XII. The Announcement
Mayhew had put the inevitable off for as long as he could. He took Misha to engineering, where Greg patiently explained to the kid how the hyperdrive worked. He waited until all the kids had eaten.
And Chef Holliman had really outdone himself this time. Yes, the meal was protein sludge — there was no other way to feed five hundred and fifty extra mouths — but Holliman had flavoured it with cocoa powder and raisins and nuts and bits of dried fruit, until the mixture was actually palatable.
But once everybody had eaten, there was no excuse to put off the inevitable any longer. Mayhew had to make his announcement and break the hearts of five hundred and fifty already traumatised children even further.
And now the moment had come. Mayhew was on the bridge again, in th
