Knowing the creature was real, an alien lifeform embedded in her home, something shifted inside Goldstar. Deep within her core she felt it: a fierce certainty that this moment mattered, that she mattered. Deep within her core she knew it: this was her time to become a true leader. Whatever was happening was important, a moment unlike anything else in the history of the world. She seemed to be the first human to make contact with an alien lifeform, and not only that, the two of them now shared a vested interest: escaping and, if possible, destroying F8.
Her mind surged with endorphins and slipped into a daydream. She saw flashes of the Third World War and The Chipping, of her family's sacrifices to avoid conformity, their ultimate capitulation, of the hardships endured to live free of Clarity's technocratic control. The images blurred into light and warmth until she saw herself atop a massive version of the creature, a blue‑flamed torch raised high, thousands below looking up in awe. For a heartbeat that felt eternal, she was their hope, their leader.
Kevin's fingers snapped in front of her face. "Yo, what's the plan? Let's move. At this point I don't really care if Slimer comes with us or not."
The glowing 0's widened, a happy little bloom of light. Goldstar blinked, then lowered her gaze back to her notebook. She set pen to paper and began sketching in hurried strokes—crane tower, container stacks, paths of least exposure.
"The crane control tower's about a football field away," she said, sketching as she spoke. "It's always staffed, always running. If we can hijack it, get it to pick up my container, we can lift off the ground and get on a Quant Truck, a train, or a cargo boat. That's our best shot."
The alien voice pulsed through Roger, approving. "I like this plan. I really do."
Kevin gave a short, incredulous laugh. "Okay, hold up. If we're actually committing to this insanity, I can't just keep calling you 'Slimer.' You got a name?"
The glowing 0's blinked, almost confused. "I… do not have one. Not in your language."
Goldstar smirked. "We'll give you one. That face you've been pulsing on the wall—I assume it's your face? It looks like it spells m‑zero‑zero‑m. m00m. Pronounced 'moom.' That's what we're gonna call you."
The 0's widened again, pleased. "m-zero-zero-m, hmmm, m00m," the voice repeated with delight. "Yes. I like this name."
Kevin muttered, "Great. Now it's got a name. Next thing you know, we'll be inviting it to the cookout."
"So I've got the invite?" m00m asked cheerfully.
Kevin face palmed.
Goldstar's face tightened. "There's only one problem with my plan: someone has to infiltrate the crane control tower without being detected."
Kevin straightened, a sudden, unfamiliar pride in his posture. "Well, I used to work the cranes. I was a longshoreman—ran an underground operation. I was kinda like robin hood, robbing for the hood. I can do it."
Goldstar smiled. "I actually knew that. You told me that at that one party. I just wanted to motivate you to become the hero."
"Ah, yeah? Fuck you. Getting out alive is all the inspiration I need," Kevin said, a grin cracking through his panic. "I've got my old uniform back at my container, but even if it still looks legit, my cover blows the second they try to link with me through Mind‑Link."
Goldstar reached for the Clarity chip the Vision Officer had dropped outside during his last moments. She held it up to the light like a jeweler, squinting. "Combine this guy with a layer of superglue to cover the nano‑bots and prevent them from taking over your brain, and even more superglue to keep it attached to your head, and you're good to go!"
"For the record, and in case this doesn't work, this idea kinda sucks," Kevin muttered. m00m blinked, then announced: "Pretty much, but times up."
"Thanks Roger… I mean, m00m. 3, 2, 1—GO!" Goldstar yelled.
Kevin bolted from the container in a flurry of motion blur..
"Roger," the Roger virtual assistant said randomly, voice perfectly timed, as if placing a bow on the final confirmation of the plan.