[ tightly, her lips press into an unbreakable seal. the rhetorical mystery will stay as she prefers it — entirely rhetorical, and entirely a mystery. any name she spouts only guarantees another tally on his list of targets to sniff around like a hound scenting out blood. ]

I skimmed.

[ understatement of the century. but it's a piece of small talk, however stiff and formal her posture and tone have become in his presence, that seems more harmless to latch onto as her gaze shifts away from the intensity in his. an attention that reminds her of ants roasting under a magnifying glass. her stare falls on a particular oak in the distance, as if it's the singular most fascinating aspect of the room. ]

If I read my entire collection already, there would be nothing left to keep me occupied while we're locked up aboard the station.