Whether the toy rocket was enough of a distraction that Trockelheim would forget she was outside and proceed immediately to the cafeteria in search of baking soda and vinegar. Or whether he would consider it a gift in return for the trouble she had caused, she would never know.

In addition to his customary absent-minded absorption in his work, she had chosen Trockelheim's watch because the Astrophysics Research Lab was working on a mystery-shrouded project for which he was the head software engineer. At the very worst, his punishment would be solitary confinement with build1 and an assortment of candy bars and Red Bull soda. A fate that was not much different from his regular life.