Predicting the Storm

3: Regrouping

"Dr. Essen." A woman I recognized as Erin Colter raised her hand to wave me over. She wore her sleeves neatly folded up and a grey silk scarf was tied around her neck.

"Professor Colter." I addressed her in the politest tone I could manage. She stood in a group of five including her. "I need to inform all of you—"

"We saw Joseph log in. Did you see any—" Erin started with but I cut her off before she could say another word.

"That was me. I— Anyways, Williams left me his log in." Their expressions changed while thoughts in my head fumbled around. How could I possibly explain any of this?

"What do you mean left it? When did he leave it?" Erin touched her hair anxiously and sharpened her eyes at me. I felt her glare through my skin and an unexpected sense of shame weighed down my heart.

"Dr. Essen!" Erin snapped and walked towards me as her pupils shrank to two black dots. "This situation affects two thousand individuals. If you know something, tell us!" I bit my lip.

"Colter." A ghoulishly skinny man silenced her and placed a hand on her shoulder. I recognized him as Novinn from the 'Apog and Proxima b' conferences back on earth.

Erin took a deep breath and turned her back on me. While she wasn't looking I gave her a quick menacing look.

"I— I need to take you to the control panel. I can't answer much else until then. I simply don't know much more, I'm sorry." My voice trembled thinking of what was awaiting us. All of them signaled to each other except Erin who still hadn't turned around to face me.

In a hasty speed we tracked along to the control panel in darkness, with flashlights on our Ypi-tools being our sole source of light in the narrow corridors. Some words were exchanged between them but Erin's hushes repeatedly silenced any conversation.