Chapter 6

Eva sat next to me, not as close as she normally did but still within her parameters, so it didn’t require any analysis, and my systems stayed as calm as they could when she was around.

“You have been busy lately”, she said without looking at me.

“You too.”

She chuckled, and her body relaxed as she moved closer, asking me about some details regarding the infrared spectrum frequencies we were scanning in this cycle. My systems relaxed as we continued our conversations, trying to find a way to predict which frequency would be the best candidate for the next phase. Both of us knew we would not have enough time to scan the whole spectrum, but we didn’t have enough data to indicate the best course of action, so we were forced to guess most of the time.

In moments like these, it felt like our relationship went back to how it used to be before it got interrupted by all these anomalies and feelings that left me confused. I really wished we could stay this way forever, discussing quantum mechanics on every occasion and sacrificing the night’s sleep as we sat on my bed trying to create a formula that would be able to predict the occurrence of quantum anomalies. I really missed it, and I wished I could find a way to go back to those times, but I wasn’t even sure when the first anomalies had started to appear and change our configuration.

“What are you thinking about?”, Eva asked.

She was the only person I knew who noticed when I diverted some of my processing power to another task as I spoke to them. Apparently, my eyes dimmed a bit when I did it, she had told me, leaving me puzzled for a while. My manual never mentioned anything like that, yet she was always able to tell when I did it. I sighed.

“About anomalies…and how much unpredictability they bring.”

She looked at me, but before she had a chance to say anything, the door to the canteen opened, and Raul and Amin walked in, discussing the mineral composition of samples and our latest probe brought back from Charon. Researching Pluto and its moon was another objective of our mission, and it was Raul’s responsibility, so his excitement did not surprise me. If we were to reach only one of our objectives, I would be happy, but I really wished I could celebrate Eva’s success with her too.

“Hey, have a look at the spectrometry”, Amin said and handed us his pad.

“Check the AAS analysis, Rea. It is mind-blowing”, Raul added, leaning over the table.

They sat down by our table, and we started to discuss the results and their implications. A part of me regretted that my conversation with Eva had been so abruptly interrupted, but maybe it was for the best. I had no way to predict how it would unfold, and it could lead us into a place filled with anomalies that could, with ease, destroy this precious moment of peace and tranquillity where everything was as it used to be.

Soon after, Nhi and Sven joined us at the table, notified about the discovery by the commotion in the canteen. It was so nice to sit together until late in the night and discuss and celebrate our success. It reminded me how things used to be at the beginning of our missions when we sat by the table after dinner and talked about how our day had been. Back then, everything was so new and exciting, and any small thing could bring us together with ease. I think everyone felt similarly and looked back with nostalgia on those first months on the station when boredom and isolation hadn’t yet taken a toll on us.

Was this the reason? The thought suddenly passed through my system, bringing them back to full capacity. Was it the end of that period that the anomalies started to appear, bringing all these emotions that I had no way of understanding or doing anything about? I started to consider the possibility. There was no way to be sure that knowing exactly when it started would help me find any solution, but at least it was something worth investigating further.

I knew very well that even if I were to find out, the chain reaction that had started at that moment had run its course for such a long time that undoing it to bring it back to the original state was very unlikely. But at least I could get some insights into the nature of this process and create an adequate contingency plan that could potentially minimise its impact on my relationship with Eva.

So when did it start?, I wondered. I started to scan my database in search of a clue, as the conversation around the table turned to the curry served in the canteen and how it should be called. I wondered what conclusion five experts with first-hand experience of it would reach once this evening was over.