Once Otto and Summer portal back from their respective destinations, their first order of business is to check on the status of the people from Haven. Otto has brought his four astronauts along through the portal. They exit his vehicle form, and he transitions to his human-scale shell.
Commander Joshua Harden of NASA has taken charge. He recognizes Otto’s brisk walk and no-nonsense demeanor as indicating the person in charge, and approaches the group. The two men shake hands, Harden directs his fellow astronauts to the adjacent room where people are resting, Otto introduces himself and Summer, and the conversation gets down to business.
“Tyran Enterprises offered to take your people on,” Otto explains. “For uh, reasons I don’t really know how to explain right now, we hesitated on doing that. I want you to understand that before we do anything else. Your peoples’ safety is our prime concern, but we got wind that it might be at risk if we just sent you along.”
Harden nods in understanding. “Your people had first aid kits, and a couple of those fish-folk said they were doctors. Well they really meant it. Some of the folk who hit vacuum will need professional treatment, but it looks like things are stable for now. There’s some hospitals in the States you can send us to, that I’ll personally vouch for.”
Otto points up at the control booth, high above the Launch System’s deck. “Minato up there will control the targeting for the portal. She can patch you through to make outbound calls.”
The astronaut smiles. “I appreciate that. In the meantime, do you folks want to come meet some of the folks whose lives you all just saved?”
This offer takes Otto aback. “Uh, not to sound ungrateful, sir, but we were just doing our job. And we’re kind of on the outs with the US right now, so associating with us may not be the best move.”
Harden claps Otto on the arm. “Haven’s not about the United States. It’s about bringing a whole world together. Come on.”
The side room is normally used for holding spare parts for machines such as the Chariot and the Sled, and for the boys’ vehicle forms. Right now it’s being used for medical treatment.
A thought comes to Otto as they walk through the big doorway. “Did anyone bring phones - recording devices - anything like that?”
“We don’t allow any electronics aboard Haven,” Harden answers. “Any stray radiation could tamper with either the station’s own systems, or experiments going on. We did screen people coming aboard.”
Otto nods, and turns to Summer. “Listen. You’re better at this meet and greet stuff than I am. And I gotta check on something. Can you fill in for me?”
Summer thinks about it for a moment, then gives a swift nod. “Will do, chief.”
She’s surprised when Harden, having heard more of the details from his four late-comer colleagues, introduces her as the pilot of the ship that saved them. “To the extent that I know what happened, ladies, gentlemen, and others, this young woman saved the life of everyone here - and kept Haven from coming down on land, and hurting still more people.”
He follows Otto out. In his place, a swarm of people surround Summer. The professional spacers are out of their suits, and are still wearing their pressure garments underneath. The others who are up and about are dressed as they came - modest civilian garb, with nothing that would float around or get snagged, along with patches or sashes indicating their national origin.
They reach out to her, making grateful human contact, and her eyes start to tear up in recognition of the gratitude she feels from them. “I’m glad you’re okay, I’m just glad we could help,” she finds herself saying, stumbling over words.
The gratitude becomes verbal, with people expressing their feelings in a dozen languages. And the questions come too: “How did you do it?” “Did we get teleported?” “Who do you work for?”
She takes a step back, to try and address the crowd as a whole.
“Hi. So, um, we’re the Newman rescue organization. Otto, myself, and two other members, Big Bill and Mo, are all robot people. We have thoughts and feelings and lives and stuff, but we’re also built of carbon allotropes and ionic fluids and stuff, not flesh and blood. We don’t work for anybody, which means we can really work for anybody. We don’t have any allegiance or agenda. We just want to use our tech to rescue people, wherever they are, and whatever’s going on.”
“Being robots means we can do stuff like go into space. Being people means we care about other people, like any regular person would. So, you know, why not do what we can?”
A realization lands with her, and takes over her mouth before she can stop it.
“We’re not here to take sides. We’re just here to help. We’re not going to fight peoples’ wars, but we will fight to save lives.”
More questions come in - “You’re robots? But you look so human!” “Which one of you is in charge?” “Where are we anyway?”
She decides to transform before the crowd, and there’s gasps and oohs and ahhs at her armored robot mode. But she turns back, and smiles. “I know what it’s like to not be sure where you are, or what’s going to happen next. You were all just in a pretty serious situation. I promise you that we’ll be sending you back home soon. Commander Harden and Otto are working out some details. So I’m going to stay here until they do that, and try to answer whatever else I can. Okay? Let’s see… I look human because…”
Summer is exhausted. One of the astronauts - a woman named Julia - had finally intervened with the crowd. She’d probably recognized Summer’s feelings from looking at her face, because somehow she just knew.
Summer had time to run back to her quarters for a change of clothes. Now dressed in sweats and a “Megazone 23” t-shirt, she rejoins Otto in the control room.
People are boarding via the Sled for transference. Once through, the Sled will be recalled once everyone is off. Minato is handling the logistics. Harden has rejoined his people.
“What do you think?” Otto asks. He doesn’t turn, but Summer knows the question is for her.
“Kinda iffy,” Summer admits. “I don’t know who to trust. Arbogast sounded like he wanted to help us, but why us and why now?”
“Sounded like he trusts Tyran less. Good idea.”
Otto points at a sticky note affixed to the control room’s extensive set of panels. “He said call him when people are sent through. Seems like the time for it.”
Summer nods. Otto makes the call and puts it on speaker, for everyone in the booth.
“Jeff Arbogast. Who’s this please?”
“Otto Newman. Summer’s with me. Minato too.”
Summer can hear much more nuance in the voice now, when the call quality isn’t so bad. He sounds relieved.
“Got more information for you lot. You’re probably asking, why is that State Department asshole helping us, right?”
“Nailed it,” quips Otto.
“Does the name Alycia Chin ring any bells?” Arbogast asks.
Summer freezes, and Otto looks over at her.
The bureaucrat continues. “Because a very significant data dump was sent to assorted intelligence organizations. State was notified. Turns out, miss Summer Newman’s name is in that dump as well. As a close associate of the known terrorist Alycia Chin. Wanna talk about that?”
Otto glances sternly at Summer. She’s not sure how to read what he’s saying - or not saying. But perhaps nothing is what he’s saying. He wants her to make a choice.
Summer gulps, and speaks up. “Well, yes, I’m good friends with her. She’s not what you think though - she’s trying to do the right thing, and–”
Arbogast’s next words should have put her at ease, but it’s been an emotional rollercoaster today and Summer isn’t coping well.
“Part of the dump is her apparently faithful and self-sacrificing service in the name of cleaning up her father’s criminal empire.”
“Ye-yes. She did that.”
“Even had a residence in Halcyon,” Arbogast notes.
Summer’s sudden relief makes her run her mouth a bit too much. “Yes, we were roommates.”
She’s gratified in a way to hear the bureaucrat start choking over the phone. “You… were roommates… with the terrorist Alycia Chin?”
Summer pokes her fingertips together awkwardly. “She needed a place to stay. And she was always good for rent. And didn’t wake our other roommate up too much–”
She can practically hear Arbogast struggling to put his life back together. “Okay. Alright. I can deal with this. So. My point, I think… young lady, you have led an extraordinarily complicated life, haven’t you.”
That’s not his point and she knows it. But she can’t help but smirk a bit. “Yes, I have. Your point, sir?”
“My point is that while Tyran Enterprises could have very well been after your tech, valuable in itself, it’s also possible they were making a play for Chin, by acquiring you. Whose father’s tech, and forgive me for saying so, puts yours to shame in the larger scheme of things.”
“No, we get that,” Otto drawls.
Arbogast continues, clearly pained by this entire conversation. “This puts me in the awkward position of needing to secure your cooperation, to thwart any future attempts by Tyran or others to get at you, while still being someone you can and probably should distrust. None of us would like it to be this way, but here we are.”
“Tough shit,” Otto grunts.
If Arbogast is upset by the dismissal of his complaints, he doesn’t reveal it. “Fine. Mr. Newman - Otto - I take it you are currently in charge. Or I would be speaking to Mr. Snow.”
Otto makes a correction. “It’s Mr. Leo Newman. He got married.”
This is a level of detail Arbogast doesn’t seem prepared to tackle right now. “I see. Well congratulations to him and his spouse. In the meantime…”
The man lets out a long sigh. “I can’t approve you folks coming back to the States. That’s levels above me, and is going to be further complicated by this Chin situation. So aside from that… what do you folks need right now? What will help you thrive?”
Summer can see the tension of decision on Otto’s face.
“I could be sarcastic, but I am gonna take a chance that you’re being serious about this.”
“Thank you,” Arbogast says.
Otto collects his thoughts. “We have raw materials. We have production capacity. We have everything we need - except energy. I looked at our options. We got a big deal about safety around here as I’m sure you’ve surmised. Fusion power would probably take care of us for a good long time, 'cept we lack the expertise and access to build a fusion plant.”
There’s silence on the line, and Summer’s fear begins to creep back into her heart.
“You folks give sanctuary to refugees, right?” Arbogast finally asks.
“That’s one of our functions.”
The man’s voice hums over the phone. “So if, say, we knew about an engineer that needed a place to go, maybe for a couple of years, with the understanding that it would go very badly for you if something happened to him…”
Otto snorts. “You sound like the Godfather.”
“There’s some overlap in our job descriptions,” concedes Arbogast. “Anyway, think it over.”
The call ends, and Otto looks back at Summer with a frown. “I’m starting to think I should get my own RV and move in next to Leo an’ Aria,” he confesses.
Summer pats him on the arm. “You’re doing fine, big guy. Go get some sleep. I’ll hang out until Big Bill and Mo are up.”
“That’s supposed to be my line,” Otto grumbles. “But fine. Wish to god coffee did something for us.”
He walks off, and Summer plops down into a chair. She catches Minato looking at her.
“Ma’am? Aren’t you tired?”
Summer’s smile is wan. “I am. I really, really am. But I’ll be okay. Listen. You take a break too. You did good today.”
Minato brightens up, and snaps off a weird-looking salute. “Thank you! I’ll keep doing my best.”
She too takes off, and Summer is alone again.