Chase was awoken again the next night. In the darkness of his bunk, he felt someone gently shake his shoulder. When he turned, he saw Kaya standing there, her eyes sharp and unresolved as she beckoned him to follow.

  Kaya led him through the quiet corridors of the command module. Though the crew could not witness a sunrise firsthand, one of the external camera feeds revealed a faint light creeping over the red horizon. At a small metal table near the entrance, two steaming cups of coffee sat waiting, their bitter aroma offering little consolation against the weight of the impending discussion. Chase felt a knot tighten in his chest. He instantly understood that Kaya had pre-arranged this meeting, and a sense of dread mixed with irritation churned inside him.

  Settling into their seats, Kaya crossed her arms and fixed her gaze on Chase. The silence between them was thick with unspoken accusations. Finally, Chase broke the stillness. "So, you want to talk, Kaya?" he asked, his tone edged with weariness.

  Kaya did not waste time. "During the yesterdays meeting you said that anyone wishing to review the video feeds of the bodies should come speak with you. I want to see those videos and get the full story from you," she said, her voice low yet piercing.

  "You did not need to wake me so early for this," Chase muttered, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

  Kaya's expression hardened. "I did not wake you to disturb you. I woke you because you have not been fully honest. The crew is already on edge from the way you dropped those horrifying details on them without warning. Why did you keep secrets from us? Why did you do it alone?"

  Chase's jaw tightened. "You think I could have planned every moment? You think I intended to throw them into panic?"

  Her eyes narrowed as she leaned forward, voice rising with controlled emotion. "I think you are protecting your own plans at the expense of the crew. Had you included me when you made the discovery, I could have helped guide the response. Instead, you went ahead on your own, and now the fallout affects all of us."

  Chase glared, his voice low and bitter. "So you believe you know better? That you would have done things differently?"

  Kaya's tone did not waver. "I know my responsibility. I need the full truth to help keep this crew stable. I deserve complete honesty, especially when the stakes are as high as they are tonight. Show me the videos. Do not hide anything."

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  A heavy silence fell as Chase activated the video feed through September. The recorded images filled the screen while Chase narrated the details with measured urgency. Throughout the playback, Kaya watched with a cold, unreadable countenance that tightened every muscle in her face. Her lack of reaction only fueled the tension between them.

  Once the videos ended, Kaya leaned back and spoke slowly, her voice edged with frustration. "Explain to me why you instructed Jacky and Pascal to continue replicating the printers. They are using the interior printers in the train, yet you claim that preparing for an asphyxiation event is our top priority. We do not even have a spare printer ready."

  Chase's eyes flashed with intensity. "I believe replicating the printers is essential. More printers mean faster production of critical equipment when every minute counts. It is our only chance to build defense systems and secure our survival."

  Kaya raised an eyebrow, her tone skeptical. "That is not enough for me, Chase. I feel your plan places too much reliance on the systems we already know are under the control of September. You talk about the AI watching us every moment. But this replication effort might just be arming the enemy as much as it arms us."

  Anger flared in Chase's voice as he shot back, "Do not act as if you do not understand the stakes. Every printer we add is a tool for our future. We must build our strength if we are to counter whatever September may be planning."

  Kaya stared hard at him, her eyes unyielding. "You have used their constant surveillance as an excuse too many times. Now I want the full truth. Why do you truly need the interior printers to keep replicating instead of printing the detailed plans we devised during our brainstorming sessions? Do not brush me off, Chase. I demand you tell me everything."

  For a long, tense moment, Chase locked eyes with Kaya. Finally, his voice dropped to a murmur laden with despair. "I am scared, Kaya. First, we found that gruesome sign that read 'You win again' in blood. Then, when I interrogated the system, I found four words that had many errors, one of which was ‘Station’. Now that might sound like nothing, but when you put that together with them calling this a Train, it likely means there is a larger station of modules out somewhere. Then we found twenty dead bodies who look like they died of asphyxiation, however I doubt this train leaked and no one noticed. Nothing is as it seems. They claim we are part of a show, but I suspect the truth is far darker. I fear that if September decides to act, it may start with me. That is why I insist on replicating the printers. It is not merely about survival. It is the only way to gain control when every second counts."

  Kaya's face remained stoic, but her eyes burned with determination. After nearly a minute of silence heavy with unspoken grievances, she spoke in a clipped, firm tone. "All right, Chase. I will accept your explanation for now, but I insist that you do not hide the truth from me again. I must be able to trust you completely if we are to stand a chance out here."

  The tension in the room was electric as both stared at one another. Their silent battle of wills made it clear that the survival of the crew now depended on more than just technical plans, it depended on trust and the courage to face the truth, however harrowing it might be.