“We’ve decided the benefits to President Bisset’s proposal far outweigh any potential drawback,” MacDougal said to Anya and Renn when they entered the conference room some time later.

“Based on the information Monsieur Hendricks has given us, if even one of the digger rockets can achieve its ideal drilling depth, it would exponentially raise chances for success for all of the later phases,” Bisset said.

“Is this an order?” Anya asked. MacDougal and General Johnson exchanged looks while President Hanover nodded.

“Ye——” he started to say.

“It’s information,” MacDougal said. “I’m not stupid, Nowicki. I can’t make you fly out on a suicide mission. But I can show you the numbers. Any scenario that has Phase 1 and 2 ending with Willis in pieces is a huge leg-up for humanity. It’ll make every step of the plan easier and more likely to succeed.”

“I’m already on-board,” Renn said. “But even if we do split the asteroid, we already know the aliens are steering it, somehow. They’ll just steer the pieces towards Earth and give us more targets to shoot.”

“The digger rockets are built to fragmentalize that rock. More rockets doing the job is better, but one will do what we need. Even if it only splits Willis into two huge chunks, it’ll still weaken it structurally and allow other weapons to do more damage later,” Johnson said. “Hopefully, if this works, then by the time we get to stage 3, it’ll be easier to pick of the remaining bits and focus on the aliens.”

“Even if there’s still thousands of tiny asteroids by the time they all get to the defensive line, it’ll be more manageable than a single huge body. That thing has a gravitational force all its own. And if those asteroid chunks get small enough, they’ll burn up on entry into the atmosphere,” MacDougal said.

“That just leaves millions of aliens,” Anya said.

“Scattering them will help, and destroying the asteroid as much as possible will give the hosts and drones in the other phases the opportunity to focus on the aliens and not Willis itself,” Renn said.

“If the asteroid weren’t an issue, the current estimation is that we’d be able to cut the alien invasion force down by roughly 96% prior to them hitting the atmosphere,” MacDougal said.

“That’s still at least hundreds of thousands of aliens,” Anya said.

“And that’s still better than millions,” MacDougal said. “And pardon me for being blunt, but if the trade-off is just a couple hosts, it’s a no-brainer.”

MacDougal said it without any malice or spite, just cold, simple fact. Anya couldn’t blame her. Two people to save billions. Even if it was a maybe, a slim maybe, it was worth it.

“Okay,” Anya said. “I’ll have to check a few things with Gary, say good-bye to some people, but yeah. If this has half as good a chance as it sounds like, then yes. I’m in.”

She was surprised how easily the decision came to her. But then it really wasn’t much of a decision at all. She didn’t trust Renn entirely, but she didn’t see what purpose he’d have for betraying her on a suicide mission. What, he’d try and have her killed? She was already going to her doom anyway.

This was better. This was the best. She didn’t want to die, but she certainly didn’t want a slim chance at living at the cost of everyone and everything else.

MacDougal gave her a gentle nod of respect while Johnson smiled at her and clapped her on the shoulder. President Hanover had an expression that suggested he wasn’t entirely sure what was happening, or at least wasn’t paying attention. President Bisset let out a sigh of obvious relief, and Renn gave her a little bow.

“Good. Then we have some slight adjustment to Phases 1 and 2 to make. Nowicki: go find Hendricks and pick out a spaceship from the RAC store with him. Or have him build one. Whichever is fastest and won’t divert resources from his factory. We’re launching the Phase 1 missiles tomorrow at 11:30 AM. Go…go say your good-byes or whatever. Obviously we’d be glad to have you back but…well,” MacDougal trailed off and cleared her throat.

“I’ll check in with Gary first, then,” Anya said and shook hands with everybody before she left. She stopped just outside the conference room to take a deep breath.

She’d done it. Well, she was going to do it.

Tomorrow.

Her last day on Earth.

The conference room door hissed open behind her and she turned to see Renn there, head cocked to the side and his mouth stretched thin.

“You’re sure about this?” he asked.

“Sort of,” Anya said. “I’m not suicidal or anything, but I don’t…I don’t think I could just stay here knowing that going out there could give everybody a better chance.”

“I feel the same. I’m off to explain things to Mona. She is likely to be…unhappy,” Renn said.

“Yeah, I should stop by Gary first and some others,” Anya said and shrugged.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Renn said. “And thank you, Anya.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” she replied as she walked out of the waiting room to go find Gary.

“You’re a god-damn idiot,” Gary said when she entered his main lab and drafting room a short time later. Anya blanched, surprised at both his words and the harsh, biting tone he said them in.

“Gary——”

“Christ, Kid,” Gary said and rubbed at his eyes. “You volunteered to do this? And you know it’s Renn’s idea?”

“Yes!” Anya said.

“Has it occurred to you that he’s playing you somehow?”

“It was my first thought.”

“Then why?”

“Because even if he is, the benefits outweigh the risks. And it doesn’t make sense. He’s gonna take me all the way out to space to do what? Kill me? He could probably do that already.”

“He’s a psychic. Maybe he’s already messing with you.”

“Maybe. But again, why? Assuming total control over somebody takes massive effort. He’d never be able to do anything else. And if he only wanted me dead, he could just do it. Him killing me out in space would be…stupid. I’m probably gonna die anyway, and him killing me out there just guarantees his own death faster, plus the failure of the mission.”

“Maybe he wants the mission to fail. Maybe that’s why he’s taking you out there. The host most directly responsible for the deaths of the strongest aliens, probably the single most destructive host, and he’s taking you out before the invasion begins,” Gary said.

That gave Anya pause.

“You think Renn…wants the aliens to succeed?” Anya asked.

“Maybe. It’s the only option I can think of that makes sense for him taking you out and stabbing you in the back.”

“Why?” Anya asked and narrowed her eyes.

“I have no idea. He’s a nihilist. He’s a self-loathing human. He thinks the aliens are gods. He just wants to blow up the world. He’s crazy. Who knows? I just know I don’t trust the guy, and you shouldn’t either,” Gary said and jabbed a finger at her.

“I don’t trust him,” Anya said. “But that doesn’t mean I think he wants to kill the entire planet either. Worst-case, he’s self-serving, like every other greedy politician or rich businessman or whatever. But that means he’s got no reason to see the Earth destroyed.”

“I dunno, kid,” Gary sighed.

“Is he right though? Would a couple of hosts guarding a single rocket increase its chance of success?” she asked. Gary looked at her, sighed again, and nodded.

“Yeah. I was planning on having as many Exterminators around the diggers as I could make, but even one host of average strength gives the rockets a better chance. So yes, two hosts guarding a rocket would pretty much guarantee a successful Phase 2.”

“Then I gotta do it,” Anya said.

“No, you don’t,” Gary said.

“Who else?”

“Me,” Gary said.

“Gary, you need to stay here and build defenses for the later phases.”

“One: the factory is automated. I’m just fine-tuning. Two: we could both respec. You could be the gadgeteer and I could be the destructive juggernaut.”

“Okay, well one: you fine-tuning things is kind of essential. And two: respeccing at our current levels would knock both of us on our asses for a day. Maybe more. And three: even if it didn’t, your factory was designed by you, for you. I’d have to learn how to use it, or build a new one. We don’t have time for either.”

“Dammit, kid,” Gary said. “You got a death wish? Is that it?”

“Hell no,” Anya said. “But I can’t just sit here and wait for the aliens to close in when I could be out there giving everybody a better shot.”

“Yeah,” Gary nodded. “I get that.”

“I have to pick out a ship from the RAC store. Thought maybe you could soup it up for me if you’ve got the time and resources.”

“I gotta finish some things here, but I’ll be ready in a few. Maybe go…say good-bye to Sam and Pan or something,” Gary said and turned away from her. “I’ll give Gizmo some basic criteria and have him sort through the store while you do that.”

“Right,” Anya replied. “I’ll see you later then.”

Gary grunted at her and turned back to his work. Anya took a step toward him, mouth opening to say something before she realized she didn’t know what to say.

Apologize? Rationalize? Argue?

The set of the old man’s shoulders and his broad back remaining as a wall between them told her it would be a wasted effort. She turned and left the room in silence.