The Duane Lee Chapman Memorial Bar and Grill, Sheffield Station; "Sniffer" Martinez, proprietor

[Athenian]

"Carrie...can I call you Carrie?...Carrie, when you turned up here it was clear as day you were a mental case. Just not the type we normally get."

Graves nodded almost imperceptibly at Stix.

"As I said. Until such time as we could establish if your amnesia was treatable without causing serious damage to you, we had to maintain the illusion of reality as you understood it. When your brother came sniffing around, I knew it was only time before you were jolted out of your...situation. I just couldn't be sure how it would go. So we expedited our medical work."

Bob stepped forward eagerly with a syringe full of a strange blue liquid.

"Bob, cool it. I think she's fine."

Bob's disappointment was obvious. He turned and walked back to the labs with Stix.

Graves looked tired.

"Carson, such a lack of trust in others at such a young age is tragic. Well-founded. But tragic. I had two daughters myself, once upon a time. But they are long gone, lost to me forever. I see them sometimes in others, and when a young woman without a past came into our recruitment office, I was reminded of them."

He turned towards the docking bay entrance.

"That's it, Carrie. That's why. To protect you. I have a father's instinct to protect his daughter. But my daughters are long dead."

There was a brief silence. An awkward moment for the young women who knew little of the grief deep within Graves. A life time of pain for him.

***

Later, on the shuttle, Stix sat next to Bob.

"I had hoped ze new trial drug vould haf been of benefit here, Herr Stix. But it seems our research into Nomad stem cells may be a little set back by this. Ze young lady was genetically perfect for mein test. Ach, it is impossible to find willing test subjects. Of course, the new equipment is impressive and the generator is working at 98% capacity but..."

It was going to be a long trip.

---

Former member of "the most paranoid group of people in the community"
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