Chapter 44

Nessa watched through her hologram as the Conner pod made impact on the landing lot. Jamison’s door opened. He slid out and scurried past Nessa’s invisibility-paneled ship. On his way, he woke his implant.

“One last time, this is Maz,” he spoke into it. “If any elder race members are around, please come. I’m about to be stuck in a mental hospital. Coordinates are 37.2431° N, -115.7930° W. Location name is Carson’s Cafe.”

Nessa woke her implant. There was an application there. She hadn’t used it in weeks. She stopped scrolling at the distance signal application. Ah, yes. That was the name. She tapped and minimized it. Then she opened her holo-feed records. Her chat with the nestmates was in Recent.

It’s only a matter of time, she thought at Jamison. You’ll see the codes in range.

All the same, she distance signaled it, and she smiled through her hologram.

“Yes,” she said at zero decibels. “Open your alerts so you can see.”