Part 3, Beginning (Virginia, Carl, Saul, Virginia, Carl) Summary

It is after New Year's Day, 2062. The crew is safer and she makes her way to Central Control. She relieves Walter Schultz from mech-control duty, but is called over by Dr. Oakes with the other section leaders. They want to re-fit more surface mechs for work clearning the tunnels. She explains that it is possible, but that they'd never ben able to get home once the modifications to the surface mechs were made. However, they are still losing people faster than they can unslot them, and the situation grows more dangerous with the more people they lose. Later, Sergeov finds her and tells her his is going to help Carl and Saul test a new laser against the cometoid life-forms. He also tells her that there was a coup in Hawaii...