“And my recordings of the icerug music sound like I had only the bass response control turned up,” remarked David.
“The ice core sample variations were in a narrow range, too. Indicating a very stable climate,” said Sam. “Highly important to the creatures who live here, but peculiarly uninteresting.”
“It really is an alien world,” said Shirley carefully, with a glance at Deirdre. “Stranger than anything I ever dreamt of. But I’m glad I had the chance to see it.”
Deirdre’s green eyes lifted, and she stared long into Shirley’s. Then she nodded. “Forever grateful I’ll be, to have walked on that surface,” she said, the soft lilt making the words almost a song. “Time out of mind I’ll not forget that dark beauty, changing and terrible. And the creatures, of that world, and right for it. I was there, and the memories of it will travel with me for all the rest of my days.”
Jinjur’s strong voice, coming in over their imps from Prometheus high above them in the sky, broke the long silence which followed. “Memories are fine, but what I need are written reports. The Phase III reports on this portion of the mission are due for transmission back to Earth in one month. Do you have your first drafts done yet?”
* * *
Ocean Under the Ice Page 35
