Cliff's pod, a little spaceship thing, floats in the void of space.

  Cliff Mason
Here we are. My humble abode.

Cliff shows Allen around his pod.

Hhhhhhhh...

  Cliff Mason
I know, I know. But it's as much a home as I can get.
As much home as you're getting, for that matter, cause I'm not taking you out on any more missions!

Hhhhkh

  Cliff Mason
Sorry Allen, it's too risky out there for you! You're not immortal, y'know! All it takes is a stray bullet, or some debris, and...

  Cliff Mason
Anyway. It ain't so bad in here! C'mon, I'll show you around.

Hhh hhhhkkhh hhh

  Cliff Mason
That's the kitchen over there, that's where I sleep, and-- oh, wait til you see this...







Cliff holds Allen, standing in the cockpit behind the pilot's seat. There's a great glass windshield behind which is a sea of stars.

  Cliff Mason
Here it is! This is where I'm meant to sit when I fly the pod around, but... I like to be here for its own sake. Reminds me of the good old days. Lying on my back on the roof of our home. Watching the stars.

Hhhhhhhhh...

  Cliff Mason
It's funny. Sometimes I wonder--

Cliff gets a call, startling him.









Cliff accepts the call. He forces a smile. Poorly.
Mercy looks bemused.

  Cliff Mason
Mercy! Good to. How's it going?

  Major Mercy
It's... fine.
I'm reporting in about your last mission.

  Cliff Mason
Oh, heh, it sure was something, wasn't it? All those. Towers.

  Major Mercy
...Yes.
We detected some unusal activity while you were on the field.

  Cliff Mason
You did?

  Major Mercy
Before you deactivated the last comms tower, it began sending out... unexpected signals.
It's hard to analyse just from what little data we have, but it's almost as though they were trying to break into Earth's signal network.

  Cliff Mason
Oh. That's odd.

  Major Mercy
It is. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?

  Cliff Mason
No ma'am.

  Major Mercy
Hrm.




Cliff awkwardly changes the subject.

  Cliff Mason
Ahh, while I've got you here. I did find something pretty weird out there.

  Major Mercy
Explain.

  Cliff Mason
While I was out there, I fell into this... it was almost like a church?
And there was this little creature in there. Winged like the Aveans, but with a little curl of hair on its head. And it has- had this... hologram thing around its head? In the shape of three triangles.

  Cliff Mason
It was all wrapped up in chains and ribbons. Any of that... ring a bell with you? I have no idea what I found back there.

  Major Mercy
Probably some kind of Avean bioweapon. Another product of one of their genetic engineering programs.

  Cliff Mason
Right...

  Major Mercy
Did you kill it?

  Cliff Mason
Did I...? Oh.

Cliff tenses up while he looks at Allen, who he has placed down on some panel next to him.

  Cliff Mason
Yes. Absolutely.