"That, and look-" Tsybenko lifts one hand to indicate a streak of red wiggling through the uppermost reaches. "Very rare, the red aurora. Normally that takes solar maximum. The conditions are breaking down, and breaking down hard."

On the space station, Tsybenko's attitude had been bad, but it had always been laced with at least a little sarcasm. Now he just sounds grim.

"Tell me something, Kirk. What do you think will happen if the mission goes wrong?"