by J G Cressey
But in the end, Dr. Ebner had the right of it. This planet was far from tech friendly, and Max had already shown signs that he was malfunctioning. A human soldier losing it on a mission was one thing, but Cal didn’t like to think of the resulting chaos if Max’s AI systems continued to take a turn for the worse.
Having completed a quick sweep of the base, Cal had decided to move everyone up to observation level 3, a circular deck set high above the main dome and consisted of a series of rooms, each connected to the next by a wide corridor. Every room had a large, smart-glass window that faced the outside world. It was unfortunate that none of the smart-glass had remained operational; without it, little could be seen in the darkness of night, but Cal was keen to retain at least some idea of what was happening outside. The choosing of the observation level was also influenced by the fact that it showed far less signs of damage, the lower portion of the base having taken the brunt of whatever chaos had taken place.
Once he’d confirmed that there were no other scavengers milling about, Cal had ordered for Durron, Billy, and Pryce to be tied up and dumped in the corner of the room. Durron was still unconscious from Becker’s beating, and Cal had to wonder whether the man would ever wake again. The other two had come around. The younger one, Billy, had been gagged in order to put an end to his constant jabbering. He seemed to be experiencing quite the nasty come down from whatever drug he’d been indulging. In contrast, the older man, Pryce, remained mostly still and silent, his protruding bug eyes alert but wary.
On the other side of the room, Dr. Campbell, the older of the two female researchers, was examining Poots’ injury. Campbell wasn’t a medical doctor but had assured them that she had plenty of experience in the area. Her young colleague sat close by and stared at nothing in particular. Cal had seen that fixed gaze before; she was badly traumatized, and her mind had shut down to the point that she would barely function. He couldn’t say why, but he had a nasty feeling that the young woman’s trauma had peaked before the scavengers had even arrived.
Cal shifted in his chair and turned his attention back to Dr. Ebner. For the last few minutes, the whole team had listened intently as the man recounted their arrival on the planet.
“There were twenty-eight of us to begin with,” Ebner explained. “Seventeen men and eleven women. All of us capable and dedicated.” The old man stared down at his trembling hands as he talked. He looked as though he’d been dragged to the center of hell and left there for a good while. Private Couter had applied a healing salve to the man’s face as well as the cuts that had been caused by his bound wrists. Despite his trauma and age, however, Ebner was composed enough and seemed to have a good amount of steel in him.
“We first noticed the technical problems only a few hours after touching down,” Ebner continued. “The base had fully unfurled and assembled itself by that point, but we were beginning to experience issues with some of our sensor equipment. Pretty soon, none of it was any good to us. Communications died shortly thereafter, and that’s when we really knew we were in trouble. Eventually, we tried reassembling the base for flight but were far from successful. Some of the technology has proven to be more resilient, but eventually, it all fails. We’re fortunate we have an ample supply of these chemiluminescence glow-tubes to give us light.”
“You believe it’s the moisture on the planet that’s causing these problems?” Cal asked. Earlier, when Ebner had pleaded for Max to be left outside, he’d suggested that the robot activate his water proofing capabilities to help reduce any further malfunctioning. Cal hadn’t hesitated or questioned it and had ordered Max to activate his deep sea settings—the seals within his joints would reduce his movements, but not a drop of water would make it in.
“How the hell can moisture be causing it?” Franco asked. “Our tech’s designed to handle water.”
“It’s not the actual water,” Ebner said. “It’s what’s in the water—strange and minute particles that hold a rather unusual charge. I can’t fully explain the nature of the charge, but it seems detrimental to anything electrical. Once enough of the particles remain in close proximity for long enough, this charge has a neutralizing effect.”
“Well, that’s a damn shame,” Franco said.
“How sure are you of this?” Cal asked.
“I managed to run a few tests before all of my equipment died,” Ebner replied. “But some of my conclusions were simple deductions. There’s moisture throughout the atmosphere, but it’s more concentrated in some areas than others. Did your ship pass through clouds when you entered the atmosphere?”
Cal nodded. “As a matter of fact, it did.”
“As did ours,” Ebner said. “That was the start—the effects on the engines. Communications also died quickly due to much of their workings being located externally. What else have you had problems with?”
“Our shield last night,” Couter answered.
Ebner looked at him. “Was its central hub sat directly on the ground?”
Couter nodded.
“There you go,” Ebner said with a somewhat eccentric sweep of his hand. “It absorbed moisture directly from the ground.”
“And our rifles,” Franco said, “All of our weaponry screwed up after we passed through that damned valley. The vegetation was covered in dew.” He looked at Cal. “He might be right; it may well have been the moisture.”
“The particles within the moisture,” Ebner corrected, his tone a touch impatient and seeming a little affronted that his theory was in question.
“Right, the particles,” Franco said, his expression slowly turning to one of fascination. “So this charge—”
Cal raised his hand. “Hold up a minute, Corporal.” Despite this line of questioning being important, at this moment, Cal had other concerns. “Dr. Ebner, would you be so kind as to tell us what the hell happened here? What happened to the rest of your team? And this base. All the damage.”
Ebner stared at him for a moment then looked back down at his hands. “I’m afraid these strange particles aren’t the only inhospitable element of this planet…not by some margin.”
“You’re referring to the snakes,” Cal said. “We’ve already encountered them.”
“No, I’m afraid you haven’t,” Ebner replied. He turned and nodded toward Poots. “The bite radius on your friend’s leg there tells me that you’ve only encountered the smaller specimens.”
“Oh, you gotta be shitting me.” Franco stood up and moved toward the back of the room, rubbing his face as he went. And he wasn’t the only one to react; curses were mumbled throughout the team.
Cal kept his curses silent, but it wasn’t easy. “How big?”
Ebner looked at him. “Two of them were big and powerful enough to breach the outer hull of this base. And these compounds are built tough, designed for the harshest environments. Up until a week ago, we’d experienced problems every night with some of the much smaller snakes. They would get into the base through the air ducts. Fortunately, they were small enough that we could deal with them. Some of us were injured, but none were killed. We even managed to keep a few specimens trapped and alive for study. Then, we set about patching up the air ducts so even the smallest specimens couldn’t get in. For a time, we were safe. We thought we’d just sit tight and wait for aid.”
“So what changed?” Cal asked.
“The rain came.”
At the back of the room, Franco began to laugh. “Don’t tell me there’s some sort of acid in it too!”
Ebner shook his head. “No, nothing like that. For a time, I managed to study a few of the smaller snakes that we’d captured. We were limited by our lack of functioning equipment, but we did make some discoveries. The snakes are similar in many ways to Earth specimens albeit far more aggressive. They show the typical characteristics of squamates: amniote vertebrates with overlapping scales. They are also ectotherms.”
Couter sat up at that last statement. “They can’t regulate their own body temperature.”
Ebner pointed at
him. “Very good, young man,” he said enthusiastically. “But unlike the species of snakes that we’re familiar with, they need to stay cool rather than warm. That’s why they only emerge from the shade once the suns have set.”
“I was right; I knew it.” Couter looked to Cal. “The shield last night. That’s why they didn’t cross the perimeter even after the shield had deactivated. They were waiting for the ground to cool.”
Ebner nodded. “They’re extremely sensitive to heat. They’ll do near anything to avoid it…unless they’re in a killing frenzy.”
“Anyone keen for a campfire?” Franco suggested.
Ebner shot him a brief smile. “Our thoughts exactly. Unfortunately, we encountered two problems. With the faulty air conditioning and the fact we had to patch up the air ducts, it meant we would smoke ourselves out in no time. But, more problematic than that, the vegetation on this planet really doesn’t like to burn.”
Franco laughed again. “I’m really starting to dislike this rock.”
Cal rubbed the back of his head. For once, he was in total agreement with his corporal. “What about in the base itself? Surely there’s—”
“Everything on this base is purposely designed not to burn, Lieutenant, even down to our clothes. It minimizes risk. We managed to collect some dead branches from the edge of the nearest wooded area that burned sufficiently. Unfortunately, the two members of our team who went collecting the next day never returned. We searched for them of course, but none of us were brave enough to venture too close to the forest.”
“So what happened a week ago?” Cal asked the question even though he had a good idea what the answer was.
“Rain came down for the first time since our arrival, and it came down hard.” The older man shifted uncomfortably in his seat and shot a brief glance at his two colleagues. “Our studies suggested that the smaller the stature of the snake, the less susceptible they are to heat. After the rains, I became certain of the fact. The moisture cooled the ground to the point where larger specimens started to reveal themselves. But it wasn’t until two snakes arrived from the north that the trouble started. They were far larger than the others. We briefly observed them circling the base, but none of us were brave enough to stay by the windows for long. Then, the base began to shudder. At first, we indulged in the hope that a ship had arrived and was landing too close. But of course, it was the snakes. They were incredibly aggressive, far more so than any other species I’ve encountered. I suspect the motivation must be territorial rather than seeking sustenance. Once the outer hull was breached, we didn’t stand a chance. The two snakes that caused the damage were too large to enter the base themselves, but they allowed for all the others to pour in.”
“Too large to enter the base?” Franco repeated. “Bloody damn it to hell.”
Ebner offered the corporal an almost apologetic smile as if all this was somehow his fault; then, he glanced again toward his colleagues. Having finished working on Poots’ injury, Dr. Campbell was now sitting next to her young colleague, a comforting arm laid around her slender shoulders. Still catatonic, the younger woman barely seemed aware of her presence.
Ebner looked back at Cal. “The three of us managed to hide just long enough to survive. The rest of the team all fell victim to the snakes. I have no doubt that if the night had lasted but an hour longer, we too wouldn’t be here to tell the tale. Fortunately, the beasts didn’t seem keen on remaining in the base once daylight approached.”
Christ, all those people, Cal thought soberly. What a horrific way to go. To be hunted down like that with no weapons, no way to defend themselves. He couldn’t imagine the terror they must have felt. If only he and his team had arrived sooner, much sooner. “I’m sorry,” he said sincerely. “That’s a hell of a lot for the three of you to endure.” In any normal situation, he would have attempted to comfort them further, but the harsh fact was their ordeal hadn’t yet resolved itself. “Has it rained since?”
Ebner shook his head. “Not a drop.”
“So you’ve not encountered the larger snakes again?”
“No, certainly none big enough to breach the base. We’ve spent our days trying to patch up the outer hull with weld-glue. It’s a poor substitute for a plasma torch, but it’s all we had.”
“Have you tried—“
“Excuse me, Lieutenant.”
Cal turned to see that Dr. Campbell had stood up.
“You’ve asked many questions,” she said, a stern edge to her voice. “I feel it’s time we were permitted to ask a few.”
Cal raised an eyebrow and nodded. “Of course.”
“Where is your ship?”
“Unfortunately, our ship succumbed to the planet’s environmental issues before we could make it to you. It took us a day and a half to get here on foot. Two of my team remained on the ship and are attempting to rectify the malfunctions.”
“Well, I think we can all agree that their attempts will likely be futile.”
Cal wasn’t keen on the tone the doctor was adopting, but considering what she’d been through, he could understand it. “Nevertheless, they’ll do their absolute best.”
“And assuming their best isn’t good enough,” Campbell said, “where does that leave us? We appreciate you saving us from these thugs, but unless we get off this planet, it will all be for naught.”
Cal glanced at the scavengers. Durron was still unconscious, Billy looked as though he wished he were unconscious, and Pryce’s wary gaze was gradually turning to one of anger.
“My flight officer successfully sent a message to our starship detailing our situation,” Cal explained in an attempt to encourage the woman. “At that point, our communications were still intact. Protocol dictates that a rescue mission will dispatch immediately.”
“And what’s to say their rescue will be any more successful than yours?”
“A second rescue will ensure that at least two ships are sent,” Cal explained. “Considering the location of our starship, they should arrive within the next nine hours. One of the ships will remain out of the planet’s atmosphere whilst the other heads directly for our ship. This base will then be their next port of call, so we need to be ready and waiting.” Cal kept eye contact with Campbell until she acknowledged his words with a small nod. He doubted that the young, catatonic researcher next to her had any awareness of what had been said, but it was important that Ebner and Campbell had confidence in him. If it became necessary, he needed them to trust him enough to do what he said when he said it.
It was a shame, then, that none of what he’d just told them was strictly true. It should have been if that idiot Captain Decker wasn’t the one relied upon for the rescue protocol to be carried out. But who knew what whims the captain might have been inflicted with when the message had gone through? Cal was fairly sure that he would have dispatched at least one ship, but sending two might just have proved too much for the man. When that ship arrived, they couldn’t afford to linger while the atmosphere did its damage. They would have to get on it fast no matter what.
Cal stood up and turned to his team. “There are more discussions to be had, but for now, I want the doors to these corridors sealed shut.” He indicated the wide doors behind him and the others at the far end of the room that led to more viewing rooms. “Leave the entrance to the stairwell open for now.” He turned back to Ebner and Campbell. “I promise you that help is on its way. But until then, we need to make sure we’re prepared for any eventuality. To do that, we’ll have to cooperate and work together, agreed?”
“Agreed,” Ebner said without hesitation.
Campbell nodded. “I’ll be holding you to that promise, Lieutenant.”
“They’re en route as we speak,” Cal replied, wishing to God that he felt as confident as he sounded.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Cal stood at the viewing panel and stared out at the night sky. Capsun 23’s moons were small and distant but still offered some illumination. The landscape that he could discer
n appeared placid and entirely non-threatening, but Cal had learned that lesson. Occasionally, clouds would pass by, but he tried not to be overly worried; Ebner had assured him that they developed every night, and only once had they produced rain. From time to time, a snake could be spotted, ghostly pale in the moonlight, seeming to swim through the darkness. None of the snakes appeared particularly large, but then, he was a good sixty feet up.
Turning from the viewing panel, Cal approached the room’s central table. “What’s the detonation count on these?” he asked Ebner as he picked up one of his homemade chem-bombs. They had nine of the bombs in total, all laid out before them, as well as the three scavenger bolt rifles and one pistol, none of which depended on vulnerable, electrical tech for their operation.
“Quite long, I’m afraid,” Ebner replied. “Crafting homemade explosives isn’t exactly my area of expertise. And I was under a fair amount of pressure when making most of them,” he said, shooting a glance toward the scavengers. Durron had finally regained consciousness and, despite his swollen, bruised face, his expression of seething hatred couldn’t be mistaken.
Ebner looked back to Cal. “Once the pin is pulled, the chemicals will mix, and you’ll have fifty-five seconds before it detonates.”
Cal sucked on his teeth. That was quite a bit longer than he’d hoped; it wasn’t easy to judge where to throw an explosive with that much detonation time. “How sure are you of that timing?”
“Extremely,” Ebner replied without hesitation. “I’ve been precise with the chemical quantities.” He nodded with certainty and repeated, “Fifty-five seconds.”
Cal was encouraged by the man’s confidence, but he still felt troubled by the long detonation time. He weighed the little explosive in his hand and studied it closely.
Seemingly offended by the look on Cal’s face, Ebner continued, “Also, be assured that until the pin is pulled, there’s absolutely no chance of accidental detonation. These glass containers are as tough as they come.” The old man took the bomb from his hand and gave it a good shake. Cal could see the bright liquids sloshing about within their separate compartments. If he hadn’t been told otherwise, he would have thought it nothing more than an elaborate Christmas decoration. Ebner then struck it hard against the edge of the table, making Cal take an involuntary step back. “See, solid as a rock.”
