 289], ["liabilities", 289], ["though", 298], ["kevin", 304], ["still", 341], ["idea", 353], ["strange", 370], ["shape", 377], ["shapes", 377], ["mean", 388], ["meanest", 388], ["meant", 388], ["shrug", 406], 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on the way to los angeles , he had watched the same men in australia and then in combat against the japanese but his coffee was wearing off and his thoughts continued to wander back to his own struggle . the more he thought about it , the more he felt that young lukas had been on to something . when colonial forces arrived , they tended to do so with overwhelming technological superiority . the mere fact of arrival was usually possible because of that technical difference . the european explorers had landed in north america more than once . the norse settled on newfoundland five centuries before the birth of columbus , mrti mused . their technological advantage was less pronounced and they were few in numbers , so the local natives drove them off . his eyes had been drooping but they flew wide open , staring heedlessly at scenes of landing craft hitting the beach of some pacific island . what would have happened if the locals had welcomed the norse when they were so weak in numbers ? mrti knew he had just put his finger on what was bothering him . the , what did the norse call them skraelings , might have learned the secrets of iron . he felt the hairs on his arms standing on end as he worked through the implications . the knowledge of iron would have diffused its way to the mainland and spread like wildfire across the entire continent and down into central and south america . larger groups such as the iroquois confederacy , who were already accomplished farmers , would have been able to dramatically increase their output . mrti was wide awake now . with a surplus of food , they might have had a renaissance era of their own . north america was rich in resources . who could say what the european explorers might have faced when they arrived after five centuries of divergent technological development ? mrti felt certain that the continual raiding and warfare between the tribes would likely have driven technological development . bone armor would have given way to metal , clubs to maces and swords . gunpowder was not so certain but he knew that bow and arrow technology would have been refined in its place and all military historians knew that a good bowman was worth five musketeers in any battle . the range , accuracy and rate of fire of a proper war bow was vastly superior to that of any musket . the only reason muskets became popular in combat was the fact that you could train a man to use a musket in a few days while it took a lifetime of practice to be an effective archer . in his minds eye , mrti could see the famous encounters between europeans and the confederacy re-played under the new scenario . | [["way", 10], ["ways", 10], ["losest", 17], ["watch", 42], ["watched", 42], ["man", 55], ["mans", 55], ["manned", 55], ["men", 55], ["australia", 68], ["combat", 87], ["japanese", 108], ["coffee", 123], ["wear", 135], ["wearing", 135], ["thought", 156], ["thoughts", 156], ["continue", 166], ["continued", 166], ["wander", 176], ["back", 181], 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a much larger and more powerful confederacy may have been surprised by the belching smoke of cannon and musket , but would have had iron armor to protect them from some of the small arms fire and would have quickly come to recognize the superiority of their own bows . he imagined their warriors , known for originating the same guerrilla tactics that american revolutionaries had used to defeat the british , quietly boarding and over-running enemy ships at anchor or ambushing enemy forces on land . they would have eventually found willing prisoners who could catch them up on technologies such as guns and sailing vessels . the modern countries of the americas may never have existed if the norse had managed to get along better with their new neighbors , mrti thought as the small lcd screen showed a sweeping panorama of the captured beach before pulling back to show the massive invasion fleet . what would happen if we were to learn from these aliens rather than fight them ? could we be avoiding a weak colonization force now , only to fall prey to a much more powerful enemy in the near future ? did god put me here to stop us from fighting ? he didnt consider himself to be particularly devout , but then , neither did his brother and he was serving at the vatican . having been raised in a catholic family , it seemed as much a part of him as the color of his eyes . he got up and looked at the line for the first class washroom , seeing two of his fellow officers waiting . looking to the back , past the men of his company , he could see a much longer line and so he shrugged mentally and headed to the front , resisting the urge to pull rank on the two lieutenants . moffett field mountain view , california july 3rd , 2026 frank finished his sub and rolled up the wrapper , throwing it in the trash bin by the boardroom door . ready , chuck ? the two men got up and put their hardhats on before heading out of the room and down the stairs . brecker , bristling with weapons as usual , joined them as they stepped out the door . frank pulled out his phone and opened the friend finder app . looks like hes over at number two , frank said as he led chuck towards the office and storage structure that stuck out from the side of the large hangar . as they drew near the main door , it opened and lance stepped out with a clipboard . mr. bender , he shook franks hand with mock formality . chuckie ! he grinned and slapped chuck on the back . frank watched chuck grin back . i dont think theres another person on this planet that could get away with calling him that . | [["much", 6], ["large", 13], ["larger", 13], ["powerful", 31], ["confederacy", 43], ["may", 47], ["mays", 47], ["mayest", 47], ["surprise", 67], ["surprised", 67], ["belch", 83], ["belchest", 83], ["belching", 83], ["smoke", 89], ["cannon", 99], ["musket", 110], ["muskets", 110], ["iron", 136], ["armor", 142], ["armored", 142], ["armoring", 142], ["protect", 153], ["protectest", 153], ["small", 181], 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he smiled to himself as he watched the contractor work his usual magic , turning charles gray from a stuffy administrator into an affable old pal . bender had been on site a couple of months ago when the electrical sub-contractor was packing up and leaving the site , claiming they were all too sick to work that day . he knew it was the forty-ounce flu because they were all out celebrating the night before . hed tried to convince them to stay and tough it out but they were doggedly insisting on leaving . losing them for a day meant losing the concrete contractor for over a month because they insisted on proper lighting before pouring the floor extension in the hangar . if they didnt have the required illumination , they would refuse to guarantee the super-flat specification for the job and they had another contract to get to . lance had shown up and spent two minutes with them , joking , cajoling and confiding to them that he would consider it a personal favor if they could help him out and finish the lighting . they not only went back to work , but they did it cheerfully . they had finished a full days work by noon and left the hangar extension with working lights . even though half the crew failed to keep their breakfast down as they worked , they still did what was needed to keep the project on track . before you two end up heading for tia juana , maybe we should go through the deficiencies ? he interrupted the increasingly bizarre banter between the two men . you planning to use just a clipboard ? you ever see the batteries run out on a clipboard ? lance pulled out a pen and looked down at the list in his hands . besides , i can write a hell of a lot faster with a pen than with a finger . frank knew lance had an aversion to computers but his people-skills more than made up for it , and he had staff that took care of the spreadsheets for him . lets start with the landscaping . he pulled out a tablet from his shoulder bag and opened the architectural drawings . the men crowded in and looked at the plan before orienting themselves to the site . yep , everything looks good here ! lance grinned . lets go get a pitcher to celebrate . the trees look to be in the right spots , frank replied , knowing he didnt need to challenge lances last statement . he was mostly joking and a few pitchers of beer did sound like a good plan . the trees are all larger caliper than specified but im hardly inclined to complain about that . i managed to get a free upgrade from my supplier and i figured id use it here . lance nudged chuck in the ribs . | [["smile", 9], ["smiled", 9], ["watch", 34], ["watched", 34], ["contractor", 49], ["work", 54], ["wrought", 54], ["usual", 64], ["magic", 70], ["turn", 80], ["turning", 80], ["gray", 93], ["grays", 93], ["stuffy", 107], ["administrator", 121], ["affable", 137], ["old", 141], ["pal", 145], ["palling", 145], ["bender", 154], ["benders", 154], ["site", 171], ["siting", 171], ["couple", 180], ["month", 190], ["months", 190], 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got ta take care of my best customer , right chuck ? and i thought it was just because were buds ! chuck jostled him back . frank almost rolled his eyes but he knew it would only help things if chuck could stay in a good mood . they were in the business of building airships and frank couldnt care less if the door trim was the wrong spec or a tree was a spruce instead of a pine . he just needed the place to look good for tomorrow . the last thing he needed was to have chuck develop a sudden interest in the trivial details because they were out of time to have any of it changed . the big dog-and-pony-show was happening tomorrow . after that , nobody important would be hanging around . as they headed towards the path that led from one hangar to the next , frank came to a stop and enlarged that section of the drawing . ok , lance , i dont even care that these planters are the wrong shape , but the cypresses in them are all turning brown . he looked up at the contractor . i dont need them replaced , i just want you to get them out of here . the president would never notice that they arent here but he would sure as hell have a bad impression of us if they were sitting here looking like that . sure , bud , lance nodded . he pushed a button on the side of his phone . cal , meet me out on the south path right away . the men continued down the path , looking at the drawing as they walked , until a young man walked out of number three to meet them . cal , these trees are all dead . lance indicated the row of planters that ran the length of the walkway . i need them loaded up and taken to our yard ; we can take them back to greenhand later but we have to get them off the site pronto . cal frowned . lance , ive got my hands full right now ; can i bring a couple of the boys back after dinner and pick them up ? youre a good man , cal ! whoever you pick , buy their dinner and expense it and ill make sure to leave a clearance at the gate for tonight . alright , guys , lets take a look inside the buildings next . frank led the way towards the office of number four . another hour and we can get to the beer ! the freehold taphouse antioch california july 3rd , 2026 cal smiled as the three men across the table gaped at him in amazement . | [["get", 3], ["got", 3], ["ta", 6], ["take", 11], ["care", 16], ["good", 27], ["best", 27], ["customer", 36], ["right", 44], ["rightest", 44], ["chuck", 50], ["think", 66], ["thinkest", 66], ["thought", 66], ["bud", 96], ["buds", 96], ["jostle", 112], ["jostles", 112], ["jostled", 112], ["back", 121], ["frank", 129], ["almost", 136], ["roll", 143], ["rolled", 143], ["eye", 152], ["eyed", 152], ["eyes", 152], ["know", 164], ["knowest", 164], ["knew", 164], ["help", 183], ["helpest", 183], ["thing", 190], ["things", 190], ["stay", 210], ["good", 220], ["mood", 225], ["business", 253], ["build", 265], ["builds", 265], ["airship", 274], ["airships", 274], ["less", 302], ["door", 314], ["trim", 319], ["trimmer", 319], ["wrong", 333], ["spec", 338], ["specs", 338], ["tree", 348], ["treed", 348], ["treeing", 348], ["spruce", 361], ["instead", 369], ["pine", 379], ["pining", 379], ["need", 396], ["needest", 396], ["needed", 396], ["place", 406], ["look", 414], ["tomorrow", 432], ["tomorrows", 432], ["last", 443], ["thing", 449], ["develop", 485], ["developest", 485], ["sudden", 494], ["interest", 503], ["trivial", 518], ["detail", 526], ["details", 526], ["time", 556], ["change", 582], ["changed", 582], ["big", 592], ["bigs", 592], ["dog", 596], ["pony", 605], ["show", 610], ["happen", 624], ["happening", 624], ["nobody", 655], ["important", 665], ["hang", 682], ["hung", 682], ["hangs", 682], ["hanging", 682], ["around", 689], ["head", 706], ["headed", 706], ["towards", 714], ["path", 723], ["lead", 732], ["leaded", 732], ["led", 732], ["hangar", 748], ["hangars", 748], ["next", 760], ["come", 773], ["came", 773], ["stop", 783], ["enlarge", 796], ["enlarged", 796], ["section", 809], ["sectioning", 809], ["drawing", 824], ["ok", 829], ["lance", 837], ["even", 851], ["evens", 851], ["planter", 876], ["planters", 876], ["shape", 896], ["shapes", 896], ["cypress", 916], ["cypresses", 916], ["turn", 940], ["turning", 940], ["brown", 946], ["browns", 946], ["look", 958], ["looked", 958], ["contractor", 979], ["need", 993], ["needest", 993], ["replace", 1007], ["replaced", 1007], ["get", 1032], ["president", 1065], ["never", 1077], ["notice", 1084], ["sure", 1123], ["hell", 1131], ["hells", 1131], ["bad", 1142], ["impression", 1153], ["sat", 1180], ["sit", 1180], ["sitting", 1180], ["look", 1193], ["looking", 1193], ["like", 1198], ["bud", 1216], ["nod", 1231], ["nodded", 1231], ["push", 1243], ["pushed", 1243], ["button", 1252], ["buttoning", 1252], ["side", 1264], ["sidest", 1264], ["phone", 1277], ["cal", 1283], ["meet", 1290], ["meeted", 1290], ["south", 1310], ["away", 1326], ["man", 1336], ["mans", 1336], ["manned", 1336], ["men", 1336], ["continue", 1346], ["continued", 1346], ["walk", 1400], ["walked", 1400], ["young", 1416], ["youngest", 1416], ["man", 1420], ["mans", 1420], ["manned", 1420], ["number", 1441], ["numbering", 1441], ["three", 1447], ["tree", 1480], ["treed", 1480], ["treeing", 1480], ["trees", 1480], ["dead", 1493], ["indicate", 1511], ["indicated", 1511], ["row", 1519], ["rowest", 1519], ["run", 1540], ["ran", 1540], ["length", 1551], ["walkway", 1566], ["load", 1587], ["loaded", 1587], ["take", 1600], ["taken", 1600], ["yard", 1612], ["yards", 1612], ["later", 1655], ["siting", 1692], ["pronto", 1699], ["frown", 1713], ["frowns", 1713], ["frowned", 1713], ["hand", 1740], ["hands", 1740], ["full", 1745], ["bring", 1769], ["couple", 1778], ["boy", 1790], ["boys", 1790], ["dinner", 1808], ["pick", 1817], ["whoever", 1860], ["buy", 1875], ["buyed", 1875], ["expense", 1900], ["ill", 1911], ["ills", 1911], ["illest", 1911], ["left", 1930], ["leave", 1930], ["clearance", 1942], ["gate", 1954], ["gates", 1954], ["tonight", 1966], ["alright", 1976], ["guy", 1983], ["guys", 1983], ["let", 1990], ["lets", 1990], ["inside", 2009], ["build", 2023], ["building", 2023], ["buildings", 2023], ["way", 2048], ["ways", 2048], ["office", 2067], ["four", 2082], ["another", 2092], ["hour", 2097], ["beer", 2124], ["freehold", 2139], ["taphouse", 2148], ["antioch", 2156], ["california", 2167], ["july", 2172], ["julies", 2172], ["smile", 2194], ["smiled", 2194], ["across", 2218], ["table", 2228], ["tabled", 2228], ["tabling", 2228], ["gape", 2234], ["gapes", 2234], ["gaped", 2234], ["amazement", 2254]] |
sometimes it was best to let people get the wrong idea . they had put a great deal of planning into penetrating the airfields security tonight . cal had spent a lot of time with the attractive young security guard , to the wry amusement of his comrades . though he had gathered the necessary intelligence from her , he had been unsuccessful in moving their association beyond friendship . now a.j . and chris were picking up security passes from the table where cal had casually dropped them . they wouldnt need wire-cutters or blackened faces ; they were going to drive in through the front gate and straight over to the hangars . callum told himself that he had invited kevin to dinner because he was the second in command and should know of the change in plans , but he really just wanted to impress him with the passes . the cypress trees are dying , he explained . not a surprise , seeing as the soils been replaced with thermite . anyway , i asked if we could come in tonight and pick them up . he stretched casually , looking for the server and waving four fingers at him . fitting , he said grinning at the men , since the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants . he noticed the screen above the bar and leaned in to read the caption beneath the video . euro-zone announces a deal to protect the french banks , he muttered , squinting up at the screen . he turned back to his friends . it wont work , of course , and that means a run on the french banks . they sat quietly as the server reached the table , setting down four glasses of draft from his heavily-laden tray . paying the new un debt is killing most of the worlds economies . the rest of europe has been teetering on the brink since germany went back to the mark , and this will push them all over the edge . civil unrest on a continental scale , kevin muttered as he watched the big screen . he looked over at callum . just what the un wants , an excuse to occupy europe and lock it down . cal knew it was unjust for him to be surprised . kevin wasnt stupid . i probably underestimate him because he lives with his grandmother . thats it in a nutshell , kev . and when the financial meltdown spreads across the atlantic , well see un troops in every damned town in america . kevin looked absurdly pleased that he was being recognized for his analysis . i should do more to bring him along , cal mused . | [["good", 21], ["best", 21], ["let", 28], ["lets", 28], ["people", 35], ["get", 39], ["wrong", 49], ["idea", 54], ["put", 69], ["great", 77], ["deal", 82], ["plan", 94], ["penetrate", 111], ["penetrating", 111], ["airfield", 125], ["airfields", 125], ["security", 134], ["tonight", 142], ["cal", 148], ["spend", 158], ["spends", 158], ["spendest", 158], ["spent", 158], ["lot", 164], ["time", 172], ["attractive", 192], ["young", 198], ["youngest", 198], ["guard", 213], ["wry", 226], ["amusement", 236], ["comrade", 252], ["comraded", 252], ["comrades", 252], ["though", 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he might do all right here if we decide to open up a new cell on the east coast . his thoughts drifted to what might happen after they were done with moffett field . if we get through the next twenty-four hours without getting pinched , we can look at expanding . he looked at kevin in a new light . can he run things here if i head east ? his operation here had given him confidence and a taste for something bigger . the real enemy was in new york . he drained his glass and dropped some bills on the table . kev , tell him to keep the change . he looked at a.j . and chris with a wolfish grin . lets go earn some overtime . moffett field mountain view , california july 3rd , 2026 chuck belched in the empty boardroom , the heady scent of beer in his nostrils . he would rather be back at his hotel room but , with bender coming back for a last look , he knew it would look bad if he didnt come along . he had fought against franks changes at first , but hed come to see they made sense and had thrown himself behind the new program whole-heartedly . in response , bender had brought chuck back into the circle , consulting him on the best way to get past problems rather than simply going around him . the production of the first earth-to-orbital-station airships had moved faster than chuck could ever have imagined and the president had been keen on celebrating the fourth of july at moffett to showcase a major part of americas contribution to the global project . he caught movement out of the corner of his eye and , looking out the window , he saw frank coming down the stairs of his gulfstream . both men had needed to use the washroom rather urgently after several pitchers of beer with lance followed by a circuitous taxi ride . bender had loudly insisted that the driver was jacking them and the poor man , afraid of benders size and the heavily-armed brecker , gave them a discount . their solution to the urgent washroom logjam had been solved when frank yielded the main office facilities to chuck and headed for his aircraft . you use yours , ill use mine ! he had said in a north florida drawl that he only seemed to have after a few drinks . chuck joined him in front of the main administration building . frank belched loudly . pardon me , chuck , he intoned mildly . for such an imposing giant , he was surprisingly polite . sure , lets have a look at the place . | [["may", 8], ["mays", 8], ["mayest", 8], ["might", 8], ["right", 21], ["rightest", 21], ["decide", 39], ["open", 47], ["new", 56], ["cell", 61], ["east", 73], ["coast", 79], ["thought", 94], ["thoughts", 94], ["drift", 102], ["drifting", 102], ["drifted", 102], ["happen", 123], ["field", 163], ["fielding", 163], ["get", 175], ["next", 192], ["twenty", 199], ["four", 204], ["hour", 210], ["hours", 210], ["without", 218], ["get", 226], ["getting", 226], ["pinch", 234], ["pinched", 234], ["look", 248], ["expand", 261], ["expanding", 261], ["look", 273], ["looked", 273], ["kevin", 282], ["lit", 297], 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they set off towards the hangars and noticed as they came around the corner that the planters were already gone . good thing frank noticed those . thought chuck . little stuff like that does make a bad impression , even when we have two eos airships ready to go into service at the end of the week . he let out another burst of carbon dioxide as they walked , frank chuckling quietly . i suppose working in a customer-oriented business gave him an eye for the small details that we tend to miss in a government agency . the site looked good from the outside . they walked to the press area where chuck pulled out a remote . the podium had been set up with the hangar door of number one behind it . the three men watched as the huge doors slid back to reveal the rounded aerodynamic shape of red flag eos-1 . the massive ramp was open showing the cavernous cargo hold . ever been inside ? chuck asked as he gazed up at humanitys largest sub-orbital aircraft . nope , bender replied . ive been in the smaller airships that travel between our shipyards and the transfer facilities . he looked over at chuck . can we look at the cockpit ? the three men wandered over to the open ramp but chuck stopped when they were about twenty feet away and frowned at the wall of the hangar . yesterday , the walls and structure were entirely white but now there are gray lumps on the columns . he asked as he walked over to the nearest column with frank and brecker in tow . the lumps were concrete containers that appeared to be made in two halves and then strapped together around each column . the top surface was a waxy material and chuck pulled out a pen and broke through revealing a reddish powder . a pair of wires emerged from the wax and snaked their way along the wall battens , leading to the next column . frank , do these look like those planters you noticed earlier ? now that you mention it . he frowned at the odd sight . chuck had spent two years working for a rail company before starting his first degree and hed used thermite to weld dozens of rails together . he knew what it could do to steel . sabotage , he said in a tone of disbelief before pulling himself together . frank , get to the other side and start pulling the wires out of these damned things . he reached out and put a hand on his shoulder as he spoke . these are thermite incendiary devices , the wires probably lead to some kind of magnesium strip or flare so you can pull them out without worrying about lighting the powder . | [["set", 8], ["towards", 20], ["hangar", 32], ["hangars", 32], ["notice", 44], ["noticed", 44], ["come", 57], ["came", 57], ["around", 64], ["corner", 75], ["planter", 93], ["planters", 93], ["already", 106], ["go", 111], ["goest", 111], ["gone", 111], ["good", 118], ["thing", 124], ["frank", 130], ["thought", 154], ["chuck", 160], ["little", 169], ["stuff", 175], ["like", 180], ["bad", 201], ["impression", 212], ["even", 219], ["evens", 219], ["two", 236], ["twos", 236], ["airship", 249], 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if we dont disable these , theyll put out enough heat to melt right through these columns and bring down the roof . franks eyes were wide . who do we call ? ill get security on the phone before i start on this side . brecker , go check out the next hangar . he pulled out his phone as frank ran under the belly of the airship , heading left to reach the first column behind the twenty-foot-high bank of helium tanks . sure enough , there were devices planted on this side as well . ~*~ frank grabbed the first set of wires , turned his face away in a futile gesture , yanked them out and jumped away like a scalded cat . looking down , he saw the wax cover dangling from the wire in his hands . turning it over , he saw a magnesium strip with a wire clamped to each end . feeling a little more confident that he might live out the night , he headed for the next column and was just reaching for the wires when he heard voices . he walked to the end of the tanks and saw , to his dismay , that chuck was facing the young man from lances crew , the one who had been given clearance to come in tonight and remove the planters . the young man was holding a handgun . ~*~ cal supposed that this new wrinkle might just be balance after his run of good luck in getting clearance to openly return to the site . they had just been finishing placement of the last charges in hangar four when they heard the unmistakable rumble of one of the big doors . opening one of the small man doors and peering out , he had recognized the nasa administrator and the un project manager as they walked towards the hangar but had missed the black clad guard . he knew there was a good chance that they would miss the devices and so he directed a.j . and chris to finish with the charges while he moved swiftly through the dark towards the wide spill of light that came from the big door of number one . he couldnt see them and so he considered risking a quick peek around the corner . why act suspicious when they know im working here tonight ? with that , he walked boldly around the corner and saw the man from nasa standing to the right , pulling the wires out of one of the concrete containers . cal asked with a look of innocent puzzlement . his look of surprise changed to relief tinted with a hint of suspicion . this is going completely sideways , thought cal as he assessed his situation . these guys would have remembered the planters from this afternoon and made the connection to me during the investigation . i should have realized that before now . | [["disable", 18], ["disabled", 18], ["put", 37], ["enough", 48], ["heat", 53], ["heats", 53], ["heated", 53], ["melt", 61], ["meltest", 61], ["right", 67], ["rightest", 67], ["column", 89], ["columns", 89], ["bring", 99], ["roof", 113], ["roofs", 113], ["roofing", 113], ["frank", 122], ["franks", 122], ["eye", 127], ["eyed", 127], ["eyes", 127], ["wide", 137], ["call", 154], ["ill", 160], ["ills", 160], ["illest", 160], ["get", 164], ["security", 173], 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can i give you a hand with whatever youre doing ? if we can kill them both and stash them behind the helium tanks , we can stack a few devices around their bodies and make them forensically unidentifiable . no , im fine , the man replied trying to look nonchalant . definitely knows im behind this , thought cal . we can put them in the drainage sump behind the helium tanks . that should contain the reaction and pretty much vaporize their bones . he pulled out a silenced ruger .22 and pointed it at the man . and then theres lance , he thought as he pulled the trigger twice . well have to get to him before the investigators . after that , were in the clear ; the planters in lances yard are the ones that the drawing specified so we can claim that we just came in tonight , picked them up and took them to the yard . no one else knows about our square planters . his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of feet hitting the concrete at an increasing rate . shit , un boy is rabbiting while im standing here thinking . turning around to scan the large hangar , he was shocked to see the large man five feet away , hurtling at him in full tackle mode . his arm raised on its own as years of training kicked in . his finger pulled the trigger once and then bender crashed into him with surprising force . benton-coldwater medical center antioch , california july 4th , 2026 callum woke up slowly . ordinarily , he would wake instantly but he felt like he was underwater and had to struggle to reach the surface . his eyes opened and he found himself looking at the standard institutional ceiling of acoustical tiles . he turned his head , fighting off a wave of nausea and he saw a bank of monitoring equipment with wires leading from an outlet on the front . he reached out to trace them and found that he was cuffed to the side rails of the bed . it all came back to him in a flash . he must have been found by the bodyguard . the manager from nasa was dead and maybe the big guy from the un as well , but cal had allowed a moment of inattention to cheat him of his victory . he looked at the window between him and the hallway and could see , through the partially closed blinds , that a uniformed officer was standing out there leaning against the window . i need to get out of here , he thought . | [["give", 10], ["hand", 21], ["whatever", 35], ["kill", 64], ["stash", 84], ["behind", 96], ["helium", 107], ["heliums", 107], ["tank", 113], ["tanks", 113], ["stack", 128], ["stacks", 128], ["device", 142], ["devices", 142], ["around", 149], ["body", 162], ["bodied", 162], ["bodies", 162], ["forensically", 189], ["unidentifiable", 204], ["fine", 219], ["man", 229], ["mans", 229], ["manned", 229], ["reply", 237], ["replied", 237], ["try", 244], ["tryed", 244], ["trying", 244], ["look", 252], ["nonchalant", 263], ["definitely", 276], ["know", 282], ["knowest", 282], ["knows", 282], ["think", 307], ["thinkest", 307], ["thought", 307], ["cal", 311], ["put", 324], ["drainage", 345], 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he looked down at the handcuffs and smiled as he realized that there was an intravenous needle in his right arm . with the professional neatness common to health care workers , the iv line ran up the bed to where other wires ran from his body to the collection of monitors . turning his head and dropping his shoulder , he managed to grasp the iv line with his teeth and pulled . after a moment of discomfort , the strips of tape came loose from his skin and the needle slid out of his vein . without the pressure that was usually provided on removal of the needle , blood began to seep out but it was nothing to worry about . cal twitched his arm a few times until the needle came into reach and he grabbed it in his right hand . with a quick look at the window to ensure that the guard wasnt looking in , he used the needle to pick the cuffs where they attached to the rail . after several seconds , he had his right arm free and made quick work of freeing his other hand before removing the cuffs that dangled from his right wrist . he traced the wires on his right , realizing that a network of sensors was sitting on his head like a hairnet . he left it in place for a moment , not sure if it would set off an alarm and flood the room with staff . he needed a moment to think this through . i cant get past that guard without camouflage . almost lunchtime , he thought . camouflage might just come to me . he began to work out his escape plan . once out of the building , he would need to pick up his emergency stash of money , buried among the foliage in the wetlands preserve . he was pretty certain his accounts would have been frozen by now . he pulled the covers over his arms so it wouldnt be obvious he was now free . once he had the money , he would catch a cab to the university medical center in san francisco . that way , his camouflage would make sense to the driver and make him less likely to call the police when the escape hit the news . i can buy some clothes at the university book store and catch public transit to the bart , which can take me to the amtrak station on the embarcadero . his thoughts were interrupted as the door opened and a young man walked in with a tray of food . cal breathed a sigh of relief , he didnt care for his chances escaping in a dress with a three-day growth on his face and he didnt relish the idea of forcing a woman to give him her clothes . he might be willing to kill but there were still a few places where he preferred to draw the line . | [["look", 9], ["looked", 9], ["handcuff", 31], ["handcuffed", 31], ["handcuffs", 31], ["smile", 42], ["smiled", 42], ["realize", 57], ["realized", 57], ["intravenous", 87], ["needle", 94], ["needled", 94], ["needles", 94], ["right", 107], ["rightest", 107], ["arm", 111], ["professional", 135], ["neatness", 144], ["common", 151], ["commons", 151], ["commonest", 151], ["health", 161], ["healths", 161], ["care", 166], ["workers", 174], ["iv", 183], ["line", 188], ["run", 192], ["ran", 192], 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hungry , mr. hard core killer ? the young man sneered as he pulled a tray caddy over and dropped the food in front of cal . since youre cuffed , im supposed to feed you but i figure , why waste good food ? he started to help himself to the lunch , cutting off a large piece of pork loin before he set the knife back down . he stood there and chewed , making exaggerated sounds of appreciation . unbelievable , thought callum as he grabbed the knife with his right hand and reached over to grab the attendants shirt with his left . he held the knife to the young mans throat , watching the fear come into his eyes . the mans eyes grew wider . the oval office washington , d.c. july 6th , 2026 parnell leaned against one of the columns of the west colonnade , blowing smoke up in the faint hope that the smell wouldnt stick to his clothes . so where did it go wrong ? sam reached out and took back his cigarette , taking a drag while he thought through the briefing package . agent guilderson had the guy pegged about a month before . he stared at the door to the oval office as he spoke . she knew that mckinnon was planning something big for your visit and she had the entire place crawling with snipers and agents . they were just about to take them when chuck came back with bender . he took another deep drag and handed the remainder back to parnell . so why didnt a sniper stop the kid from shooting chuck ? happened too fast , sam shrugged . the pistol came out , the sniper called it in and before anyone could do anything , chuck was down . next thing you know , bender is trying to snap the gunman in half with one hell of a tackle used to play for the gators so he knows how to crack a rib or two ... so what happens with guilderson ? parnell dropped the butt into a planter . its hardly her fault those two blundered into the middle of an fbi operation . sam followed the president back into the office . there was already a summary investigation and shes been cleared for her next assignment . what about chuck ? parnell sighed as he dropped into his chair . he looked moodily at the desk blotter . ive talked to cara and shes given consent for a state funeral . its not much consolation for her but at least its a show of respect for a man who died stopping a terrorist plot . | [["hungry", 6], ["mr", 11], ["hard", 17], ["core", 22], ["killer", 29], ["killers", 29], ["young", 41], ["youngest", 41], ["man", 45], ["mans", 45], ["manned", 45], ["sneer", 53], ["sneered", 53], ["pull", 66], ["pulled", 66], ["tray", 73], ["trays", 73], ["caddy", 79], ["drop", 96], ["dropped", 96], ["food", 105], ["foods", 105], ["front", 114], ["cal", 121], ["since", 129], ["cuff", 142], ["cuffed", 142], ["suppose", 156], ["supposed", 156], ["fed", 164], ["feed", 164], ["figure", 181], ["waste", 193], ["good", 198], ["start", 216], ["started", 216], ["help", 224], ["helpest", 224], ["lunch", 245], ["lunches", 245], ["lunched", 245], ["cut", 255], ["cutting", 255], ["large", 267], ["piece", 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no need for the public to learn that half the fbi was already there , or what his blood alcohol level was , his face was solemn . chuck died for the good of all mankind and we leave it there . sam picked up the folder that he had dropped on the desk when they went out for the smoke but , before he could turn for the side door , parnell spoke again . lets get tom kelly to put a heavy guard on the moffett site . he put his glasses on and opened up another folder on his desk . you know , armed patrols , a couple of tanks , night vision-goggles . he glanced up at sam . we damn near got knocked back a half year by some conspiracy nut who thinks the aliens are a scam , and hes still on the loose . i want our production sites locked down , and i want this kid found and buried head first out in the sonora desert . falling towards change waikiki oahu , hawaii july 7th , 2026 mike sat in the hotel lobby with a quiet young corporal from the service battalion . the young man hadnt said two words during the short trip from mauna kea . mike had finally broken through by buying him a beer from the hotel bar and pouring it into one of the cups from the complimentary lemon-water stand . as they sat in the lobby drinking their covert beer , the shared breaking of the rules finally convinced the young man that it was ok to chat . he had known christina , one of his fellow soldiers from the battalion , for over two years and had just recently found the courage to talk to her . unfortunately , she was an officer . the military took a stern view on fraternization and christina had approached keira with a scheme that would let the star-crossed couple have some time together . the two men were waiting for christina and keira to arrive so they could switch up . officially , keira and christina were travelling together on their three-day vacation , while mike and corporal john alvarez were a second , separate pair . both men had come on an earlier chopper and mike had already been to the front desk to inquire about the possibility of changing their four single rooms to two small junior suites . he had been shocked to learn that the penthouse suite was slightly cheaper than the four rooms put together . he and john had gone up to check it out and they were amazed . the suite took up the entire top floor of the small hotel and it was the size of a large two-bedroom apartment . | [["need", 7], ["needest", 7], ["public", 22], ["learn", 31], ["learnt", 31], ["learns", 31], ["half", 41], ["fbi", 49], ["already", 61], ["blood", 87], ["bloods", 87], ["blooded", 87], ["alcohol", 95], ["level", 101], ["face", 116], ["solemn", 127], ["chuck", 135], ["die", 140], ["died", 140], ["good", 153], ["mankind", 168], ["left", 181], ["leave", 181], ["sam", 196], ["pick", 203], ["picked", 203], ["folder", 217], ["drop", 237], ["dropped", 237], ["desk", 249], ["go", 264], ["goest", 264], ["went", 264], ["smoke", 282], ["turn", 309], ["side", 322], ["sidest", 322], ["door", 327], ["parnell", 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they headed straight back to the lobby and struck a deal with the attendant who agreed to bill the government for the original four rooms in return for a small honorarium . now , the two men set their beer down and headed for the entryway as a sedan rolled to a stop under the portico . two young women in uniform got out and walked in the door , their faces lighting up in reflection of the happy grins awaiting them . what are the rooms like ? keira asked as she and mike came up for air . mike took her small duffel bag . is the rest of your luggage out front ? he said as he looked out through the glass front of the lobby . everything i need is right here , she responded , one eyebrow lifting playfully . the bag was pretty small , which mike took as a very good sign . two glorious hours later , they lay on the king-sized bed , watching the ocean between the larger hotels on kalakaua avenue . who do you think will go ? keira asked the question that was on everyones mind lately . a bank of computers sat in the atrium of the telescope facility giving staff a chance to put their names forward for service with the response fleet . keira had put her name in almost immediately and her chances were very good . as an engineer , her application was largely considered a mere formality . after a week of soul-searching , mike had begun thinking of excuses to put his own name forward . he knew the layout of the mining facility as well as anyone on earth , and his knowledge of the terrain far exceeded any other candidate . he had been surprised and flattered when he had discussed it with colonel mccutcheon . of course you have to come , the man had sounded as if he were speaking to a dimwit but his smile softened the effect . im going to need a good maneuver analyst and it would be a damn sight easier training you on the equipment capabilities than training one of our operators on the martian soil properties . he slapped him on the back as he stood to go for lunch . dont know what a regolith is and dont much care to ; thats why we want you along . just put your name in and leave the narrative box blank , for all i care ; youre a no-brainer . as he watched the officer walk away he realized mccutcheon was right . all those years trying to hide away in various universities had left him with a unique skill set that fit the situation perfectly . they really did need him . if he didnt go , they would have a hard time finding a suitable replacement . | [["head", 11], ["headed", 11], ["straight", 20], ["back", 25], ["lobby", 38], ["lobbied", 38], ["strike", 49], ["struck", 49], ["deal", 56], ["attendant", 75], ["agree", 86], ["agreed", 86], ["bill", 94], ["government", 109], ["original", 126], ["four", 131], ["room", 137], ["roomed", 137], ["rooms", 137], ["return", 147], ["returnest", 147], ["small", 159], ["honorarium", 170], ["honorariums", 170], ["two", 186], ["twos", 186], ["man", 190], ["mans", 190], ["manned", 190], ["men", 190], ["set", 194], ["beer", 205], 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still , mike had waited until he was sure keira would be going before putting his name in . even though the rest of his life had fallen automatically into place , she was the one thing that hed needed to work for . she had ignored him at first . soldiers get redeployed every few years and romances tend to be short lived : especially with civilians whose jobs arent portable . his persistence , and his complete inability to hide his attraction to her , had finally won her over . he had no intention of leaving earth unless she would be going as well . shed sat with him as he filed his request . his phone buzzed with an automated selection notice before he had even logged off from the terminal . mccutcheon had obviously put a note in mikes file , advising automatic acceptance . now , laying on the bed , he stretched luxuriously , thoroughly enjoying what may well be his last chance to enjoy the comforts of earth . well , both of us are going , but you need to make sure you get assigned to the flagship , he said . im going to be stuck in the analysis cell on the ares , so i wont be able to go visiting other ships do you think dr. colbert will be going ? keira asked as if it meant nothing to her one way or the other . shes pretty , dont you think ? smart too how the hell do i answer that without getting into trouble ? mike thought . does she just want to paint me into a corner so she can get angry at me , or is there some kind of right answer ? he decided the bare truth would work best . she is pretty , he began in a tone of mild surprise . id kind of forgotten that a couple of months ago . you think i stand a chance with her ? she laughed and shoved him out of the bed . lets get dressed and see if christina and john are up for getting some lunch . mike pulled the sheet from over his head . i may be the first guy in history to make it through the unwinnable scenario in one piece . galileo shipyard low earth orbit july 15th , 2026 frank hit the release on his harness and drifted forward to the cockpit windows . he put out both arms to catch the pilot and co-pilot seats . fortunately , they were not currently controlling the huge airship and , though startled by his impact , they were not unduly disturbed . sorry , guys ; pushed off too hard . | [["still", 5], ["mike", 12], ["miked", 12], ["mikes", 12], ["wait", 23], ["waitest", 23], ["waited", 23], ["sure", 41], ["keira", 47], ["go", 62], ["goest", 62], ["going", 62], ["put", 77], ["putting", 77], ["name", 86], ["even", 96], ["evens", 96], ["though", 103], ["rest", 112], ["life", 124], ["lifes", 124], ["fall", 135], ["falls", 135], ["fallen", 135], ["automatically", 149], ["place", 160], ["thing", 184], ["need", 200], ["needest", 200], ["needed", 200], ["work", 208], ["wrought", 208], ["ignore", 230], ["ignored", 230], ["first", 243], ["firstest", 243], ["soldier", 254], ["soldiered", 254], ["soldiers", 254], ["get", 258], ["redeploy", 269], ["every", 275], ["year", 285], ["years", 285], ["romance", 298], ["romances", 298], ["tend", 303], ["short", 315], ["live", 321], ["lived", 321], ["especially", 334], ["civilian", 349], ["civilians", 349], ["whose", 355], ["job", 360], ["jobbing", 360], ["jobs", 360], ["portable", 375], ["portables", 375], ["persistence", 393], ["complete", 412], ["inability", 422], ["hide", 430], ["hides", 430], ["attraction", 445], ["finally", 466], ["win", 470], ["intention", 501], ["left", 512], ["leave", 512], ["leaving", 512], ["earth", 518], ["earths", 518], ["earthest", 518], ["unless", 525], ["unlesss", 525], ["well", 552], ["wells", 552], ["shed", 559], ["sat", 563], ["sit", 563], ["file", 584], ["filed", 584], ["request", 596], ["requestest", 596], ["phone", 608], ["buzz", 615], ["buzzes", 615], ["buzzing", 615], ["buzzed", 615], ["automate", 633], ["automates", 633], ["automated", 633], ["selection", 643], ["notice", 650], ["log", 676], ["logs", 676], ["logged", 676], ["terminal", 698], ["obviously", 725], ["put", 729], ["note", 736], ["file", 750], ["advise", 761], ["advising", 761], ["automatic", 771], ["automatics", 771], ["acceptance", 782], ["lay", 797], ["lays", 797], ["layed", 797], ["layest", 797], ["laying", 797], ["bed", 808], ["stretch", 823], ["stretched", 823], ["luxuriously", 835], ["thoroughly", 848], ["enjoy", 857], ["enjoyed", 857], ["enjoying", 857], ["may", 866], ["mays", 866], ["mayest", 866], ["last", 883], ["chance", 890], ["chanced", 890], ["chancing", 890], ["enjoy", 899], ["enjoyed", 899], ["comfort", 912], ["comforts", 912], ["need", 966], ["needest", 966], ["assign", 996], ["assignest", 996], ["assigning", 996], ["assigned", 996], ["flagship", 1012], ["say", 1022], ["sayest", 1022], ["said", 1022], ["stick", 1045], ["stickest", 1045], ["stuck", 1045], ["analysis", 1061], ["cell", 1066], ["able", 1098], ["abled", 1098], ["go", 1104], ["goest", 1104], ["visit", 1113], ["visiting", 1113], ["ship", 1125], ["ships", 1125], ["think", 1138], ["thinkest", 1138], ["dr", 1141], ["drs", 1141], ["colbert", 1150], ["ask", 1178], ["asked", 1178], ["mean", 1193], ["meanest", 1193], ["meant", 1193], ["nothing", 1201], ["way", 1216], ["ways", 1216], ["pretty", 1243], ["prettiest", 1243], ["smart", 1268], ["hell", 1285], ["hells", 1285], ["answer", 1297], ["answeres", 1297], ["answerest", 1297], ["without", 1310], ["get", 1318], ["getting", 1318], ["trouble", 1331], ["troubling", 1331], ["think", 1346], ["thinkest", 1346], ["thought", 1346], ["paint", 1376], ["corner", 1393], ["angry", 1414], ["kind", 1444], ["right", 1453], ["rightest", 1453], ["decide", 1473], ["decided", 1473], ["bare", 1482], ["truth", 1488], ["well", 1504], ["wells", 1504], ["begin", 1531], ["began", 1531], ["tone", 1541], ["toned", 1541], ["toning", 1541], ["mild", 1549], ["surprise", 1558], ["surprised", 1558], ["forget", 1581], ["forgot", 1581], ["forgotten", 1581], ["couple", 1595], ["month", 1605], ["months", 1605], ["ago", 1609], ["stand", 1629], ["stood", 1629], ["standest", 1629], ["laugh", 1661], ["laughed", 1661], ["shove", 1672], ["shoved", 1672], ["see", 1718], ["christina", 1731], ["john", 1740], ["lunch", 1770], ["lunches", 1770], ["lunched", 1770], ["pull", 1784], ["pulled", 1784], ["sheet", 1794], ["head", 1813], ["guy", 1838], ["history", 1849], ["unwinnable", 1883], ["scenario", 1892], ["piece", 1905], ["pieced", 1905], ["galileo", 1915], ["galileos", 1915], ["shipyard", 1924], ["low", 1928], ["lowed", 1928], ["orbit", 1940], ["july", 1945], ["julies", 1945], ["frank", 1963], ["hit", 1967], ["release", 1979], ["harness", 1994], ["harnessing", 1994], ["harnessest", 1994], ["drift", 2006], ["drifting", 2006], ["drifted", 2006], ["forward", 2014], ["forwarding", 2014], ["forwardest", 2014], ["cockpit", 2029], ["window", 2037], ["windows", 2037], ["arm", 2060], ["arms", 2060], ["catch", 2069], ["catched", 2069], ["catches", 2069], ["pilot", 2079], ["co", 2086], ["seat", 2098], ["seats", 2098], ["fortunately", 2112], ["currently", 2138], ["control", 2150], ["controlling", 2150], ["huge", 2159], ["airship", 2167], ["airships", 2167], ["startle", 2189], ["startled", 2189], ["impact", 2203], ["unduly", 2226], ["disturb", 2236], ["disturbed", 2236], ["sorry", 2244], ["guy", 2251], ["guys", 2251], ["push", 2260], ["pushed", 2260], ["hard", 2273]] |
he looked out the window where the first module , lifted into space eleven days ago , was securely fastened to one of the three dockyard habitation modules that had been lifted ten days ago . each lift involved a little over a week in transit . the low altitude airship picked up cargo from one of the various transfer yards in europe and lifted it to an altitude of 140,000 feet . once there , it docked with the transfer station , a three mile wide octopus platform held aloft by massive helium bladders in each of its eight arms . from the transfer station , the modules would continue their journey to space aboard the much larger , orbital airships . the orbital airships , too large to survive the weather of the lower atmosphere , had been assembled at the floating transfer station and they operated between there and the orbital shipyards . frank had ridden up from portugal with the second frigate module . he had watched the huge mass of steel , aluminum and carbon fiber as it was carefully maneuvered across the central floor of the transfer station to one of the loading doors for an orbital ascender . hed felt a moment of almost supernatural dread at knowing that he was standing in a massively heavy structure , floating within the atmosphere of earth . hed felt suddenly certain that it had no place being there and that it would succumb to gravity at any moment . the station had not fallen , of course , and hed boarded the massive ascender , marveling at the incredible size . it was more than fifteen times the size of the ill-fated hindenburg and frank had cringed the moment the unsettling statistic had come into his mind . a leisurely five day ride propelled by a mix of chemical and ion rocketry had brought them to this final destination at the galileo shipyard . frank was intent on watching the activity on the station . tethered workers swarmed around the edges of the module , ready with gusset pins and welding gear , waiting to begin the first orbital modular ship assembly in human history . he hadnt even noticed the vibration as the airships huge loading door began to open until the co-pilot remarked on it . a team of four thruster crews approached as the door swung open beneath them . the four crews carefully entered the craft and frank pushed away from the chairs , heading back to the central stair where he grasped the railing and rotated almost gracefully over it , pulling himself downward to reach the lower crew level where the bunks were . his smug satisfaction at his neat maneuvering was spoiled somewhat when his left ankle struck painfully against one of the carbon beams of the upper deck . | [["look", 9], ["looked", 9], ["window", 24], ["windows", 24], ["first", 40], ["firstest", 40], ["module", 47], ["modules", 47], ["lift", 56], ["lifted", 56], ["space", 67], ["spaced", 67], ["spacing", 67], ["eleven", 74], ["day", 79], ["days", 79], ["ago", 83], ["securely", 98], ["fasten", 107], ["fastenest", 107], ["fastened", 107], ["three", 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he grabbed his foot instinctively and curled into a ball , thudding gently against the last couple of stairs in his distracted state . you ok frank ? brad , the payload specialist was watching with an amused grin . his station was at the large window at the back of the crew compartment . it gave an unobstructed view into the hold and he had turned at the sound of the creaking railing to watch frank bounce off the stairs and drift toward the bow of the ship . ok , for a first-timer , i suppose , frank let go of his ankle and rubbed at his left shoulder where it had struck the stairs . the head , brad shouted . frank ran a hand over his head , pulling it away to check for blood as he drifted . no , you numbskull , youre going to smash into the head ! brad pointed . bender did a few twists , managing to spin like a falling cat and saw that he was about to knock the ships only toilet off its mounting . he managed to grab the edge of a bulkhead and his remaining kinetic energy swung him around the new pivot point , slamming him harmlessly into the light-weight aluminum foam panel . slowly , the payload specialist advised . just a light push and then you can brachiate along the ceiling beams . frank followed the advice and made his way aft to the window . he was just in time to see the last thruster team maneuver into position at the starboard side of the ship module . those guys are quick ; i almost made an ass of myself for nothing . hey , if nothing else , i found it pretty entertaining . the last team reached the yellow and black target symbols on the module and grasped the handholds welded to its bulkheads . they muscled the thruster unit gently towards the five orange-rimmed holes , inserting the thrusters registration pins and closing its clamp . both men grabbed onto the thrusters handholds to stay out the way of the nozzles and the team lead threw the switch to place the unit under central control . the team leader used a combined set of controls , linking the four individual thrusters , allowing a simple , three-axis control scheme for the short flight from the cargo hold to the linkup of the two ship modules . brad put a hand to his earpiece before reaching down and activating a series of controls on a long touch-screen that was strapped to his arm . confirm release of restraint clamps , he said , before nodding at the crackle that even frank could hear from the headset . | [["grab", 10], ["grabbed", 10], ["foot", 19], ["instinctively", 33], ["curl", 44], ["curls", 44], ["curled", 44], ["ball", 56], ["thud", 67], ["gently", 74], ["last", 91], ["couple", 98], ["stair", 108], ["stairs", 108], ["state", 132], ["ok", 141], ["frank", 147], ["brad", 154], ["payload", 168], ["specialist", 179], ["watch", 192], ["watching", 192], ["grin", 212], ["station", 226], ["large", 243], ["window", 250], ["windows", 250], ["back", 262], ["crew", 274], ["compartment", 286], ["give", 296], ["gave", 296], ["unobstructed", 312], ["view", 317], ["viewest", 317], 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with a series of small silent puffs , the module lifted away from the floor of the hold and began to move out into the void of space . frank moved up to the ceiling and pulled himself along the beams until he reached the stairs . positioning himself on the bottom step , he pushed off lightly and reached up to grab the railing that ran around the upper edge of the staircase . moving his hands to the side rails , he brought his feet up and over the end rail and settled on the floor , an unnecessary step but he was still used to using the floor . the beams here were enclosed by removable panels and so he pushed off ever so lightly , drifting across to the same chairs that he had smashed into earlier . he gently arrested his forward motion by grasping the back of the co-pilots chair and he was delighted to see that his arrival had not been noticed this time . he looked out the window and saw that the module had already cleared the cargo hold . at this point , there was no reason to keep the gigantic orbital airship on station , but after so much time to get there , everyone on board wanted to see the first two modules come together . brad drifted over from the stairs along with rob , the flight engineer and the entire crew watched the dangerous ballet unfold . at the twenty meter-mark , the thrust team leader handed control over to the computer . this was the part of the assembly that scared frank the most . on earth , cruise ship modules were easier to control because gravity was a solid , predictable force and a good crane operator could quickly bring the massive segments into place . here in orbit , it was hard to imagine controlling so much mass with four relatively small thruster units and he said as much out loud as they watched the deadly operation unfold . its no different from getting around inside this crew compartment , brad answered , still looking out the window . out here , even a small amount of force can move a huge object . with no friction or gravity to fight against , you can get the job done with very little effort . he grinned , still watching the module as it crept towards its mate . the other advantage of using as little force as possible is that its easier to correct if you get it wrong . that way you avoid destroying a ship or having to crap in bags for the next five days . brads inside joke made no sense to the rest of the crew and they were frowning slightly , trying to figure out where the sudden scatological reference had come from . the moment was too tense for a humorous re-telling of the near-accident and so they concentrated on the scene before them . | [["series", 13], ["small", 22], ["silent", 29], ["puff", 35], ["puffs", 35], ["puffed", 35], ["module", 48], ["modules", 48], ["lift", 55], ["lifted", 55], ["away", 60], ["floor", 75], ["hold", 87], ["begin", 97], ["began", 97], ["move", 105], ["void", 123], ["space", 132], ["spaced", 132], ["spacing", 132], ["frank", 140], ["move", 146], ["moved", 146], ["ceiling", 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the pilot activated a touch-screen on his console , opening a channel selector and tapped the line labeled galileo shipyard thruster team . i shut it off as soon as they were out of the hold , he said to the men around him . its in the procedure manual - meant to prevent accidental chatter from our end distracting the crew but i dont see the harm in keeping it on , just this once . he scanned the screen , tapping the output menu and nodding . as long as our end is muted , that is . tango lima ; ten meters , over . the crew jumped as the voice blasted out of the speakers . the pilot stabbed at the controls , dragging the volume slider down with a finger , then re-checked the mute controls for output as the station controller answered . golf charlie ; ten meters , over . tango lima ; three meters , over. , golf charlie ; three meters , over . tango lima ; two meters , rotational adjustment , over . golf charlie ; roger that , two meters , confirm rotational correction on visual , over . frank was trying to remain calm . he was of two minds about using automated controls to guide the modules together . he realized that computers were as fallible as the programmers who built the code but the software had extensive redundancies built in . several feedback loops connected the sensor gear to the thruster control algorithms and , in theory , the system should be able to line up the holes of the gusset plates to within a thousandth of an inch . he knew that a human thrust controller could easily sneeze during a critical moment and trigger a disaster , but he also knew that a programmer on earth could easily make an error that could be missed by all of the validations and reviews and remain dormant throughout months of use . such an error might manifest itself suddenly , triggering a massive burst from the thrusters that could smash the module into a growing ship , killing assembly workers or even sending the embryonic ship straight down into the burning embrace of the planets atmosphere . knowing that the team leader had the final option of physically disconnecting the computer controls and taking over the system gave everyone a measure of comfort , but frank was still nervous as he watched the heavy ship components grow closer . tango lima ; roger , rotation effective , half meter , over . frank knew that men were waiting at each gusset plate with long tapered rods inserted through the bolt holes , aiming the pointed ends towards the corresponding holes in the approaching module . small silent jets of gas were visible as the two sections of the frigate closed the final distance , slowing the progress . | [["pilot", 9], ["activate", 19], ["activated", 19], ["touch", 27], ["touching", 27], ["screen", 34], ["screening", 34], ["console", 49], ["consoles", 49], ["open", 59], ["channel", 69], ["channelest", 69], ["selector", 78], ["tap", 89], ["tapped", 89], ["line", 98], ["label", 106], ["labeled", 106], ["galileo", 114], ["galileos", 114], ["shipyard", 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the team leader called out the final distance in centimeters . tango lima ; one hundred , seventy five , fifty , thirty , twenty pins aligned ten , five , four , three , two , one , contact , no re-bound , over . golf charlie ; roger that , contact , no re-bound . good flying . proceed with attachment , out . the men in the cockpit of the airship breathed a collective sigh of relief as they watched the silent flashes of the arc welders through the shielded cockpit windows . the uns frigate amazon was finally under construction . the last hurdle had been jumped . the entire plan was now proven possible and , given enough time , this first frigate would be assembled and operational , ready to defend its home world . given enough time , entire fleets would be ready , not only to defend earth , but also to travel to mars and fight the enemy there . and recent news had made it clear that a fight on mars would be necessary . there were survivors to rescue . red flag mineral co. sixty meter observatory mauna kea , hawaii july 15th , 2026 jan sat at the conference table in the atrium and stared up at the large screen , showing the latest imagery captured from mars . the aliens had been busy , setting up a large complex on the surface and aggressively exploiting the planets resources . mine shafts had been driven into several locations on olympus mons and processing facilities had sprung up at each . ground transport had also been developed , with roads and an elevated maglev rail connecting the mining sites with the production facilities on the plain below . she reached out and grabbed her cup , enjoying the warmth that leached into her hands as she cradled the hot coffee . army logistics had provided a stock of tea for their british staff but it was horrid . the coffee was far better and so when in rome the momentary comfort relaxed her mind , shifting her train of thought . she realized that , though much growth was in evidence , something about the image seemed backwards . colonel mccutcheon , could you give us a before-and-after of the main site ? mccutcheon nodded over to a corporal who split the display screen , bringing up an older file image . the difference between the two was impressive . recent building activity had enlarged the enemy complex by four hundred percent . that stack of capsules has been shrinking , she said out loud . fuel cells ? ventured pete . i dont know , jan mused quietly . | [["team", 8], ["teamed", 8], ["teaming", 8], ["leader", 15], ["call", 22], ["called", 22], ["final", 36], ["distance", 45], ["distancing", 45], ["centimeter", 60], ["centimeters", 60], ["tango", 68], ["lima", 73], ["hundred", 87], ["seventy", 97], ["five", 102], ["fived", 102], ["fifty", 110], ["thirty", 119], ["twenty", 128], ["pin", 133], ["pins", 133], ["align", 141], ["aligned", 141], ["ten", 145], ["four", 159], ["three", 167], ["two", 173], ["twos", 173], ["contact", 189], ["bind", 203], ["bound", 203], ["golf", 217], ["golfs", 217], 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the size - they look just right for holding an alien . stasis pods ? mccutcheon offered . thats what im thinking , jan was still looking up at the two images . but not just stasis . if they carried them all this way on board , why waste the resources needed to ship them down to the planet when they could revive them and ship down the individuals ? why waste energy carrying the pods to the surface ? well its obvious that they did just that , dr. tudor pointed out . did they really ? the sudden burst in activity follows the sudden reduction in capsules , so i think its reasonable to consider the possibility that the capsules held a workforce . what exactly am i trying to say ? i need another coffee but the pot is empty . why does it always seem like im the only one who makes a new pot . suddenly , she smiled . she got up and walked over to the percolator leaving the rest to argue . it was one of the big cylindrical forty cup machines that every army headquarters unit was sure to have and reloading it would give her mind a few moments to think . she pulled out the filter unit almost the size of a spare tire and dumped it . she dropped it back in the top and put a new filter paper on the bottom . making a pot means i get the first cup , the freshest possible coffee . she dumped a full bag of coffee into the filter unit , leaning over to sniff the rich earthy scent . she put the lid on top and flicked the switch to start the heater . you only make coffee when you need it , she said loudly as she turned and leaned against the table . some of her colleagues looked a little shame-faced at that but most had caught her tone ; she was making a point and not about coffee . unless youre mike , she added , to general laughter . mikes tolerance for stale coffee was something of a legend on the mountain . the rest of us only make a pot when we need it and i think thats what our alien neighbors are up to with these pods . dr. colbert , i believe youve already made that point , said tudor . theyre defrosting colonists , yes ? youre still thinking like mike , she responded with a grin . they arent popping them in the microwave ; theyre making them . it explains why they started to ship them all down months in advance of when they were activated . they didnt carry them from their home world , they manufactured the pods on site and cloned laborers . | [["size", 8], ["look", 20], ["right", 31], ["rightest", 31], ["hold", 43], ["holding", 43], ["alien", 52], ["stasis", 61], ["offer", 87], ["offered", 87], ["jan", 118], ["jans", 118], ["still", 128], ["look", 136], ["looking", 136], ["two", 150], ["twos", 150], ["image", 157], ["imaged", 157], ["imaging", 157], ["images", 157], ["carry", 197], ["carried", 197], ["way", 215], ["ways", 215], ["board", 224], ["boarding", 224], ["waste", 236], ["resource", 250], ["resourcing", 250], ["resources", 250], ["need", 257], ["needest", 257], ["needed", 257], ["ship", 265], ["planet", 289], ["revive", 312], ["reviving", 312], ["individual", 347], ["individuals", 347], ["energy", 366], ["carry", 375], ["carrying", 375], ["pod", 384], ["pods", 384], ["surface", 399], ["well", 406], ["wells", 406], ["obvious", 418], ["dr", 447], ["drs", 447], ["tudor", 454], ["point", 462], ["pointed", 462], ["really", 484], ["sudden", 497], ["burst", 503], ["bursted", 503], ["activity", 515], ["follow", 523], ["follows", 523], ["reduction", 544], ["capsule", 556], ["capsules", 556], ["think", 569], ["thinkest", 569], ["reasonable", 584], ["consider", 596], ["possibility", 612], ["hold", 635], ["held", 635], ["workforce", 647], ["exactly", 662], ["try", 674], ["tryed", 674], ["trying", 674], ["say", 681], ["sayest", 681], ["need", 690], ["needest", 690], ["another", 698], ["coffee", 705], ["pot", 717], ["empty", 726], ["always", 747], ["seem", 752], ["seeming", 752], ["like", 757], ["new", 789], ["suddenly", 804], ["smile", 817], ["smiled", 817], ["get", 827], ["got", 827], ["walk", 841], ["walked", 841], ["percolator", 864], ["left", 872], ["leave", 872], ["leaving", 872], ["rest", 881], ["argue", 890], ["big", 914], ["bigs", 914], ["cylindrical", 926], ["forty", 932], ["cup", 936], ["machine", 945], ["machines", 945], ["every", 956], ["army", 961], ["unit", 979], ["sure", 988], ["reload", 1010], ["reloading", 1010], ["give", 1024], ["mind", 1033], ["minding", 1033], ["moment", 1047], ["moments", 1047], ["pull", 1069], ["pulled", 1069], ["filter", 1084], ["filterest", 1084], ["almost", 1096], ["spare", 1116], ["tire", 1121], ["dump", 1132], ["dumped", 1132], ["drop", 1149], ["dropped", 1149], ["back", 1157], ["top", 1168], ["put", 1176], ["paper", 1195], ["bottom", 1209], ["bottoming", 1209], ["mean", 1230], ["meanest", 1230], ["means", 1230], ["get", 1236], ["first", 1246], ["firstest", 1246], ["fresh", 1265], ["freshest", 1265], ["possible", 1274], ["full", 1301], ["bag", 1305], ["bagged", 1305], ["bagging", 1305], ["lean", 1346], ["leans", 1346], ["leaning", 1346], ["sniff", 1360], ["sniffed", 1360], ["rich", 1369], ["earthy", 1376], ["scent", 1382], ["scentest", 1382], ["lid", 1400], ["flick", 1419], ["flickest", 1419], ["flicked", 1419], ["switch", 1430], ["switching", 1430], ["start", 1439], ["heater", 1450], ["say", 1501], ["sayest", 1501], ["said", 1501], ["loudly", 1508], ["turn", 1522], ["turned", 1522], ["lean", 1533], ["leans", 1533], ["leaned", 1533], ["table", 1551], ["tabled", 1551], ["tabling", 1551], ["colleague", 1576], ["colleagues", 1576], ["look", 1583], ["looked", 1583], ["little", 1592], ["shame", 1598], ["shamed", 1598], ["face", 1604], ["faced", 1604], ["catch", 1632], ["catched", 1632], ["catches", 1632], ["caught", 1632], ["tone", 1641], ["toned", 1641], ["toning", 1641], ["point", 1666], ["unless", 1696], ["unlesss", 1696], ["mike", 1707], ["miked", 1707], ["mikes", 1707], ["add", 1719], ["added", 1719], ["general", 1732], ["laughter", 1741], ["tolerance", 1759], ["stale", 1769], ["legend", 1802], ["legends", 1802], ["mountain", 1818], ["neighbor", 1910], ["neighbors", 1910], ["colbert", 1950], ["believe", 1962], ["already", 1976], ["defrost", 2025], ["defrosted", 2025], ["defrosting", 2025], ["colonist", 2035], ["colonists", 2035], ["yes", 2041], ["think", 2064], ["thinkest", 2064], ["thinking", 2064], ["respond", 2090], ["respondest", 2090], ["responded", 2090], ["grin", 2102], ["pop", 2123], ["popping", 2123], ["microwave", 2145], ["explain", 2180], ["explains", 2180], ["start", 2197], ["started", 2197], ["month", 2226], ["months", 2226], ["advance", 2237], ["advancest", 2237], ["activate", 2265], ["activated", 2265], ["carry", 2284], ["home", 2305], ["homing", 2305], ["world", 2311], ["manufacture", 2331], ["manufactures", 2331], ["manufactured", 2331], ["site", 2348], ["siting", 2348], ["clone", 2359], ["cloned", 2359], ["laborer", 2368], ["laborers", 2368]] |
because they dont have room on board the ship , they sent them down to the surface while the pods finished the cloning process ; possibly implanting knowledge so the product would come out ready to use . or ready to fight , young offered . `` might be why they have n't come here yet . take a foothold on mars , set up a logistics base and clone the invasion force onsite . '' `` the shorter your logistics supply train , the better . if they do n't have to rely on their home world for re-supply and reinforcements , they 're more efficient - at least if their enemy ca n't reach their logistics base . '' then they 've got a surprise coming . '' mccutcheon muttered darkly . `` regardless of their reasons , those pods would be well worth trying to grab when we hit the ground . he turned to the corporal who was serving as projectionist . dan , how many time frames do we have for this site ? dan opened up a file folder . looks like ten or eleven . put them up in sequence starting from the earliest , the colonel suggested . as they watched , the original showed no capsules but , as each subsequent image came up , they could see a steadily-growing number . the latest image showed that they had been almost entirely depleted . mccutcheon was pleased . its not proof , but it certainly matches your theory dr. colbert . if theyd brought all those capsules with them from their homeworld , they probably would have revived them on the ship . waste of space to ship them down in capsules . he scribbled some notes on the pad in front of him . it definitely seems to indicate the use of on-demand manufacturing at the very least . one bit of good news , he continued . their aggressive patrolling seems to have reached its zenith . he nodded at dan who brought up a new graphic showing a larger area with a red hash-marked area surrounding the production site . the patrols have stopped expanding their coverage . dr. wilsen believes that their vehicles are having trouble with the soil and blowing dust . our survivors , if they did in fact survive , are in a cave ten kilometers outside of the current patrol zone . he pointed to the blue symbol to the left of the alien site . theres a habitat inside the cave and enough food and water to keep them alive for almost three years . just under three years . mccutcheon looked grim . i wouldnt want to spend three years cooped up in a cave , but they have electronic files of every book ever written and tons of other media . | [["room", 27], ["roomed", 27], ["board", 36], ["boarding", 36], ["ship", 45], ["send", 57], ["sent", 57], ["surface", 82], ["pod", 97], ["pods", 97], ["finish", 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["survivor", 2022], ["survivors", 2022], ["fact", 2044], ["survive", 2052], ["cave", 2068], ["kilometer", 2083], ["kilometers", 2083], ["outside", 2091], ["current", 2106], ["patrol", 2113], ["zone", 2118], ["point", 2131], ["pointed", 2131], ["blue", 2143], ["symbol", 2150], ["left", 2162], ["alien", 2175], ["habitat", 2199], ["inside", 2206], ["enough", 2226], ["food", 2231], ["foods", 2231], ["water", 2241], ["keep", 2249], ["keepest", 2249], ["alive", 2260], ["three", 2277], ["year", 2283], ["years", 2283], ["look", 2328], ["looked", 2328], ["grim", 2333], ["grims", 2333], ["spend", 2359], ["spends", 2359], ["spendest", 2359], ["cooping", 2378], ["electronic", 2418], ["file", 2424], ["files", 2424], ["every", 2433], ["book", 2438], ["ever", 2443], ["everest", 2443], ["write", 2451], ["writing", 2451], ["written", 2451], ["ton", 2460], ["tons", 2460], ["medium", 2475], ["mediums", 2475], ["media", 2475]] |
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