Freyr didn’t answer immediately. She took a moment to organise her thoughts, arms crossed, head slightly tilted down, perfectly aware most eyes in the lab were now on her. A flicker of blue light shone in her periphery; glancing over Freyr saw two half-body holograms of Captain Andersen and the Outremer Security Council delegate had appeared on a pedestal nearby. It looked like they were in a conference room up on the Barb.

“I am an academic, like many of you here today. I’m happiest with a careful, methodical, inexorable march toward the truth. I want nothing more for us to set up a robust programme of research from the safety of the FOB. But i’m afraid, we all know that this kind of work takes months, years even, to fully unlock results. This is time we simply don’t have. I fear lives are at stake on Outremer right now, many more than we’ll be risking with our journey inside this object. Two of those lives are my husband and daughter, who were kidnapped right at the start. So yes, i believe this is a necessary risk.”

Freyr paused temporarily, to avoid her voice breaking. She took a second to compose herself before looking straight at Rareth. “I can’t force anyone to enter the simulation, as i won’t be able to guarantee their safety. But, [i]i[/i] am going in there myself, regardless. If we go in as a cohesive unit, we stand more chance of learning something and coming out alive.”

Everyone was silent for a millisecond, until 595 called “Ooo ra!” across the room. Her rallying cry made Freyr smile with emotion she wiped her eye. The Sacred Band all stamped their feet in unison, creating a hollow boom that rolled across the lab. “We’re with you, Dr Lang!” Dr Wetherall gaver her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Captain Andersen nodded opaqely and shared a muted word with the delegate on screen.