The Last Cuentista

The following morning, Petra, Rubio, and Feathers are given their orders for the day: They will collect air, soil, water, and plant samples on planet Sagan. First, they stop to eat breakfast, and Petra considers the food resources available for so many Collective members. She wonders how the Monitors would have kept all of the passengers in stasis alive and comes to conclusion that, “they never really intended to support anyone other than their Collective—which made those of us who were left far more disposable” (131).

The Zetas and Len are all being monitored from the spacecraft as they enter the shuttle. Corpomonitors track their vitals while comm units allow two-way conversations with the Collective on the ship. When they approach the planet, Petra is stunned by its beauty. Only one side of Sagan faces its two suns while the other side is permanently in shadow. The mountains and lakes look much like the Earth’s atmosphere, with foliage everywhere. When they land, Petra is hesitant to remove her oxygen helmet, but the atmosphere seems safe to breathe. While the Zetas explore happily, Len seems very worried about something on the planet that isn’t affecting the others.

As Petra collects her plant samples, she starts to plan her escape.