Mother squinted. She always got that suspicious look in her eyes whenever Victor called her by the nickname he had given her as a child, as if he were concealing something. "Did you even go to bed last night, Vico? You weren't in your hammock this morning."
Victor bit into the arepa. It was hot and buttery. "I slept a few hours in the workshop."
Mother sighed and looked at Mono. "And what about you, Monito? Are you learning anything from my son besides rebellion and disobedience?"
Mono's mouth was full of arepa. He said something, but it was unintelligible.
"He says he sleeps like a baby," said Victor. "Eight hours a night."
Mono smiled and nodded to show Mother that the translation had been correct.
"At least one of you minds," said Mother.
Victor kept quiet. He knew Mother wasn't really angry. She knew the work they were doing needed to be done. She just didn't like it.
"Father should be the one getting the tongue lashing," said Victor. "He's sleeping less than I am."
"Oh don't you worry," said Mother. "He's heard plenty from me today already."
All of them had been working feverishly since the Council meeting, Father more than anyone.
"The Italians should be getting the laserline about now," said Mother.
Victor nodded. "Still no word from the Juke ship?"
Mother shook her head. "We should have gotten a response by now, at least an acknowledgment of message received. But so far, nothing. Selmo thinks they pulled out before they got the message. They're not showing up on our scans anymore."
"Or maybe they got the message and shot back to Luna, fleeing for their lives," said Mono.
"Then at least we got the message to someone," Mother said.
"We should have told everyone," said Victor. "We should have told the whole world ten days ago."
She nodded and put a hand on his arm. "Just promise me you'll sleep more."
"Only if you promise to make this chili more often."
"Yeah," said Mono, smacking his lips. "Sabroso." Delicious.
Victor's handheld beeped, and Father's voice came through. "Marco and I could use your help out here, Vico. If you're done with that pebble-killer, send Mono on to bed and come give us a hand."
When not working in the mine, Marco had been helping Father in recent days, joining him outside to build the ship's defenses.
"I'm here with Mother," said Victor. "She can hear you. She's giving me the skunk eye."
"I don't want to leave this thing half installed overnight," said Father, "and these new parts of yours are being a little finicky. Tell your mother I need you."
"Tell your father he's in big trouble," said Mother.
"She says she loves you dearly," said Victor.
Mother rolled her eyes, and Victor knew then that she wasn't going to argue.
"I'm on my way out," said Victor.
"Can I come?" said Mono.
"Absolutely not," said Mother. "I told your mom I'd have you go straight to your hammock, and that's exactly where you're going."