by Merry Farmer
Both women straightened and stared at him.
“In English?” Carrie drawled.
Gil blinked and glanced down, remembering they were there. “Oh.” He shifted his weight and chewed his lip. “Um, I think we have a night and day cycle like Earth does, only longer. But depending on the rate of the moon’s rotation in relation to the length of its orbit around the planet, some days might be brighter than others and some nights might be darker depending on how much light and energy from the planet penetrates the moon’s atmosphere. I won’t know for sure until we’ve made a complete orbit and a few rotations, but I can—”
“Okay, stop,” Carrie interrupted. Gil blinked down at her in surprise. “I don’t really need to know the details, all I need to know is that it’s not time for bed yet.”
“How long do you think it will take to sort it all out?” Grace asked. She wasn’t sure if she should be worried or not. Everything promised to give her something to worry about at this point.
Gil glanced at the sky again and sighed. “It depends on how fast we’re moving in space.” He glanced toward the wreck as Sean walked toward them carrying two canteens, but went on. “There’s a field on the other side of the hill. I need to set up a few things, a really big sundial, and make a lot of observations. It’s gonna take some time.”
Grace shrugged. “Time we’ve got.”
She tried to stand to greet Sean but he waved her to sit down. He handed one canteen to her and the other to Carrie, then sat on Grace’s right side.
“Do whatever you need to do to figure out what we need to know.”
“I think I can tell you one thing at least,” Gil went on, glancing from her to Sean to Carrie and back to her again. His usually slack mouth pulled into a smile. “We’ll have quite a light show at night, what with Chronis’s ring and all. Plus, planets this large tend to have dozens of moons.”
“I can’t wait.”
Grace smiled at him, then took a long drink of water. She meant it too. With all of the worries that loomed, she wasn’t frightened by their strange new home. Not when there were bigger problems to terrify her.
“Alvin will be okay,” Sean admitted after a pause, sending her a sideways glance. “Danny’s giving him stitches. What really happened?”
Grace shrugged. Her shoulder bumped against his. He shifted his arm to brush by her side. If Danny had made the gesture, it would have had her catching her breath. With Sean it set off warning bells. She leaned away.
“Alvin picked up a rock with the intention of throwing it,” she repeated the story. “Kinn is a soldier and he reacted the way soldiers do.”
Carrie snorted on her other side and pulled away from Grace to plop her forehead on her knees.
Grace swallowed and went on. “It was an honest accident.”
“Okay.” Sean nodded.
He patted her leg. His touch sent a spike of warning through her. She inched away, wishing she could switch places with Carrie. There wasn’t time for this.
“We need to be more careful when we explore.” She focused on the tasks ahead of them. “We aren’t the only ones here. And you know how the soldiers can be.”
Sean puffed out a laugh. Even Carrie smiled. Grace took a drink from the canteen then leaned back against the rock.
She had been running late for the meeting. The Argo’s corridors had been crowded with people heading from their living quarters to the communal work areas. She had studied her handheld as she walked, flipping through the presentation materials Beth had sent out the night before with several taps on the screen.
More agricultural reports about how to expand Terra’s arable land to feed the influx of new colonists. They didn’t interest Grace in the least, but she knew she had to focus on every detail if she was going to do her job right. Integration into a new colony was always a challenge, but they were bringing twice as many and more colonists than Terra was expecting. It was a logistical nightmare and classified as enough of an emergency to be her problem.
She pushed ahead, skirt sliding around her calves as she walked. That in itself was enough to cue most of the other pedestrians in the hallway to step aside as she passed. As far as she knew, she was one of the few women granted the privilege of wearing a non-uniform dress on a regular basis. It was a mark of her place in the leadership. It was probably her grandmother’s doing. Grandmother had always scolded when she wore pants and reminded her that a lady—
She turned a corner and nearly plowed headlong into the solid form of a soldier.
“Oh, sorry.” She blushed and covered her inattentiveness by brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. “I should watch where I’m going, I know.”
“This section is off-limits, ma’am.” The stoic soldier ignored her apology.
She frowned and blinked. “I’m sorry? I hadn’t heard anything about it. I have a meeting in room 323.”
“This section is off-limits,” he repeated.
Irritation replaced confusion. Grace shifted her weight and bit her lip. “They usually tell me about these things. Is the section closed for maintenance? Is it something I should know about?”
The soldier broke his steady glare at the opposite wall and glanced to her. “Ma’am, this section is off-limits.” His voice held a thread more compassion.
Grace blew out a breath. “What about my meeting? It’s important.” She stopped just short of saying ‘I’m important,’ blushing for her show of ego.
The soldier shifted, relaxing a fraction before pulling himself up to his full height. “Ma’am, the Sergeant has given us orders to keep all civilians out of this section.”
“Which Sergeant?” she asked and then waved her hand with, “Oh never mind,” when the soldier clenched his jaw tighter. “Thanks.”
She turned away, reaching into her pocket and taking out the slim phone she always carried with her. She hit ‘2’ on the speed-dial.
“Hello?” Danny’s voice answered moments later.
“Have they moved our meeting without telling me?”
“They didn’t tell you?”
“No. Where are you?”
“In the executive sector. We’ve been moved to room 12.”
She sighed. “When did this happen?”
“Just this morning. I know, I was annoyed too.”
She grinned at the frustration in his voice. “Nice of them to let me in on the secret. I’ll be down there in five minutes.”
“Hurry. I’ll save you a seat.”
She ended the call and slid the phone back into her pocket, changing direction and heading to the lifts. A meeting in the executive sector? Maybe this Sergeant was doing them a favor.
Grace rested as long as she could without feeling guilty. As soon as Carrie and Sean stopped watching her, she got up and headed for the wreck.
The sun was just visible through the tops of the trees. It had dipped lower toward the horizon with eerie patience. Evening had to be near. The light was taking on an orange glow and Chronis’s rings stood out more sharply in amazing shades of orange and coral. She wanted to climb to the top of the hill and watch the new sunset in all its glory. But if night was coming, they had other problems on their hands.
“Has anyone thought about dinner?” she asked Stacey as she approached the collection of crates that had been taken out of the wreck.
Stacey straightened as she sorted through an open crate beside the wreck.
“Ration packs for everyone.” She smirked and tossed Grace one of the small silver-wrapped packs that contained the concentrated nutrition bars they had all been living on for the past six months.
Grace caught the pack and held it gingerly. “We have to do better than this.”
“Eventually, yeah.” Stacey leaned against a stack of crates as if it were the screen door of her back porch. She didn’t seem to mind being stranded on an unknown moon either. “There’s only one case of those left.”
“Oh good.” Grace grinned.
Her attention shifted
to the three long metal crates the size of picnic tables that had been lined up between the trees beside the wreck. She hadn’t seen them before, which in itself was a curiosity.
“What are those and where did they come from?”
A frown darkened Stacey’s brow for a moment. She straightened and shrugged. “Found ’em stacked against the back of ES5, underneath the standard issue supplies. I thought they were part of the ship’s structure at first. They’re not on the inventory.”
“Not on the inventory?”
Grace stepped to the closest one and ran her hand along its lid. Smooth, dull metal with no markings of any kind.
“What’s inside?”
“No idea.” Stacey shrugged. “They’re locked.”
Grace shifted with unease. “Locked?”
Each crate was as tall as her thighs. They were not the sort of thing that could be easily hidden or that went unnoticed. Yet they had been. Each had a series of large, old fashioned silver locks around the top.
“Why would anyone lock a crate on an emergency ship with archaic locks?”
“Hiding treasure?” Stacey’s humor set Grace at ease. “Sense of fun? I tried to pick the locks with a stick, but they’re charged. Nearly zapped my hand off. You need the right key to interrupt the current or you’ll electrocute yourself. Maybe the keys are in one of the other crates or still in there somewhere.” Stacey jerked her head over her shoulder to the wreck.
“Maybe,” Grace echoed. “Is the ship stable?”
Stacey shrugged. “Stable enough.”
Grace glanced back to the singed metal hull of ES5 with a twinge of bitterness. There was no way she was setting foot in it again. She brushed a stray lock of hair from her face and pushed her anxiety away with it.
“Well, keep the treasure chests safe. And thanks for this.” She gestured with the nutrition bar. “Make sure everyone gets one.”
“Already on it, Boss.” Stacey saluted with a wry grin and strolled back into the wreck.
Grace spared one more puzzled glance at the metal crates before turning to walk up the hill.
Halfway to the crest, Danny and Beth were working together to fashion a small ring of stones. It stood close to one of the huge, spreading trees that radiated thick roots along the ground.
“Fire pit?” she asked, glad to have a reason to put off eating the bland nutrition bar.
Danny lugged a stone into place then straightened, wiped his hands on his pants. “Everybody’s doing it,” he winked, nodding over his shoulder to the hillside. “This one’s for you.”
“You built me a fire pit?”
“Yes, I did.”
“With help,” Beth added. She shook her head, chuckling, and headed down the hill to where Stacey was handing out ration packs.
Grace surveyed the scene. Everyone from ES5 who had gone out adventuring earlier in the day had come back and was now working in groups to build up their make-shift camp. It wasn’t the location she would have chosen to spend the night, but it would do.
Her eyes drifted back to Danny as he shoved another stone into place. A grin tickled her lips. She never would have pegged him as a natural outdoorsman.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” she teased him. “You’re actually happy to be here.”
He met her eyes with a spark that went beyond joy. “Of course I am.”
“I thought you were a scientist, not a colonist.”
“I’m a great many things.” He stood and stepped around the fire pit toward her. “For me?” He made a grab for the nutrition bar.
Grace yanked it out of his reach, laughing. He snatched at it, stepping close to her. Very close. Their eyes met. Heat radiated from his body along with the crisp scent that was uniquely Danny. Her mouth watered, but not for food.
“Why not.” She handed the silver package over, moving away from Danny and the rush that swirled through her. Too much fresh air. “I’ve suddenly lost my appetite for ultra-processed nutritional products.”
“I can’t imagine why.” He let her go without argument.
“Did anyone catch any of those fish in the river?” She pushed base instinct aside.
“Hoping to leech off of someone else’s hard work, are we?” His lips twitched as he peeled open the nutrition bar.
“Don’t be silly.” She grinned. He bit into the bar, eyes never leaving hers. She watched his lips move as he chewed, resisting the urge to lick her own. They would all have to choose a mate eventually.
An anxious ripple passed down her spine. What was she thinking? There was too much to do first.
“Besides,” she went on as if she hadn’t been distracted, “I can think of a lot of things that constitute much harder work than catching a fish.”
“Have you ever gutted a fish?” He arched an eyebrow.
“Have you?” She imitated his look.
“Touché.”
He went on chewing. Danny was harmless, really. He understood her. He had always listened to her ideas and supported them. He was exactly the kind of ally she wanted in a virgin landscape. She stepped closer to him, sliding a friendly arm around his waist and resting her chin on his shoulder. Danny’s free arm was warm and comforting as it slipped around her waist.
“Tomorrow, before we set out to make contact with the other survivors, I’m going to teach myself to fish,” she declared, happy with their closeness now that it was on her terms. “Or maybe hunt. Or maybe I’ll go foraging for berries or mushrooms in the forest.”
“Good luck with that.” Danny sent her a lopsided grin. He sounded reluctant, but Grace knew he would come along, as eager as she was. That thought filled her with hope and she breathed in the possibilities.
“We’re all going to have to learn some new skills.” She recalled the posters she hated so much in the executive meeting room on the Argo. Food, clothing, shelter. “Can you imagine what we’ll all look like after ten years of hunting and fishing and berry-gathering? We’ll be living in caves and wearing furs.”
He laughed at the notion and turned his face toward hers, his mouth inches from her lips. She didn’t care whether he’d been a part of the Project or not when he looked at her like that, like they’d known each other their whole lives. He made her forget someone had died, someone had been shot, and their lives were in danger. He made her believe love was still a real possibility and not an antiquated dream.
He took a breath and murmured, “Where are you planning to sleep tonight?”
Before Grace could formulate her answer there was a shout of “Hey!” further down the hill.
Grace tensed and straightened as Beth and the others in their area dropped what they were doing to look.
As soon as she saw the group of olive-drab dressed men marching up the hill with packs on their shoulders Grace remembered Kinn’s promise to bring them supplies. Her mouth dropped open but whatever comment she had been about to make vanished.
“Put the gun down,” Sean shouted from the fire pit he’d been building closer to the wreck. He stretched out his arm to hold off Dave, who had grabbed one of ES5’s few weapons.
Grace let go of Danny and rushed down the hill. Kinn walked at the head of the soldiers. He carried his crossbow in one hand and a large brown bundle over his shoulder. His face was as expressionless as stone.
“What do you want?”
Sean marched to intercept them. Regardless of telling Dave to stand down, he approached as if ready to start a war.
“We brought you supplies.” Kinn’s deep voice rumbled, at home in the thick forest.
Sean reached him and stopped, his fists planted on his hips.
Grace kept herself in check as she neared the confrontation. Danny caught up to her side, then paused as Kinn glanced in his direction. They each narrowed their eyes at the other. Tension frizzled between them.
“I know you,” Kinn said.
“Of course you do.” Danny crossed his arms. “I was the one who pulled out the bolt you stuck in my friend’
s shoulder.”
Danny stared him down with contempt and received the same in return. Grace watched the two of them. It was a good thing they didn’t have to like each other to build a colony together.
“Have you come to merge your people with ours?” she asked, focusing on the matter at hand.
“No,” Kinn said as more people gathered to stare at him and his men. “I said I’d bring supplies. These are for you.”
“We don’t want them,” Sean told him off.
“Sean,” Grace hissed, disappointment rippling through her. To Kinn she said, “Thank you.”
She moved to stand between the two men, sending Sean a scolding look. If he wanted to lead, he had a lot to learn. She extended a hand to Dave, motioning for him to drop his weapon. Dave nodded and lowered the gun.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d be able to find us.” She smiled to change the tone of the meeting as she stepped up to Kinn. She kept her back straight, fighting her nerves to set a good example.
Kinn’s eyes followed her until she stopped in front of him. He assessed her from head to foot with possessive appreciation. “We followed the river to the path your ship made.”
“Good.” She swallowed her fear, focusing on his words and ignoring his eyes. “Stacey and Beth can help sort those supplies, make sure they are distributed.”
She caught Sean’s tense scowl out of the corner of her vision. He flexed his hands into fists. Kinn sized him up with a sneer.
“You can give those things to Stacey and Beth,” she repeated, gesturing to the other women in an effort to subdue whatever fight was about to break out.
Stacey caught on to her tactics right away and came forward. “What did you bring?”
Kinn’s focus shifted away from Sean. He motioned to the men behind him, hardly moving. Each one came forward, handing their wrapped bundles to one of Grace’s people or laying them on the ground where Stacey indicated. They’d brought furs and skins, brown and gray, short haired, and a few crude baskets containing what looked like fruit. Like Indians meeting the Pilgrims.
