"Pretty big place... Zahn, want to start on your brute-force approach? I'll help, if I can."

"I don't have that access yet, I'm more remedial than Alice or Walta so I don't have all my privileges unlocked yet. I think I'm going to try digging into the encyclopedia, or figure out how to start my remedial lessons early, now that I'm not the only one who can make sure people don't get trapped."

Walta has written down what the computer claims is growing in each of the labelled crop areas. "...Okay, look, I've got to go clear my head. I'm going to walk around that outdoor area for a bit, then come back here, okay? One of you can follow me if you like." Shrug.

"I'd follow, but neither of us are allowed to unlock doors apparently, so... I suppose I'll try to poke the encyclopedia into giving up more information."

"I'll go with, it'd be nice to clear my head too."

Walta nods and heads out. She stops at the second floor garden quickly - "Just making sure what the computer says and what I actually see line up." - Before heading downstairs and outside.

Alice accompanies her in silence. Once they're outside for a little while she asks. "Do you want to talk at all, or just walk?"

"...I don't know. This is some really messed-up stuff."

"Yeah... I mean Zahn's a close friend but he isn't my only friend and I miss my family too."

"Is it weird that I'm more focused on the damn history paper I have due tomorrow than my folks?"

"I don't think so, it's an island of normality in all the craziness. Worrying about deadlines is just one of those things college students do."

"I don't think Nick will be happy here, if we're really quite stuck. He - he likes wide, open space, and having options. He'll take a train ride into some random town once in a while just because. And this place will feel like a gilded cage to him."

Alice sighs, "I'm not sure how much I can do about that. You know him better than I do, and it looks like there's a lot to explore, but yeah, it does look like there are limits on how far we can go, there's probably a way out into the wilderness but I don't know if that would appeal to him. If I had known I might have encouraged him to take the security position. Then he'd have more flexibility. Still, I'll offer to go with him if he wants to explore."

"You know what, I bet he will go out into the wilderness a lot if he can find enough junk in the... Mall stores... to make some kind of decent vehicle."

They come to the first orchard. Walta inspects the various trees and bushes. They all seem healthy and well cared for, if a little samey.

"I think we will, there's sixty kilometers of malls. I don't think it's going to be all clothing and food stores."

"Yeah. We already saw a Radio Shack."

"What about you? Do you think you could find a way to be happy if it turns out we're stuck?"

Sigh. "...Well. I got my wish not to end up in that trailer park. I guess it depends on who else comes through, and if this place throws any more nasty surprises at us."

"Yeah, I don't think I'll ever be a spy if we're stuck here, but maybe I'll actually go for the job that I pretend to want, be an ambassador to whatever aliens dumped us here."

"Be a bureaucrat and administrator. Glorified RA. We'll need to be at least kinda organized, if it's not just the four of us at the end of the day, and it seems like you might be good at it - it's a bit ambasssador-y. Speaking of which, think we should check the lounge again? See if anyone else arrived?"

"Yeah maybe, I wonder if I should deactivate the elevator. On the one hand most people would likely just enter another code, on the other hand it might save a couple more people from being trapped with us."

"Hm... There were enough of those paper slips that I think everyone would just enter other codes. And then other zones would be relatively overcrowded and this one undercrowded. Which could cause some kind of problems. I'd vote no."

"Yeah, probably not worthwhile." They walk back inside. "Do you think we should collect the guys on our way?"

"If we're going to be telling upsetting facts to a bunch of possibly-drunk party-seekers, I'd rather have the numbers, yeah." She pats a pouch on her purse almost subconsciously.

"I think I can protect us if it comes to that. But yeah, it'd be bad form to pull my knives on someone we're might be stuck with."