Mimicry

Chapter 8 - Tacenda

Dawn broke with its characteristic gentleness, casting a rosy hue over the frigid landscape outside. The snowstorm from yesterday seemed like a distant memory despite the knee-deep snow the base was plunged into. The rising sun seemed to breathe life into the ice crystals, their every facet catching the light and reflecting it in a dazzling array of colours. Each breath of wind, soft and muted in the early hours, swept over the snow-laden trees, rustling their frozen branches into a gentle dance. Against this backdrop of untouched serenity, the mountain peaks soared high, their white crowns painted golden by the morning light, guardians of a world untouched by the human hand.

As the morning light streamed into the common room of the Endring Base, it found the crew in various states of wakefulness. Some were nursing cups of hot coffee and tea, some were busying themselves with various activities, while others were simply staring into space, their eyes reflecting the quiet contemplation that hung over the room like a subtle haze.

Within the warmth of the Endring base, Josh was the first awake, examining blueprints spread out on the table before him, squinting against the sharp morning light flooding through the windows. A trace of a grin formed on his weathered face. "I've been up since 4," he said, trying to sound jovial. "I can't stand these light, airy mornings."

Kate chuckled from her corner, glasses perched precariously on the bridge of her nose as she thumbed through a dense biology journal. "4 am? You and the sunrise, Josh, have an unbreakable bond, don't you?" She quirked an eyebrow and laughed, her attention returning back to her reading. Josh merely shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips as he continued to pour over his maps.

At the bar, Essie was wrestling with the coffee machine, a series of colourful curses leaving her mouth as it obstinately refused to cooperate. John, practising some shots at the dartboard, chuckled to himself, watching the scenario unfold. It was certainly a welcome return to normalcy. "Don't worry, you'll get there soon. There's a weak point somewhere," he teased.

"Uhh- excuse me? Not having this..." she replied equally jokily, between attempts to shut the coffee lid.

The warm, inviting smell of brewing coffee soon filled the room, signalling her victory over the machine. Jake walked in at that moment, drawn by the smell, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Morning, Essie. Who won?" he asked, picking up a mug and holding it out for his share.

"Machine tried its best, but it's no match for me." She filled Jake's mug and then her own. "Cheers to an early start."

Ceriann, meanwhile, was leant on a window, skimming through her medical notes from the previous night's examination, a troubled frown on her face. She just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. 

She turned round just in time to see Faith entering the room. "Morning," she said drowsily, slowly shifting towards the bar's kettle in her favourite slippers. Her brunette hair, tied up in a messy bun, glistened in the morning sun. Ceriann shook off the fleeting worry, attributing it to her own anxiety and lack of sleep. She looked human enough. Yet, there was a hint of something off in her gait, almost imperceptible...

She shook her head, willingly trying to ignore the nagging feeling in her mind. It was a new day, and they had an alien mystery to solve. She left the windowsill and decided to let the worries lie dormant for now, lazily launching herself onto the sofa. The others soon joined, each armed with their own drink of choice.

"Right, guys," John declared, as leader-like as he could. "I guess it's time to address the obvious. About yesterday. Obviously, there was a bit of tenseness about whether to radio the Institute, but now we've had the benefit of at least a bit of sleep, I assume we're on the same page about not radioing the Wellman Institute, at least not yet?"