Bleak Page 11

  “I’m sorry, that was funny.”

  “Yeah, laugh at my mistakes. You’re still not out of the woods.” She checked his IV. “Do you want to rest back now? It’s getting late.”

  “No, I’m good. It feels better to sleep sitting up,” he said. “You know. If you want, we can sleep inside.” He nodded at the cot set up next to his.

  “You can’t sleep in there,” Sandra told him. “The pods are too small. And this is fine.”

  “You don’t want to set up your own tent?”

  “No. And it’s easy to walk out the back of the tent and go inside if I need anything. I’m good in the medical tent. But I’m gonna let you rest. You need to rest. Tomorrow I want to try to get some circulation in your legs.”

  “Planning lots of activities until they get back I see.”

  “Oh, sure, wait until I have you try more solid food. We have a couple days to kill. Now rest.” She stepped back. “I’m going to start a fire.”

  “Sandra.”

  She paused in walking out.

  “Thanks for hanging back. I know you wanted to see this place.”

  “I do, and I will.” She shut off the bright lighting unit, leaving only a dim light on.

  It was chilly again, not as bad as the night before, and taking a page from Rey, Sandra opted for the feel of being home by lighting a fire.

  She wanted a hot dog and wished that was one of the things Curt had stashed in the jibs. Hot dogs were a staple when she and her sister would go camping. On Earth, the fire wasn’t just for food and heat, it was a sense of lighting, but on Noah, the sky was never dark, not really. The blue moon cast a sort of ‘one shade’ darker twilight feel.

  Poking at the fire, Sandra watched the flames and her mind raced with thoughts. She tried to find one to grasp onto, something she could focus on and slip into a daydream. She thought of her sister with fondness and longing. Ben was so lucky to be alive, how she wished she was envious of the others, but she wasn’t. What was out in the new world was unknown. She’d have her chance once they returned and safely scouted the area. Although, she had quickly learned the planet wasn’t predictable. There was no giant wave on the second day, but she could hear the waves and ocean constantly.

  That … was a monster.

  If they colonized the planet she couldn’t see people ever enjoying the ocean again.

  She wasn’t out there long, but long enough to know that Ben was probably sleeping. Sandra wasn’t tired. Maybe she’d go in the ship and do some reading. Even though the fire was built away from the trees, she needed to snuff it.

  She stood, readied her foot to start kicking dirt into the flames and stopped.

  Something was different, it felt different.

  What was it?

  The fire stopped flickering and for a brief second it didn’t move. The temperature dropped and then with a change in the wind, the fire moved in one direction. But it wasn’t being blown, it was being pulled. Sandra couldn’t feel a breeze at all. The air was dead.

  In fact, Sandra couldn’t hear the ocean at all. From the relaxing sound of rolling waves to silence, then a steady high pitch, whistling wind.

  A sound that was constant.

  The fire snuffed out.

  She could hear the wind but couldn’t feel it. Suddenly she heard a crackling of branches.

  Snap-snap-snap-snap.

  While she didn’t need the light of the lantern, she lifted it and pulled out her pistol. Ben was vulnerable, an animal could be deadly to him.

  Cautiously she walked toward the sound that came from deep within the woods. She wasn’t going to venture too far in. She didn’t need to.

  About twenty feet into the wooded area, the brightness of the blue moon dimmed a bit, as if the sky suddenly grew overcast. Believing it was a storm rolling in, Sandra peered up to the sky. She saw what looked like a white cloud covering. As her eyes shifted downward she spotted it rolling in the distance through the trees. The white mist was illuminated by the moons. It looked as if it extended from the ground to the tree tops, thick and swirling, moving in a menacing slow way.

  What she first thought was a bizarre fog was something different. It was more than a fog. It didn’t pass through the trees, it hit them with such a cold blast, that the branches stopped instantly.

  Blurting out, “Shit” and facing the reality that whatever it was, was rolling her way, she spun on her heels, dropped the lantern, and raced back to the Omni.

  Sandra didn’t waste any time. She ran into the med tent, kicked off the breaks on the cot, and tossed the IV onto Ben’s body.

  He grunted in pain, waking up. “What’s going on?”

  Sandra didn’t answer. She grabbed the end of the cot, spun it around and without stopping, charged through the rear of the tent and straight up the ramp into the back of the Omni.

  Once she had the cot inside, she released it and ran to the ramp.

  She slammed her hand into the ‘close’ lever. “Come on, come on, come on,” she beckoned the slow closing ramp.

  “What is it? What’s happening?” Ben asked.

  “Some sort of freak ice front. It’s freezing everything in its path and we’re in its way.” Confident the ramp was closing, she rushed by him toward the front of the ship.

  “Oh my God. You have to retract the solar panels,” Ben told her, as he slid from the cot holding his side.

  “I know. Stay put.”

  “You need me there?”

  “I don’t know if we have time.” Sandra raced into the pilot’s seat. Her eyes shifted about, trying to find the right controls.

  “Start the engines,” Ben instructed. “You can’t retract the panels without them or without going outside to do it manually.”

  Her hand moved from the solar panel controls to the engines and she began flipping switches. “Please let us have enough power.”

  “We do.” Ben arrived on the flight deck.

  “Ben, what are you doing?”

  “Helping,” he said with a struggling voice and sat down, wincing in pain. “Retract the panels.”

  “Retracting.”

  “We have to initiate the secondary thermal protection system and the micrometeoroid shields.”

  “Shouldn’t we be fine with the internal TPS?”

  “Doesn’t hurt to be sure.”

  “Where are the …?” Her eyes widened when the windows began to ice over. “Oh God, the windows.”

  “Initiate.” Ben stumbled over and maneuvered the controls. In seconds the window shields came down. He leaned against the chair holding onto his side.

  Sandra sat back.

  “Interior temp is dropping fast,” Ben said. “Sixty, fifty …”

  “It’s not working.

  “Forty-two. Holding steady at forty-two and … no, dropping again. Slower though.”

  She saw the reading as it neared freezing and Sandra lifted her eyes to the ceiling as the Omni vibrated and series of small snappings rang out. She rubbed her arms from the cold. “The ship isn’t going to make it, is it?”

  “She’ll hold.” Ben sat in the chair next to her. “I hope.”

  NINETEEN

  Finch called it, “Sort of odd.” While Curt claimed calling it the thrust fault was, “Borderline obscene.” They bickered some over why it was important to even worry about it, when Rey brought up a point.

  “Why is it dumb or odd?” she asked. “Would you want future generations to call it ‘Thrust Fault Path’? Plus isn’t it our jobs as the Adam and Eves to name things?”

  “Only if the original inhabitants hadn’t already,” Nate said.

  “Yeah, buddy,” Curt said. “And we’re just gonna be able to read their language.”

  Nate grumbled a bit over the comment. Finch essentially ended the entire argument by saying for conversation’s sake, they call that southward fault ‘Mount Ararat Road.’ Noah’s Ark supposedly landed in the mountains of Ararat and they landed on the fault.

  Settled.
>
  They were fortunate enough to have made it back to Mount Ararat Road after their deviation. Nate knew they all labeled him immature, but he was serious. They should have never veered off and those apologies he insisted on were warranted. Especially because of Nate’s keen sense and knowledge of topography, they were able to find suitable shelter for the night, located a few miles from where they would go west.

  Nate suspected all along that was where they’d camp for the night.

  He had previously scouted a place to stop. The geography of the area appeared different to Nate than when he viewed it and enlarged pictures. It was unlike anything he’d seen on Earth. He had to rely on his Earth knowledge and the studying of other planets in order to make an educated guess. The pixilation upon enlarging inhibited a perfect view, but it was close to being clear. It appeared to be a small rocky area, covered with minimal trees and a strange foliage. An area a quarter mile inland from Mount Ararat. They parked the buggy off the path with forty minutes of power remaining, ejected the solar cells and covered the rest of the vehicle, to protect it from any elements.

  It was a good thing, too.

  It started to rain.

  It could have been considered a cavern, but Nate likened it to a sea cave, because he believed at one time that’s exactly what it was. He expected when he took soil samples to get evidence of such.

  The half-moon opening led to a short slope which widened at the bottom.

  Nate took a break from his work and stood against the opening, radio in his hand while his arms were crossed. He kept pressing the radio, checking for a signal or a voice.

  “Any luck?” Rey approached him.

  “No, I didn’t think we would. Not here,” Nate said. “Doesn’t hurt to try. But if Finch can’t get through with the one he has, this … walkie talkie won’t work.”

  “Do you think they’re okay?”

  “Yeah. It’s just a lack of signal.”

  “So … tell me again why we ejected the solar panels in the middle of the night?”

  “The sun on this planet beats down early,” Nate replied. “We have enough power to drive and charge.”

  “Isn’t that counterproductive?”

  “No, not really.”

  “How’s it feel to be right?” she asked.

  “About all this?” He winked. “Pretty good.”

  “It’s a great stopping place.”

  Curt approached and gave a gentle congratulatory tap to Nate’s back. “Yeah, it is. Way to go. Seriously, thank you. We could be out in this.” He motioned his hand outward toward the rain. “We’re still on a portion you think was underwater, right?”

  “I do.” Nate nodded. “That’s what I’m testing the soil for.”

  “How does something like that happen?” Rey asked. “You said it happened fast, too.”

  “Hopefully, we’ll figure it out. I mean, if we find traces of civilization, they had to see it coming. Maybe that holds the answer,” Nate replied.

  “Why don’t we discuss this over dinner,” Curt said. “It’s done. I have some questions.”

  Finch could see the three of them walking from the entrance of the cave. Like some sort of papa bear, he had set up the short folding stools for the meal. The cave seemed to scream for the ambiance of a fire, but he wasn’t certain of the ventilation and so he settled for what was called the bright box. A square unit that luminated on all four sides and heated on top.

  He warmed a stew for everyone and the premade coffee. Those two things along with crackers and astronaut brownies were a good enough meal.

  “Anyone need water?” Finch asked.

  “Think we have enough outside,” Curt replied. “Did you get any?” he asked of Nate.

  “To sample? Yes,” Nate replied.

  “Good, because that rain along with the ocean from hell seems to be the only water we’ve seen,” Curt said.

  “I believe, if we stay the course, we’ll find water tomorrow. It looks like it on the imagery.”

  Rey sat on the little stool, her plate balancing on her knees. She lifted her coffee cup. “Where there’s water, there’s life.”

  “Can you imagine the life, if there is any, in that ocean?” Curt asked. “I imagine something massive, prehistoric and monstrous.”

  Nate nodded. “Yeah, my childhood obsession with Godzilla surfaced a little yesterday.”

  “Whatever happened on this planet must have been some major event,” Curt said.

  “I concur,” Nate replied. “Enough to cause a massive extinction.”

  “That we know of,” added Rey. “I mean there’s not been a single extinction event on Earth that wiped out a hundred percent of life.”

  “So where is the life?” Curt asked. “I haven’t seen anything alive here. No animals, I would think something would appear.”

  “I have a theory on that,” Finch said. “Animals have an amazing sense of survival. They aren’t here because this is a dangerous area. They know it. We happened to land in a bad spot.”

  “Ya think?” Curt joked.

  Finch smiled. “Plus, we don’t know what is further inland and we may never know. This is a big area and we are time limited. Imagine if visitors from another planet landed in northern Canada or even Alaska. They could wander around for days and never see a soul.”

  “They would see lights from space,” Nate said. “But then again, if there is intelligent life here, they may not have lights.”

  “I know it’s only been two days,” Curt said. “Have you determined anything about this place?”

  “It’s not a twenty-four-hour day,” Nate replied. “More like twenty-three. We’ve traveled, what, two hundred miles south and already the weather is different, warmer. While the planet is stable, it’s certainly proving to be unpredictable. It would take months and years to be able to figure it out to some degree. I’m actually really envious of our terraformers and colonists that will come here in fifty years.”

  “Why is that?” Finch asked.

  “I mean, think about it. We may be like Christopher Columbus, but we will not get to make this planet home. Learn it, love it, name everything from mountains to rivers, towns and cities. Just …” Nate scraped his fork through his food. “To be honest, if they would let me I would stay. I’d take the jibs and do what I could, get things started. Those who arrive later would have that information. I’d do another time capsule.” He softly chuckled. “I’m good at those.”

  “Why?” Rey asked. “Why would you want to stay here … alone?”

  Nate forced a sad smile. “Because I have absolutely nothing left for me at home.”

  Finch felt for him, he really did. He knew Nate only from working with him, but he knew enough to know Nate just stopped living outside of work when he lost his family. While others on the crew had little to no family, they had lives outside of work … friends.

  Nate never mentioned a single friend. He wrapped himself in The Noah Project.

  Finch cleared his throat. “I say this sincerely, Earth needs you. You are one of the greatest minds in this field. If not the greatest. However, your focus is saving the future of mankind. You could do that here. Ensure man’s survival. If when we leave, you truly believe you want to finish your work here … I’ll respect that, the jibs have everything to start here. You wanna stay, you can stay.”

  “What?” Curt blasted. “Are you nuts? You can’t leave a man behind!”

  “I think that choice should be left to anyone on the team,” Finch said. “I don’t want to leave him behind. But isn’t our job, isn’t this mission to find out if this world will work for future generations? As long as we bring back the answer, what does it matter if he’s Robinson Crusoe?”

  “You’re insane,” Curt said.

  “Probably.” Finch smiled. He couldn’t believe he’d actually made that suggestion to Nate, it came out of his mouth before he even gave it a thought. But in hindsight he didn’t regret it.

  The conversation stayed serious
only briefly then it lifted in mood. Joking around about who would stay behind, and Curt claiming he didn’t bring enough booze for that.

  Eventually, it calmed and everyone settled for the night. Nate continued working. As captain, Finch didn’t feel comfortable with him moving about the cave. He couldn’t fall asleep until he knew Nate was safe. He waited, listening for him, while reading by the light of the bright box. As the hours rolled by and the pages kept turning on his book, Finch grew tired.

  He decided to check on Nate and request he rejoin camp for the night.

  He grabbed the lantern, stepped over a sleeping Curt and followed the dim light that came from a branch of the cave.

  Walking toward the light, Finch heard a scarping sound. It stopped and he heard whispering.

  “Nate?” he called out softly.

  “Yeah?” came his muffled answer.

  Finch walked closer. Nate was on the ground, a tiny pick and lantern by him and a pen light in his mouth. “Who are you talking to?”

  He took the pen from his mouth. “Myself. Sorry.”

  It was then, Finch noticed Nate’s fingers were rolled to his palm as if holding an item. “Did you find something?”

  “Actually, I did.” He lifted it. It was circular and about two inches in diameter. “I don’t know what it is. It’s pretty encased in rock. I can’t really … see. It’s coming up metal, see.” Nate lifted a phone size instrument and held it over the object. The instrument beeped. “That’s how I found it.”

  “Metal? For real?”

  “Yeah. I mean, it could be nothing.” He extended it to Finch.

  Finch took it in his hand. It really did feel like a rock upon first touch. Rough and thick all over, until he rolled it between his forefinger and thumb. “I see what you mean. It feels metal. It has an edge.”

  “We have to be careful. We don’t know how old it is. I’ll get a better look in the daylight, but when we get back to the Omni, I can clean it and clear it without damage.”

  “I’m excited.” He handed it back.

  “You sound it. What made you look for me?”

  “Oh, it’s late. Do you feel like wrapping it up for the night? I would just feel much better if we were all together when I went to sleep.”