Solar Warden

Decisions Part 19

Ryan and his team were close to the target site. They stopped the bikes and let them slowly get to the ground. Then they sneaked to the border of the forest. A huge building was at sight. All walls seemed to be curved. The entrance they saw now was in the smaller part of the building. This structure part had had a height of 5 meter. There was no upper level to see. Connected to the entrance part was the tower part with a height of about 50 meters. At the top was a bigger part with a dome structure on it. The bottom part of it was not flat. It went also curved into the oval tower center. Then behind the tower was also a structure without edges. The top of it was about 20 meter and took much larger area then the entrance structure.

The distance to the entrance from their position was about 200 meter. There seemed to be a garden and different trees on their left.

Newman used his binocular to check it.

"There are fruit trees and bushes. Looks very similar like on Earth," he reported not using nearfield radio.

"Let me see," Ryan replied. Newman gave him the binocular.

"Hmm, well I expected to see something else. But without taking probes we cannot tell too much. Maybe Watkins can update us later about her analysis. Now we have to figure out how to enter undetected. At least I see no visible cameras." Ryan gave the binocular back.

"Well, except the building, here everything looks like on Earth. If this is a biological research post they might not have security at all," Samuel suggested.

"Did you notice that we had no insects on the wind shield. I wonder how this works with the fruit plants. I mean you can guess that the building must be the source for this plants and we saw or heard no other animals yet. So maybe there is no need for cameras. I could use a drone and check out the surroundings," Newman suggested.

"No, we should stay passive till the others are here or at least closer," Ryan objected.

"Good, then I do a passive high resolution scan of the building and surroundings." Newman set the digital binocular into scanning mode.

Watkins was done with taking probes and went with Taylor back to the shuttle. After going through the airlock procedure they let the boxes with the specimens in the airlock. Then Taylor made the preflight checks. Watkins joined her in the cockpit. Finally, they lifted off and flew in low altitude away. Escorted by two drones and a fighter, they went to the backside of the planet. It took a bit longer then their extreme landing maneuver had taken.