Day 0

She looks up to see him shaking his head to banish the strange feeling he woke up with. Something is on the horizon, but he can’t quite tell what.

Geneva pours him a cup of coffee, “I’m thinking we go to Site B today.”

“Why?”

“Based on my projections we’ll get the best data there.”

“Why is it always based on your projections?”

“Because migration projection is what I was brought here to do. You watch the health of the subjects, I watch how they move.”

She’s annoyed with him. She isn’t used to being questioned. She is, to be fair, right. But something inside him is irritable and doesn’t want to give her the satisfaction.

“Fine, but I’m going back to C.”

“Ok.” She seems nonplussed about the situation, not terribly caring. Both of them are on the same assignment, but they report to different people.

He finishes his coffee and gathers his things. With barely a perfunctory ‘see ya,’ he leaves.

The worst part is that Geneva is right. He doesn’t get very good data at all that day. He’s certain she’s getting great observational information while he’s stuck behind binoculars, desperately looking for sick or injured members of the flock. He gives up early and decides to work with what data he already has. He could use a day to just crunch numbers.

When she gets back, it’s close to dark.

“How was it at Site C?”

“Fine.” He’s lying through his teeth but some part of him doesn’t want to give her the satisfaction of being right about which site he should have picked.

“Uh huh.” She sounds skeptical. She should be. He’s not a great liar.

A sudden urge overtakes him. He wants Geneva. He wants to bend her over the work table and take her right there. He shakes his head again, banishing the feeling. Normally she’s in charge. But the little feeling doesn’t quite dissipate. He restrains himself, he can tell she isn’t in the mood after their little tiff, but it lingers. They eat one of the many prepared meals they have stocked in their cabin in silence before retiring.