Merryn reflects on the horrors of the past, and sets about planning for the future.

“The eastern sky grew wonderful with dawn. As the day became brighter, a soft grey mist rose from the ground and made the moors look like a dream landscape. But young Merryn had been caught up in nightmares. She awoke inside her Mining Unit, which rocked gently on its colossal ring, humming a soothing melody. They had slept in the centre of a neolithic stone circle bearing nineteen proud granite faces, now softened by the morning mist. Off in the distance the piercing clang of heavy drilling could be heard as the young Earthborns sought their quota of lithium. Merryn peered from her Unit, and the numbers in the sky glowed through the haze. “Nessa: 0, Arluth: 1, Sally: 0, Zennor: 0, Sam: 0, Gwenno: 0, Alistair: 0, Merryn: 0.” Corin’s timer, displayed at Merryn’s request, now read, “16:46:30.”