Chapter 8

It took her a little under an hour to read the first one hundred pages. Simply fascinating. Whether time was an illusion or not didn’t matter to her; she was obsessed, in many ways, with how the universe operated. She had many questions about why things were the way they were, and she refused to believe that there was a god behind it all. Although, the more science books she read, the more she thought there was something deeper to existence. She particularly enjoyed the simulation theory, that everything was run on a computer programme.

The CPU of such a computer must be all-mighty in its own right.

She liked the idea that everything in the universe was pre-determined, that everything that happened had a one-hundred-per-cent chance of occurring. It helped her relax. Not always, but sometimes. It meant she had no control, and that was as relieving as it was terrifying.

Jade, after chatting with Kira – something about Zurn 852 eventually having giant cities like Earth, just based on the snatches Ava picked up from their conversation when reading – recommended they head to one of the cafeterias. She said their lunch menu looked delectable. Ava’s appetite had indeed made a return since vomiting in the bathroom, and she was still intrigued by what she had seen in the cafeteria on her approach to HR. The SS Constellation had limited vegan options because there weren’t many people with strict vegetable diets, but these menus were eclectic and came from several galactic stations, the entire Western Arm to be precise. So, Ava agreed to go with Kira and Jade. It also helped kill time. Sibyl, of course, wanted nothing to do with it. That woman was as stuck-up as could be; she was really beginning to get on Ava’s last nerve.

Jade led the way. There were several cafeterias located throughout Site 101, according to the map that was pegged to the walls of almost every corridor, and the closest was only a three-minute walk away.

The hum of conversation never waned for the entire journey. The halls were packed and so was the cafeteria. Ava paused in the chamber doorway and glanced around the place. The walls were greyish white, like the long tables, and the benches seemed to be carved out of alien wood from the forest. A nice ebony bark that made for a remarkable grain that looked like the waves of a reckless sea.

Security personnel stood by the doors of the kitchen, armed with pistols, but seemingly approachable all the same.

At the far table sat a familiar face. She didn’t recognise him at first – perhaps because there was a lot going on – but it was Tyrone. He was sitting next to Tucker while he spooned soup into his mouth. Across from him was Nielsen, massaging his temples with his head held low.

“The prices are a bit harsh,” said Jade, cracking her knuckles. “Thirty zeds for a steak wrap?”

“We’re not really paying for much else,” said Kira.

“True, I guess.”

Even worse, the prices for the vegan and vegetarian menu were almost twice that. Fifty-five zeds for a vegan burger? She was better off buying the ingredients whole at one of Site 101’s markets and making her own food. Eating healthy in today’s society was no easy task.

There were some coffee machines near the door, and the price of a large americano was only five zeds. Not bad. On the SS Constellation, you would be lucky to get it for twice that. While Jade and Kira made their way over to the deli bar, Ava grabbed an americano from the coffee machine. She added a spoon of sugar. Then, from the corner of her eye, she saw Tyrone’s head tilted towards her. She faced him fully and smiled vaguely. He waved and she made her way over, cup in hand.

“You alright?” said Tyrone.

“I’ve had better days,” said Ava, sliding in beside him.

Tucker was chowing on a chicken filet roll. Although his mouth was nearly full, he had no issue speaking. “Not the best first day I’ve seen. Not the worst either.”

Ava peeked over Tyrone’s shoulder. “You’ve seen worse than nearly dying on the job?” She took a sip of coffee.

He gave a single nod. “Sure I’ve seen someone get fried after trying to plug a tube of high-voltage cables into a malfunctioning starship engine.”

“What an idiot,” said Nielsen.

“It’s what happens when an apprentice ignores an expert’s advice and works on their own wits, or in that case, lack of.”

“He was your apprentice?” Ava brushed a stray hair from her eye.

Tucker couldn’t respond. Food, of course. When he swallowed, he said, “Whatever he was, he wasn’t very clever. Feel bad for the kid though. He only wanted to get into a blue field because his father worked for the Federation as a station engineer.”

“Hard job to get,” said Tyrone.

Very hard. Although building and repairing station engines wasn’t much different than working on a dropship, the Federation only wanted the best and most experienced engineers to handle the mobility and sustainability of megastructures.

“They must get paid really well,” said Ava.

Tucker chuckled. “You jokin’? Pretty well doesn’t begin to describe it.”

“Filthy rich, more like,” said Tyrone, sipping his soup. “May as well be a different profession entirely if you want to talk money.”

Ava nodded. It wouldn’t surprise her if this was true. Experience often warranted higher pay than competence. Zef was a textbook example of that. “What do you guys think that glow was? Back in the cavern?”

Nielsen was the first to answer. “I’ve been wondering that for a while now. It’s interesting, isn’t it?”

“It is,” said Tucker. “But we’ll find out tomorrow.”

“I don’t think Zef will be with us this time either,” said Tyrone, and Ava gazed at him thoughtfully. “He broke martial law. Someone ought to report—”

“Captain Terrygrew already did,” said Ava, and Tyrone looked at her.

His eyes widened. “When?”

“Not too long ago. I was called into the office. Both of them were there.”

Nielsen cocked an eyebrow. “Terrygrew and Mindfield?”

She nodded. “Yes. Luther Stronghold wanted to confirm that everything that Terrygrew said was true. I can only imagine Mindfield tried bending the truth.”

“That guy’s a nutcase,” said Tyrone. “God knows how he passed a drug test, never mind the interview.”

“Didn’t look like an accident to me,” said Nielsen. “Although, realistically, it must have been. Longwood didn’t do nothin’ to nobody. Always kept to herself, always did her job, and well at that. Doesn’t make sense.” He spoke to Tyrone as if she wasn’t there.

“Thing is,” replied Tyrone, “he has a temper like a kettle in a galley. He gets worked up very easily, so my guess is that, even if there’s a slight chance he doesn’t get fired for this, his outbursts will do him in.”

Ava half-shrugged. “Anything can happen. I hope his career doesn’t end because of this, even if it was an awful thing to do….”

“Never point your weapon at something if you don’t intend to shoot it,” said Nielsen. “If he stays in our team, he’s gonna get us all killed. He’s no co-captain. He’s a lunatic.”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Just then, someone spoke behind her. “What are you guys talkin’ about?”

Ava turned. It was Jade; she was holding a lidded basin with plenty of vegetables, meats, and boiled egg slices. The printed label read GYM BOWL.

“Nothing important,” said Nielsen. “Where’s your friend?”

Jade sat next to Ava and popped the lid off of the basin. “Still deciding on what to get,” she said, and dug her wooden fork into the bowl. “Have to say, I’m surprised to see you guys here. Thought maybe after the long day you would just lie in bed.” She took a bite.

“I thought you would be checking out Site 101’s gym,” said Tyrone.

“Later,” said Jade, her eyes bright. “Carrying all that weight up the hill, operating on a drill the size of a lorry, and… well, everything that happened with the inkasum…. Yeah, I’m pretty beat. I’ve seen it already though. Passed by it a couple times. Looks nice.”

“Maybe I ought to challenge you to a deadlifting contest one of these days,” said Tucker. “Or are you all muscle and no strength?”

Jade tittered. “Okay, old man. Relax.”

Ava spoke a little quietly. “Tyrone.”

“Yeah?” he said a little softly, too. The others were busy chatting amongst each other.

“Where did those inkasum come from exactly? Do you think they followed us down there?”

“Probably,” he said. “But they must have been attracted to something, and I highly doubt it was human flesh. They eat vegetables... mostly.”

An idea surfaced in her mind. “Do you think it had something to do with the glow?”

Tyrone leaned back and swept his hands across one another. He nodded pensively. “Maybe. Unless we stumbled across one of those nests Mindfield mentioned?”

Another idea surfaced. “What if it’s both?” she said.

Tyrone took a bit of time to process that. “I think you’re on to something,” he said, and spooned soup into his mouth, eyes keen.

Perhaps she was. Ava tapped her Echo and navigated to a map of Zurn 852 on her overlay. While most of the planet had been greyed out with the mark UNCLASSIFIED, the land surrounding Site 101 was blue and showed the names of various landmarks that the other colonising teams had been to across the years. Parallel’s 1 through 39. Large green Xs, which each represented a fully constructed atmos-machine, were spread throughout the area, and near the border of Parallel 40, just where the lava sea began, the word MOUNTAIN was accompanied by yet another green X. The Eye of Poseidon.

Ava zoomed in on it. “How deep does the cave go? Do you know?”

He flapped his lips like a horse. “Not sure. Why?”

“Because I’m thinking whatever the drill broke into must have an alternative route leading into it if it’s a nest,” said Ava, spreading her fingers across the screen as she maneuvered the camera around the mountain and zoomed in closer. “Do you think there is another route?”

“I’d imagine so,” said Tyrone. “But the other side of the mountain is complete lava. They couldn’t have got in that way.”

“Do you think there’s a separate path that leads down there through the route that we took?”

Tyrone shook his head. “Previous teams would have seen it. And if the drill was built there to specifically crack into a nest that’s, well, likely in a cavern much bigger than we think, it wouldn’t make sense to, you know, crack into it. We could just take another route.”

Ava was thinking that. She clicked her tongue. “I think if there is another way in”—she zoomed out and hovered the camera over AZURIAN GROVE—“it’s out here, in the forest.”

“You mean a tunnel that leads underground?”

“Potentially. But I’m not sure. If there’s a nest down there, we’ll be able to see. Tomorrow, that is.”

“What are you two mumbling about?” a voice said. Ava turned and saw that it was Jade who spoke. She didn’t even realise that Kira had arrived at the table and was now sitting next to her. She had been too deep in conversation with Tyrone.

Kira was eating a plateful of eggs, bacon, sausages, and hashbrowns. She wiped ketchup from her mouth with a napkin. “Secrets? In this day and age?” She mimicked her own British accent, sounding posher than before. “Perhaps we ought to investigate.”

“It’s nothing.” Ava sipped her coffee. She had almost forgotten it was there.

“Can’t wait to see how many resources those Microbes picked up for us,” said Tucker. “There better be stacks of metal.”

“We don’t get paid extra for any leftover material,” said Jade. She was almost finished her Gym Bowl already.

“Really? Stingy bastards.”

Nielsen said, “Regardless, let’s hope Crook didn’t get infected with some zombie virus from that bite and he’ll be back workin’ with us this week. I’m not doin’ the job of two people.” He chuckled, standing up from his seat to leave.

And for the first time since the incident with the inkasum, Ava laughed as well.

***

It was dark and rainy when morning came. Zef Mindfield was nowhere to be seen at the buggy; in his stead was a man with a much softer appearance (at least, that was what it looked like through his visor). Agent Harris, it turned out to be. Jack explained that HR made the decision to put Zef under investigation for breaking martial law. He wasn’t held in a high-security prison or anything of that nature, but he wasn’t free to leave the planet, or return to work. Ava still felt a little bad about the whole thing, but the horror of what may have happened if the gunfire made contact would have made her feel a whole lot worse: dead.

Jack explained that this was the same man who was operating the drill. He had something to say.

“Last night the drill went offline,” Harris said. His voice was even deeper in person.

“Is that a good or bad thing?” asked Sibyl.

A decent question. The drill was meant to shut off once the Microbes ran out of battery. But from Harris’ tone, she could tell that the news wasn’t going to be pleasant.

Harris locked his hands together at his chest. “There’s physical damage to the central processing unit… as well as the antennas. The antennas went offline sometime after the CPU.”

“The cave likely collapsed,” said Sibyl coldly.

Harris said, “The roof of the cave is stable. It shouldn’t have collapsed for any reason. It’s specifically why our previous teams chose that as the main location.”

“Caves are unpredictable,” said Sibyl.

“The cave isn’t the issue, Anderson,” said Harris. “We’ve done the calculations. We’re going to figure out what went wrong. My guess is that this is down to human error, a malfunction caused from the specially designed pieces.”

Ava smirked sarcastically. Really? This is our fault?

“I don’t think it’s stuck by any means,” continued Harris, “so it shouldn’t take too long to become functional again.”

Ava didn’t like the sound of that. Jack had once mentioned that it wouldn’t take long to bring the previous drill to life, and it was true, if you considered six hours a short period of time.

And, of course, Agent Harris wouldn’t have been as educated on ionic circuitry as Zef was despite being his replacement for the day. He was a licensed drill operator and system control expert. Thus, this might take much longer than he made out.

Eventually, V-Knox 852 followed Jack and Harris into the back of the buggy and, after a moment, the vehicle kicked to a start. It took a little bit longer for them to reach their destination at Azurian Grove, perhaps because a miniature storm was stewing, so driving was to be done with care, but when they did, they followed Jack through the rustling canopies and thick earthen bushes, hoses drawn and pistols at the ready. After what happened yesterday, which still spooked Ava to no end – those poor baby creatures – Jack emphasised the need to be ready to stave off any potential threats in the vicinity. The danger level of this area, while still uncertain, wasn’t something they could take lightly. Not anymore.

And up the hill they went, plodding carefully. Although Ava didn’t have as much weight to carry this time around, the grass had muddy pits that, if not for her grabbing on to various branches and boughs, would have made her slip and fall back. Along the way, Ava noticed a large bough that looked as if it had been cut off – or more specifically, burned off. Of course, this was the bough that Zef had aimed for, and successfully shot, which caused it to slip down the hill and get caught in a blanket of dark-purple shrubbery. Why was it that he decided to fire the weapon so close to her? Did he even see her? Surely, he must have. They had all been trained on firearm usage on the SS Constellation. Zef would have had even more experience than the rest of them. He should have known better than to point a weapon in the general direction of another member of his crew, never mind inches from her head.

Relief swept across her face when they reached the top of the hill. The Eye of Poseidon was much grimmer without the glow of the blue sun shining through it. The team took a bit of time to catch their breaths.

The T.I.B.17 was still there, lifeless as always despite its enormity. This is where it happened. The misfire. There was that sense of guilt again, returning like a cough you couldn’t quite get rid of. She shot fresh water into her mouth, hoping to calm herself. A hand patted her shoulder. She didn’t even have to hear the voice to realise it was Tyrone.

“Better this time?” he said.

She let out a long breath. I guess we’re about to find out. She was curious about what they would find at the bottom of the cave. Likewise she was curious about this supposed tunnel that ran beneath Azurian Grove into the bottom of the cave. Where would it lead? If there was something larger down there, what could that purple glow possibly be?

She stood up straight, feeling a new sense of determination. She had a sneaking suspicion that it had something to do with the mother leading her children into danger. No matter what, she would find out.

Maybe then she might come one step closer to finding out what happened to her father.