Chapter Thirty-One
October 10, 2230, Solar System, Asteroid Belt, UTC Space Fleet Base Penglai
A holographic image of New Samarkand floated above the conference room table. It looked dark and uninviting from space, as most planets without large oceans did to Erik. Maybe that was the universe trying to tell humanity where they should settle, but humans were a stubborn species. They’d set up a dome in Hell if they thought they could get away with it.
Erik settled in at the front of the table next to Jia. The engineers, Malcolm, Raphael, and Emma were spread out around the rest of the table. Anne and Kant were notable for their absence. The problem with getting more people was growing dependent on it, but Alina had already admitted her error, and Erik trusted she wouldn’t make the same mis
