Juan declines the drink from Miguel, indicating his full stomach.
"As far as I'm concerned, Sigma 13 is an unintentional red herring. The more Outcasts it drains from Alpha the better. As long as our course isn't diverted from our path, Sigma 13 can be a war of attrition."
"This new Cardimine talk worries me, I must admit. Even if Cryer finds a way to synthesize regular Cardi, this new breed may be out of their hands."
Juan collapsed in the chair. His palm cupping his forehead.
"I'm at a loss ladies and gentlemen. I believe I need some air."
Juan stood up, bowing out of the chambers.
"The thirteen saloons that had lined the one street of Seney had not left a trace. The foundations of the Mansion House hotel stuck up above the ground. The stone was chipped and split by the fire. It was all that was left of the town of Seney. Even the surface had been burned off the ground.
Nick looked at the burned-over stretch of hillside, where he had expected to find the scattered houses of the town and then walked down the railroad track to the bridge over the river. The river was there."
