Wasteland of flint

can fit, but not with much food, water or equipment. We could probably make base camp, but I don't know how long we'd last then.'

'Don't worry.' Hummingbird's tone was still perfectly even. 'The Cornuelle will come looking for us soon and base camp is filled with Company supplies.'

'It was,' Gretchen said, picking her way across splintery, loose shale. There was a bitter edge to her voice. 'You're thinking everything is still in place because we left so quickly. Maybe it is, but I've never seen an abandoned camp last – and with the microbiota here – well, I think we'll find bunkers filled with calcite flowers and beautiful stone cobwebs.'

'Well…' The nauallis seemed to have lost track of what he was going to say. 'What can I do to help, then?'

Gretchen pulled open the door of the Gagarin and slid into her seat. The lumpy confines were starting to fit properly, but she didn't know if that was because the chair had changed or she had. Biting her lip nervously, Anderssen started to punch up a document search.

'Anchor both aircraft,' she said, fighting to keep a rising tide of despair from overwhelming her. 'And…and set up the tent. Find someplace out of the wind – we're all exposed up here.' Her voice trailed off in surprise.

Her search for 'fuel line repair' had returned an immediate hit and the comp had helpfully opened a series of v- panes on the display, showing a complete schematic of the fuel pump, the circulatory system on Hummingbird's Midge, the specifics of the lines and tubes, and a checklist showing how to repair a broken one.

'What the?' Gretchen was entirely nonplussed. 'There is no way,' she said to herself, tabbing through the array of documents, 'Russovsky shoehorned an AI into this comp. This is impossible. Just…' She blinked, staring at the checklist. The last entry read: Buy your beautiful, smart pack-sister a drink, when we get back to the den. Paw Paw, Magdalena.

'Maggie?' Gretchen stared around the deserted, windswept mesa top in amazement. Outside, vapor was still boiling out of the damaged Midge and she could make out the outline of Hummingbird as he stomped around, stitching the anchors into the rock. A creepy shiver ran up her back, making her switch her comm to a private channel. 'Can you hear me?'

There was no answer, just the usual warble of tuneless static.

'Ok…maybe dear Magdalena is psychic.' Gretchen read the checklist again. Everything seemed straightforward enough, except one part about checking all of the fuel lines for microfine cracks. 'How are we going to do that?'

The Gagarin rocked gently as Hummingbird unspooled an anchor line. Gretchen started to sort through her tools, reading each section of the instructions as she worked.

'All done.' Hummingbird leaned against the Midge, one hand on the raised door. 'I've put the tent in a crevice not too far away. Should be out of the wind.' He stopped, watching her suspiciously. 'What is it?'

Gretchen was regarding him appraisingly. 'So, Hummingbird-tzin, an unbroken fuel line has a certain…wholeness…doesn't it? So someone with the sight should be able to see a crack or break or even a weakness – that would be a distortion of proper order, right?'

'Yes.' The visible parts of Hummingbird's face became rather sour-looking. 'They would.'

'Good.' Gretchen tapped the panel in front of her. 'Here's a layout of the entire fuel system in your Midge. You need to check every centimeter for leaks or fissures. I'm going to fabricate a replacement for the broken line.'

'Very well.' Hummingbird stared stoically at the complicated spiderweb filling the v-pane. 'Are these data on my comp?'

Gretchen nodded. 'Make sure you have the hydrogen tanks locked off – we can't afford to lose any more fuel.'

The old man nodded and turned away. Gretchen looked around the tiny cockpit and sighed. Too small for this job. She gathered up all her tools and plugged her hand comp into the main panel to make a copy of the instructions. 'Maybe the tent is big enough.'

A pale wash of violet was just beginning to tint the rim of the world when Gretchen climbed back up onto the Midge and unscrewed the engine housing. Hummingbird, wrapped in his cloak and a blanket, was squatting beside the main body of the aircraft, rubbing his hands together. Out in the open like this, without even the marginal shelter of an overhang or a cave, the night was ferociously cold.

'Pass me the other heater.' Gretchen wedged the tube-shaped unit in above the pump and turned it on high- radiate. The unit was low on power, but she hoped there was just enough juice left to melt the ice and run the forced-air fan to disperse the resulting fog. While the heater hummed and glowed and blew blessedly hot air against her chest, Gretchen laid out her tools and parts on a technician's clingpad.

'You were able to make a replacement?' Hummingbird moved up next to her, angling himself into the warm draft from the heater.

'Yes,' she said dryly, craning her head to peer inside the housing. 'Modern science and technology triumph again. Did you check all the fuel lines?'

The nauallis nodded, arms wrapped tight around his chest. 'Two show signs of damage. I marked them with colored tape. They've not cracked through.'

'Yet.' Gretchen brushed melting frost out of the way and began unscrewing the two valves holding the broken section of line. 'We'll wrap them in steeltape later.' She stifled a yawn. 'This afternoon we'll press on and see if we can reach the camp in one long flight.'

'Very well.' Gretchen felt the old man shivering, even with his suit and the blankets and djellaba.

'Get in the tent,' she said, giving him a concerned look. 'You're losing too much body heat out here.'

For a moment, Anderssen thought he would refuse and some sharp words about pigheaded men were on the tip of her tongue, but he nodded and climbed stiffly down. He's had a big day, she thought, watching him disappear in the direction of the tent. Almost crashed twice. Very lucky, these judges, very lucky.

The broken section of line came free in her hands and she put the part aside. A little can of compressed air blew out the usual gunk fouling the valves. 'Huh. Should talk to Delores and Parker about maintenance on this bird…needs a tune-up.'

Squinting, her goggles dialed up into a moderately high magnification, Gretchen eased the new line into the first valve. Her fingers were stiff from the cold, making fine work difficult. After the third failed attempt to line them up, she eased herself back and took a moment to warm her hands on the heater. Her eyes, back and shoulders were hurting from tension and cold and weariness. Got to loosen up, Gretchen thought, flexing her gloved fingers. Maybe I should empty my mind and count, she smiled a little at the memory of Hummingbird's pedantic, measured voice. Her brow furrowed, considering the situation. Maybe I should…maybe I should try this with my eyes closed.

The tube felt cold and round beneath her fingers, only a few centimeters long, ending in two delicate valve stems and a counter-rotating jacket to fix the connection tight. Gretchen let her shoulders and arms settle. She let herself count until the busy noise in her thoughts settled down and then faded away.

The warmth of the heater was almost hot on her left shoulder, but she shifted the tube gently until a familiar prickling heat suffused her fingertips. Trying not to lick her chapped lips nervously, Gretchen leaned forward slightly, letting the tube slide into proximity with the sleeve. Eyes still closed, working in complete, chill darkness, she slid the tube into the stem and finger-tightened the jacket, first on one side, then on the other. A moment later – it seemed like only seconds – she opened her eyes and smiled slightly to see the tube in place. That was easy.

The Midge tool kit had a specialized microdriver, which torqued down the two connections to the proper, factory-approved tightness. Gretchen sighed in relief when she was done and closed up the compartment with trembling fingers. A wave of complete exhaustion had crept up upon her and now dragged at every muscle in her body.

'Dawn soon,' she muttered, climbing very stiffly down from the wing. The tools and the portable heater were slung over her shoulder, making what felt like an enormous, bone-crushing weight. 'At least the tent will be nice