The Recovery of Dreams

[Stoner_Steve]

He chuckled, then reached down and gingerly extracted a single data pad from the precarious pile. "Well, since you asked," he said, lowering his voice further, "Pathfinder 1 just pulled in a new hyperspace exit point survey. Turns out, mathematically speaking, things might be a bit tighter than a… well, let's just say a weasel in a spacesuit."

Brad's face held a mix of amusement and concern. "Looks like we might need to shave some margin for error off our exit strategy for Earhart. Doesn't leave much wiggle room, especially considering the debris field…"

He trailed off, leaving the unspoken implication hanging in the air. The playful mood had evaporated, replaced by the stark reality of the mission's dangers.

"So," Brad continued, straightening back up and offering a slightly sheepish grin, "how about we tackle these reports together? Two heads are better than one, even if one of those heads is currently drowning in Gryphon plumbing schedules."