“Look.” Kalish pointed toward the sides. “That doesn’t look natural, does it? Maybe this area was carved out by human hand. Or alien hand.”
Sedge grunted noncommittally. The miners could have explored back here at one point, too, found ore, and excavated it back when the pump had been operating.
A beep came from the panel.
“Sensors are getting readings again, for a little ways at least,” Kalish said. “There’s an opening up ahead. A big one.” She squirmed in her chair.
For her sake, Sedge hoped they found what she had been hunting for all this time.
“Is it underwater?” Striker asked. “Because I’m not a good swimmer.”
“I thought you were good at all sports, Chief of Boom,” Tick said. “I’m certain I’ve heard you mention that.”
“Swimming’s not a sport. It’s a torment to your ear canals, nose, and other holes where water isn’t supposed to go.”
“So you’re a sinker, eh?”
“It’s not my fault. Look at all this muscle.” Striker thumped his fist against his chest. “It’s iron hard. Iron doesn’t float.”
“And here I would have thought all that hot air in your lungs would keep you up.”
“Looks like the water ends,” Kalish said over the men’s ribbing. “We’ll have to wait until we break above the surface to measure the content of the air inside. And to see if there’s anything in the cavern.”
All eyes were locked to the view screen as the ship ascended, nothing except for its lights illuminating the darkness around them. Sedge had thought they might come up outside of the cavern complex, in some lake under the stars, but given the lack of moisture they had encountered on the planet, that was probably unlikely.
His ears plugged up as they rose, and he was in the process of yawning and trying to pop them when the ship broke the surface. Tia turned off the thrusters, and they bobbed in the water, waves rippling outward. Rivulets streamed down the front of the craft, and fog obscured the view beyond it.
“We’re in a big lake,” Kalish said, her eyes toward the sensors. “And there’s an island in the middle. Looks flat. I think you can land on it, Tia.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Anything on the island?” their mother asked.
“Yes,” Kalish said. “Some large buildings. They’re similar in shape to those from the refinery, but they’re larger. Maybe like hangars.” She turned in her seat, meeting Sedge’s eyes.
He nodded back. They could not see anything visually yet, but he hoped this was it, that their guesses would prove worth it.
“The ceiling is high,” Tia said. “I’m taking us up and over.”
Sedge leaned over Kalish’s shoulder, so he could see the sensors, trying to get more of a feel for the space around them. She caught his hand and squeezed it.
“This is it,” she whispered.
He squeezed her hand back, hoping the senior Ms. Blackwell was too busy watching the view screen to notice or comment.
Water sloughed from the ship as Tia lifted them out of the water.
“Commander Thatcher,” Tick said, trying his comm again. “This is Sergeant Tick, do you read me?”
“The sensors don’t show anything beyond this chamber,” Sedge said. “I can see the mouth of the tunnel we exited, but that’s it.”
“So we think the aliens deliberately put something in the rock all around this place to keep others from finding it?” Tick asked.
“It’s possible.”
“How would they have communicated with each other then?” Tick asked.
“Maybe they didn’t,” Sedge said. “Maybe their people were isolated when they worked here. Or maybe the entire place was automated with robots doing the work.”
Striker grunted. “Not more of those black robots that hurl lightning bolts, I hope.”
Sedge’s shoulder twitched at the memory. He hoped they would not find any more of those either, though he admitted that a shipyard would likely have just as much security as a refinery. They would have to be careful. At least he did not see any cliffs that he could fall from in here.
The island came into view, the Divining Rod’s lights skimming across the relatively flat land mass. It was at least a mile wide, with several buildings in sight. As Kalish had guessed, they were large enough to be hangars. Anticipation fluttered in Sedge’s stomach. Even if this was not his quest, he could not help but be excited at the prospect of finding alien spaceships, especially when so little evidence of them had been discovered in the centuries humans had inhabited the system. What if they found an intact craft? They could be written into history for such a discovery. Of course, at the moment, they were likely to be written into it as criminals, rather than intrepid explorers. Neither that thought, nor the knowledge that Fleet ships waited in orbit, could completely squash his eagerness, and he searched the shadows for clues while Tia brought them in for a landing.
“That building got squished,” Striker said, pointing to the closest one. Massive rocks had fallen from the ceiling far above, breaking through the roof.
“You get to explore that one,” Tick said.
“The others appear to be in fairly good condition,” Kalish said, “at least from the outside. The air outside is... surprisingly breathable. I don’t see another way out, but maybe there are some of those strange plants that don’t need sun out there, filtering the air.”
“Plants.” Sedge grimaced. He far preferred mechanical air purifiers.
“Can you tell if there’s anything in the buildings?” Tick asked.
“No, they’re a blur to the sensors. Protected by whatever protects the tunnels.”
“How about killer robots?” Striker asked. “Can you detect any of them?”
“Not yet.”
“Got your grenades ready?” Tick asked.
Striker patted his bandolier. “Always.”
Sedge looked toward the darkness overhead, though the ceiling was too far up and too shadowed to see. If a rockfall had happened once over the years, they should not be tempting another one by flinging explosives around.
Kalish tapped her foot on the deck. “There’s a good spot, Tia. On that beach. Take us down.”
“Yes, yes, I’m working on it, Ms. Impatient.”
By the time the ship landed, Kalish had grabbed her weapons and a pack of gear and stood by the exit hatch, bouncing from foot to foot. Sedge joined her, giving her a simple nod rather than sharing his doubts that they would run into trouble out there. If not robots or hungry flying creatures, then something else. Even if they found exactly what she hoped to find, how would they get an intact ship out of here? The Divining Rod probably had a tractor beam, but hadn’t she hired Mandrake Company to come along so the shuttles could help haul out a ship? And even if they found something small enough to tow, how would they pull it through that tunnel?
“You look worried.” Kalish grabbed his hand again.
“Just contemplative,” Sedge said. And worried. But he accepted the handhold and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. “I hope we find everything you want and it’s enough to get your father back.”
The clangs of hatches shutting came from the corridor, as well as people talking as they donned gear, so he didn’t let his lips linger on her cheek. But worries or not, he appreciated her closeness and that she kept choosing to hold his hand rather than her sister’s or mother’s. He smiled, his cheeks warming slightly, as he remembered what she had done with that hand the night before.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her eyes bright. Apparently not feeling as restrained by the noises in the corridor, she lifted both hands to his cheeks and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the lips.
Before he could truly enjoy the moment, footsteps sounded in the cargo hold. Sedge stepped back, wanting to avoid more frosty stares from her mother, but Tick was the first one out. He strolled over, and Sedge thought he might pretend not to have seen anything, but he smirked and elbowed Sedge in t
he ribs.
Striker walked out next, followed by the mother. She had added some grenades to her regular armament as well, and Sedge was not certain who carried more weapons. As they came to a stop by the hatch, Striker gave her a speculative look. Whether that was a this-older-woman-is-sexy-and-I-wouldn’t-mind-getting-some-of-that look or an I-like-a-woman-with-such-big-weapons look, Sedge was not sure. He doubted there was much of a difference in Striker’s mind.
“Air still looks good,” Tia called back, “and nothing’s moving out there, robotic or otherwise. You’re free to go.” The hatch popped open, the landing ramp unfurling. “Bring me back a souvenir.”
* * *
Kalish barely kept herself from sprinting up the rocky island to the first of the hangars. Only the memory of those robots kept her walking calmly, scanning their surroundings. Striker and Tick had taken the lead, with Sedge at her side, and her mother trailing behind, just as alert as the men. Even though Kalish had always known Mom was tough and had been a soldier, she had been working in an office since Kalish had been born, so it was strange seeing her stalking along with a rifle in her arms like a Fleet scout. Strange, but comforting. Kalish was glad she was along, even if she did keep giving Sedge icy stares.
“Did you bring your laser cutter along?” Tick asked as they approached the massive doors to the first hangar.
The size of those doors and of the buildings in general made Kalish want to jump with excitement. What else could these be except facilities for constructing ships?
“A couple of them,” Kalish said.
She hunted for signs or controls on either side of the entrance before pulling the laser cutter out. If they found a ship, squeezing it out through a little square cut in the door would not be too feasible. As at the refinery, the dripping of water had left its mark over the centuries. Grime covered the walls, and if runes or the alien equivalent of a doorknob existed, she could not find them.
“Here.” Kalish tossed Striker one of her cutting tools. “I’ll open this one. Why don’t you two check the next one over?”
“I hope that’s not an expensive tool,” Tick said. “He might find a way to blow it up.”
“Cuts, explosions, either will open a door.” Striker jogged to the next hangar.
“Be careful,” Kalish called, but she was already slicing into the door in front of her and imagining what they might find inside.
“What was it that triggered those robots yesterday?” Sedge asked. “They were already attacking you when we came out.”
“I’m guessing it was that creature flying through the roof, or maybe the racket you all were making to attack it.”
“Hm. Let’s try to avoid racket this time.”
“So long as hungry predators don’t jump out at us, I’m game.” Kalish struggled for patience as the laser tool cut an opening. She was tempted to stand back and kick the square open as soon as she had three sides cut, but she made herself finish the task cautiously. Whatever lay inside had waited thousands of years. A few more minutes would not matter.
Sedge crouched next to her, helping her pull out the square. The material was surprisingly thin and light, more like paper than some wedge of metal. Behind them, Mom paced, shining her flashlight into the darkness and watching the ship and the lake.
As soon as the square had been removed, Kalish thrust her own flashlight through the hole. The beam swept into deep shadows, deep empty shadows. She did not spot so much as a forgotten bolt lying on the flat cement-like floor. From the door, she could not see all the way to the far corners, so she stepped inside for a better look. She wouldn’t yet let herself feel disappointed—after all, this was only the first of ten or twelve buildings on the island—but the first trickle of fear crept into her heart, the fear that they would not find anything.
Sedge did not say anything as he followed her inside. They split up and walked the perimeter of the building, probing with their flashlights, searching for nooks that might hide tools or parts that had been left behind. But when they met on the far side, neither had discovered anything.
“Let’s see if the others found anything in their building,” Kalish said, trying to keep the enthusiasm for exploration in her voice. It was too early to think about defeat.
Sedge nodded, but that worry he had been wearing on his face earlier was there again. Contemplation, he had called it. Kalish hadn’t believed him then, and she didn’t now, either.
Striker and Tick had disappeared into their own hole in the next hangar.
“Find anything?” Kalish called in after them, glimpsing the beams from their flashlights swinging around another empty building.
“Not so much as a piece of gum smashed into the floor,” Tick said.
Striker thumped him between the shoulder blades. Tick made a gagging sound, and his gum flew out.
“Now there is,” Striker said.
“You have the maturity of a ferret on amphetamines,” Tick said.
“Just thought you might want to leave your mark.”
By the time the men climbed out empty-handed, Kalish had moved on to the next hangar. It too was empty. The group systematically checked the rest of the buildings on the island. Kalish’s resolve not to give in to disappointment waned with each passing moment. When they rejoined the others, they had made their way back to the hangar with the smashed-in ceiling. It was the last building they had to check.
Kalish stood in front of the door, her laser tool at her side, hesitating before cutting into it. “‘Hope is the only universal liar who never loses his reputation for veracity.’”
“I don’t know the source on that one,” Sedge said.
“No? It’s depressing anyway.” Shaking her head, she aimed the laser at the door.
Sedge rested a hand on her shoulder. “‘Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope.’”
“We’ll see,” she said skeptically, but she did appreciate his desire to comfort her. Having him at her side was heartening, and it was something to which she could easily grow accustomed.
Kalish cut into the door, aware of the men standing silently behind her, of the drips of water in the distance, of the battle that might be going on back in the cavern they had left. Were Thatcher and Val even now risking their lives for what might turn out to be a waste of time and effort? Or had they already been shot down by Fleet pilots? And what of Dad? Was he in a cell on that pirate ship, waiting for a release that could never come?
When the square started to fall inward, Kalish did not bother to stop it. She let it thump to the floor inside. Dust arose along with the scent of mold, the promise that this building had been breached long ago.
Sedge sneezed and turned away.
Kalish peered into the interior, her flashlight playing against hundreds of tons of boulders that had fallen, pounding through the roof. They took up much of the center of the hangar. She did not see a spaceship or anything else crushed beneath them, but she stepped inside anyway, hoping something might be hidden behind them. She walked slowly, not with the excited eagerness of before, probing every divot and crack with her light.
Smaller rocks scattered the floor all around the towering pile in the middle. Shadows on the nearest wall caught her eye. What looked like a giant articulating arm was folded against it. The walls in the other buildings had been empty, so she allowed a hint of hope to stir in her breast again. If the rockfall had happened during the shipyard’s heyday, maybe the aliens hadn’t bothered to come in and pack it up so thoroughly when the time had come to leave.
Sedge had continued when she paused, and he knelt between a couple of head-sized rocks. He picked something up.
“Find something?” Kalish jogged up to join him, though she was disappointed by the smallness of the item he held. It definitely wasn’t a spaceship.
“I believe this might be a trypitarium plug nozzle.” He sounded faintly amused.
Kalish remembered it from the list on the lid, but it did not a
ppear interestingly alien or otherwise impressive, so she couldn’t muster much excitement about it. She pressed onward, though she had already walked far enough around the rubble pile to see that there were not any ships hiding behind it. She found a couple more small objects on the ground, the equivalent of nuts and bolts, and slipped them into a pocket, though she didn’t think they would prove valuable. They certainly would not impress a kidnapping pirate.
“This is about as exciting as listening to Thatcher talk about his models,” Striker announced from the other side of the hangar.
“Can’t argue with you there,” Tick said, “though I’m feeling content so long as we’re not dodging man-hating robots.”
“I wouldn’t mind finding a robot or two. I haven’t blown up anything today.”
“A disappointment, I’m certain.”
Sedge had stopped in front of the wall near a corner, and Kalish walked over on the chance that he might have found a sign or some other clue as to why the aliens had abandoned this facility and where they might have gone. He dusted off the wall with his handkerchief.
“Did you find something in need of sanitizing?” she asked.
He sneezed. “This entire hangar.”
“Oh,” Kalish said, disappointment rearing its head again.
Then Sedge touched something, a faint rune etched in the wall. Light flooded the hangar.
“Control panel, apparently,” he said.
“I can’t believe those still work after all this time.”
“I doubt any kids have been running around, leaving the lights on in the buildings.”
“Is there anything else there?” Kalish stepped closer, squinting at the faded runes. Several more dotted the wall.
Sedge touched another one.
“Flying zero-grav shit,” Striker barked.
“Kalish,” came her mother’s voice, equally alarmed,
Kalish turned and gaped. Dozens of people filled the building, along with countless machines and tools, some on the ground and others floating in the air. They were all working around a sleek, triangular craft that had popped into existence in the middle of the hangar, towering several stories in height. It had formed right around the rock debris.
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