Traveler in the Dark

29

"Their feeds are breaking up," said Al Jahi. "I told Spixworth to keep it down there for an hour. We have to move."

Liu clicked off his own feed and picked up the small box of tools at his side. "Let's get it done then."

They climbed up the ladder to the top of the Wolfinger and Liu knelt beside the array. He looked up at Al Jahi. "I wanted to tell you before, but I wasn't sure how. If we do this, there will be no way to warn the Keseburg ahead of time. We'll have no communications outside the ship's own range. Our personal range is significant, but not enough. We'll have maybe thirty seconds as we're docking if we use our personal feeds. That's it."

Al Jahi smiled. "I've been a communications officer for fifteen years, Gang. I understand how this works."

"Right. Of course. I just wanted to make sure."

She put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll figure it out. This thing has to be vulnerable to something." She picked up a tool. "Maybe it isn't as hard as we think," she said. "Something that complex has to be pretty delicate under that casing. We just have to find a way to get under it."

"You really think it got Gabriel?" asked Liu, loosening the bolts around the protective glass bubble. Al Jahi started on the other side.

"Not really, no. I think it was probably an accident. Just an unforeseen glitch in the dosing program or something. Joan is in denial because she thinks that somehow makes it her fault. It doesn't, but she thinks it does. Still, I don't like the idea of that thing in our systems, and it's better for everyone to err on the side of caution."

Liu tilted the bubble up on its hinges and began working on the array beneath. "Good, I'm glad you don't think it's murdering us," he said, "because I was starting to think Oxwell was right."

Al Jahi frowned. "Right about what?"

He rocked back on his haunches and looked around at the dusty ridge around them. The field where the mobile lab was set up was a green haze below, the river a dark serpent sliding through it. "That she was right about us staying here. That maybe we should let our families think we were lost in order to protect them."

"We both know what kind of shape the Keseburg is in. And I have a feeling we barely realize the half of it. Going back is a risk. Especially with that Issk'ath thing. But not going back— that's much worse. No matter what Emery seems to think about how we'll fare here, having some kind of chance is better than none. If it were the planet, if there were something dangerous here, then it might be different. But none of the research team has said that. I know we may find something, in the next mission or the one after, but for now— there's never going to be a perfect place. Earth wasn't perfect, and we were adapted to it. We need to try. It's better than watching my kids suffer and die."

Liu nodded. He pulled out the small electronic chip at the base of the array. It glittered in his palm as he handed it to Al Jahi. "Best keep it somewhere safe. These things aren't cheap. And— you never know." She nodded and zipped it carefully into the chest pocket of her suit as Liu watched. He turned back to the array and began piecing it back together.

"What about the interior feed?" she asked.

"The chip panel for that's under my console. Do you really think we should shut it off? If I do it now and there's an emergency, we'll never be able to find each other. We'll be blind and deaf for hours on a strange planet. I'm not even certain I could find my way back to that nest if we had to go rescue them. And if I wait until we're all on board, Issk'ath will be with us and able to just access the nearest console. I don't think we'll be able to overpower it if it tries, do you?"

She stared at the heat shimmer on the bright hull. "I don't know. Never really trained me to do this. I never wanted to be captain. Especially not on a mission like this. Am I doing the right thing, Gang?"

"Maybe," he puffed, cranking on the last bolt, "there isn't a 'right' thing to do. This whole mission's been a soilmaker. I don't even think Gabriel would have known what to do."

Al Jahi snorted a bitter laugh. "He wouldn't be letting that thing come with us, that's for sure."

Liu squinted over at her. "And maybe that would have been wrong. Emery's right. If what it says is true and it's storing some kind of library of its people, then it's a walking research station. Could save us years and years and help us thrive down here. We need all the help we can get. I'm for keeping it an ally if we can."

"But it could endanger the Keseburg."

"So could the planet. It's a risk. Our whole lives are a risk, rattling around space in a dented metal bin. Is living here worth it? I honestly don't know. You think we need to try living here. Shouldn't we take every advantage we can find?"

"What would you do, if you'd been the ranking officer?"

"Chione— if I thought you were screwing up, I'd tell you. I don't think you are. And the decision is made. The important thing now is to stick together. You and I and Joan know each other. We trust each other. The others— they're new to all of it. And they're fracturing. You heard them a few hours ago. Martham's ready to lead a rebellion. Not so sure Titov's not right behind her. I think he'll do whatever he thinks will get his kid down here as soon as possible. We just need to make sure he knows our plan is the one that can do that." He started packing up the tool case. "We stick together, no matter what. Nobody else sees you question yourself, alright?"

"Yes, you're right, I know."

He patted her foot where it sat beside him. "Hey, you're a good leader. You care about the right things and you know the Wolfinger inside and out. Just get us home and we'll put in for some vacation. Maybe down here. I think Jared would like that mountain to the north. We'll tie your kids to a tree or something."

She laughed.