Contact

Chapter 60

Chapter 60

February 3rd, 2158 (station time)

The night was already dark, and the fog continued to thicken.  Both Josh and Logan gained additional bumps and bruises as they awkwardly found their way off the side of the mountain.

The two spotted debris from their destroyed base here and there in the wake of the slide.  However, they never looked too closely.  It was obvious that the chances of finding something that would aid them on their journey to the extraction area were very small.  On top of that, the chance of injuring themselves on an unstable rockslide was high.  All in all, it was not worth anything more than a curious look from a distance.

The two found it hard to find a good walking rhythm.  As soon as they began to feel comfortable in their walking, one or both of them would stumble.

For the longest time the two only communicated in grunts and grumbles.  It seamed that neither had anything to say, or wanted to say anyway.  But looking at the area that had been torn up by the rockslide stirred questions in Logan's head.

"Josh," Logan mumbled a little louder than a whisper.

Josh turned and met eyes with Logan, "yeah?"

"I know you aren't a geologist," Logan began, "but as an engineer..." Logan paused realizing that what he was about to say didn't make any sense.  Logan let out a soft laugh, "well as the only other person here I was wondering about the rock slide."

"What about the rock slide?" Josh said as he continued to walk.

"Well," Logan started but suddenly felt a little ashamed as if he were making uneducated guesses.  "Well, did you read any of the geological survey's that the satellites and rover collected?"

"No," Josh said in a half mocking tone.

The two continued for another thirty seconds before Josh could no longer contain his curiosity.  "Why?  What are you thinking about?"

"It's probably nothing," Logan said.

"Come out with it," Josh said.

"It's just... I don't remember reading that our location had any current geological instability.  And, I don't remember there being an earthquake to cause the avalanche."

Once again Josh looked back at Logan with a confused expression on his face.  "What are you talking about?"

Logan was becoming a little frustrated with Josh.  Logan knew that Josh was very intelligent, and was probably already half way to figuring out why Logan had focused on the avalanche.  Logan briefly wondered why Josh acted clueless so much of the time.

"I don't believe that the avalanche was an accident," Logan declared.

"Oh, really?" Josh asked lifting his eyebrows.  "And what would you present as evidence concerning this non-accident."

"Evidence?"  Logan was becoming more and more irritated with Josh.  "Cut the crap Josh, you know exactly what I am talking about.  Tell me you don't agree with my suspicions."

Josh stopped walking, his shoulders sagged slightly and this time he didn't meet Logan's gaze.  He was silent for a long moment.  He didn't look up when he spoke, "Sorry.  It's a defense mechanism, the sarcasm and acting clueless."

Josh looked up at Logan, "yes.  I too believe that the goliaths started the avalanche."

With Josh's acknowledgment and belief that the goliath's caused the avalanche Logan's body instantly began to release tension.