Traveler in the Dark

13

"You can't be serious. This is possibly the most significant discovery in human history and you want to just let it sit there?" Rebecca was fuming.

Stratton folded his arms and stared at the dark well of the nest. "This isn't what we're here to do. Mission directives said to make contact if we encountered any life. That doesn't include investigating ruins. Look, Emery, it's falling apart. Nothing has been here in a long while."

"But that flying figure came this way," said Spixworth.

"Yes, and we ought to keep looking in the direction it headed to see if we can find out where it landed."

"How do we know it isn't here? Just because we aren't looking for ruins doesn't mean whatever that thing was isn't interested," said Rebecca.

"We saw thirty seconds of movement on the feed and you're attaching motivation to it?"

"I'm keeping an open mind." Rebecca sighed in frustration. "Listen, Captain, if we don't investigate this place now, the Admiral will just send another mission to do it after us. We can't settle here without knowing who else is here. Or was. And why they aren't here now. It could push settlement out by several months. A year maybe."

"We don't have a year. Our kids don't have a year. Not for the sake of some ruin," said Titov, forgetting his helmet was on as he raised a hand to scrape it down his face.

"All the more reason to do this by the book," said Stratton. "If we make a mistake—"

"Captain," said Liu, "Spindling aside— we both know the Keseburg can't afford another outlay like this unless we intend to settle. Not in our lifetime. We're here. We have the best resources the ship can spare. We won't get another chance."

"So we should be spending those resources on activities that will make the most difference. I can't pull everyone from their research just to explore a derelict cavern."

"Then let Emery go. She isn't doing anything useful. It'll keep her out of the way at least," sneered Martham.

Rebecca wanted to tell her not to help.

"I'll go with her," said Liu. "Pilot's no good on a landed ship anyway, and Al Jahi and I both know that the interference is too heavy to get the link with the Hardcoop to actually work. We're just wasting time."

"The lab is running a large batch of samples," said Titov, "They won't be ready until tomorrow. And if it helps Peter get here quicker, I'll do anything. Besides, Hackford would want some data for her research and she's still got a day in quarantine."

Stratton hesitated, concentrating hard on the shadowy opening below them. "You have one day, Emery," he said at last. "Make an initial survey. If you don't find anything of immediate use, then we have other work to get back to. But at least it'll satisfy the Admiral."

"Yes, Captain," said Rebecca. Her tone was flat, but a sizzle of energy burst through her.

"Emery," he said, catching her arm as she turned to retrieve their equipment, "A cure for Spindling, a living, intelligent creature, or something that would kill us all. That's it. Anything else will have to wait. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"I vote we steer clear of whatever would kill us all," said Spixworth.

Liu laughed. "Yeah, I like the other options better."

"Titov, Liu, you're with Emery. The rest of you have projects to complete. Keep your feeds on and if you do find something, for Earth's sake, follow protocol." The Captain corralled the others away from the nest and back toward the river. Rebecca looked at Liu and Titov.