28

After they emerged from the misery occasioned by their excesses, they all came to the unspoken agreement that they should return to the ration schedule. And it seemed like the feast would be forgotten like some debauched episode of one’s youth. But Lu was clearly upset. He refused to speak to any of the other crew members, and spent all his time secluded in his sleeping chamber.

After several days of this behavior, Ge Ge confronted him.

‘Lu, what’s going on with you?’

Lu did not respond.

‘I’m not leaving until we talk about this,’ said Ge Ge.

Lu started to cry. ‘They’re going to eat us,’ he said.

‘What?

‘They’re going to kill us and eat us. That’s what white people do.’

‘Don’t let your imagination run away with you,’ he said. ‘Nobody’s going to eat anybody.’¹

‘How can we possibly guess their secret thoughts,’ said Lu. ‘Especially when they’re already talking about it.’²

‘Is that what this is about? It was just a stupid conversation, Lu! Hood was joking. Just forget it.’

‘They eat human beings,’ said Lu, ‘so they may eat me.’

‘Look,’ said Ge Ge, ‘they need us. You know they don’t have a clue what they’re doing. They need our skills far too badly to simply eat us. If anyone gets eaten it will probably be Franklin.’

Ge Ge intended the comment to be humorous, but by the sudden change in Lu’s expression he knew it was a mistake.

‘So you agree that they are planning on eating people?’

‘I was trying to lighten the mood,’ said Ge Ge. ‘You’re letting your imagination get the best of you, Lu. We are all sane, normal human beings. Nobody is going to eat anybody else. Besides, can you imagine how difficult it would be in microgravity?’

‘You’ve thought about cutting people up, too, haven’t you?’

‘No!’ Ge Ge shouted.

‘I have,’ said Lu. ‘It would be difficult.’

‘You’re being crazy, Lu! Just stop it. Come on, let’s go somewhere else. You need to get out a bit.’

Ge Ge eventually cajoled and badgered Lu to venture out of the safety of his sleeping chamber. They met Hood and Akaitcho in the access corridor. They said they were going up to the observation level to make up constellations that reminded them of food. Ge Ge was grateful for the distraction, as well as the company.