"...yeah," Earl yelled, talking over the rumble of the tram as it made its way down the lower deck, carrying its cargo of trained Burnts. "My brother told me, he's in the military. All those clock towers in every town and city? They're all bombs! For the day the Metacer find us!"
"Yeah?" Plant the driver snorted, rolling his eyes. "So what'll the bombs do?"
"They'll explode, take out everything!" Ear grinned from ear to ear. "Metacer, people, towns, nests, everything! Why did ya think I came up here for?! The view?!"

Plant shook his head as the thin man laughed evilly. He didn't see it when Earl turned towards the Burnt beside him, reaching out to grab the woman. Only she grabbed his hand. 

"Hey...!" he whines, "that hurts...! Now let me go before I..."

Nine punched Earl's face, knocking him back on the plastic seat. Before he could shake it off, she kicked him off the tram, knocking his head into a column. He collapsed like a rag.

Nine turned to face forward, her face serene. Minutes later, they arrived at the rear loading hatch of the colony ship. Plant brought the tram to a stop, then turned. 
"Earl! Get them off the tram while I... Earl?" Of the man, there was little sigh. He turned to stare at Nine, who had been sitting next Earl, but she just sat there, waiting quietly, like the rest. He looked back down the tracks, but of Earl there was no sign.

"Damn it, Earl!" he swore, shaking his fist as he climbed out of the driver's seat. "Of all the times...! I gotta get these people on board and you've gone off someplace!"

He walked towards the hatch, pulling out a flimsy that he held up to the laser scanner. The red beam swept across the bar code, then buzzed. With a loud clink, the massive doors began sliding up. Still grumbling, he walked down the metal ramp and began coaxing the Burnt custodians aboard.


Nine was the final custodian he seated in her chair, her box already loaded, lowering the padded safety bar to lock her in before glancing side to side. He walked over to the hatch, glancing about, then pressed the "close" button and listening to the hydraulics began closing the hatch. 
"No way I'm stayin' on the station," Plant scowled, heading towards the front of the compartment and slipping past the doorway into the ship's corridors.  

"Wh."
Nine frowned, ever so softly.
"Why..."

Leaning forward, she glanced down the row of booths, spotting a head leaning out, like hers. Another burnt. Simon? "Why did...?"

Nine cocked her head defiantly, then leaned back.