Mistrust is fairly fundamental to Rush's nature at his current rate. He is unconcerned with minutiae; performance is his priority. This must be what the destination was and it must not have always been an ostensibly human settlement. The cosmic microwave background radiation was leading to this, it had always led to this: a separate D-brane, isolated but conjoined with numberless others, a truly displaced circuit of space-time. This would have fascinated them. It would fascinate anyone.

"The former - ROMAC." The designation of 'Rebels' sounds less reputable if more honest about the intent, but Rush's intent is not rebellion. He could not care less about sociopolitical structure. "Would they have adequate resources?"

define: adequate

Reset.

"What do they do?"

There is a buzz of electrical discharge in his brain, building to a point. He can still safely ignore it but he - does not want to know what its point will be.