Richard tried to think of a way out of this. There were contingency plans, but he and Robert never expected to use them. They came in after the so called cleansing when everything was ash.

Robert always believed in being safer than sorry.

Robert… It struck Richard that had he accepted his friend’s offer, his kindness would’ve resulted in their roles being reversed.

And he’d be thinking this too. Well, old friend, care to help me one more time? he thought, and his gaze settled on the stasis pods. “Oh God, no.”

“Captain?”

“Computer, can Shamblers survive a space warp?”