Summary

Chapter 20 is titled “Irrational Fear.” The date is lunar day 190, “Really early in the morning” (312). Dash says he cannot actually name the killer, but he believes his mother can by watching the video of Dr. Holtz in the airlock. Rose learned some sign language when her father lost his hearing years earlier. Though she is out of practice, she remembers enough to interpret what Dr. Holtz signs. She confirms that he uses the sign for murder. They watch as Dr. Holtz points one finger to the side. Rose is obviously shocked and says the computer misread that sign as “e,” but it is really “g.” The computer got the rest of the letters correct, meaning Dr. Holtz signed “Garth” instead of “Earth.”

Nina asks the computer where Garth is at this moment. The computer “calmly” responds that he is “dismantling the main airlock...