《Amongst the Stars of Cygnus [Hard Sci-fi Survival]》


 A Cryogenically Changed Life

    Elisa Woodward fought herself through a haze of stars to reach consciousness. She almost wished she hadn''t, as pain shot through her eyes. She tried to call for help, but her mouth was dry and tasted of thick, clotted blood. Faintly she began to become aware of her surroundings, the heavy metallic smell in the air and most noticeably, the droning blare of an alarm. Her blurry vision could do little but discern the recognizable yellow glow of the emergency lighting.


    Someone was talking to her, but she could not make out the words. An auto-injector activated and her thoughts came into focus, as did the stiff pain in her legs.


    "Engineer Woodward, can you hear me now?", a plain but friendly voice asked.


    Elisa opened her mouth once more, but was still unable to speak.


    "Please hold on, I am going to insert a drinking tube in your mouth."


    While Elisa drank, the voice continued.


    "I am sorry to have woken you in this state. We are nearing our destination and I require your authorization to make a vital decision.


    It is ARI, Elisa thought. Why would ARI need to consult me for any decision?


    "Where¡­ is¡­ the¡­ captain?", Elisa rasped, followed by a choking cough.


    "I am sorry to inform you the captain is deceased," ARI answered in a more serious, but still inappropriately pleasant tone.


    "Who commands?"


    "You are in command. Congratulations on your newly acquired responsibilities! I will address you as ''captain'' from now on," ARI announced.


    "Just third engineer."


    "You are the most senior officer alife, which gives you the authority to command. In addition, it is my pleasure to inform you that the Company has upgraded you to a very generous compensation and benefits package!¡±


    That means I am pretty much the ONLY officer. Elisa attempted to count the amount of casualties required for her to end up in command, but quickly lost track. Rather than enquiring about the body count, she asked ARI how many people were still alive.


    "Good thinking, captain. That is exactly the reason why I woke you!'', the onboard AI answered in an excited tempo, an emotional state which it could imitate convincingly enough. "Even though I already dumped all non-essential mass, after our course corrections and atmospheric braking at the local gas giant, we still lack the required fuel to attain a delta-v that makes the encounter with our destination planet survivable. I have 1262 deceased and another 2140 unrecoverable crewmembers in the aft cryo section which comprises 52% of our current mass. If you give me the authorization to detach the aft cryo section, then we stand a 14.2% chance of landing the remaining 319 crewmembers intact. Which means I will still have a chance to succeed in completing the mission¡­"


    "Why so many dead?"


    "Radioactive decay. Only the crewmembers from the orbitals had a chance at surviving. Those low levels of potassium-40 and nitrogen-14 in the hab environment does wonders in cycling out most of the radioactive isotopes out of your body¡­ Unlike all of the Centauran planetside..." The sentence went unfinished as Elisa mumbled something in protest.


    Natural radioactive decay had never been an issue. And as long as the ship''s radiation shield remained intact, external radiation sources were not much of a threat either. Unless something had gone horribly, horribly wrong.


    "Which destination?"


    "Oh, I am sorry to inform you... When we were en-route to our company-licensed destination in the Gliese 777 system, it decided to share its space-time coordinates with a massive asteroid¡­ Well, actually, that happened before our departure. Information propagating at light speed ensured that we couldn''t observe the event until well after launch. I realized halfway through that we were sent to attempt to settle a planet that now resembled an overcooked souffl¨¦. I had to change course, but since we are in space and we only have so much reaction mass, there wasn''t much I could do. No charted habitable systems in my rather small cone of options. So on I went to the Messier 39 star cluster. Lots of stars equals lots of options. I found a nice habitable-looking planet for us and..."


    Elisa started to become agitated. Under normal circumstances ARI¡¯s rambling was long-winded enough to be a nuisance, but between a throbbing headache and a smothering of bad news it rapidly started to grow insufferable.


    "Messier 39? Where is this?"


    "We have traveled 986 light-years. If we survive the landing, we are adding an order of magnitude to the record for Humanity''s most distant outpost. Think of the publicity bonus the Company will afford us! Then again, the previously known record is now nearly 70.000 years old."


    "So the current year is 80-thousand... what?"


    "Something like that in Earth years, yes. Although our relative velocity isn''t that great, there still is a tiny bit of time dilation to take into account. Better not waste your valuable brain cycles on that. If all goes well, we will be better off with a new calendar for our planet."


    "Tired, I want sleep."


    For the first time, ARI turned serious. "There is still the rather important matter of the aft cryo section. I require authorization from the commanding officer before I can undertake any direct action that negatively affects the well-being of any crewmember, even if they are in an unrecoverable state. After all, humans tend not to appreciate the idea of AIs euthanizing astronauts in their cryopods very much, even if for the greater good of completing the mission directives. Our now very restricted resource pool did not permit me to wake you before this point, so there is not much time to decide. At our present vector, we will arrive at our destination in a little under four days. I will need to commence deceleration soon. There is insufficient fuel to decelerate if we retain the aft section. It is obvious what must be done. Please give me your approval."


    "Anything else to get rid of instead?"


    "I have long ago disposed of all non-essential mass. If I wasn''t so restricted regarding the crewmembers, I would have dumped the dead long ago, but alas, I could not. There is no viable alternative that produces survivable scenarios."


    "Your plan, only 14 percent survivable."


    "That 14.2% figure is for the best case scenario of landing the ship with all remaining crew intact. There are other less desirable, but still survivable outcomes."


    "What will happen to the aft section?"


    "If we eject it now, it will continue on the current trajectory and be captured by the planet''s gravity. Cryopods are very sturdy as they double as escape pod. They will survive a trip down with the drop pods, although there is no chance any of the occupants survive this ordeal. The drogues will be shredded. Perhaps one day you can find and salvage some of the debris, though."


    "No alternatives?"


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    "If there was any survivable alternative, I would already have informed you."


    "Do it," Elisa resigned.


    "Thank you! I knew you were going to be my favorite officer!" ARI exclaimed, its excessively cheerful mood returning abruptly. "Now please, take some well-earned rest."


    Elisa was unsure whether she passed out from exhaustion or ARI¡¯s administered sedative got her first.


    Elisa awoke to the sound of distant rumbling engines and an uncomfortable, but still bearable amount of G-forces. She opened her eyes and found her sight had returned, as had her voice.


    "ARI, report!"


    ¡°You have been out for fourteen hours. I have ejected the aft section and fired the main thrusters. ETA nine days, seven hours and..."


    "I thought you said four days!"


    ARI made a sound that could almost pass for a sigh. "We are decelerating, in case you couldn''t tell," it answered in a slow, belittling tone.


    "Right."


    "You have recovered sufficiently to resume essential duties. Please find your way to the infirmary terminal. I will brief you on our current status and inform you of several time-critical tasks that must be completed before arrival."


    Elisa tried raising her arm to climb out of the alcove, but noticed in horror that her skin was a patching of dark red, deep blue and sickening yellow. "The fuck, ARI?"


    "The side-effects of a few myriad years of radiation exposure. Your cells don''t regenerate while in cryo, so the damage was cumulative. I''ve already fixed your failing organs, replaced your left kidney and stopped the internal bleeding. You are stable and will recover over time. Cosmetics will have to wait, I''m afraid. And you''ll need to take painkillers for a while."


    "Sounds like I woke to another day in paradise..." Elisa sighed, her short stature sliding out of the alcove. She battled the gravity on unsteady legs and dragged herself towards the cushioned seat behind the terminal. As she glanced around the room, she noticed several of the other infirmary alcoves were also occupied and operational, but decided to not enquire about these yet. She found a seatbelt and strapped herself in. "Right ARI, now what''s up?"


    ARI¡¯s perpetually happy avatar appeared on one of the screens. "You have no idea how glad I am to be working with you. Seventy thousand years gets a wee bit lonely, even for a computer, hehe," it began.


    "Get to the point, ARI. Now, what''s our status?" Elisa interjected.


    "Well, to get straight to the point, this is the problem," ARI said plainly, bringing up a schema of their ship, the Dolya, on one of the screens.


    Elisa''s eyes widened in confusion. As third engineer, she was more familiar with the ship than most, but one needed no engineering degree to notice that whatever was being displayed on the ship bore little resemblance to the one that they had originally boarded.


    "Where did¡­ uhh well, pretty much everything go?", Elisa stammered.


    "Just the tyranny of the rocket equation taking bites out of us," ARI started explaining. "Insufficient reaction mass for course corrections and deceleration, so the only way to overcome that is to lose lots of mass. I decided to ditch engine one and three and the associated pylons pretty early on, as well as the entire antenna ring. Most of the payload had to go along the way, but that is not a big issue, since the steady loss of crew resulted in a loss of appetite..."


    Elisa gave a harsh look, and ARI continued.


    "The radiation shield got severely damaged by the constant barrage of impactors, so I ground up the empty fuel tanks and used that material as plaster to keep it all together. Half of the heat radiators had to be discarded, and our heat build-up is a constant problem, but it is manageable for now. In fact, I''ve managed to get a lot of deceleration done by running our water supply past the heatsink and using the steam to generate thrust, and let that carry away the ground-up material of everything else we no longer needed. The forward radiation shield and light sail was ditched pretty late, after the atmospheric braking. The aft radiation shield was ditched yesterday along with the aft cryo sections. All the dead and unrecoverables were moved to the aft section, while the more fortunate ones were moved forward along with some of the drop pods."


    "Please give an overview of the remaining inventory," Elisa asked. ARI brought it up on the second monitor, and Elisa eyed over it. "ARIIIII ... You got to be kidding me. Don''t you fucking tell me you dumped our compact reactor..."


    "It was quite massive and..." ARI started.


    "No it was not, and it is kinda essential to our colony, don''t you think?"


    "...and all the fuel rods have long ago decayed beyond uselessness. Even closed-loop nuclear reactors are not perpetual motion devices." ARI finished.


    "Mining radioactives is doable, but do you have any idea how much plant is required to build a replacement reactor? Heck, how do we even generate sufficient energy to get any kind of plant set up?"


    "You have a compact nuclear reactor in mind when you say that, but there are actually a number of old-fashioned nuclear reactor designs that are incredibly simple to fabricate. But this is pointless discourse. To get back to the matter at hand, in the best case scenario, there will only be 319 colonists, including yourself. Of course we have the DNA database and plenty of genetic diversity, but maintaining any kind of civilization is going to be challenging. Under normal circumstances, I would remain in orbit with the remnants of the Dolya, using the PV arrays and sustain myself for centuries. With the ship in the state it is in, that is not feasible. You will have to bring me and the PV arrays to the surface. Then those can be used to generate energy initially.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t your PV arrays the interstellar type optimized for gamma radiation, and thus fairly useless when we are planetside?¡±


    ¡°Like everything on this ship, I had to recycle and replace them several times over the millennia. The current version is quite amenable to the near visible light spectrum.¡±


    "Then it sounds doable, but it''s certainly not going to be easy. Those PV arrays are only a fraction of the output of our reactor, most of our equipment isn''t designed to run off DC so the first thing we need is a suitable inverter."


    "We have plenty of those onboard the Dolya that we can salvage or modify. One advantage of not requiring to keep the ship operational and in orbit."


    "Speaking of which, how are we going to survive re-entry with this heap of junk? Both radiation shields are gone, and the girder structure is designed for tension, not compression, we have no control surfaces and nothing that generates lift... Wait, how did you even get that atmospheric braking done?"


    "Backwards, with the forward radiation shield and light sail, both destroyed in the process, and the engine pylons retracted and covered by the engine shield ring" ARI replied. "But to answer your question, over the past few weeks I used the material from the engine shield ring, cargo pods and heatsinks to..."


    "You''re saying you''re running the engines without an intact shield ring?", Elisa panicked.


    "Yes, but I built a smaller shield on this crew section, and all the payload close to the engines is long gone."


    Elisa sighed. "And so is the aft section, got you..."


    "In any case, I used the material to build some delta wing segments, which I am going to deploy to the girder after the engines completed their burn. Then I will salvage the things we need from the engines to build a heat shield, after which we will sever the entire front engine section and attach the heat shield up front. Only the maneuvering thrusters remain to control our descent, somewhat."


    ARI was way too optimistic. Elisa rubbed her tired face. "Out of curiosity, how much of our starting mass will actually make it to the surface, if all goes well?"


    "Oh, under 3 percent. But that''s not so odd. Keep in mind that most of it was reaction mass that we were going to expend anyway. But yeah, unfortunately we did lose most of our payload."


    "And most of our people. Do you need my help for these final modifications?", Elisa asked.


    "Not really, I can take care of it," ARI answered. "What I need you to do is study the data I have gathered on our new planet and review the files of the eight crew members I have chosen to assist you."


    Elisa was confused. "Wait, what, only eight out of 318?"


    "Yes, that is the next part of the challenge. I lack the resources and infirmary space to treat everyone''s critical radiation damage. So I have chosen eight crew members that each completed basic medical training and additionally possess the most suitable range of skills to assist you in setting up a base camp. Once resource production is under way, we can start synthesizing the required medicine and begin to awaken the rest of the colonists."


    Elisa didn''t even want to think about this topic anymore, as the near-insurmountable problems just kept piling up and made her head spin. "So, what kind of planet have you found? Please don''t tell me it''s some frozen ball of ice."


    "Haha, no popsicle, no. You''re going to love this. It''s one of the most Earth-like planets I''ve ever seen. Rocky, pretty warm but not unbearable, past geological activity, so it should be pretty easy to find minerals there. Pleasant breathable atmosphere and protective magnetosphere.. Small patches of liquid surface water, and more water expected in aquifers. Quite an active weather system, making wind farms viable. Two moons. Comfy 0.97g."


    That all sounds pretty good, actually, Elisa thought. Better than Gliese 777. Yet the challenge of surviving there with only a handful of people, let alone building up a base camp, seemed all but impossible. Worst of all, she was the one parachuted to be in charge. All failures, and every single death would be her responsibility.


    "Sounds great, ARI. Thanks for looking after us so well. Would you mind if I go nap a bit more? It''s all a bit much to take in."


    "Not at all. Sleep well, captain."

 Landing Preparations

    Since the Dolya was critically low on resources, the crew had decided against enabling life support on the rest of the crew sections. Most had been damaged and scuttled during the voyage. Instead, the infirmary doubled as a makeshift operations room. Six of the nine members were gathered around a small round table, with Elisa strapped in her seat at the main console, flanked by Sigrid R?nningen the biologist and Ervin Sekhon, a religious man that filled the mandatory psychologist role onboard and also possessed useful qualifications in physics.


    ¡°I must say the whole situation just looks bad,¡± Qi Meifen said, looking across the table towards Helena Petrova. Elisa had just finished the brief, while the eight newly awakened crew members listened in resigned silence. Each of them was pockmarked with unsightly burns and bruises, blood-shod eyes and lost their hair. All felt sick to their stomach. As their medical doctors, Mei and Helena had spent the better part of the morning attempting to patch them up, but the assembly still resembled a coven of the undead regardless.


    Mei continued. ¡°We have to rely on a string of good luck to make it to the surface, and we should expect to suffer more casualties in the process. Even if ARI survives the trip intact, maintaining a sustainable civilization will prove to be a challenge. We will have very limited fuel reserves to power our initial industrial base, and will be reliant on solar for the foreseeable future. Everyone will have to work hard and medical personnel will be on double shifts for at least a year as we start reviving people still in cryo. Getting any kind of manufacturing set up is going to be another time-consuming process. So there will be no time for pregnancies and children.¡±


    ¡°Can we not just use some of ARIs machines and drones for the resource-collecting and fabrication?¡±, Pom Mansouri asked. The strong-willed chief vehicle operator¡¯s green eyes still looked hopeful.


    ¡°Well, yes and no,¡± Elisa answered. Most of those systems are designed with the environment of space in mind. They don¡¯t do well planetside, with atmosphere and gravity. We¡¯d have the flyer drones, but the others would require some systems to ambulate, and the ship''s fabricators need refitting. We do however still have most of our specialized colony fabricators. As long as at least one makes it to the surface intact, we will be OK in the short while. Resource collection would at least partially involve manual labor, however.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of resources, the surface analysis probe data came through this morning, and I¡¯ve been going over suitable landing sites with Doctor Otto and ARI¡±, said Maximilian Barinov, the colonel in charge of the security force.


    Like most people, he avoided Otto¡¯s last name, which was R?nningen, just like his niece Sigrid, whom people also tended to address by first name only.


    ¡°The weather conditions are troubling. We detected extensive and frequent storms, with wind speeds in excess of 100 kilometers per hour. In addition, the atmosphere is dry, There are few visible bodies of water. No major rivers or oceans.¡±


    ¡°So it is a barren desert? More like Mars? I thought ARI said it was very Earth-like...¡±, Sigrid said with a disappointed voice.


    Doctor Otto was quick to explain. ¡°It is not like Mars. It has an Earth-like surface temperature, gravity, breathable atmosphere and it possesses a strong magnetic field. Of all earth-sized planets discovered by humans, at least up to the point we are aware, potentially habitable land planets outnumber ocean planets by an order of magnitude. The lack of water vapor in the atmosphere extends the habitable zone of such planets considerably. If our target planet had more surface water, it would have been a very unpleasant greenhouse more closely resembling Venus.¡±


    Maximilian frowned. ¡°Please let us get back to the point.¡± He continued, ¡°I¡¯ll keep it brief. The equatorial zones are unsuitable. The temperature range is too high and these areas suffer most from the storms due to the coriolis effect. The polar areas contain more moisture, but due to the planet¡¯s tilt, there are periods of up to two weeks of total darkness in winter and even longer periods where sunlight is too sparse for our PV arrays to meet our energy needs. So, we went to look for temperate-zone locations with rocky terrain that can shelter us from the storms yet are of low enough elevation that subsurface water is easily accessible. We found various canyons, but then we came across this¡­,¡± he said, while gesturing to an image brought up on one of the few remaining wall-mounted displays.


    On the display was an image of an ancient impact crater over a kilometer across. At its center, the outline of small lakes were unmistakable.


    ¡°So there is open water after all,¡± Mei said.


    ¡°What are these red spots?¡± Kyreth Vashin asked, pointing at the curious round dots that pockmarked the landscape.


    Originally a drone operator for asteroid mining, Kyreth had retrained to become a pilot of various types of aerial vehicles on Proxima. His presence in the room was unplanned; he was second choice after the former, a pilot by the name of Hyakk Petrosian, had perished during the lengthy revival procedure.


    ¡°We are unsure,¡± Maximilian replied. It is hard to make out. It is unlikely to be volcanic material, as that would be covered by sand, even in this sheltered location. There is a good chance that it is vegetation of some kind.¡±


    ¡°That would explain the oxygen¡­¡± Mei said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need vegetation to have large quantities of oxygen in the atmosphere, my dear,¡± Doctor Otto explained in a dry manner. ¡°If the planet had more water in the past, it would have evaporated and the star¡¯s radiation would have broken it down and blown away the hydrogen. The oxygen would remain behind in the atmosphere. That is a one-time thing. There wouldn¡¯t be a self-replenishing oxygen cycle.¡±


    ¡°Which is part of the reason why we brought our own plants,¡± Sigrid added. ¡°For the long term.¡±


    ¡°Right now I am more concerned about the short term,¡± Pom said. ¡°That getting to the surface alive bit would be nice, and then surviving the first week.¡±


    ¡°Of all sites we evaluated, the crater offers the best chance of meeting that second criterion,¡± ARI said. ¡°I¡¯ve made a plan with regards to the landing, if we can call it that. I¡¯ve managed to restore quite a few of our drop pods to a functional state. However, there is insufficient fuel for all of them. Instead, I propose that we even out the fuel, keep the ship together for as long as possible, and use the deltawings to decelerate and level our descent as much as we can. Then at an altitude of twenty kilometers above the surface, we¡¯ll eject, as the atmosphere will become too dense for our makeshift wings to handle. If all goes well, we will have decelerated enough to land more or less safely and only have to expend half the fuel to do so. However, there is a problem¡­¡±


    ARI brought up an overlay centered on the crater that was still on the display. ¡°This is the area in which our drop pods are expected to come down. As you can see, it is over four hundred kilometers across.¡±


    ¡°What does it look like if we have any serious structural failures?¡±, Kyreth asked.


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    ¡°If we have any serious structural failures during our descent, it would look far worse, as we¡¯d seriously undershoot our target area and in the worst case end up on the other side of the planet. Then again everyone likely dies if that were the case. So we can save us some time and not discuss a contingency plan for that scenario.¡±


    Pom groaned, then stretched his sore arms. ¡°Good, I hate long meetings anyway,¡± he replied. ¡°Still, if this is our expected landing zone, we¡¯ll have a lot of trouble getting our stuff together. All the people still stuck in cryo will be spread all over the place, and they won¡¯t be doing any walking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sorting out the logistics of who and what goes in which pod with ARI and Elisa,¡± replied Sigrid. We still got some of the ground vehicles and one functional lifter that can land wherever we want it to go, but no fuel to get it back in the air after it lands.¡±


    ¡°Then that should carry our medical post and most important supplies to the crater,¡± Meifen said. ¡°Our first priority is to revive and patch up additional crew members from the stasis pods, else we¡¯d be desperately short on hands.¡±


    Pom looked up. ¡°We could also make it drop radio beacons, which the rest can use to home in on the site. We won¡¯t have ARI in orbit to help us with navigation, after all.¡±


    Elisa looked tired. ¡°There really are a lot of ¡®first priority¡¯ issues to deal with after we land. Crew recovery, dealing with their medical conditions, gathering our supplies, setting up the PV arrays, securing a water supply, dealing with the storms, but for now we have preparations to make. Colonel Barinov, Mansouri and Reverend Sekhon, you should check the operational status of our vehicles. Doctors Qi, Petrova and Otto, I need you to do the thankless task of performing triage on the crew. The ones easiest to recover will go in our drop pods. Consult ARI and give priority based on relevant skills. I¡¯ll be working on the logistics and drop pod inventory with Sigrid and Vashin. Let¡¯s get at it, we have just a week to go before we arrive at our new home!¡±


    ===


    ¡°Flying turd!¡±, Pom exclaimed.


    ¡°Pardon me?¡±, Ervin Sekhon called back from much further up the ladder. Pom had lagged behind.


    ¡°How much longer is this bitch?¡±


    ¡°We are almost there. Approximately twenty meters from where I am now.¡±


    ¡°Cabins filled with dreck¡­¡±


    Maximilian slapped Pom¡¯s ankle from below. ¡°Shut your mouth and keep going.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say, I¡¯m the only basebag here,¡± Pom cast back, using the derogatory reference to his status as a non-engineered human. While Ervin was at least twice his age and Maximilian over three times so, both were noticeably fitter and had recovered better from their arduous journey in cryo.


    The conveyors had long been removed, leaving the narrow corridor the only way to reach the other bays of the ship. With the engines running to decelerate the ship, anyone wishing to traverse it in forward direction had to use the ladder to painstakingly battle a force stronger than Earth gravity and climb what seemed to be a long upwards shaft.


    The entire structure was originally four kilometers in length, running along most of the length of the ship, but ARI had sealed off and removed most of it over time. Beyond the improvised radiation shield, it would not be possible for humans to survive, and ARI could use the unpressurized external conveyors for moving its drones around, if it had to. The party only had to climb a fraction of the corridor¡¯s total length to reach the vehicle bays.


    They had been shocked by its state. Even materials that would normally be considered impervious to time were now warped or eroded. The ladder and bulkheads had the appearance of a marine shipwreck that had been on the bottom of the ocean for at least a decade. As they climbed, the pockmarked surface of the ladder bit into their hands, despite the safety gloves they were wearing.


    Ervin reached the entrance to the vehicle bay and sighed with relief when ARI opened the door remotely. ¡°Yeah, I fixed that last week,¡± ARI exclaimed proudly.


    ¡°Bless you,¡± Ervin replied, then turned around to hoist the cussing and panting Pom the last steps up the ladder by his shoulders. Maximilian was right behind him.


    The bay was a patchwork. Clearly the whole ensemble had been cut in half and welded shut at some point in the distant past. Some structural components were ancient and well past their serviceable lifespan, while others looked brand new.


    ¡°Oh ho ho!¡± Pom called out in amazement, as ARI turned on the sparse lights of the bay.


    Laid out before them were a series of vehicles that had a brand-new appearance, each lashed securely to flat-racks which were themselves thoroughly attached to the floor.


    ¡°Obviously, I had to recycle all our original vehicles as they were well beyond salvaging. A considerable chunk of a decade¡¯s worth of energy was spent on fabricating these.¡±


    ¡°ARI, this is magnificent¡± Pom said with a smile, as he walked circles around the shining yellow landing vehicle. ARI had even taken the time to paint black racing stripes on it, which gave it a sleek apid-like appearance. ¡°This is the sexiest thing I have seen in seventy thousand years.¡±


    After Pom wandered off to inspect the landing vehicle, Maximilian and Ervin approached a groundcar. Maximilian suggested they talk, and they climbed into the vehicle to test it out. After confirming it was functioning properly, Maximilian shut it off and spoke in hushed tones so that ARI couldn''t overhear them.


    ¡°What do you wish to discuss?¡±, Ervin replied impassively.


    ¡°Our captain,¡± Maximilian answered quietly.


    Ervin kept his voice down and answered in a quick matter-of-fact tone ¡°There is not much to discuss. According to procedure¡­¡±


    ¡°She is 27 years old, her officer training was the quickest and cheapest to pass regulatory standards, and she has no noteworthy enhancements. She was added to the officers roster as an afterthought, because she was small and inexpensive. She came from Earth, with her mother divorcing due to debt and her father prosecuted for fraud¡­¡±


    ¡°Colonel,¡± Ervin cut him off. ¡°I fully understand your concerns. I acknowledge that your experience, training and enhancement would technically make you more qualified for command. I also understand that had the Dolya touched down rather than be in space, it would be you as the ranking ground officer that would have inherited command, rather than the space officers, which makes the situation more frustrating for you. However, we cannot simply abandon procedure when it suits us.¡±


    ¡°I agree with that, your reverence. Yet, there are proper and procedural ways of dealing with situations such as these. Consider: The odds are stacked very heavily against us. There will be life-or-death decisions that have to be made.¡±


    ¡°So far I have not seen our captain make any decision that jeopardized us.¡±


    ¡°She only needs to make one, and we¡¯re all dead...¡±


    Ervin thought carefully, then nodded, although his expression remained indeterminate.


    Maximilian turned quiet as he saw Pom approach. ¡°We¡¯ll talk again later, your reverence,¡± he said with a curt nod.


    ===


    ¡°Elisa¡­ Captain¡­ do you have a moment?¡±, Sigrid asked, while looking up from the cargo manifests displayed on her monitor. ¡°Could you come over and have a look at this?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±, Elisa said cheerfully. Sigrid carried a pleasant personality and melodious voice that had lifted the somber mood. The two had made good progress organizing the remaining inventory and allocating it between the drop pods.


    ¡°We need to fit these two fabricators in somewhere, and they are kind of essential to our colony, but if we take them in our primary drop pods, we¡¯d have to leave out a lot of other things.¡±


    Looking over Sigrid¡¯s shoulder, Elisa noticed a cleverly concealed datapad in the monitor¡¯s recess.


    She read the short message it contained, then quickly deleted it.


    ¡°I think we can make do with just one fabricator in the primary drop pods, and we can leave out the prefab greenhouse,¡± she finally said.


    ¡°Very good Captain,¡± Sigrid replied, removing the datapad and flipping the switch to restore its connectivity. She cast Elisa a meaningful glance after the latter had returned to her seat.


    ¡°Not much we can do about that at this point,¡± Elisa said with a shrug. ¡°We just have to hope for the best.¡±


    But the message had troubled Elisa. Sigrid had calculated the odds of all the officers up the chain of command perishing, and even taking into account the fact that many of them were planet-born and thus affected by the deadly radioactive isotopes they had unwittingly brought along, the numbers did not add up.


    Officers have over triple the mortality rate, be wary of ARI, the message had read.

 Future Equity

    Mei and Helena sat in the medical bay, surrounded by rows of stasis pods. Mei was occupied reviewing the medical records of each colonist, trying to identify any potential issues that could arise during the awakening process. Helena was lost in thought, staring over the medical equipment as it was synthesizing chemicals.


    ¡°Do you ever think about what life will be like on the new planet?¡± Helena asked, breaking the silence.


    Mei paused for a moment, considering the question. ¡°Of course I do,¡± she finally replied. ¡°It¡¯s hard not to. We¡¯re all in this together, trying to survive and build a new home for ourselves.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Helena said, a note of excitement creeping into her voice. ¡°But have you thought about how we¡¯ll structure our society? We have a clean slate, a chance to do things differently.¡±


    Mei nodded, intrigued. ¡°I¡¯ve given it some thought, but I¡¯d love to hear your ideas.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Helena said firmly. ¡°Think of it this way. Most of us came onto this ship as little more than cattle. Expendable labor. But with so few of us left, the tables have turned. Even if we manage to wake up all of these pods, our labor will still be the most in-demand commodity, essential to our survival. We all have something to contribute, whether it¡¯s knowledge, skills, or just a willingness to work hard. We should all have a say in how we live and work.¡±


    Mei nodded again, considering Helena¡¯s words. ¡°I can see that the old company structure may not work in a small community, but what about when we need to make quick decisions in a crisis? Someone has to take charge.¡±


    ¡°Sure, but it doesn¡¯t have to be one person,¡± Helena said. ¡°We can form a council, made up of representatives from each group, not just the officers. They can work together to make decisions and solve problems.¡±


    "Well, even as an officer, I see the merit of having a structure founded on consensus. What do you think, should we bring it up to captain Woodward at some point? She appears pretty approachable¡­"


    "Not yet..." Helena answered. She turned back to the device in front of her. "The synthesis is nearly done. Come take a look at this, will you?"


    Mei came over and looked at the ampules that were nearly full. As she leaned closer, Helena''s voice turned to a whisper, drowned out by the whirring of the equipment.


    "We''re just a small team now, and our immediate survival is the most important. But Mei, think what comes next," she said quietly, her eyes turning towards the rows of cryo pods. "As the medical staff, we have a large say in who wakes first... What if..."


    Mei glared back at Helena. "We need every person we can get! I''m not prepared to play favorites," she whispered.


    Helena nodded in acknowledgement. "What if we start small? What if we focus on awakening the lower-ranked individuals first? Those who may be sympathetic to our cause, who may be willing to help us build a more equitable society. We can do it covertly, without raising suspicion from ARI. And then, once we have a larger group on our side, we can begin to push for change more openly."


    Mei considered Helena''s words, while looking at the rows of pods. Finally, she pulled away. "I think we should be focusing on present matters," she said.


    Helena nodded, but Mei could see a spark of determination in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re right. Survival is our top priority. But we can still plan for the future.¡±


    With that, the two women continued their work, checking and double-checking the medical equipment and supplies, making sure everything was in order before packing everything up neatly and loading it into cargo pods. They knew that the success of the mission depended on their careful preparation, and they were determined to do their best to ensure that everything went smoothly.


    As they worked, they could hear the distant rumble of the ship¡¯s engines, a constant reminder that they were nearing the end of their journey and the challenges that lay ahead.


    ===


    Kyreth had been trying to get some rest, but his brain wouldn''t let him work. He was too busy thinking about the mission ahead and all of its problems that he didn¡¯t notice when Doctor Otto stuck out a hand to reach over his console-like desk in front of the observation window overlooking the stars outside.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Kyreth said without turning around, as his eyes remained fixed on the bright white light of the local star, while one of ARI''s drones floated right next to him like a big metal fish in the water. ¡°How¡¯s the crew looking?¡±


    "Not good," the doctor replied. "We''ll lose a few more in cryo, and even though we will get all the technicians to wake up as early as possible, it''s still not enough."


    "I can tell," Kyreth said with some sadness before continuing on his line of thought: "And what about fuel reserves? Most essential labour requires an energy input. I was reading that the cryo systems will require a good deal more energy once you land. You have any idea if we''ll be able to get everything up and running in time?¡±


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "We''re estimating around seven hundred days until self-sufficiency of basic consumables, energy, and synthesized methane fuel," Otto said with an air of calm confidence he couldn''t quite manage himself, given the dire state their ship was currently at: ¡°And then there are all kinds... things that can happen along the way. So I''m not going to say we''ll have enough energy or fuel in time."


    "I see...," Kyreth said.


    Kyreth was not a man who worried much; his job required him to keep calm under pressure, but still - what if they could not get their industial base up? He could already see it in his mind: the cryo pods all filled with dying people... and then there were no supplies left for them either. Kyreth¡¯s eyes began scanning around as he tried not to think about that too much; however they would soon have a chance at solving this problem, because after two hours of drifting through space without any destination in mind - ARI was now starting the descent preparations.


    The ship¡¯s loudspeaker came online: "Attention All Crew! Six hours until atmospheric entry... Final checklists! Everyone please strap yourselves into your vehicles. We will be going in hard and fast," Pom called out. "If you spot anything wrong, let ARI and me know as soon as possible!"


    "Good luck to you, doctor," Kyreth said with a nod to Otto. "I¡¯ll do my best to ensure the landing is a success. I''ll get going now..."


    "Thank you, and good luck to you too," Otto replied as he went back behind his console-like desk and closed it up while getting ready for their arrival at their destination. "We will be fine!" He called out to Kyreth, before turning off the power to their section, plunging them into darkness.


    ===


    With a hard shock the lander emerged from the breakaway outer shell of the flaming drop pod and was now plowing its own way through the atmosphere.


    "What? Why?" Helena Petrova screamed through her helmet comms over the roaring noise and the sudden shaking of the craft. Initially, she was glad to hear she¡¯d been assigned to the landing craft instead of a basic drop pod, as that would increase her survival chances greatly. Now those odds seemed to be dwindling rapidly.


    ¡°Our descent was too steep! We had to pop out early!¡± Kyreth shouted back.


    The sparse upper atmosphere still allowed Kyreth to gradually begin leveling out.


    "Temperature is too high!" Helena shouted over the noise, which was now compounded by a cacophony of beeping instruments.


    "Thanks for telling me!"


    Kyreth fought against the controls, which were not responding well, as the lander rattled around them. The atmosphere blasted them like a billowing storm and surrounded them in bright light. Helena looked panic struck as the craft was rocked by a denser pocket of air, slamming them hard to the left.


    "I think our wings are taking damage."


    "Yes, I know!"


    "Can''t you do something?"


    "What do you think I''m trying here?? You want to fly?"


    "NO!"


    Kyreth considered attempting to decelerate by steering the craft in a series of wide curves, but decided against it as it would generate additional strain and temperature on the control surfaces. At present speed, all he could do is make small corrections as the irregularities in the atmosphere tipped them.


    "Would be handy to have a new glide path details to the target site. Just in case we don''t explode."


    "Right." Given something to do, Helena snapped out of her terror, regained focus and started looking at the navigation screen, but the heavy shaking made it difficult. ¡°Not getting any heading from the instruments. Either something is fried or all that plasma is causing too much interference.¡±


    "Guess we will have to-" Kyreth groaned, before the craft was rocked violently to the right. Something behind them banged and gave way. With a hissing noise, the cabin started to fill with smoke.


    "Should I go seal that up?" Helena asked, already starting to unbuckle her safety harness.


    "No! Stay in your seat," Kyreth shouted back at Helena. ¡°It¡¯s just one of the pneumatic ducts. Can¡¯t fix that now.¡±


    Another loud bang sounded, and the smoke vanished in an instant, sucked out through a small gap in the hull, which widened as plating curled outwards and were sheared off.


    "See, problem solved!", Kyreth smirked in a normal voice, as the noise levels were suddenly reduced drastically.


    "You¡¯re finding this funny?" Helena snapped back.


    "Not much else I can do..."


    "Thanks anyway," Helena said.


    "For what?"


    "For saving my life. Had I left my seat-"


    Helena was unable to finish her sentence, as they were blasted by another pocket of air, one of the fuel tanks ruptured, and the lander disintegrated in a cloud of fiery debris that would for the most part burn up long before reaching the surface.

 Our New World

    With a hard shock, Elisa¡¯s drop pod slammed into the bedrock. Something gave way, and the pod skidded, then toppled over on its side. The fire alarm went blaring, but Elisa was already out of her harness, grabbed the heavy bag of essentials and leaped out of the hatch before it was fully ajar. One of ARI¡¯s flying drones was right behind her.


    Elisa¡¯s helmet light turned on automatically in the darkness, which was illuminated sparsely by burning patches of rocket fuel over a stretch of at least a hundred meters. The ground clung at her feet as she sunk to her ankles into fine sand littered with smooth, treacherous rocks. She spotted a large round boulder, slung her bag over it and tumbled into a depression at its lee, panting and clouding her helmet visor. ARI landed beside her.


    ¡°We made it,¡± she stammered. ¡°Unbelievable, but we made it, ARI.¡± Her gloved fingers ran through the sand, then began drawing random shapes.


    ¡°Indeed, at least one person made it to the surface alive!¡± ARI exclaimed cheerfully. ¡°Do you know what that means?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±, Elisa said, shaking her head.


    ¡°Since we landed the first humans, this world is now part of the Company portfolio! Even if we all perish, nothing can change that claim! The captain¡¯s share passes to you or your next of kin, of course.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, good luck claiming that,¡± Elisa groaned. ¡°I care more about the fact that we are still alive.¡±


    ¡°I will do my utmost best to keep you that way, commander,¡± ARI said, as on the planet¡¯s surface and without a ship, Elisa was captain no more. ¡°Unfortunately, I must remain realistic and warn you that the situation is dire still. You must get to work, immediately.¡±


    ¡°What about the air? Can you confirm it is breathable,¡± Elisa asked, knowing full well that a negative would reduce her expected survival time to days at best.


    ¡°Atmospheric analysis complete. It is breathable and no apparent toxins detected, not even the nice hallucinogenic ones. However, be warned that oxygen levels are in excess of thirty-two percent, small particulate level is over 500, and there¡¯s a fire going on nearby. Please do not remove your helmet.¡± ARI responded.


    ¡°How bad is the pod? Should I go put out the fire? We should try to save the rest of the supplies...¡±


    ¡°Let me check to see if it is safe,¡± ARI said, lifting off once more. Elisa loosened her heavy backpack and dropped it in the sand beside her bag, but kept her tool belt and sidearm where it was.


    A large explosion sounded, shaking the ground and blasting Elisa with a sudden rain of sand moments later.


    ¡°ARI! Are you ok?¡±


    ¡°Yes, commander.¡±


    ¡°Did the pod just explode?¡±, Elisa asked, not daring to peek from her hiding place.


    ¡°Negative, our pod is fine, damage is minimal¡± ARI replied. ¡°You can come out now and begin extinguishing the fires.¡±


    ¡°Then what was that?¡±


    ¡°Sigrid¡¯s pod, on the ledge above¡± ARI answered impassively.


    ¡°Did she make it?¡±


    ¡°I am no longer picking up her signal,¡± ARI stated calmly, its voice devoid of emotion.


    Elisa felt horrified and froze.


    ¡°Commander,¡± ARI said after a few seconds.


    ¡°Yes, ARI?¡±


    ¡°I must remind you that you have to get to work now. Extinguish the fires of the pod, please.¡±


    Elisa put her sentiments aside and lifted herself up. She noticed how the flames had already subsided somewhat, and removed a small fire extinguisher from the bag.


    She toiled all night salvaging materials from the pod and setting up camp. The crash site had been on a plateau she found, on a ledge good twenty meters above the surface of the crater. Her pod had come to a stop only a few dozen meters from the edge. Elisa had found a cliff edge upwards that would offer good protection from the sun and possible storms.. Just as she managed to deploy her shelter, the first light of dawn began turning the sky a deep green that transitioned to a dark orange opposite.


    The shelter structure unfolded itself like an origami dome popping out of its crate. Initially, it had failed to deploy, but Elisa has jury-rigged it with servos she had from the wreckage of the pod. She unrolled the sheets of solar panels nearby and connected them to the electrical systems, but all batteries were empty still. ARI had set down to conserve energy, but the moment the sky began turning brighter, the starved systems could commence their desperate charging.


    Elisa sat down. ¡°What are we going to do about the oxygen, ARI? I can¡¯t keep this helmet on forever.¡± She checked the display panel on the inside of her left arm, tapping the virtual controls with movements of her left fingers, and found she had only two hours of breathable air remaining.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± ARI assured her. ¡°Your shelter is intact and airtight. For now, we¡¯ll fill that up with filtered air, and then have the climate controls maintain an underpressure while you are inside.¡±


    ¡°What about outside?¡±, Elisa asked.


    ¡°The atmosphere is breathable for hours at a time, but the use of a basic filter is advisable. If you spend eight hours recovering indoors, the damage to your lungs will be minimal. As soon as we have basic production underway, I can refill your air tank with a proper mixture in case you need it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, ARI,¡± Elisa said. ¡°I should give it a try.¡±


    ¡°It is very dusty,¡± ARI warned.


    Elisa carefully removed her helmet and took a shallow sniff. The air was frigid and Elisa immediately noticed the pungent smell of rocky sulfur, as if someone had rubbed vast quantities of flint. She breathed carefully, then started coughing from the dry, dusty air that made her throat irritated and sticky. She put the helmet back on.


    ¡°I see what you mean about the dust filter,¡± she said through a grimace.


    The sky was becoming brighter by the minute, and Elisa could begin making out her surroundings. Her plateau was near the center of the crater, and she could see the crater wall was a good five kilometers away. The upper cliff face extended for at least a hundred meters. As she got up, she spotted something glittering in the distance.


    ¡°ARI, are you seeing this too?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t, commander. I still need to begin charging.¡±


    Elisa patched through her helmet camera feed. ¡°It looks like running water,¡± ARI exclaimed with surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have a walk and see,¡± Elisa replied.


    ¡°Please be careful,¡± ARI said. ¡°I am obliged to notify you that the Company is currently unable to compensate you for any injuries and you have not yet accumulated any sick days.¡±


    ¡°You can toss those notifications, ARI. The Company will never be in a position to help us or compensate us for this mess. They probably no longer exist.¡±


    ¡°So far, there¡¯s no evidence to support that assessment,¡± ARI replied cheerfully.


    As Elisa got closer, she realized there was indeed a stream of water running through a shallow indenture of the terrain, before trailing off the edge of the plateau. A sparse waterfall continuously refilled a small pool at the bottom of the cliff face from above.


    ¡°Look,¡± Elisa said. ¡°Plants!¡±


    The edges of the pool were lined with a carpet of small red bulbs covered in glittering dewdrops, and Elisa could see balls of hairlike strands of blood red algae swirling ominously in the water.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch any of it,¡± ARI warned. ¡°They may contain all kinds of toxins, hostile micro-organisms and contaminants.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a water sample, we need to know if it is usable,¡± Elisa said.


    ¡°I would advise against it, but you are right, you are going to need a water source to survive in the short term, and having access to a fresh water source would conserve energy. Thank you for thinking economically!¡±


    Elisa unbuckled the pouch of sample vials from her belt and found an overhanging rock devoid of the plants from which she could access the water. She lied down and extended her arm. Below her, the balls of red strands continued their angry circular dance in little holes in the stream bed. The hair on Elisa¡¯s neck rose, and she felt as if something was watching her. She hesitated, looked around, but saw nothing. Then she quickly took her sample and leapt up, away from the water.


    My mind is playing tricks. Don¡¯t be so panicky, it¡¯s just some stupid plants, she thought.


    It was not the first time humanity had encountered alien vegetation. As close as Proxima, a basic ecosystem of multi-celled autotrophs had been discovered. Similar findings had occurred at Ross 248 and Teegarden, leading humanity to conclude simple organisms were common. Complex life however, had remained strangely elusive. As had signs of extraterrestrial intelligence of any kind.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    A moment later, Elisa realized what was amiss, snatched up her kit and sprinted back to her shelter.


    ¡°ARI!¡±, she shouted in panic.


    ¡°Yes, commander?¡±, ARI responded in its default flat voice.


    ¡°You said water is rare here, yes?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, commander,¡± ARI responded.


    ¡°Zero precipitation, correct?¡±


    ¡°Likely,¡± ARI confirmed.


    ¡°Then how does the water get up there?!¡±, Elisa barked.


    ¡°That is a very good question,¡± ARI admitted. ¡°However, please remain calm. There must be a rational explanation for it. As soon as I have recharged, I will survey the area above us.¡±


    ¡°I will get this water tested and take some more samples in the meantime,¡± Elisa said, setting up the small laboratory kit from the pile of equipment she had recovered and inserting her water sample for analysis. She replaced her air tank with a spare, then she took an additional pouch of vials and cautiously headed back in the direction of the stream of water.


    The diffuse light from the atmosphere was now bright enough for ARI to begin charging. Elisa could make out the details on the cliff face. She took her vials and scraped on various rocks to obtain samples for compositional analysis. As she walked further along the bottom of the cliff, she paused. Between two large boulders, there was what seemed like a large crack in the rocks, the top of which had been refilled by debris, and the bottom end forming a natural cave.


    ¡°ARI, check this out. Wouldn¡¯t this make a good shelter?¡±


    ¡°It definitely seems like an excellent place to hide should any of the storms hit us. Could you also get some more rock samples in there please?¡±


    ¡°Will do,¡± Elisa said in a tone that betrayed uneagerness. She shuffled on the uneven, raised surface of the entrance and entered cautiously, checking her footing. As she went deeper inside, the dust appeared to lessen and the rocky surface turned into lutaceous clumps. Elisa dropped to her knees to examine the material, and filled another of her vials.


    She flicked her gloved hand around, and again, palm wide. Then she removed one of the testing strips from her vial pouch and dropped it. It didn¡¯t fall exactly vertically.


    ¡°There¡¯s airflow in here. It¡¯s not a dead-end cave,¡± she said.


    ¡°That kind of reduces its efficiency as a shelter,¡± ARI grumbled.


    Elisa shuffled onwards as the available headspace was reduced progressively, until the opening became wider once more and she found herself in a domed cave. Water softly dripped from the ceiling, having formed stalagmites on the cave floor. She turned to get a better look of the surroundings, and screamed.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t panic. Tell me what happened,¡± ARI stated seriously.


    Elisa collected herself and let her light shine across the scaly, bone-coloured, almost dragon-like remains of an enormous plant. It climbed all the way from the floor into the vaulted cave ceiling. As the plant had withered, a pit surrounded what remained of its shrunken roots. Elisa could hear the sound of more water dripping in the depths below.


    ¡°Maybe this¡­ thing is what originally cracked the rock?¡±


    Then without warning, something heavy dropped onto Elisa and slammed her hard into the floor. It latched onto her helmet from behind. This time Elisa screamed for real, as she heard hissing and scratching noises and felt something clawing at her back.


    ¡°Are we going to keep this up?¡± ARI asked sarcastically. ¡°What is it this time? Oh maybe I should play a guessing game! Perhaps the big dead tree has some big, dead, ugly flowers?¡±


    Elisa screamed more and attempted to roll over. She failed, but managed to push herself up to her knees and elbows, as the heavy thing on her back flailed and tried to drag her down again. She tried to grab at it, but it proved elusive and jerked away from her hand. The scratching and hissing got more intense. Elisa put a knee under herself and pushed herself up to her feet, but felt herself grow weaker as the struggle dragged on. Out of options, Elisa kicked herself backward, and felt the thing crash into the rocks behind her, making a noise akin to the shattering ring of breaking glass. The thing let go, and Elisa planted a foot against the rock and sprinted forward, unholstering her sidearm. Without looking, she spun around and fired two shots.


    ¡°Okay I admit, that¡¯s not a flower,¡± ARI said.


    Before her, Elisa saw the remains of what resembled a many-legged, multisegmented creature vaguely resembling a beetle. Its four dead eyes glittered in frozen frustration, while it''s chitinous body shone iridescently in a multitude of colors. Crystals protruded from its back. She quickly checked the ceiling for any other creatures, but found none.


    ¡°Well then, let me be the first to congratulate you on achieving contact with a complex alien life form! Such a monumental discovery for mankind! Shall we name it after you?¡±


    ¡°It feels more like reliving a pre-historic moment to me,¡± Elisa answered, still panting from the ordeal. ¡°A predatory creature trying to feast upon a stupid caveman.¡±


    ¡°Awww, don¡¯t be so harsh,¡± ARI answered cheerfully. ¡°They don¡¯t look that dangerous. I¡¯d task you with capturing one alive for study, but eehhh, unfortunately you¡¯re not that expendable. Science will have to wait!¡±


    ¡°So sad,¡± Elisa answered, tired of ARIs demeanor.


    Light emerged from one of the side tunnels. Elisa could clearly see it was another helmet light and lowered her weapon.


    It was Sigrid.


    ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡±, Elisa blurted, then noticed how she was limping and her visor was open.


    Sigrid spotted the husk of the alien creature. ¡°Please tell me you know how to get out of here,¡± she said, latching on to Elisa.


    ¡°Come with me,¡± Elisa replied, dragging Sigrid towards the hole that led outside. As they emerged, the diffuse light from the atmosphere was now bright enough to see. Sigrid began coughing heavily. Elisa dragged her into the shelter, and sealed the entrance. Sigrid laid down on the single floor mat.


    Elisa removed her gloves and helmet, and helped Sigrid take off hers. ¡°What happened,¡± she asked. ¡°I thought your pod exploded on impact.¡±


    Sigrid tried shaking her head, but struggled. ¡°I fell into these caves while evacuating. I was unconscious for a while. I have totally missed the explosion part.¡±


    ¡°Did you get attacked by those creatures?¡±


    ¡°No, that one you killed was the only one I saw,¡± Sigrid answered, much to Elisa¡¯s relief. At least that meant the cave was not completely packed with alien beetles. ¡° I had been crawling through the cave for almost half an hour, ran out of air, and then I heard your gunfire. That¡¯s how I found you. I did see lots of red plants though.¡±


    ¡°What happened to your leg?¡±, Elisa asked.


    ¡°Must have been the fall,¡± Sigrid admitted. ¡°I think something is broken, but the suit is holding it all together quite well. And I guess I have to be thankful for the painkillers.¡±


    Elisa began removing the hard plating of Sigrid¡¯s greaves and finally removed her tall boot. Sigrid¡¯s lower leg was a patchwork of bruises in all colors, both new and old, which made it difficult to determine the extent of her injuries. Elisa clamped the leg in her hand and ran her fingers along the bone. Sigrid couldn¡¯t indicate any pain, but Elisa did indeed find broken bone.


    ¡°Looks like a double fracture to me,¡± she said. ¡°But my medical training is not very advanced.¡±


    ¡°Let me see,¡± ARI said. Elisa picked up the helmet and let ARI have a good look from all directions. ¡°Yes indeed. Just make sure it¡¯s set somewhat properly,¡± ARI continued. ¡°Then tighten that boot up and hope one of the doctors arrives sometime soon.¡±


    Elisa confirmed, then ran her fingers across the leg once more. She pulled on Sigrid¡¯s ankle and pushed hard onto the broken bone, half expecting Sigrid to scream. Nothing came. She sealed up the boot once more and restored the hard plating, then moved some of the packs behind Sigrid and helped her lean upwards a bit.


    ¡°Here is some water. Hang on for a moment, I want to go outside to check if I can see any of the others,¡± she said, collecting her gloves and helmet.


    As she left the shelter, she could make out the details on the crater wall, and considered that she would probably be able to finally see the crater floor below. She carefully approached the edge of the plateau, wary of the loose sand.


    Amongst the dunes, she could see the shimmer of a multitude of perfectly round pools of water, each surrounded by a carpet of red. In the center of the pools, tall red mushroom-like trees dripped water.


    ¡°I think this answers the water question,¡± Elisa said with great relief. ¡°They¡¯re probably sucking it out of an aquifer. Capillary action and adhesive condensation of what little moisture there is in the air. So these are the red patches we saw.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± ARI confirmed. ¡°However, let me remind you that any kind of biological life can potentially be dangerous. Seeing the crater is infested by these things and that the cave was occupied by that creature, we need to take more samples to determine whether we have to evacuate.¡±


    Although she could see only a third of the crater as the cliff behind her blocked the view in the other directions, she found that a multitude of yellow drop pods had come down in the general area.


    ¡°ARI, I know you¡¯re still low on power, but could you do a quick round and see if any of the others are down there? And check for the fabricators, please.¡±


    ¡°Yes, commander,¡± ARI said before zooming off. In minutes, ARI had located Maximilian and Otto four kilometers to the north, and found Ervin had set up a shelter just two kilometers east of the plateau. ARI noticed it had lost contact with Elisa, the extreme electromagnetic interference on the planet cutting the range of their weak radio signals to a few hundred meters at best.


    ARI took samples of the plants and water, made an inventory of the nearby drop pods and returned to its charging station. Over the commlink, it reported back to Sigrid and Elisa.


    Elisa responded. ¡°So, if I understood correctly, we have a dozer and two toploaders nearby, as well as all the PV arrays we need. One fabricator. Both landers are missing, which means that we have neither of the medical doctors present. How long until the analysis of the samples is complete?¡±


    ¡°The initial analysis of your water sample is already complete. Good news so far, it returned all negative on any of the obvious toxins,¡± ARI replied. ¡°Still a few hours to go on the rest of the tests.¡±


    ¡°The electromagnetic interference is going to be an ongoing issue, impacting communications and positioning,¡± Sigrid said. ¡°Anything we can do about that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we can,¡± ARI answered. ¡°The reason why communication is so poor is simply because helmet transmitters lack a decent antenna and are not powerful enough to get through the interference. We can set up comm towers on the crater walls. These can both relay our comm signals and be used for positioning. We can emit a signal that the crew in the landers will be able to home in on, should they be out there and attempting to find us.¡±


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Elisa said. ¡°Finish your recharging and let¡¯s wait for the others to arrive and the tests to finish.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad Otto made it,¡± Sigrid said softly to Elisa. ¡°He¡¯s the only family I have left. Do you have anyone? Or did you lose somebody?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Elisa said. ¡°My father divorced when I was young, and he remained behind on Earth after raising the credits to at least get me a better life¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re from Sol,¡± Sigrid said with a faint smile. ¡°My grandparents were.¡± The smile faded. ¡°My mother¡¯s ones had to remain behind too, so we never met¡­¡±


    ¡°I thought you were a Folkeforening citizen-partner, with a name like that¡­ Why couldn''t they come?¡±, Elisa said, referring to the much-envied enclave of rich and prosperous people. Owing their wealth to smart long-term investment strategies as well as an early move to space mining and the occupation of Jupiter¡¯s moon Ganymede, the Folkeforening was an economic entity that had remained mostly independent of the Universal Economic Council, and could directly compete with a Great Family in terms of resources and influence.


    ¡°I¡¯m only one quarter Folkeforening, so I wasn¡¯t entitled to such a status¡­ It¡¯s complicated¡­¡±


    Sigrid was silent, but Elisa understood. What Sigrid meant was that she was born out of wedlock to a non-citizen, and her father hadn¡¯t sponsored her, even though she had taken his name.


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel sad,¡± Elisa said. ¡°Almost everyone on our ship is a misfit. The first colony ship always is; after all we were intended to do the hard work for those that would come after. After the Company has made a fortune selling rights to settle to a bed already made. But there won¡¯t be another ship here. The world we build will be for ourselves. And it will be better.¡±


    Sigrid¡¯s eyes went wide, and gestured to Elisa to be quiet. ARI, she drew in the dust on her boot, then wiped it away.

 Tears in a Blazing Desert

    The sun burned overhead as Pom and Mei sought shelter in the shadow of the mesa. Pom began to unpack the supplies from their buggy, while Mei hooked up their provisional solar array to make a start recharging the buggy. The battery was almost dead.


    Mei knew their remaining time was short. If they would not be able to replenish their water in the next few days, they were going to die. They had spent three days at their base camp at their landing site, but the lack of a water source had forced them out of the small rocky canyon. The landscape they had traversed the past days had proven bleak and inhospitable, consisting of elevated regions of hardpan that gave way to salt flats and flowing deserts.


    Fine, dry dust was everywhere, its electrical charge making it cling to their vehicle and clog up their filters. Their air tanks long spent, Pom and Mei had to resort to breathing the local air, using an improvised filter mask. Pom¡¯s lungs burned. Already exhausted from his efforts, he squatted down.


    ¡°It has been four days. We have traveled hundreds of kilometers. No sign of water, and still no sight of the crater,¡± he mumbled through cracked lips. The last two days, they had disabled the buggy¡¯s climate controls in an effort to conserve energy and extend its action radius. Today, that gamble had paid off. Had they not saved energy, they would not have reached the mesa and would now be stranded out on the sandy plains, the heat erasing what was left of their rapidly dwindling supply of water.


    ¡°We don¡¯t even know where the crater is, the landers instruments were totally fried¡± Mei answered, hooking up their radio receiver to the solar array, using its substantial surface area as a makeshift antenna.


    Just as it had ten times before, the display on the receiver failed to list any signals.


    ¡°Either they still don¡¯t have any of their antennas up, or that dust is putting up so much interference that nothing gets through.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s to the north-northwest, I just know it is!¡±, Pom snapped back, agitated.


    Mei knew better than to argue. In their present situation, any direction would be as good as any other.


    Pom saw her doubt. ¡°I don¡¯t need the filthy instruments, I checked where the sun came up and set back at the canyon,¡± he said, repeating the arguments he had already made the previous days. We are on the northern hemisphere and our latitude put us about eight hundred kilometers south of the crater! And I checked the moment the sun rose. We were an hour and twenty minutes off to the east!¡±


    Pom sprang up and kicked at the rocks to vent his frustration. ¡°I may be from the moon, but I know how to navigate on a shoddy planet in the absence of satellites!¡±, he ranted.


    ¡°Calm down and save your water,¡± Mei snapped back. She checked the reclamation vat and gave it a disapproving look. They were losing too much moisture to the dry air, as the filters were not designed to recover it.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we have proper desert equipment,¡± Pom persisted in his laments.


    ¡°Because Gliese 777 had lots of ice and because the fabricator can produce water from rocks,¡± Mei sighed. ¡°Look, we just need to find the crater, and the rest of the team should already have all the water we can wish for.¡±


    The receiver gave a beep, and Pom froze. However, before Mei could move over and look, the signal was gone.


    Mei brought up the logs. ¡°Just a glitch,¡± she said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t on any of our frequencies.¡±


    Pom scoffed, then started unfolding his shelter. Like they had done previously, they would rest during the day, and start moving again in the late afternoon after the batteries had finished charging.


    ¡°What was it like? On Luna?¡± Mei asked, trying to steer Poms thoughts in another direction.


    ¡°The same as any other place under the UEC,¡± Pom answered. ¡°You work till nobody deems you worthy of investment. And then you die.¡±


    Mei was silent, not willing to provoke Pom further.


    ¡°I guess at least I¡¯ll die free. Not generating profit for one company or another.¡±


    ¡°We are free,¡± Mei replied emphatically. ¡°Even if we survive this ordeal and make it to the crater, how do you imagine the Company is going to have any kind of influence here?¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s ARI, for one.¡±


    ¡°Woodward is in command, and she doesn¡¯t strike me as a topscaler. None of the surviving people are. Well, perhaps the colonel, but I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm,¡± Pom said, giving the idea some thought. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s true. You¡¯re a senior officer after all.¡±


    ¡°I was only third medical officer,¡± Mei explained. ¡°The same scale as the commander was, originally. All my direct superiors are dead.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit suspicious, innit? All the senior officers dying. If I were a believer in conspiracies, I¡¯d say ARI wanted to take over. Artificial Intelligence is banned for a reason, but hey, they


    just had to make an exception for interstellar ships¡­ Yeah, let¡¯s give them one more opportunity to kill humans!¡±


    Both had seen the dreadful historical footage of the AI-caused global economic catastrophe of the twenty-fifth century that plunged earth into two years of total anarchy and left over ten billion people dead. The newly formed UEC passed a general prohibition of the technology in the aftermath. However, as time passed and humanity spread throughout the solar system, AI has proven to be a necessity to reach other stars. The UEC had reluctantly eased the restrictions after a covert AI-controlled expedition was the first to successfully reach Proxima in the wake of several failed human-led efforts.


    Mei pondered. ¡°I trust ARI. It is a miracle anyone is still alive after all this time.¡±


    ¡°Then why are all the officers dead?¡±


    ¡°There actually is a good explanation,¡± Mei began. ¡°The topscale people lived on planets. Planetary atmospheres are exposed to cosmic rays - the stuff we try our best to keep out of orbital habitats - which create a lot of nice radioactive isotopes, such as carbon-14. Nothing you¡¯d have to worry about normally as that stuff has a halflife of nearly six thousand years. But if you¡¯re in stasis for tens of thousands of years, they have mostly decayed and destroyed you from the inside out.¡±


    ¡°Nice story, but Commander Woodward is from Earth,¡± Pom argued. ¡°That doesn¡¯t hold.¡±


    ¡°She was in stasis for over a hundred, and then stuck on the Proxima orbital for five years, just like you. You two came in on the same transit ship. Reverend Sekhon too.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ I guess everyone from Sol was on FengTian-148.¡±


    ¡°Of course. As much as FengJueda wanted to move all their assets to Proxima, they could still only afford to produce one ship every forty years or so. Was it really as bad as they told us?¡±


    ¡°As if the Proxima orbital wasn¡¯t bad! It¡¯s the same shit! All my life I lived out of a rented box barely bigger than myself. My investment changed hands a dozen times before the Company snatched me up and sent me out here. But hey, look at this,¡± he said, pointing at the shelter. ¡°I got my own fucking palace now. And I no longer see any security portals that may as well spell ¡®turn around and piss off, you dirty bottomscaler!¡¯¡±


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    Mei paused. ¡°You are an HR kid, aren¡¯t you?¡±, she asked quietly. Although abolished before her time, the degrading practice had long persisted on Proxima. To sustain the labor force, bottomscale women were levied to bear children for the human resource cartel, earning an advance and a revenue share in their offspring. HR would invest in the child¡¯s upbringing and education, which would leave it indebted for the rest of its life.


    ¡°They call us whore-kids,¡± Pom sneered. ¡°Didn¡¯t even get any enhancements, thanks to those cheapskates.¡±


    ¡°Tell me one thing,¡± Mei asked curiously. ¡°How come you are so... rude? Don¡¯t they stamp that out?¡±


    Pom looked back, and Mei could see his characteristic amused, mischievous twinkle in his green eyes and a wide grin forming on his mouth, as if Pom took the question as a compliment. ¡°Well, they tried. But I guess they couldn¡¯t suppress that rubbish genome my putain-m¨¨re gave me. Almost failed the stability tests though. Twice.¡±


    ¡°What would have happened if you failed those?¡±


    ¡°The same as when you fail any of their important tests. You¡¯re a write-off.¡±


    ¡°And then they kill you?¡±


    Pom laughed, but he rasped as his dry throat was sore. ¡°No, of course not. Paying someone to put that on their conscience costs credits. They kick your indebted ass out, and let society do its thing. Either you find someone that has use of you, or you starve, and if you get in the way while doing so, security snatches you and sends you off for indentured labor. On Luna people don¡¯t tend to last long there. Especially not kids.¡±


    Mei was silent. While her own youth had been far from easy, she couldn¡¯t imagine what Pom had gone through.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m glad about one thing,¡± Pom said.


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°That I must have outlived all those filthy topscale bastards. We probably survived the UEC and the Company too. I can¡¯t imagine any of that still exists. And I swear, if we get to the crater, I am not going to allow the perpetuation of any of that shit.¡±


    ¡°I wholeheartedly agree with that,¡± Mei said as she removed her shelter from the buggy and began unfolding it. Pom moved to help her set it up, but Mei declined. The heat of the day was picking up rapidly, making her uncomfortable. She left the half-deployed shelter for what it was and returned to the vehicle to drink from a canteen.


    Pom moved to help her set it up, but Mei declined. The heat of the day was picking up rapidly, making her uncomfortable. She left the half-deployed shelter for what it was and returned to the vehicle to drink from a canteen.


    ¡°Only two days of water left¡­ at best¡­¡±, Mei sighed in desperation.


    ¡°I know,¡± Pom said. ¡°Sun''s getting bad. I am going to rest. You sure you don¡¯t want a hand with that shelter?¡±


    ===


    When Mei crawled out of her shelter, Pom was already up and awake, squatting next to the radio. She had slept poorly, waking up several times to heat and thirst, with her eyes hurting and her skin dry and rough.


    There was a stiff breeze, and the sky had become slightly hazy, obscuring the otherwise impressive night sky of Messier 39. She turned around and saw dust clouds in the distance, in the direction they had come from.


    ¡°You should take a look at this,¡± Pom said, quietly.


    Mei shuffled up beside him and looked at the screen. Three more entries had appeared in the logs while they had slept.


    ¡°It¡¯s on the same frequency every time,¡± Mei said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Pom said. ¡°Any idea what it could be?¡±


    ¡°A natural phenomenon? If it is a signal, it is way too distorted to make out anything more than what could possibly be a carrier wave.¡±


    Pom grumbled, realizing that whatever it was was not going to help them get out of their precarious situation.


    ¡°Sun¡¯s almost down. I¡¯ll go furl up the solar cells. Compact your shelter, mine¡¯s already on the buggy.¡±


    Once the sun had set, the pair of them packed up their belongings and continued on their way. As they drove, the darkness all around them was punctuated only by their headlights and the occasional flash of distant lightning in the sky behind them. They drove in silence for a while, until Pom broke it.


    "You ever think about what we''re doing?"


    Mei was tired and thirsty, and didn''t feel like engaging in conversation. Still, she knew that she needed to talk more if she wanted to keep her mind off the intense heat and dryness all around them. Her throat dry again, she drank the last from one of the few remaining canteens before replying.


    "Like what?"


    "Like¡­ I dunno. Everything? The past, the future."


    "Not really a great time to think about the future now, since we might not have one."


    "Yeah, I know, but still..."


    "I think about the past a lot,¡± Mei finally admitted. ¡°Good times with friends and family."


    "Me too."


    Mei couldn''t hide her surprise. "You have family?"


    Pom was silent for a moment. "I had a wife..."


    "I¡¯m sorry¡­ What happened?"


    "She..." Pom swallowed hard. ¡°She didn¡¯t make it. She was dumped along with the aft section.¡±


    Mei didn''t know what to say. She could hear the pain in his voice. She wanted to reach out and comfort him, but she hesitated.


    "You don''t have to tell me," she said.


    "No, it''s OK," he said. "I should talk about her more."


    "If you''re sure..."


    "I am... Her name was Jocelyn. We were married shortly after arriving at Proxima..."


    "How did you end up on the Dolya?"


    ¡°Well, that''s a different story."


    "I''m not going anywhere..."


    Pom smiled.


    ¡°We were... Different from most of the others outbound from Sol. Most just wanted to carve out a life for themselves in a new world, no doubt assuming they were gonna be welcomed to an idyllic life on Proxima. Jocelyn wanted to build something more. A new purpose in life, a new society with likeminded people. One where we would never make the mistakes of the old worlds.¡±


    He sighed, then yanked the wheel suddenly to evade a large boulder, half buried in the sand.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Pom continued, laughing from the sudden interruption ¡°Reality caught up with us the moment we arrived and found out that we weren¡¯t allowed to go planetside. No, we were going to be stuck in an orbital and I was sold off and assigned to asteroid mining, Jocelyn to accounting."


    "And then the Company purchased your investment?", Mei asked.


    ¡°Well, just mine, and they simply bought off Jocelyn¡¯s marriage clause... they didn¡¯t need another accountant after all. We barely got the credit together in time to pay for her ticket...¡±


    "That''s awful!", Mei exclaimed. She knew those in the lower grades had it bad, but the Company casually destroying their marriages was shocking even to her.


    Pom sighed. "We both pulled 20-hour shifts in the end and spent every last cred to get her a ticket to come with me, only for her to die. Because she loved me..."


    Mei reached out and touched his arm.


    "I''m so sorry..."


    "Yeah... Well... I guess Jocelyn would have wanted me to move on."


    "Let me drive for a while...", Mei offered.


    "You sure? I don''t mind..."


    "I insist. You go rest a bit more."


    "Thanks... And thanks for listening..."


    Mei took the wheel and continued driving. She looked at him. He was already fast asleep, his rough face peaceful for once.


    She drove on, thinking about her own life.


    The two of them had a lot in common, she realized. They were both sold off by their parents to the Company, Pom for money and herself... well, she wasn''t sure what the reason was. She was just told one day that she was going to work for the Company, not that she had much choice in the matter.


    At least he had Jocelyn, even if only for five years. She had no one...


    "I wish I could be with you...", she whispered to the air.


    There was something about the emptiness of the desert that changed her.


    She didn''t know why she was saying it. She had never professed feelings for anyone before, and was unsure whether her feelings now were even real.


    And yet, despite Pom''s deplorable background and standardized upbringing, she saw a genuineness about him that she had never before seen in anyone.


    She looked over at him, and he stirred in his sleep. She wondered if he was dreaming about Jocelyn.


    She wanted to be in his dreams. She wanted to be loved.


    She kept driving, the vast open sand plain stretching out before her like an endless black ocean.


    She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to feel something, anything.


    But there was nothing there. Just an empty void in her heart, like the desolation that surrounded her.


    Hours passed in silence, the only sounds being the soft whistling of the buggy¡¯s electronics resonating and the noise the wheels made as they caught bumps or plowed through patches of gravel.


    It was still dark, the sun having not yet risen. The dust had settled, and the sky had turned a deep blue-grey in the early twilight, speckled with stars. It illuminated the desert with an otherworldly glow, making the dry sand sparkle like snow. Exhausted, Mei stopped the vehicle and woke Pom.


    He stretched, then cursed when he saw how long he had slept. The two of them got out and looked around. The desert was barren, but they had been climbing steadily. In front of them, a range of dark grey that cut a jagged line across the horizon.


    "We''ll reach those hills by dawn," said Pom. "Then I''ll find a place to hole up for the day and set up the camp while you sleep."


    Mei nodded. She gazed at the hills, an ominous dark outline against the sky, and yet another barrier between her and survival.

 Disturbances in the Deep

    Maximilian surveyed the harsh landscape of the crater. The terrain stretched wide and uneven, a jagged bowl of cracked rock and silicate dust carved out by an ancient impact. He knelt down and struck the rocks with his small pickaxe. Sprinkled throughout the white stone and cracked round boulders, metallic ore gleamed under the thin light filtering through the alien sky. Patches of strange red fungi dotted the rim, their fibrous stalks swaying subtly as if attuned to an unseen rhythm. A shallow stream, crystalline and cold, meandered through the crater¡¯s basin¡ªits source unmistakably tied to the alien mushroom-like plants.


    A mechanical whir drew his attention as one of ARI¡¯s quadruped drones clambered over the rocks beside him. Its articulated limbs moved with precision on the uneven terrain, sensors scanning and data being constantly evaluated.


    ¡°Resource survey complete,¡± ARI¡¯s voice came through the earpiece embedded in Maximilian¡¯s helmet. ¡°Iron, copper, silicon, nickel and essential trace elements detected. High concentrations of nitrates and carbonates also confirmed in the northeastern quadrant.¡±


    Maximilian¡¯s gaze swept across the scene with a calculated frown. The resources were promising, but doubt gnawed at him. He felt the weight of command¡ªElisa had often been indecisive, and when decisions were made, he felt she had not throught it through at all. His thoughts shifted as he keyed a private channel to ARI.


    ¡°ARI, what are the procedures for a command transfer?¡± he asked, keeping his voice low and steady.


    "I fail to see the necessity for initiating such a disruptive procedure," ARI reprimanded him.


    "I am speaking entirely hypothetically, of course," Maximilian added.


    There followed a brief pause before ARI responded flatly. ¡°Company procedures state that such transfers can only be initiated under two conditions,¡± it began without hesitation or judgment despite the clear implications behind Maximilian''s query.


    "First condition: If the current commander is deemed medically unfit for duty by a certified medical doctor¡ªnone of which are currently available." ARI paused briefly before continuing, "Second condition: A two-thirds majority vote of no confidence among the officers."


    Maximilian''s eyes narrowed as he mentally tallied up those who could be counted on for support in this endeavor¡ª He could likely sway Reverend Ervin Sekhon, who could be trusted with descretion in the matter. Otto was likely malleable enough to sway with proper persuasion and evidence presented logically. However, Otto would confide with Sigrid. And Sigrid would prove a harder nut to crack given her obvious loyalty to Elisa...


    "Understood," Maximilian muttered, more to himself than ARI as he considered the best way forward from here without raising suspicions too early in this delicate political game being played out light-years away from home.


    For now, he would bide his time.


    ===


    The hum of low conversations and the clatter of workboots echoed within the makeshift headquarters, a hastily erected prefab shelter nestled at the heart of the rocky basin, which had become the reluctant home for the group of colonists who had crash-landed on this alien world.


    At the center of the cramped space, an interactive holo-map flickered to life, illuminating the faces of the team. Otto, a seasoned scientist with sharp eyes and a perpetual frown, stood beside ARI, their sentient AI companion integrated into a basic robotic shell. The two were surrounded by Maximilian, the pragmatic security chief with a towering frame, and Elisa, noticably smaller than the others. In the corner, Sigrid, their field biologist, lay on a makeshift cot, wincing as she adjusted her injured leg.


    "Alright, let¡¯s review what we know," Otto began, gesturing at the glowing display. The map highlighted pockets of resources scattered within the crater¡ªiron ore veins, silicate-rich rock formations, and smaller, glittering deposits suspected to be rare minerals essential for advanced fabrication. "It''s not very rich, but with proper extraction, we¡¯ll have enough to start constructing shelters, power cells, and basic processing facilities that can feed raw material to our fabricators. We have deployed nearly half the solar arrays on the northern ridge, with more being deployed as soon we have the masts erected to hoist them up."


    "Then there is the issue of the plants," Sigrid said.


    "What issue," Elisa asked.


    Sigrid tapped on the monitor and brought up a graphical representation of the plants genetic structure.


    "This is what the plants have for DNA," Sigrid explained. "That is not a natural genetic code, this is an order of magnitude more complex than any life that evolved on Earth. All of the plants have exactly the same DNA sequence. There are no instances of errors or genetic drift."


    "Then what does that mean?" Elisa asked, still confused by the idea.


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    "It means the plants did not evolve, and we don''t know how they got their DNA," ARI answered with certainty.


    Elisa was perplexed. "What do you think happened? How did it get here?"


    "There are two possible options," Otto explained. "Either the plants were brought here from another world, one that has advanced biotechnology and genetic engineering techniques far beyond what we currently know about or can even imagine today. Or, the plants are the survivor of a highly advanced civilization on this world, that has disappeared long ago.They could even be a remnant of genetic experiments gone wrong."


    "Which one do you think it is?" Elisa asked.


    "We have some additional data that may shed some light on the possible purpose of these plants," Otto said. "The elemental composition appears to indicate the plants are hyperaccumulators, meaning they extract metals, carbonates, nitrates and other resources from the subsurface and express these in the fruiting bodies. They do so far more effectively than any of the plants we brought. And as we saw, they also pump large quantities of water to the surface, but the water we tested is free from metallic contaminants..."


    "Hyperaccumulators?", Elisa repeated.


    Otto nodded, then continued: "This means the plants must have some kind of a root system that allows them to access deep resources, and pump water up through their roots. They would also need to be able to extract metals from deeper in the ground."


    "So, will this help us with gathering basic resources?" Elisa asked. "Can we harvest them? How quickly do they replenish? We could just as easily have a symbiotic relationship with these things, and it would be an extremely beneficial one."


    Otto nodded. "We would have to run further tests, but that is definitely an an avenue worth exploring. Judging from the chemical composition we know so far, there are large concentrations of nitrates and carbonates that will be critical for sustaining agriculture and creating rudimentary pharmaceuticals"


    "I understand your point, but let me tell you something," Sigrid said quietly. "When I first came to the planet and saw those plants for myself... The way it looked to me made my skin crawl."


    "What do you mean?" Elisa asked, while already knowing the answer deep down.


    Sigrid took a deep breath and explained the strange sensations she had felt: "When I saw those plants, something inside of me told me to look away. Something in my body went cold when I looked at them, and then there was this feeling of dread. It''s like something is watching me when those plants are present."


    Maximilian, tall and imperious, adjusted his coat with an air of skepticism. "That is a well-known psychological effect, Sigrid. The plants look distinctly alien in appearance, so you are projecting some kind of fear response. I am sure Reverend Sekhon can attest."


    "It''s not just a fear response," Sigrid said. "I can feel something, some kind of... presence."


    "We have already run scans on the plants," Ervin Sekhon explained, "They are literally just plants... They do not posess a nervous system, or anything remarkable beyond their function as a resource."


    Elisa and Sigrid exchanged glances, but Elisa looked away, not wanting to admit in front of the others that she had felt the same as Sigrid.


    With the tension in the room palpable, the group shifted gears to the practical aspects of their survival.


    Otto brought up a schematic overlay of their proposed base. "We need to prioritize building the initial structures," he said. "The core of the base will include a power distribution station and a refinery for processing minerals. We¡¯ll need a small fabrication plant for essential tools and construction materials and a few hundred square meters of duracrete foundation."


    "We should fortify the perimeter with deployable barriers,¡± Maximilian suggested. ¡°We can fill them with sand from the crater for additional protection against potential threats."


    Elisa shook her head. "Not yet. We need to focus on building an infirmary first. Sigrid¡¯s injury needs attention, and we found dozens of drop pods with colonists. If we are to revive them, we¡¯ll need medical facilities immediately. We also need more energy, thus we need to focus on the construction of the ramps. So I rather task the dozers with that."


    Maximilian opened his mouth to argue, but Otto cut him off. ¡°Elisa is right. Securing the health of our colonists takes precedence. Once we have an infirmary up and running, we can turn our attention to fortifications.¡±


    "ARI," Elisa said. "How long before we can get those antennas up?"


    "They are scheduled to go up sometime tomorrow morning," ARI answered.


    Elisa grumbled. They had only been on the planet for five days, but she was already itching to explore the vast territory beyond the crater walls. No matter the fact that the crater had more open space than she had seen in a lifetime, its tall steep walls still felt confining, oppressive.


    "I cannot lift the mast sections with my flying drones, so we need the crew to go up there, set up a pulley, and then we will be able to pull the sections up with the dozer," ARI explained, going over the details of the setup it had coordinated with Otto. "I also need to install foundations for the guy lines, we still need to produce a ball hinge and winch system so we can lower the mast during storms, and we are missing the power couplings. Repeat this process for the five masts that we have planned. Do you want me to reprioritize?"


    "No, I¡¯m sure you have thought of all the dependencies," Elisa said.


    "With the masts up, not only will we be able to use our comm systems inside the crater, we will also be able to locate our pods further afield.


    Elisa pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes narrowing as she stared at the glowing topography. "What about ARI''s long-range exploration drones? Can we deploy them past the perimeter once the antennas are operational?"


    ARI confirmed. "Yes, and they¡¯ll be essential for mapping out resources and identifying safe routes beyond the crater."


    The conversation was interrupted by a sudden, low rumble that made the prefab walls shudder. A faint, almost electric sound followed, crackling like static before fading into silence. The team exchanged wary glances.


    "What the hell was that?" Maximilian demanded, reaching instinctively for the small pistol holstered at his side.


    ARI''s blue glow shifted to a deep amber, signaling an alert. "Seismic activity detected. Origin: unknown. Magnitude: low. No immediate threat, but anomalous energy readings have been detected in conjunction."


    Elisa''s heart quickened as she looked to Sigrid. The biologist''s face had turned pale, and her hands clutched the cot''s edge with white knuckles.


    "It¡¯s them," Sigrid whispered. "I know it is."


    Silence cloaked the room as everyone processed her words. Otto''s frown deepened, and he exhaled sharply. "Then we need to figure out what they are, and fast."

 The Valley of Hope

    Pom carefully refilled their canteens with tepid water from the reclamation vat, before relieving himself in the other end. He hit it with the flat of his hand, and the sound returned was disappointingly hollow. ¡°We¡¯ll run out tomorrow,¡± he said.


    ¡°I know,¡± Mei reluctantly admitted.


    It¡¯s bad, she thought while she opened the air filter of the buggy¡¯s cabin and removed a bucket load of sand and dust. They had been traveling uphill, but if there was any water to be found, it would be in aquifers, and those were more accessible in low grounds. In addition, should the terrain get any more rugged, the buggy¡¯s action radius would be reduced as well, reducing their chances of finding anything.


    She had a pang of hunger and wanted to eat something, as she hadn¡¯t eaten for three days. But she knew that if she did, her need for water would increase, and in any case, water would run out long before they would starve.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we can¡¯t be out here when the sun rises,¡± she said, as she climbed back into the vehicle.


    They set off, climbing the gentle slope.


    The sky turned from dark grey to metallic, then rose pink, then orange, and the sun crossed the horizon in the east. The ground under them was still cool when they first set out, but it grew warmer as the sun rose higher.


    The sun had risen high when they neared the top of the ridge, the buggy¡¯s battery all but spent. They had been climbing for at least two hours, and the only thing that lay before them was another ridge, equally as high, directly ahead.


    Pom found himself slumping in his seat, fighting exhaustion. His long nap had done little for him. As he approached the peak of the first ridge, he steered the vehicle over to the base of a rocky outcrop and parked it in the shadow.


    He drank a good mouthful of water, and his thoughts returned to him. He sat down for a moment and focussed then disembarking to begin setting up the camp. This time, mere moments after attaching the radio receiver to the screen of the solar array, it beeped.


    Pom walked over and looked at the screen. His eyes had difficulty focussing, but he could clearly see that there was not just one signal this time, but two.


    After waking Mei, he showed her the result.


    ¡°Two drop pods,¡± she said.


    ¡°They don¡¯t contain any water¡± Pom lamented, already having checked the manifests for the transponder codes.


    ¡°True,¡± Mei answered, ¡°But since the drop pods were supposed to land as close to the crater as possible, it is likely we have been traveling in the right direction.¡±


    ¡°I know that, but come on,¡± Pom said. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the dispersal area. We could still be hundreds of kilometers away. And even if we¡¯re only thirty clicks out, we might not see or recognize the crater ridge and drive right past it.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mei agreed. ¡°They need to be broadcasting and we need to be close enough to pick up the signal. Else we¡¯re dead.¡±


    He didn''t respond, but instead simply turned back to the receiver and the screen. There were no new signals. Mei regretted her fatalistic observation. She tried to think of something encouraging to say, but nothing came to her. Pom simply moved away from the receiver and sat down in the shade of the vehicle.


    "I''m going to take a nap," he said, "You should too."


    ¡°Actually, I want to know if we can see something from here,¡± Mei said, retrieving the binoculars from the buggy and climbing onto the roof.


    She scanned the horizon, but saw nothing. An omnipresent blanket of dust and sand surrounded them. The only thing she could see was the endless expanse of yellowish-brown sand, stone ridges and the larger boulders that made up the surface of this planet.


    "Can you see anything?" Pom asked after a few minutes.


    "No," she said, handing him the binoculars. "You look."


    He took the binoculars.


    "Anything?"


    "Not really," he admitted, "There''s nothing but hills and sand as far as the eye can see."


    Mei nodded and went back to the buggy to retrieve her canteen. She took a long swill of water and ignored the unpleasant aroma. There was only so much the reclamation filters could do.


    ¡°I see something strange,¡± Pom suddenly murmured.


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±, Mei asked, not having heard what Pom was saying.


    ¡°I see this strange red cloud,¡± Pom repeated.


    Mei moved over, took the binoculars and looked where Pom pointed. Surely enough, from behind the third ridge to their north, a faint cloud of red smoke-like dust was rising upwards.


    "Do you think something is out there?", she asked.


    "It looks like it," he said. "Let''s go see what it is."


    He went to get in the buggy, but Mei stopped him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be crazy,¡± Mei said. ¡°The sun is up and the buggy isn¡¯t even charged sufficiently to get that far.¡±


    "We can''t wait around," he said.


    Mei grabbed his arm and looked him in the eyes. The whites had started to turn yellow, and his pupils stood wild.


    "Don''t do anything stupid," she said, trying to calm him down. "I''m serious. You are exhausted and desperate. Keep yourself together. I don¡¯t want to lose you!"


    Pom shook, then nodded slowly, realizing his folly. They returned to the shade to drink more water.


    They rested in their shelter until the sun set, Mei sleeping uneasily, fearing and half expecting that Pom would lose it and run off. She was relieved when the sun began setting. As she left her shelter, she saw Pom and the buggy were still there.


    Pom was staring in the distance.


    ¡°That red smoke is still blowing,¡± he shouted enthusiastically.


    ¡°Don¡¯t keep your hopes up,¡± Mei shouted back. ¡°It¡¯s probably nothing useful.¡±


    ¡°At least it is something that doesn¡¯t look like more sand and rock!¡±


    She went over to the receiver and checked the logs, as Pom began packing, eager to leave. The mystery signal was there again, much more frequent and stronger this time.


    She pressed a few buttons and ran an analysis on the logs.


    ¡°It¡¯s repeating,¡± she shouted at Pom.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Come look,¡± she waved.


    Mei was sitting on the ground, her back against a rock. She was looking at the screen.


    "See?" she said, pointing to the sections that had repeated at set intervals over several logs. "This is no natural phenomenon. Someone is trying to communicate."


    "Are you sure that it isn''t just a malfunction?" he asked.


    "The equipment doesn''t malfunction like this."


    Pom pondered, but found thoughts hard to come by. "So what do you think it is?"


    Mei looked at the screen, then out into the valley below. ¡°We got to go there. There must be people¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Pom exclaimed. ¡°A signal does not translate to coordinates. You don¡¯t have any idea where it is, or what it is!¡±


    ¡°We could drive a few kilometers north, check the signal strength, then go east, do the same thing. Then we have a direction.¡±


    ¡°With our shitty equipment and this kind of terrain?¡±, he said, throwing his arms wide as if to encompass all the hills and valleys. ¡°We can¡¯t measure signal strength objectively with this crap setup!¡±


    ¡°Then what do you propose?¡±, Mei snapped back.


    ¡°We go check that thing out,¡± Pom said, pointing wildly in the direction of the red plume.


    ¡°And just how do you think some smoke is going to save us now? It is probably just a volcanic vent. The signal is artificial. It¡¯s our best chance for survival!¡±


    ¡°At least that cloud is something I can see! That signal of yours is a ghost!¡±


    Mei looked at the screen and then back to the red cloud. She bit her dry, cracked lip, and it bled.


    "It''s right there! It can''t be more than half a night¡¯s drive away. I tell you what, at each ridge top, we set up the array again and check for your signal.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯ll be totally out of water when we get there¡­¡±


    ¡°And the longer we wait, the more water we lose. Come on,¡± Pom said, as he disconnected the solar array and started packing it up.


    Mei nodded and got up, groaning. She was exhausted, but she had come to her senses.


    Both choices were equally bad, and they had no alternative but to keep moving in the hope they would find water. They packed the shelters and drove off into the twilight. The buggy sped over the rocky ground as they raced down the hill into the valley. When they reached the second ridge, they stopped and looked out, but the smoke was lost in the darkness.


    Pom held out his canteen. ¡°Cheers,¡± he said, as he drank the last of his water, and so did Mei.


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    They began setting up the array. When Mei connected the receiver, there was nothing. She hit the device, and waited. Eventually, the two drop pods showed up once more, but weaker this time. Of the signal there was no trace.


    Mei waited a good ten minutes, staring intently at the screen, but it did not reappear. The wind began to pick up, angry and persistent gusts that slowly increased in intensity.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go,¡± Pom said.


    Reluctantly, Mei disconnected the receiver. They barely got the array loaded on the buggy before the wind began to blow in earnest.


    They went on their way, driving down the second slope. As they reached the valley floor, the rocks gave way to sand. They sped up a dunetop, and drove along its crest. The wind howled now, and soon there was sand all around them. The already dark sky darkened further as the buggy went down the edge of the dune.


    Through the veil of sand, Pom could see something dark looming ahead. He drove towards it. He slowed down as he approached it, squinting through the sandstorm. It was a rock, black and jagged, protruding from the sand.


    He stopped the buggy in its lee, and waited.


    Mei looked irritated, but understood that they could not continue under these conditions. The sandstorm raged on for hours. The darkness was nearly absolute, but Pom could see the sand swirling around them. It was cold. Mei shivered, and he put his arm around her. She snuggled next to him, and they hoped the storm to end.


    Mei woke up to find him still asleep. She nudged him awake. The sand still blew around them, but she could see again.


    "Storm has passed. We need to get going," she said.


    Pom grunted.


    ¡°Fine, rest a bit more,¡± Mei said, feeling light headed herself. She crawled over the seat and took the wheel, turning on the headlights and driving off into the darkness, beginning the long and arduous climb up the third ridge.


    The sun rose as they crested the ridge. It was red and dim, and its light cast an ominous glow through the dust-laden atmosphere. Visibility was poor as Mei found a suitable spot to camp and started to set up the solar array.


    When the radio receiver powered on, Mei¡¯s heart froze. Along with the strange signal, three new broadcasted signals were detected. She could receive them clearly, and they revealed the location of the base, a little over forty kilometers to their west.


    ¡°Pom, wake up. We¡¯re saved,¡± Mei said. ¡°I¡¯ve found the base!¡±


    He was weak, and slow to wake up.


    "Pom!" she repeated, shaking him.


    He rolled over, his eyes still closed. He mumbled something in his sleep, and then grabbed her wrist. He opened his eyes, and looked at her.


    "Mei? What are you doing here?"


    "We have a signal from the base! The others are only forty kilometers away!"


    She was afraid that Pom was hallucinating, but to her relief she could see the realization manifest in his eyes.


    "Oh." he said weakly, but he smiled. ¡°Good.¡±


    "We need to charge up," she said, "but tomorrow morning we could be at the base. You just need to hold on, you understand?"


    Pom nodded weakly. She put a hand on his shoulder, but his face was hollower than ever.


    Mei worried about him. He was not doing well, and neither was she. Her throat and nose hurt from the dryness, as did her eyes. She felt dizzy but realized that if she would rest now, she would have trouble getting up again. She feared they would not make it to the base.


    She looked at the buggy¡¯s battery indicator. It was half full, its energy conserved last night in the sandstorm. Charging was slow, with the sun obscured as it was.


    Mei knew they would not make it if they waited for full charge. They would have to go now.


    She first tried transmitting to the base for several minutes, but as she expected there was no reply to indicate receipt. Packing the solar array on her own took half an hour. She went to see if the reclamation vat to see whether it had produced anything out of the remnant of moisture that was inside, and retrieved a small bottom of water. First she wanted to give it to Pom, but she stopped and reconsidered. He was incapacitated, and should she pass out, they would both surely die. She gulped it down.


    "Mei?"


    "Yes, I know. We''ll go now. You just hold on."


    She started the buggy and drove off towards the west. The dust blew up behind them as they sped along the ridge. Mei felt her eyes sting. She tried to blink it away, but it was little help, her eyelids dry. She could barely see. Focussing on the ground immediately in front of the buggy, she saw the peaks of the ridge were rocky, so steered the buggy carefully downhill. They were slowly making their way down, and she did not want to drive them off a cliffside.


    A rocky gully emerged, and Mei steered into it. It offered a little shade, but the temperature was rising. Mei checked her clock. They had been driving for fifty minutes.


    "Are we there yet?" he asked, groggily.


    "No, but we''re halfway," she lied.


    "Oh," he said, and then he fell asleep again.


    She drove on, squinting through the haze. The sun climbed higher in the sky and stars began to dance in front of Mei¡¯s eyes. She couldn¡¯t go on.


    She steered the buggy over to the shade of a rock. Clawing at the control panel, she activated the buggy¡¯s radio, but to no avail. It didn¡¯t even pick up the signals of the base. She closed her eyes and waited for a few long minutes, then shook awake. I must keep going, she thought. Don¡¯t give up.


    The buggy pulled away, and then she saw it. From the top of a cliff face, streams of red dust blew across their path. It had settled on the dry rocks and left a red stain.


    ¡°Pom, your red smoke,¡± she said, but got no answer.


    She drove out of the gulley onto another bed of sand, closer to the valley floor. Rather than continuing westward, she turned north.


    Red powder covered the sand in front of them as far as she could see. Stopping the buggy, Mei opened the door. She ran her hand through the red stuff, and with a shock she realized she felt the unmistakable trace of moisture.


    Determined, she climbed back in the vehicle, leading them further north. Driving was difficult, and she could hear the red substance clumping to their wheels as if it were mud and the air became laden with fog. Suddenly, the imposing structures of tall, red mushroom-like plants emerged through the gloom that surrounded them.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± Mei exclaimed. She avoided one and steered out of the way, only to have the buggy¡¯s wheels sink into the soil up to its floorplate.


    Mei was stunned. She opened the door and immediately saw how moisture began to condensate on her helmet¡¯s faceplate. She could feel the cool, fresh air on her hands. Carefully, she got out. Her boots sogged into the marshy soil, but she could stand. She could feel the liquid under her soles, dropped to her knees and dug into the ground with her hands. After just thirty centimeters, water slowly started to fill the bottom of the hole.


    Mei cast off her helmet and cupped the water in her hands, drinking greedily and uncaring of the potential consequences. The air was damp and devoid of the dry dust, and Mei breathed deeply. She took her canteen, covered the opening with a rag to keep the sand and red stuff out the best she could, and filled it.


    ¡°Pom, here,¡± she said as she returned to the vehicle and tried to get him to drink.


    "No," he said, his voice slurring.


    She grabbed the canteen and poured some on his lips. Then she opened his mouth and tried to pour the water inside. He sputtered and coughed, but she managed to get some down him. She repeated the process until he regained consciousness.


    "What happened?" he asked.


    "You passed out," she said.


    "Are we at the base?"


    ¡°No¡­ We¡¯re in a valley. There are plants and water here,¡± she said, explaining how she had nearly passed out herself and followed the trail of red smoke in desperation. ¡°The buggy is stuck now, though,¡± she concluded.


    Mei went to get more water and afterwards the two ate a little from their rations. Pom felt sick and dizzy, but forced his sore throat to swallow.


    "I think we should name this place," she said.


    "Name it?"


    "Yeah, you know, like the first settlers on Earth did when they landed on Proxima."


    "You mean like ¡®Pleasure Beach''?" he asked, and they both laughed.


    "I don¡¯t know about that," she said, grinning. "We could call it the ¡®Valley of Red Soil and Water''."


    "Too long," he said. "How about the ¡®Valley of Hope''?"


    "That sounds about right," she said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go explore our valley a bit,¡± Mei said. ¡°You take it easy.¡±


    Mei hopped out of the vehicle. The buggy had sunk into the soil, but Mei judged that it was not in danger of sinking deeper now that its weight was spread out. She walked around and inspected one of the mushroom-like plants. It towered several meters above her, with its stem a pale white and a top of intense red-pink. She felt grateful and in awe, as the strange plants had saved her life with their mere presence.


    "Thank you," she mumbled, somehow expecting the plants to understand.


    Mei walked further onwards. Not far from the vehicle she found a much larger mushroom, surrounded by a circular pool of water. Water welled out of the plant, and from its top, it released a mass of red spores into the air, drifting upward. Mei realized that the smoke they had seen was originating from the blooming of these plants.


    She removed her oversuit and threw it in the pool to wash it, then waded into it herself to remove the grime from her body and wring the reek of a week¡¯s accumulation of sweat from her clothes. Her skin was rough and leathery and her bruises had turned green.


    She heard a crackling sound and turned around. Through the mist of red dust she could see a figure approaching her. She realized it was Pom, who was waving at her.


    "Hey, where did you come from?" she asked, not bothering to cover herself as she rinsed her hair.


    "I followed your tracks," he said, pointing at the trail she had left in the soil. "I wanted to apologize for being so grumpy."


    "No problem," she said. "I''m used to it. Now come and get washed, this stench is terrible..."


    ¡°If we had made it to the base, ARI would probably have quarantined and decontaminated us,¡± Pom laughed.


    ¡°Yeah well, it will do that anyway since we¡¯re wallowing in alien plant stuff...¡±


    Pom stumbled into the pool. Mei held out her hand and helped him up, then pulled him close and wrapped her arms around him. He looked into her eyes and they kissed briefly, then she helped him undo his clothes.


    Pom laughed as Mei cast water over his parched skin and began scrubbing his back. He turned around and returned the favor.


    The two of them laughed as they played in the water for a while.


    After returning to the vehicle, they deployed the solar panel. Mei ate her unfinished ration, while Pom hung their oversuits to dry. Then they began to deploy the shelters and set up the camp.


    ¡°We should recover for another day and dig out the buggy tomorrow,¡± Pom said.


    ¡°Agreed, it shouldn¡¯t be too hard. First we should take some medicine, though,¡± Mei said, as she ran through the medical supplies. She tossed Pom a pack, then took some herself.


    ¡°What is this,¡± he asked, his eyes not yet recovered enough to read.


    ¡°It¡¯ll help you flush out the toxins that have built up as a result of dehydration.¡±


    They both drank more water before turning in for the night.


    Mei woke up to the sound of Pom snoring.


    She got up and stretched, then went outside. The sky was still dark but clear, and the stars of Messier 39 shone bright overhead. She walked around the campsite, stopping to look at the alien plants, running her fingers through their fibrous structures on the ground. She picked a few and put them in a sample box, then went to the buggy to get more painkillers, as her body was far from healed from the ordeal in cryo and the general numbness had once again turned into stinging pain overnight. She felt ravenous hunger, and decided to make soup from a dry rations pack and water.


    The sky began to pale, as dawn approached. The air had cleared, and she could see the carpet of pinkish-red that made up the valley floor. The plants began blooming again, and more red pollen went up into the air. The stuff had gotten everywhere, as it stuck in Mei¡¯s hair and both their shelters and the buggy were soon covered in red dust. Mei sneezed and went to get her helmet to at least benefit from its filter. Then she began to dig out the buggy, sticking metal track plates under the back wheels to prevent the soft soil from swallowing it whole.


    She stopped for a moment to watch the sun rise. It was a radiant yellow-white, and through her visor¡¯s filters she could feel its warmth on her face. This is a beautiful world, she thought, and she felt sad that so many others that had come on their journey to search for paradise would not get to experience it.


    She finished digging out the buggy, then went back inside to eat some more rations and take more medicine. Her headache had gotten worse, but her weakness and lethargy had gone. Pom woke up, and together they went swimming in the nearby pool. In the late afternoon, they broke camp and headed west.


    Mei drove for several hours, until the valley began to widen out into a rocky wasteland. The crater that contained their base was clearly visible against the backdrop of the setting sun, that appeared as a radiant beacon just above the ridge.


    They stopped on a small hill, hoping their signal would get through this time. After a few long seconds, the buggy transceiver finally connected to the base antenna masts. ARI answered cheerfully, before patching them through to a tearful Elisa.


    Leaving their buggy in a narrow gorge cut into the crater ridge, one of ARI¡¯s drones came up to guide them down into the base.

 Strained Human Resources

    The weather was clear, and the sun rose above the eastern crater ridge.


    Much to the chagrin of ARI, Elisa had given both three days off, and Pom and Mei had spent one recovering. Nevertheless, Elisa called them into their headquarters for a briefing.


    After ARI had updated them about the events that had transpired in the base in their absence, Mei explained what they had encountered while out in the desert.


    "There is something out there," Mei said to the assembled colonists, after describing their perilous journey.


    "I have completed analysis on the signal patterns that Mei detected. I attempted all standard encodings, but they returned nothing. However, it turns out our equipment is looking for the wrong thing. There isn¡¯t anything modulated in the signal, it¡¯s actually all noise. Rather, it is the presence or absence of the carrier wave itself that contains the data in binary. For example, this part is repeated nine times in every loop."


    A noise of rapidly whistling tones filled the room.


    "And? What is that?", Elisa asked.


    "A standard UEC distress signal, encoded in binary," Otto answered. People looked at him quizzically. "Our own distress beacons contain this exact sequence, along with more useful and descriptive information."


    "Precisely," ARI confirmed. "And there is one other bit I have been able to translate. It says ¡®requesting assistance¡¯, in UEC standard language. The rest however, is untranslatable. It¡¯s binary, so it could be a sequence of numbers, or a data package, or well, anything."


    "Does that mean someone is out here ahead of us?", Sigrid asked, glancing at Otto. "Or that something that was onboard our ship, and just went off when the aft section came down?"


    "Seventy thousand years is a long time," Otto answered. "Perhaps humanity sent out more expeditions this way... Ships with faster drives than ours..."


    "It¡¯s definitely worth checking out, at some point," Elisa said. "Do we know where it is coming from?"


    ARI answered immediately. "I¡¯ve adjusted our antennae and searched for the frequency, but we are unable to detect it from here. Based on where it was picked up, it is likely to be originating from somewhere south east of Pom and Mei¡¯s so-called Valley of Hope, east of the first ridge they stopped at. Three days travel away from here."


    "That¡¯s too far out for now. What about the drop pods? How many did we pick up?"


    ARI¡¯s drone projected the map of the general area and marked the locations of thirty seven pods outside the crater. It also indicated the sections that contained crewmembers, trapped in their cryopods.


    "Allright, how are we going to get all of these into the base?", Elisa asked out loud.


    "I have already determined the optimal course of action to accomplish that," Maximilian said.


    Everyone listened while Maximilian began to outline the plan. A second, much larger ramp would have to be constructed to reach the gulley that led out of the crater, and in the mean time, four crew members would take the buggy to recover three additional toploaders from drop pods in the desert. On the way back, they would load several pods with chemical supplies and industrial components for their refining operations.


    "Of course, this plan requires that Elisa marks Sigrid Ronningen, Pom Mansouri and doctor Qi Meifen as available for duty and assigned to ramp construction."


    Elisa grumbled, not appreciating how Maximilian had thrown this issue out there and criticized her decision in public.


    "That is not really acceptable, pressuring our injured crew members to work instead of recovery...", Elisa confronted him.


    "I assure you, I am not pressuring them. I am merely stating that their assignment is required for the completion of this operation."


    "But they are in no condition to work! Sigrid¡¯s leg is broken, and the other two are still recovering from severe dehydration!"


    "I have planned the tasks based on the crew manifest and the immediate needs of the colony and have to optimize our efficiency to maximize our chances of survival, as per the Company¡¯s directives," Maximilian said defensively in a matter-of-fact tone. "Bear in mind that those cryopods have a limited energy supply. If we do not recover them soon, we are going to be losing people."


    "Outside, now!", Elisa said to Maximilian as she opened the door of the shack and stepped outside. Maximilian followed, and Elisa closed the door behind him, leaving the rest inside.


    "What do you think you are doing?", Elisa said angrily. "Undermining me like that in front of the others?"


    "I am merely stating the facts, and doing what is best for the mission," Maximilian responded in a calm, reserved manner.


    Elisa glared for a moment. "You do not have the right to speak to me like you just did! I am the commander of this mission!"


    "I don''t? I am the chief security officer, and as one of your senior officers, it is my duty to point out any potential dangers that may compromise this mission. Our current situation does not allow us to wait another week for Sigrid''s leg to heal or for doctor Qi and Pom Mansouri to feel perfectly fit again. Since our base is not fully operational, we need all hands, or crew members in stasis will die. The orders you gave me were to organize the mission based on the crew manifest and available resources. That''s what I am doing. If you wish, we can ask ARI to run the numbers, but I am confident that it will come to the same objective conclusion."


    Elisa felt taken aback by the well-spoken way in which Maximilian outlined his arguments, and did not have an immediate response.


    "I understand you are in a difficult position, commander Woodward," Maximilian continued. "While you are the ranking officer, you are also the only one that has not held command before. Allow me to give you some advice. You are not going to win people¡¯s respect by being sympathetic and giving them days off. People are mostly going to judge you by your confidence, and your results. You should delegate more to those that can provide you with experience and crunch the numbers. It will still be your decision. We only want to help you."


    Maximilian smiled. His words had sounded warm, genuine and helpful and his mannerism was calm and controlled, with which he had managed to defuse the situation while expertly turning the tables on Elisa.


    Maximilian put a hand on Elisa¡¯s shoulder. "We are all in this together, are we not?", he said, smiling again.


    Elisa looked away and nodded, feeling shame for losing her temper and reacting rashly earlier, as well as not heeding ARI¡¯s and Maximilians advice. Maximilian was right about everything, he had been right before when he had advised to fortify the camp, and now he was right that they needed all colonists to work.


    More troubling, she realized what Maximilian had implied but not said out loud. She already had trouble commanding six people and an AI. How was she going to command over a hundred people later down the line?


    "You know what, you''re right", Elisa admitted. "I overreacted, and I apologize."


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    "If you are to lead, the first one you need to control is yourself," Maximilian said in a friendly tone that fully concealed the criticism. "Shall we go back inside?"


    Elisa felt confused. "Just one moment. What am I going to say? It will look bad if I force Pom and Mei to work right after I said I would give them time to recover..."


    "You could stress the importance of the operation and try to steer them into going to work voluntarily," Maximilian advised. "We are a group of responsible people. We are all exhausted, but everyone does what needs to be done. It is our duty."


    Responsible people, Elisa thought.


    "Thank you for your advice, Colonel. I greatly appreciate that you are trying to help me. I still have much to learn."


    "Think nothing of it," Maximilian said, as he opened the door and let Elisa in before entering himself.


    Ervin cast a glance at Elisa as she entered, and then stared at Maximilian. Maximilian cast him a telling expression, and Ervin returned a subtle nod.


    "Commander," Sigrid began before Elisa could even address them. "We¡¯ve just discussed the matter in your absence. Considering the circumstances, we would like to resume our duties, with your permission."


    Elisa gaped for a moment, then composed herself with a smile. "Of course, of course, thank you so much," she said.


    Elisa remained quietly on the side for the remainder of the meeting, while Maximilian and ARI conducted the briefing for the operation to come.


    ===


    After the meeting concluded, Elisa lingered in the dimly lit headquarters, her mind racing. The weight of command, the delicate balance of compassion and authority, and the ever-present specter of their precarious survival threatened to crush her resolve. She took a deep breath and glanced at Ervin Sekhon, who was quietly observing her from the other side of the table.


    Ervin was known for his calm demeanor, an unwavering voice of reason and spiritual guidance among the colonists. He had been educated as a theologist and mathematician, the odd combination of science and religion typical of the True Faith adherents, and he carried that dual role seamlessly into their new world. His gentle eyes held a depth that promised understanding without judgment.


    "Commander," he said, stepping forward. "Would you care for a moment to talk?"


    Elisa nodded, grateful for the offer. "Yes, Ervin. I could use some advice. Let''s go for a walk."


    They made their way outside, where the wind had picked up and swirls of sand and dust blew across the newly laid duracrete foundations of the base. The sun, now high in the sky, cast sharp shadows across the crater plains. Elisa put on her helmet and keyed in a secure channel with Ervin. She remained silent for a moment, staring at the sky as if seeking answers there.


    "I feel like I¡¯m walking a tightrope," she finally admitted. "Every decision I make either undermines my authority or costs me the trust of the crew. Maximilian¡¯s right¡ªI don¡¯t have command experience. I¡¯m afraid that one wrong step will unravel everything."


    Ervin leaned against a shelter wall, folding his arms thoughtfully. "Authority is a complex thing, Elisa. True leadership isn¡¯t about the perfect balance between strictness and leniency. It¡¯s about authenticity and knowing when to listen and when to lead. What is it you fear most?"


    Elisa turned to face him, her brows furrowed. "I¡¯m afraid that my decisions will push the crew too far, that they¡¯ll break. Or worse, that I don''t see the consequences of my decision someone will die because of my failure."


    Ervin¡¯s expression softened. "It¡¯s not weakness to care about your people¡¯s well-being. In fact, it¡¯s your greatest strength, a trait often lacked by those that hold the reins of power. But caring must coexist with decisiveness. You can show empathy while making difficult choices. The key is transparency. When people understand why you make the choices you do, they¡¯re more likely to support you, even if it¡¯s hard for them, or a decision turns out to be the wrong one."


    Elisa nodded slowly. "But Maximilian said that showing compassion is a liability, that people judge leaders by their results, not their empathy."


    "He¡¯s not entirely wrong," Ervin said. "Results do matter, especially in our situation, where our survival is at stake. But a leader who commands without trust is a tyrant. A leader who inspires without action is ineffectual. The balance lies in commanding with integrity, being responsible and accountable, and demonstrating that you¡¯re willing to share the burdens."


    Elisa¡¯s gaze shifted back to the red landscape. The ground below had seen their hardships, their victories, and their relentless will to survive. "It¡¯s easier said than done," she whispered.


    "Everything worth doing is," Ervin replied, a small smile touching his lips. "Consider this: Instead of viewing your team as resources to be managed, see them as allies in the mission. You¡¯re not alone in this, and neither should they be. Share your dilemmas with them when appropriate. Trust them to rise to the occasion. You¡¯d be surprised of people''s ability to band together when they understand the stakes."


    Elisa felt a sense of calm settle over her, a newfound resolve forming beneath the doubt. She realized that leading wasn¡¯t about presenting an unyielding facade but about showing her humanity without losing control.


    "Thank you, Ervin," she said, her voice steady. "I needed this."


    Ervin reached out and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Remember, commander, authority comes not from your title or your access codes, but from the trust you build. We¡¯re all in this together."


    Elisa strolled in the direction of the parked toploaders with a renewed sense of purpose. The path was still fraught with challenges, but for the first time in a while, she felt ready to face them head-on¡ªnot just as a commander but as a leader who believed in her team and in herself.


    ===


    The scorching midday sun beat down on the dig site as Elisa, Sigrid, and Mei worked tirelessly. The gritty winds swept through, blowing coarse sand at the windshield. Sigrid, with her leg still strapped in a brace, gritted her teeth as she piloted the dozer, and coordinated the loaders with the other.


    "We¡¯re making progress, but we need to hurry," Mei said, pausing to wipe sweat from her brow. Her eyes darted to the crater edge, where fierce strains of sand and the downpour of gravel signaled the coming shift in wind patterns.


    "Understood," Elisa responded. She glanced at Sigrid and Mei¡ªboth exhausted, both determined. "Let¡¯s bring in a full load before the storm picks up, then park everything up near the plateau."


    Nearby, Otto and Maximilian worked at the ore processing facility. The machinery groaned under the strain of its first operational test, gears grinding as the makeshift power lines sputtered with inconsistent energy.


    "Watch the converter output! It¡¯s fluctuating again," Otto called out, his voice tense as he adjusted the stabilizers.


    Maximilian¡¯s expression was a mask of focus as he manually calibrated the intake valves. "If we can¡¯t maintain a steady flow, the whole system will seize up. We need more power," he said through clenched teeth.


    Otto¡¯s eyes met Maximilian¡¯s, and a silent understanding passed between them. They had to make it work¡ªnot just for the mission, but for everyone depending on them.


    Suddenly, the power flickered, and the machinery let out a metallic shriek before quieting. Otto punched a command into the control panel, holding his breath until the hum resumed.


    "That¡¯s as stable as it¡¯s going to get," Otto said, exhaling. "Let¡¯s hope it¡¯s enough."


    Further away, by the shallow river, Ervin and Pom moved carefully, securing the cargo and cryopods they¡¯d managed to find half-submerged in the muddy banks. The water glistened under the sunlight, deceptive in its peaceful appearance.


    "This one¡¯s heavy," Pom muttered, straining as he pulled a cryopod up onto their sled.


    "Steady, Pom," Ervin said, adjusting the support frame. His usually calm expression was shadowed with worry. They both knew that time was not on their side. Each cryopod they recovered was another potential life saved¡ªor lost.


    As they arrived back at the base, Mei rushed over to inspect the pods. Her sharp eyes caught the cracked glass of one.


    "This pod is damaged," she said urgently, running her hand over the hairline fractures. ARI¡¯s drone hovered beside her, scanning the pod.


    "Energy levels critical," ARI¡¯s synthetic voice intoned. "Immediate intervention required."


    Mei nodded, setting to work with what little they had¡ªa makeshift combination of stimulants and rehydration solutions. The crew gathered around, tension thick as they watched Mei¡¯s hands move swiftly, injecting the contents into the failing pod.


    Elisa stood nearby, silent but present, the weight of command pressing on her. Moments passed, each one dragging with it a harrowing sense of helplessness. Then ARI¡¯s drone emitted a single, final beep.


    "Vital signs lost," it stated.


    Mei¡¯s shoulders slumped. "I¡¯m sorry, Commander. I did everything I could."


    Elisa felt a wave of sorrow wash over her, followed by the cold logic of their reality. Resources were scarce¡ªeven the most basic burial would cost them dearly.


    The silence stretched, the crew looking to her for direction. She swallowed, pushing down the grief, but knew what had to be done.


    "We will honor them as best we can," she said softly, her voice steady. "ARI, document their identity and record their loss. We¡¯ll mark their memory, even if we cannot afford more than that." She glanced over to ARI and Mei. "Salvage what you can from the pod, recycle the remains."


    The crew nodded, understanding the painful truth that had bound them all since the moment they landed: survival demanded sacrifice. Yet Elisa¡¯s resolve remained, fueled by the lives still waiting to be saved.

 The Raid

    Elisa jumped off the edge of the plateau and landed in a pile of loose sand on the ramp below.


    ¡°Please do not violate health and safety regulations,¡± ARI reminded her in a strict tone. ¡°Your sick day balance is currently zero.¡±


    Elisa ignored it and made her way down. Maximilian pulled up the dozer nearby and opened the cabin door. ¡°Good morning, commander,¡± he called, his helmet visor open.


    Elisa climbed into the cabin and took a seat beside Maximilian. ¡°Colonel.¡±


    ¡°The new ramp should be complete in the next two hours,¡± Maximilian reported.


    ¡°That is good,¡± Elisa nodded approvingly. ¡°Next we will get Sigrid''s shelter and move it down with the others. Then back to work on the infirmary.¡±


    Maximilian confirmed as he began assembling a mount of earth to push up the ramp. Then he suddenly braked hard.


    ¡°Poxes!¡± he cursed.


    The abrupt stop catapulted Elisa back to the present. ¡°What is it?¡±


    On the sand below, three quadruplets of alien eyes looked up into the cockpit, their carapaces a bright golden sheen transitioning to red copper and faint green hues. Varicolored crystals sparkled on their backs and their antennas whirling curiously, as if sniffing.


    Maximilian hit the horn, the dozer emitting a long, blaring hoot, but the three creatures remained unfazed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think dozers register as a natural enemy,¡± Elisa remarked.


    ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll learn if I just run them over,¡± Maximilian snarled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± Elisa said quickly.


    ¡°Everyone on alert,¡± Maximilian barked on the public comms. ¡°We have spotted three alien beetle creatures near the foot of the ramp.¡±


    One of ARI¡¯s armed drones zoomed overhead, its weapons ready.


    ¡°This site is Company property! You are in violation! Vacate the premises at once! Trespassers will be terminated!¡±, it ranted. Whether it was due to the intimidating voice or the considerable amount of dust kicked up by the flying drone, this time the creatures responded, pressing their antennas flat against their heads and hissing angrily.


    Elisa then spotted another string of golden droplets leap out of the side of the cliff, tumbling into the soft sand below. ¡°There,¡± she said, pointing, counting five, six, ten. ¡°More!¡±


    As one, the three in front of them turned away from ARI and then used their many legs to sprint in the direction of the base. ¡°Halt! Not that way,¡± ARI exclaimed, already in pursuit, which only appeared to incite the creatures to run faster.


    ¡°Red alert,¡± Elisa shouted, ¡°Twenty or so creatures inbound for base from the direction of the plateau.¡±


    The rest of the team acknowledged, but before anyone had taken defensive positions or ARI was able to catch up, the creatures were already amidst the structures, knocking over stacks of crates, burrowing in raw ore piles, climbing into industrial scaffolding of the refinery and clawing frantically at shelter walls.


    Maximilian cursed once more as he reversed the dozer, then drove in the direction of the base.


    ¡°Can we shoot them?¡±, Ervin asked in an uncertain tone over the comms.


    As if answering the question, ARI¡¯s pursuing drone lit up one of the creatures with its laser, the reflectiveness of the carapace proving no obstacle. It partially exploded, its outer shell breaking into chunks as the superheated soft tissue below sought to expand, crystals scattering in all directions. ¡°They are jeopardising Company investments, so yes, you can most definitely shoot them!¡±, ARI answered before Elisa could.


    ¡°Are there any creatures up there where Sigrid is,¡± Elisa asked.


    ¡°Negative,¡± ARI answered, much to everyone¡¯s relief, as it blasted away another creature. Otto and Ervin stood shoulder to shoulder and shot at the fast-moving creatures with their pistols, but their lack of weapons training was showing. They only managed to hit one that came directly towards them.


    ¡°I¡¯m having a hard time targeting them,¡± ARI exclaimed. ¡°They are amidst the machines and I don¡¯t want to risk damaging any of our equipment.¡±


    The onslaught intensified. In a roar of screeching metal, the still unsecured distillation column toppled and came crashing down amidst the ore processing machines. Golden creatures swarmed over it triumphantly, before moving on.


    ¡°I guess you can leave that damaging the equipment part to them,¡± Maximilian scoffed.


    As the dozer rolled into the base, he grabbed his compact submachine gun from the compartment beside his seat and leaped out of the cabin. From a crouching stance, he aimed carefully and fired a single shot. A golden beetle came tumbling out of the scaffolding supporting the ore processing hopper. ARI performed a strafing run and took out two more.


    Elisa climbed out of the cabin, drew her sidearm and took out one at the top of the ore pile. Five more were burrowing into it, kicking up stones and dust.


    ¡°They seem very interested in the raw ore,¡± Elisa noted.


    ARI circled overhead, focussing its extermination efforts on the beetles in the pile.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s clear them out of the assembly yard,¡± Elisa shouted, waving to Ervin and Otto while Maximilian picked off two more interlopers near the furnace area.


    The trio made their way between the pipe sprawl and worked their way through the inspection walkways that were too tight for ARI¡¯s drone to navigate, let alone use weapons in.


    For a good minute they searched, not finding any of the golden beetles. The site had gone eerily quiet. ARI and Maximilian had finished off the ones in plain sight, and there was no apparent destructive activity of the creatures.


    ¡°ARI, how many are accounted for?¡±, Elisa asked.


    ¡°Fifteen, but I have confirmed sightings of at least twenty-two,¡± it answered. ¡°The remainder has not departed the premises. But I am failing to detect them anywhere. No discernible auditory or thermal signatures.¡±


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    The three continued their sweep of the assembly yard, Elisa up front, Otto in the middle and Ervin trailing behind. Elisa half expected to be jumped on every time she rounded a corner, but there was still no trace of any of the creatures. ¡°Stay alert, and keep watching above and below. The one in the cave jumped down my neck,¡± Elisa warned.


    ¡°We really should come up with a name for these things,¡± Otto mused.


    ¡°Get-out-of-my-base-things,¡± Elisa growled.


    ¡°We could name them after you,¡± Sigrid offered.


    ¡°No thanks!¡± Elisa said as she came around another corner, which caused her to freeze.


    ¡°What is that¡­ stuff¡­¡±, Otto exclaimed.


    In front of them was what used to be one of the catchpits for partially-refined ore, but now it was covered in dark blue-green goo that bubbled and foamed violently. The partially disintegrated husks of several of the creatures lay scattered throughout the site.


    ¡°Some kind of acid? It seems to be consuming the minerals, if you ask me,¡± Elisa ventured.


    As she spoke, the liquid began to ripple in places, and tiny cubic glittering structures began to form.


    ¡°Crystals, it¡¯s using the minerals to grow more of those crystals,¡± Elisa noted.


    ¡°What are we going to do about it?¡±, Otto wondered.


    ARI was sure about one thing. ¡°Not touch it!¡±


    ¡°We need to know what this is. I¡¯ll get a sample kit and a stick,¡± Otto said, as he made off.


    Elisa and Ervin observed the strange liquid solidify into more complex crystals. The substance almost seemed alive, moving as if it had a will of its own. In some places, it crept up against metal panels, then receded, leaving behind small residual crystalline patches. Strands formed, and began to meander in the direction of Elisa.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Me neither,¡± Ervin seconded as they retreated. The uncanny appearance and unnatural movements of the alien substance was making his skin crawl.


    Just as they turned back and went around the corner, Ervin grabbed Elisa¡¯s shoulder and made her stop. Further down the walkway, a green-blue liquid dripped from the ore hopper above. Before they could react, the bottom of it melted and gave way, sending its contents plummeting into the space below. Dissolved ore, freshly formed crystals and a splash of liquid compounds rushed towards them.


    ¡°Up! Climb,¡± Ervin exhorted Elisa, pushing her up some thin section of piping that was small enough to grasp. Ervin groaned. Despite Elisa being a good two heads shorter than him, she was still quite heavy. After Elisa had made it up onto a ledge above, Ervin jumped up and pulled himself up, Elisa helping by grabbing his collar.


    Below, the walkway they stood only moments before vanished under a layer of frothing blue-green ooze.


    ¡°Where now?¡± Elisa asked. There was no obvious way to go, as the machinery that towered over them had no surfaces that were climbable and the ledge did not extend far enough to go back around the corner.


    Ervin looked for a way forward, but found none. As he peered over the ledge, he saw blue-green strands begin to form along the piping they had just climbed. ¡°It definitely seems to know where we are...¡±, he exclaimed.


    Elisa asked for help. ¡°Ervin and I are stuck up in the ore processing section, between what¡¯s left of the ore hopper and the catchpit. There¡¯s some anomalous alien fluid below that likes to consume stuff and turns it into crystals and it¡¯s coming after us. Need immediate assistance!¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I cannot access the area, unless you want me to begin cutting up equipment. But that might take a while,¡± ARI answered.


    ¡°I have an idea,¡± Otto offered. ¡°The ore processing facility contains all kinds of chemicals. Can you see any of the silos?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, there are two opposite the walkway,¡± Elisa answered, understanding what Otto was getting at. She read out the serial numbers.


    ¡°The first one contains hydrogen sulfate, the second one sodium hydroxide,¡± ARI answered immediately.


    ¡°Easy choice,¡± Elisa said, taking her sidearm and blasting a few holes in the second silo. The pressurized contents began to spill out rapidly, jetting into the smooth panels opposite, before cascading into the goo below.


    The substance bubbled and fumed, as a layer of filthy brown foam began to form on top. The tendrils that reached upwards seemed to lose both their adhesiveness and viscosity and streamed back down into the rapidly growing puddle.


    ¡°It seems to be working,¡± Elisa cheered.


    In minutes, the alien compound appeared to be neutralized, as most of it solidified into a resinous brown foam. From above, ARI dropped three additional canisters into the catchpit area, in an effort to contain the outbreak. Otto and Maximilian made their way to the grating overhead, and began to cut away a section. Lowering in a small cable, they first extracted Elisa from the ledge. Since the hole above was not aligned, she had to swing across the gap and slammed into the first silo, before Maximilian could winch her up.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said, as she took Otto¡¯s hand. They lowered the cable back down and swung it to where Ervin could catch it.


    As Ervin let go of the ledge and swung across, something stirred in the substance below. In the far end of the corridor, a large, dark bubble rose to the surface of the foam. Without warning, it burst, sending blue-green droplets in all directions.


    Ervin shouted.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on,¡± Elisa asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m hit by that stuff!¡±, Ervin replied, as they pulled him clear. ¡°Careful, don¡¯t touch it!¡±


    There was a large glob of shimmering goo on his calf, which had already begun eating itself into the otherwise highly resilient material that made up his hard leg covering. Elisa quickly disassembled the greave and threw it aside. Then they realized there was a second patch on the side of Ervin¡¯s glove.


    Ervin quickly removed the glove, but saw to his horror that it had already made its way through. A dark patch had formed on his skin, and it was growing. Ervin rapidly considered his options, the memory of the creeping liquid and the desiccated husks of the golden beetles a dreadful prospect on his mind.


    ¡°ARI,¡± he said calmly, as he held his arm outstretched. ¡°Cut off my hand, quickly.¡±


    ARI¡¯s laser sliced through his forearm before anyone could respond. Ervin did not flinch as the severed limb fell to the floor, the general numbness from the daily injections of pain medication mitigate the effects of their radiation burns made him experience disassociation with his body.


    Everyone looked in stunned astonishment at Ervin, except Maximilian, who nodded approvingly. ¡°Good thinking, reverend,¡± he said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s pray none of it made it into my bloodstream,¡± Ervin said, inspecting his smoking and cauterized stump. The brutal but necessary act had seemed unreal.


    Otto retrieved a clamp on a stick, and put the severed hand and armor plate into sample boxes. Small blood-red crystals had already begun to form on the skin.


    ¡°Put the boxes out on the sand for a while, to see whether it interacts with the polymer or not,¡± ARI advised.


    The party hosed down the equipment to remove the last active remnants of the alien substance, and began taking inventory of the damage. Various critical machines in the ore processing facility and chemical yard had been destroyed. Without the input of raw materials, the fabricator was rendered useless. None of the pods that held the required spare components were present in the crater.


    Maximilian''s eyes stood furious. ¡°And this is why we should have fortified our basecamp before we went to build that ramp¡­¡±, he brusquely reminded the others.


    ¡°That is easy to say after the fact,¡± Otto objected. ¡°If we had done so, the creatures might as well have gone after Sigrid¡¯s shelter and killed her before we could do anything.¡±


    ¡°Safeguarding our industrial infrastructure was more important,¡± Maximilian snapped back. ¡°Some of the machines are irreplacable¡±


    Elisa wanted to comment, but Ervin spoke first. ¡°Let¡¯s remain constructive here,¡± he said. ¡°There are pods that have the parts we need. We just need to find them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Elisa said. ¡°The sooner, the better. Get on it, at once.¡± As the rest of the team acknowledged and made off, she took Ervin aside. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about your hand,¡± she began.


    ¡°Just promise me that once we get the fabricator back online, the first thing we produce are some prostethics,¡± Ervin said.


    ¡°Still,¡± Elisa argued. She was impressed by Ervin¡¯s mental stability and recognized his incalculable value for overcoming the challenges that undoubtedly lay ahead.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need my hands to contribute to our undertaking,¡± he said with a wry smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re right about that,¡± Elisa acknowledged.

 Symbiosis or Survival

    A soft, warm breeze rustled through the tall coconut trees lining the riverbanks of Kerala. The fragrance of crushed cardamom and rich earth filled the air as Reverend Ervin Sekhon strolled down the familiar path towards his family home, his wife Wanzhan beside him, her laughter floating on the wind like music. She reached out, her fingers intertwining with his, grounding him in a sense of calm. For a few glorious, unburdened moments, he was home, his heart filled with peace he hadn''t felt in so long.


    But as he blinked, something strange appeared the ground in front of him: a crystalline blue-green gleam glittering with hypnotic malevolence, bubbling, frothing, slithering, creeping closer... He felt a cold chill snake up his spine, an unearthly color creeping into the edges of his vision, corrupting the serenity of the dream. The coldness turned searing, the sensation of burning spreading up his forearm.


    "No..." he whispered, firmly gripping Wanzhan''s hand, but it was already slipping away. The crystalline substance clung to him, consuming, devouring. His vision darkened, and he opened his mouth to scream¡ª


    Ervin gasped awake, the dream dissolving as he opened his eyes to the sterile, shadowed walls of his shelter. He instinctively reached to rub his eyes, only to find that his arm, the one that had been his handhold in the dream, was gone. The reality crashed down upon him: he had lost his arm. The alien substance, like a living acid, had spread too quickly. The only way to save himself had been to order ARI''s drone to sever it.


    A low, choked sound escaped his throat as he clutched the covers with his remaining hand. Waves of loss and despair washed over him, threatening to pull him under. The hand was gone. His wife was gone. The struggle for survival would grind on.


    Ervin forced himself to close his eyes, to gather the frayed threads of his strength. He breathed in, deeply, then out. His mind sought the comfort of ritual, of familiar words, of faith. He rose from his bed, and washed his remaining hand and face, his bidon clumsily pressed under his other arm.


    Kneeling on the floor, he bowed his head, and began his morning prayers. The words came slowly at first, a strain against the lingering terror, but they grew stronger, carrying a soft resolve. "O God, I thank You for the gift of another day," he whispered, the prayer falling into the silence of the room. "Thank You for the strength to endure, for the hands of those who aid me, for the chance to be of service once more..."


    The despair eased, replaced by a quiet determination. He could mourn his losses later. Now, he had a purpose, a mission to fulfill for himself and for those relying on him.


    ===


    In the tight confines of her shelter, Sigrid sat hunched over a microscope. The cold blue light illuminated the dissected remains of one of the alien beetles. Beside her, ARI''s mechanical arms moved with precision, transferring samples into petri dishes for analysis. Together, they had worked through the night, examining the specimens with a mixture of awe and trepidation. Sigrid felt the weight of the unknown pressing in on her; the beetles weren''t just the first case of alien fauna discovered by mankind¡ªthey were a puzzle that defied every biological expectation.


    "Sequencing is nearly complete," ARI announced. Its mechanical arm pointed toward the monitor as a string of genetic information scrolled across the screen in rapid succession.


    Sigrid watched the data compile, her fingers tapping anxiously against the edge of the console. "Let''s see if we get anything remotely recognizable," she murmured. As the final strands appeared, Sigrid¡¯s eyes widened. The results were strikingly similar to the findings she had made on the red plants growing across the crater. The beetles'' DNA was impossibly complex, with intricate structures interwoven in patterns more layered than anything she had encountered.


    "This can''t be a coincidence," she muttered, turning to ARI. "We saw this same convoluted genetic structure in the plants. It''s like¡­" She paused, searching for the right words. "It''s like their DNA was engineered to carry these excessive sequences. But why?"


    "An interesting observation," ARI replied. "The complexity does not appear to follow traditional evolutionary patterns. The redundancy in their DNA would make replication prone to errors, yet both the beetles and plants seem to thrive."


    Sigrid leaned back, rubbing her temples as she pondered. "Could they be connected somehow? The plants and the beetles? Symbiotic, maybe?" She turned to ARI. "What if these creatures feed on the plants or vice versa, and that''s what drives their unusual development?"


    "Possible," ARI responded, considering the suggestion. "The beetles could derive sustenance or energy from specific compounds within the plants, possibly even the red pigmentation we observed. Alternatively, they might play a role in spreading the plant spores, assisting in reproduction across the ecosystem."


    Sigrid frowned, considering another angle. "Or¡­ what if the beetles aren''t here to consume the plants at all? What if they''re here to guard them them? It''s as if everything here is part of an alien ecology designed for purposes beyond simple survival."


    "Perhaps," ARI replied, "but we lack evidence of deliberate cultivation. However, this degree of genetic complexity suggests a larger purpose or design. I have observed that other life forms in extreme ecosystems adapt similarly, though nothing as intricate as this."


    Curious, Sigrid shifted her focus from the DNA to the beetle''s golden-green carapace, her gloved hand carefully scraping away the residue of alien crystals that had latched onto it. Once the surface was clear, she noticed the metal''s sheen had an unusual iridescence, more brilliant than any Earth-bound insect shell. She adjusted her scanner, aiming it at the carapace to analyze its elemental composition.


    Her eyebrows rose as the results appeared on her screen. "This is¡­ unexpected," she said aloud. "The carapace is rich in rare metals¡ªconcentrations of wolfram, tungsten, vanadium, iridium, and even some exotic alloys I don''t recognize. This beetle wasn''t just resilient; it''s like their biology adapted to integrate these metals at a molecular level."


    Sigrid leaned closer to the carapace, her mind racing. "What if the plants absorb metals from the soil, concentrating them over time? The beetles could be evolving to exploit that, integrating the metals into their own biology. It''s like an alien food chain centered on rare elements."


    Finishing her examination, Sigrid set down her tools and turned to a reinforced containgment unit across the room. Inside was a sample container holding Ervin''s severed arm, carefully quarantined since the goo incident. She approached it with a sense of dread, remembering the way the crystals had crept up his skin, transforming it.


    She opened the containment unit and pulled out the sample box, her breath catching as she took in the sight. Inside, where Ervin''s hand had once been, there was nothing left but clusters of blood-red crystals, sharp and unnaturally smooth, packed tightly against the glass. Some had formed thin tendrils, their jagged structures pressing against the interior walls as if they had attempted to claw their way out of the container.


    "They... consumed the entire hand," she whispered, a chill running down her spine. "It''s like it metabolized everything¡ªskin, muscle, even bone¡ªleaving nothing but these crystals."


    ARI hovered over her shoulder, examining the tendrils. "These formations seem to have exhausted their substrate, resulting in stunted growth. Given additional biological material, it''s likely they would have spread further."


    Sigrid carefully rotated the box, watching as the crystals shifted slightly within. "They were trying to escape. Whatever this substance is, it doesn''t just consume¡ªit seeks out new material to convert.¡± She considered the ramifications, her stomach twisting with unease. ¡°It consumed the ore we had gathered, and actively seeked out biological life forms. If these crystals had been left unchecked, who knows what they might have transformed. The entire base could be at risk if this compound escapes containment."


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    "An alarming possibility," ARI agreed. ¡°It would seem these crystals have a drive or mechanism to spread, consuming metal and biological matter in the process. Such a trait could be integral to the ecosystem here. Perhaps the plants or other creatures in this environment act as natural limits, preventing uncontrolled proliferation.¡±


    "Or maybe¡­" Sigrid trailed off, a disturbing thought coming to her. "What if that''s their function? To break down complex organisms and turn them into these crystals. It''s not unlike decomposition, but here, it''s almost weaponized."


    ARI processed her observation, and its sensors refocused on the crystals. "It could be a form of ecological control, ensuring that nothing outside the planet''s native ecosystem survives for long. Alien compounds like this would prevent foreign organisms from gaining a foothold."


    Sigrid closed the sample box and placed it back in the containment unit, ensuring it was sealed tight. Her mind buzzed with implications. "We need to be cautious, ARI. If this substance is programmed to consume anything foreign, it could wipe us out if we''re not careful."


    "Agreed," ARI replied. "I recommend maintaining quarantine protocols and limiting exposure to the compound. Further analysis may uncover vulnerabilities or potential methods for neutralization."


    Sigrid nodded, her jaw set with determination. "Then we''ll start developing containment measures. Whatever this substance is, it''s not getting a foothold in our base¡ªor in us." She glanced one last time at the crystals, the blood-red formations glinting ominously within their box, before turning back to the work that lay ahead.


    ===


    The sun cast a harsh glare over the crater as the crew stood before the battered remains of the ore processing facility, its once-sleek industrial lines now marred by crumpled metal and scorch marks. ARI''s diagnostic drones flitted about, mapping out the damage and sending updates to the handheld consoles clutched by Elisa and Otto. The smell of singed metal and acrid chemicals hung in the air, a grim reminder of the alien beetles'' destructive visit.


    Elisa knelt by the remnants of a conveyor belt, which lay torn and scattered like discarded refuse, crystalline fragments glistening in the dirt around it. "We have to get this facility operational again, but first, we need to secure it," she said, her tone determined. "Maximilian, start setting up the defensive perimeter. Mei, check the neutralized goo sites and make sure it''s stable."


    Maximilian immediately moved to the cargo hauler, where rows of foldable barriers were stacked. Made of heavy-duty polymer, they were designed to unfold into a barricade that could be filled with sand, dirt and gravel for added weight and durability. He dragged a bundle of them to the damaged perimeter and began unfolding and positioning them in a broad semi-circle around the facility''s exposed sections. Otto joined him, assisting in the layout, and the two began filling the bases with shovelfuls of dirt from a nearby pile, reinforcing the structure with a firm layer of natural protection.


    Mei meanwhile, was crouched near one of the goo-contaminated areas, carefully running her scanner over the hardened blue-green foam that had once been a frothing mass of alien acid. "Neutralized, as far as I can tell," she reported, examining the strange crystallized surface left behind. "It''s now inert, though some areas still show trace chemical reactions. I''ll mark these as ¡®do-not-touch¡¯ zones for now.¡±


    She knelt down near one of the strands that were frozen in their frothing motions. "I''ll take a few samples, just in case," she said, carefully scraping fragments of the inert goo into a sample jar. "Whatever triggered this acid reaction could still pose a threat if it finds a way to reactivate.¡±


    Elisa nodded, glancing back at the piles of neutralized goo. "ARI, I need a containment plan. Any parts of this substance that aren''t actively dangerous need to be buried or removed from critical areas."


    ARI¡¯s drones began scanning the remnants of goo, marking places for containment. ¡°The debris will be isolated,¡± ARI responded, "and I will supervise its transportation to an isolated area in the crater where we can monitor it for potential reactivity. Suggest reinforcing the defensive barrier and maintaining a five-meter safe zone around the affected zones.¡±


    "Good call," Elisa agreed, glancing over at Maximilian and Otto, who had nearly completed a small section of the barrier. The foldable barricades, now packed with dirt, provided a formidable-looking shield. Maximilian nodded to Elisa as he finished securing the next section, sweat gleaming on his brow under the harsh sunlight.


    "This should hold up against any further assaults," he said. "And with ARI monitoring for movement, we''ll have an early warning.¡±


    Elisa moved toward the barrier, inspecting their work. "Excellent. Make sure these barriers are interconnected, no gaps where the beetles could squeeze through," she directed. ¡°ARI, configure surveillance around this setup. I don''t want any surprises.¡±


    ¡°Surveillance updated,¡± ARI confirmed. ¡°Infrared and thermal scanning active along the barricade perimeter.¡±


    Pom, who had been working quietly with the earthmover on the other side of the site, drove up to deliver more dirt for the remaining sections. ¡°The barricades look solid,¡± he said, eyeing their work approvingly. ¡°If anything tries to breach, they''ll have a much harder time once this is done.¡±


    ===


    The crew gathered the team around the central console in the base''s control room, where holographic schematics of the ore processing facility shimmered, sections blinking in red to indicate damage. The weight of recent events showed in the lines of fatigue on everyone''s faces as they assembled, ready to assess the situation.


    "Let''s start with the damage report," Elisa began.


    ARI''s voice filled the room, efficient and uninflected. "The alien creatures have severely compromised the ore processing facility. Damage includes destruction of two primary ore processors, damage to the power relay hub, destruction of the distillation column and minor secondary damage to the area in which it came down, destruction of the ore processor, destruction of the ore hopper and secondary damage to the conveyors, loss of over half of our stores of chemical bases, and acid contamination of catchpits one through three. These components are critical for continued production and require immediate replacement."


    Otto scanned the holographic layout. "Without the conveyor belts, we can''t move raw material into the fabricator, and without the distillation column, most of our refining capabilities are down," he said. "We can repair most of the damage, however we lack the parts to replace the power relays and ore processor. We''re effectively stalled."


    "That¡¯s true," Elisa agreed, focusing on the path forward. She turned to ARI. "You mentioned a manifest of drop pods that could contain the replacement parts?"


    "Yes, Commander," ARI replied. "After consulting the manifest, I''ve located several drop pods outside the crater that hold the components necessary for repairs, as well as a replacement power distribution hub. However, key components for the ore processor have not yet been located."


    The hologram shifted to a topographical map of the crater and surrounding desert. Small markers showed the locations of detected transponder signals scattered beyond the crater¡¯s edge.


    "My current proposition,¡± ARI continued, ¡°is to deploy my flying drones in a sweeping search pattern beyond the crater. The drones are equipped with transponder detection, but due to limited battery capacity, they will require additional charging stations to be set up in the desert. These charging stations could also serve as waypoints for the electric ground vehicles."


    Otto looked over the schematics, nodding. "That''s a solid plan, but we''ll need enough supplies to set up these stations. Do we have the materials?"


    Otto rubbed his chin, studying the desert terrain. "Establishing those charging stations will require us to sacrifice some of our solar arrays and batteries... But since we do not need the power while our industry is down, I suppose it would make sense..."


    Pom, the pilot, shifted uneasily. "Sounds like a lot of fieldwork, and we''ll be exposed. I saw what happened here¡ªif there''s anything else like those beetles out there, we might not have the luxury of taking our time setting up shop."


    Maximilian, arms crossed, gave a determined nod. "I''ll make sure we''re ready. Any team going out will be fully armed. I suggest you let me fit a mounted weapon to the buggy and each of the vehicles in the base. I will patch fire control to ARI. That way we are not solely dependent on drones and our own small arms."


    Dr. Mei, the doctor, chimed in. "And we should plan for contingency medical support. We all saw how quickly that alien substance could affect us; I''ll prepare medical kits with anti-corrosive agents."


    "Let¡¯s discuss how we would position the charging stations," Elisa said, leaning in. "ARI, overlay a suggested network of charging points based on drone range and expected travel distances."


    The map flickered as a new layer appeared, showing potential locations for charging stations in a triangular pattern around the crater¡¯s rim and stretching further into the desert. Pom and Maximilian studied the placement and gave a nod of approval.


    "These stations would allow us to systematically scan the most promising areas for the pods, plus any nearby threats,¡± he said. ¡°With the ramp, we can deploy ground vehicles as well, keeping us mobile."


    Pom the pilot spoke up, "You know... The three vehicles we wanted to retrieve are still out there as well. We should combine this with our earlier plan to go get them, and then on the return trip, clear the area of pods."


    "Recovering the three vehicles does overlap with the territory that will be covered during the deployment operations," ARI projected, while displaying the locations and adjusting the projected routes displayed on the hologram.


    "Alright," Elisa said. "Pom, Mei, Sigrid and Maximilian head out the day after tomorrow. The expedition will head for the marked pods and set up those charging stations. ARI will deploy the drones to the maximum range allowed by each station. Once the pod is loaded and the charging stations are set up, you''ll head for the three dozers and bring in all pods encounterd on the way back. Otto, Ervin and me will begin repairs on this side. And I''d like three of ARIs drones to remain here to patrol the perimeter."


    ARI acknowledged. "Understood, Commander."


    "For tomorrow, Maximilian will be on weapons. Mei and Pom on medications and supplies. Otto, Sigrid, Ervin, ARI and me will assemble and pack up the charging stations.


    "Let¡¯s get to work," Elisa ordered, watching her crew set off on their respective assignments, each one determined to ensure the success of their next mission.