Before I left Phoebe to go below deck myself, Norbert contacted me on her radio. “Matthew, please come up to the bridge.” I took up the mic. “Negative. I’ll be going down to see Simon.” “It’s best that you come up first.” Agitated, I gripped the mic tightly near my mouth and spoke quietly into it. “Norbert, it’s not going to look very good if I bring up the leader of the expedition in a compromised state and then don’t tend to him afterwards.” Norbert was adamant. “I’m afraid I must insist.” I tossed the mic away in disgust. We had never clashed before, and Norbert, as captain, outranked me. I made my way off deck, up the companionway ladder and on to the bridge, feeling something odd about the air as I went. A stillness that was preternatural, expectant, like a held breath. Norbert would normally have finished shift by now, but he was deep in conversation with the bridge crew, in low voice, when I entered. By then my irritation had given way to concern and curiosity. “What’s up