ZY627a was a wonder to see. Big yellow guardian sun in the distance, about the size of our own. Danica parked us in a fairly low orbit, roughly two hundred miles up. From there the view below was spectacular. The blues were bluer and the greens greener, although it is said weeks of dark space will do that to you. We did not see desert anywhere. The planet was rich with nature.
Wilson and RJ worked the scans. The rest of us hung at the windows with binocs for when interesting terrain demanded a closer look. The first thing I began to notice was that the vegetation appeared to be super-sized. The preliminary reports from the engineering stations suggested a lower planetary mass and lower gravity. We were too far up to spot any bio forms, but no one doubted there were some down there.
When the first computer analysis came in, everyone was overjoyed. Oxygen rich, slightly less ambient pressure, tropical temperatures. It was looking like shore leave was a good bet. Personally, I had too many scars to bet on it. I wanted trace element readings and a complete atmospheric composition before we’d even consider going down. I also wanted life form scans and analysis. Doc was already certain we’d be making a landing. He was in charge of the Earth relay station and headed back to the science lab to set it up. After two hours on orbit there were some strange scan reflections but nothing to prevent a landing. Animal bio signatures showed groups within the denser forests but never in the open. There were occasional shadowy imprints on the bio scanners so large the engineer’s best guess was bio-atmospheric interference, possibly concentrated flocks of birds.
The vegetation was dense enough that it left few obvious places to put down. We spent another hour doing surface mapping and finally came up with an area mixed with large rocks and flora where quite a few clearings existed. I could feel the anticipation building.
Our descent plan was designed around the possibility of having to leave quickly if a problem arose. Doc and I would set up the relay station. Wilson would stand by in the door of the forward airlock with a weapon. Erin had some horticulture training so she would come outside with us to take some quick specimens. Once the ground station was set up, if there were no problems, two-man teams would secure the area and begin rotations off the ship. Both airlocks would be left open so that fresh air could circulate.
When the FMC was properly programmed with coordinates we came around on orbit, drank down our re-G mind-numbing medicine regimen, and strapped in. The ride down was smooth, suggesting a very stable upper atmosphere. Everyone was beaming when braking cut in and we felt the slight bounce of ground beneath our wheels. In the forward airlock Wilson popped the door open and a warm rush of garden air flowed past us.
The place was beyond beautiful. A picture of Eden. A land of untouched color and vibrancy. There was a wide clearing just outside the airlock door. Large green and yellow leaf vegetation bordered both sides, with short, bright blue needle-covered trees here and there. Twenty yards away a black, house-sized boulder glistened in the light. Even with the pull of gravity dragging at us it was still an uplifting sight.
I forced myself to leave the view and hauled my heavy body back to the science lab where Doc, looking a bit haggard, was bent over the relay station making some final adjustments. It was a brass-colored circular station, chest-high, with four adjustable legs meant to keep it in place until we drilled stanchions into the soil to anchor it. As I entered, he stood and grabbed the handle on his side and waited. I picked up the porta-drill by the door, slung it over my shoulder, and found my handle. Together we lifted the relay station, tried not to look labored, and jockeyed our way down the airlock ramp into fresh air. Erin was already out, collecting plant life and exploring. Wilson was on one knee just inside the forward airlock with a short-barreled pulse rifle raised and ready.
The earth felt strange beneath our feet: rich black dirt with patches of a strange triangular-bladed grass. We quickly picked a spot, put the station package down, and set up the lightweight drill. It burrowed into the soil with ease. When we had four good holes, we set the station in place and deployed the stanchions, then covered them in and packed the dirt down. Doc opened the top and began powering up the station and raising antennae.
My part of the relay station work was done. I backed up, wiped my hands, and took a look around. It was the last real look I got. We had all relaxed. Safe landing. Beautiful paradise to explore. Relay station almost ready to transmit. That’s when it usually happens. Just when you think the danger has passed.
The thing appeared overhead so quickly there was no chance to anticipate. It was the size of an airliner and looked like some kind of giant praying mantis. Two little front legs rubbing together twenty feet above my head. Two large insect eyes staring down, interested only in us.
I yelled, looked for Erin and made a dash in her direction. Doc went for the airlock. I pulled my weapon and fired on the run. My beam intersected Wilson’s. Both shots went through the creature’s main body and had no effect. As we fired a column of rings fell from the creature’s mouth and captured Doc halfway to the Griffin. In the same motion, a green liquid gushed down and filled the rings, engulfing him. In a fraction of a second, the whole thing was sucked backed up into the mouth. Doc was gone.
With our beams still passing through it, the thing disappeared back the way it had come. I yanked Erin by the arm and with her in tow made it to the Griffin and dove into the forward airlock. Wilson’s voice called “clear’ and a split second later we were in a vertical ascent that had to be nine Gs. I wanted to yell 'Hold at ten thousand' but the air was crushed out of my lungs and my face was plastered to the airlock floor. At eight thousand, the airlock doors closed automatically. A moment later, I felt forward thrust as the G-force eased. As soon as I could I pushed myself up. Erin’s eyes were open. I grabbed her arm. “Are you hurt?” She shook her head.
I pulled myself up past Wilson and into the flight deck. RJ was still at his engineering console, his face snow white. “RJ, can we track it?”
It took him several excruciating moments to gather himself. He shook his head. “None of the scanners picked it up. Not even the optics saw it until it was right on top of us. If I hadn’t been looking at the monitor I wouldn’t even have known it was there. I think the thing was translucent. It was invisible right up until it attacked. If we went back down there’d be nothing to track or search for.”
“We know the general direction it took. Have you looked for any kind of trail? Temperature, pressures, trace bio signs, anything?”
“I did that before we pancaked up, Adrian. There’s nothing to track. That’s why they weren’t seen before landing.”
I cursed under my breath and looked back into the habitat module. Paris was floating face down and out cold. “Is anyone hurt?”
No answer. Stunned silence.
Danica spoke. “We’re parked back in our original orbit, Adrian. What are your orders?”
“Hold orbit for further instructions.” I pulled myself back through the airlock, glancing at Wilson and Erin who were still pulling themselves together after the nine-G ride.
In the habitat module I grabbed the unconscious Paris and strapped him in a seat. His arms floated outward like a ghost.
I tried to think. It wasn’t working. I needed to go over what had just happened, but my mind was refusing. I held to the ceiling and watched as a small string of drool floated out of Paris’ mouth. His glazed eyes opened and searched for reality. He looked up at me and his psyche came quickly up to speed.
“Well, I hope you’re satisfied now, Tarn. It was inevitable that something like this would happen. I’m surprised only one of us is dead. The loose way you operate, it could have been more. It probably will be.”
“Cap it, Denard. This isn’t the time. I need to think.”
He unbuckled and pushed himself up. “I wonder how much time we have left with you around, you incompetent idiot. I’m surprised I’m not dead. Now you’ve killed Doc. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
He kept on for too long. Someth
ing in my head snapped. He awkwardly stuck his face in too close. His lips were still moving but I couldn’t hear. Out of nowhere, my right hand suddenly appeared in a hook and caught him just on the left jawbone. His eyes popped open wide and in slow motion he tumbled over backwards toward the sleeper cell compartments. A single droplet of blood escaped the corner of his mouth as he went. Erin had come back and was hanging there. She grabbed the unconscious form and worked her way back toward the science lab with it.
Wilson came up alongside me. “Nice one. Two more seconds and it would have been another one on my permanent record.”
RJ floated by. “Thank you. The man was out of control. Now if you two will excuse me, I’m going to the restroom and throw my guts up.”
Wilson looked more distressed than I had ever seen him. “What are your orders, Adrian?”
I tried to snap myself out of it. “What?”
“What are your orders?”
“Oh, ah, ask Danica and Shelly to park us on orbit and hold for further instruction.”
“I’ll pass it on, but you’ve already said that.” He pushed off toward the flight deck.
I looked around for a place to escape to and found there was none, then realized what had happened on the planet’s surface was actually the thing I was trying to flee. There was nowhere to hide. I had those ugly, desperate little feelings you get when someone close dies, the feeling that maybe something will reset and everything will be okay with just a big scare engram left over. Then I searched for a way to go back in time so it could all be fixed. Every possibility had to be considered.
There was no way out. I had just lost a friend. A good one. As I admitted helplessness to myself, Danica came back from the flight deck.
“Anything I can do?”
“Yes. Would you work out a three pilot shift schedule? One pilot up front for eight hours with a designated backup. You and Shelly were supposed to be off in a few minutes, so I’ll take the first shift. It’ll give me some time to sort out where we go from here. Does that sound okay?”
“Shelly’s been in the left seat the past six. I can ride up front with you for a while if you want.”
“Thanks, but the three of us need to make sure we get enough rest since the shifts will be longer. I’ll be okay. Will you be okay?”
“I’ll be as okay as anyone can be.”
“We’ll have a full crew meeting as soon as everyone has had a little time to come to terms. Keep an eye on everyone for me, would you?”
“I’ll do my best.”
I went forward to the flight deck and put my hand on Wilson’s shoulder as I passed him. He stopped me. “You know I burned that thing good right where the heart should’ve been. It took the beam for a good twenty seconds. Your beam came in a split second after mine. Neither one did a damn thing. Didn’t bother it a bit.”
“I know.”
“Your shot cut through the head, too. Two beams, no effect. What the hell else could we have done?”
“If you think of anything, let me know. It’s a bitch.”
“Shit!”
I tapped Shelly on the shoulder. She looked up sympathetically and pushed out of her seat. I squeezed by and lowered myself in. She handed me the pilot’s log and headed back. Wilson watched from behind as I went through the checklist. Neither of us had anything else to say, because there was nothing else to say.
Chapter 30