Suddenly Jerome was back in that lecture theatre waiting behind to ask a question but he was the last person in line and it was just them...alone. “... always wait behind to ask you something that I already know the answer to, but today I genuinely do have a question.” Jerome started. A startled look fell across Anna’s face. And then it began to look confused as she tried to make sense of what she’d just heard. She gathered herself to respond, “are you ok, Jerome?”. “Not really” he returned. She had always maintained that there was no dating going on in the group and that all they were were co-workers stopping for a few drinks after work, but I knew better. I'd seen too many of them leave in pairs for me to believe that story and after seeing it too many times I wasn't ready to believe that she wasn't doing the same thing.I headed over and took a seat at the bar with my back to the table, but I was able to see them in the mirror behind the bar. Melody came up and set a Pabst Blue. I wasn’t convinced, it was just all coincidence. But Inow had a small doubt. The next week I rang her at thehotel on her phone. It was about 10pm and usually shephones me to say goodnight but I thought I would do itthis time. The phone rang and rang and just before itwent to voice mail she answered. She was surprised. Itold her I was thinking of getting an early night. Shetold me she was too. I asked if she was ok. Shesounded a little…. off? distracted? defensive? Shewas fine, just. Miller," she called back. "Sue, I think we're ready as soon as the sergeant gets his gear stowed."Zo moved quickly while Cherney toggled the portal closed. Then there was another brief delay while they waited for Miller to exit the lander compartment; when the ship's outer port opened for the lander's departure the compartment's air would of course be evacuated along with it, and evidently either no-one had briefed the major about that or he'd forgotten. Eventually someone called to him from.