The Eden Project: Humanity's Last Chance Read Online Free PDF Page A

must have come from the outside. She had to find out what they were up to before Adam’s destiny of destruction was finally realized and the sound of that dead air became prophetic.

-6-
    Gen walked through rows of hydroponic tomatoes examining the work of three smaller girls. She slid a small black device out of her pocket and placed it in the water. After a few seconds it beeped. She turned the device sideways to read the levels.
    “Good. The pH level is back up to 5.8,” Gen proclaimed. “Keep an eye on it. I have to go take care of something.” She tried to project certainty with her words, but she was anything but. “Ah, nudge it to 6.1 and then monitor it for twenty minutes to see if it levels off.”
    One of the girls nodded. Gen returned an awkward smile as she passed the girls. She knew she was not skilled at deceit and half truths but what did it matter with the girls of the agriculture deck. She was their mentor. They would not question her comings and goings.
    She would have to do better with Tuna and especially with Adam if it came to that. She needed to use subtlety, tact, guile. They should not see her coming. She would earn their trust and become a confidant, so they would invite her into their secret world.
    Her plan could have gone better when she finally cornered Tuna behind a row of plastic trees near the western dome wall. She put her hands on him, actually shoved him a little, something she had never done to anyone in her life.
    “What does he have on you, Tuna? Huh? What?” She shoved him again, then suddenly realized what she was doing and let go. She brushed his shoulders with her hands trying to erase the offense.
    Tuna stared at her in disbelief, confused, almost frightened.
    When she reached out to reassure him he pulled away from her and started to walk away. Her guilt flushed her cheeks. She quickly stepped into his path to cut him off. He again backed away.
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Gen.” Tuna collected himself, realizing she was no threat to him. He was twice her size after all. “Are you okay? Did you drink some bad soy milk or something?”
    “I’m sorry, Tuna. It’s just I have been waiting to talk to you since yesterday and I’m just not good at this kind of thing.”
    He looked at her curiously. He started to guess what she wanted. “It’s fine, Gen. I have to go. I have systems to check.”
    “Tuna, you need to tell me what Adam has on you. And what that static was all about. I heard it. You know I heard it. There’s no static in the dome. That didn’t come from within.”
    Tuna looked at Gen with a stern glare that took her by surprise. She never knew he had such a serious, mirthless side.
    “Adam’s my friend. He has nothing on me. I didn’t know you could be so condescending. We were just messing around, checking capabilities.” He turned briefly to glance out to sea. “We have to be prepared for what might happen out there once we’re alone in the dark, beyond charted space.”
    Gen was taken aback, yet somehow proud of her friend for standing his ground. She had to change her approach quickly before Tuna told Adam about this conversation and her chance would be lost to get something out of Tuna.
    “Okay. I am sorry, Tuna, but I can’t sleep. That static haunts me. I need to know. Do you understand the feeling?” She moved closer to him, stared intensely into his eyes. “I need to know if you found anything.”
    Tuna sighed. He could obviously relate to her curiosity. It was, after all, what had pushed him into helping Adam in the first place.
    “Listen, Tuna. I can’t sleep. It’s not good. I just want the truth. I’m not stupid. This had nothing to do with what will happen once we’re out in deep space.” She touched him tenderly on the shoulder. This time he allowed it. “I mean what could you be hoping to pick up out there? A stray signal from Andromeda 7 playing alien punk rock?”
    They both smiled. Tuna might have told