Eludi-4
‘Three days. And what have we achieved other than a few modifications to those existing designs?’ Josh questioned, as he stared out through the shuttle’s window.
‘We’ve kept our sanity,’ said Scott. ‘At least, I think so.’ But as he looked at the receding valley he was sure he saw a figure, right near where they’d left the shelter. At this altitude it was no more than the size of an ant. ‘Tell me you can see someone down there,’ which came out almost as a plea.
‘I can see something,’ Josh said, from the seat in front. ‘It could be an animal though, one of those horse-like things.
‘Doctor.’ Scott called to Lichman, who was sat on the other side. ‘Have you got the mag-scope?’
Magnified sixty times, he was clearly visible, the man Scott had seen. Standing before the prefab shelter, and seemingly looking through its entrance. ‘I knew it,’ he said triumphantly. ‘I’m not crazy after all.’
‘Give that to me,’ Josh demanded, and snatched it impatiently. ‘Okay, so you’ve seen our visitor before.’
‘So have you. Don’t you remember?’
‘No,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘I really don’t.’
Lichman now had the scope. ‘He’s taking some items out. That must be the replication unit.’
‘So much for leaving a hospitable welcome for the next arrivals,’ commented Josh.
‘Pilot,’ Scott called through the comm. ‘We have to go back.’
‘No chance!’ The man replied, with considerable finality.
‘Surely we have to report an unscheduled visitor?’
‘Report from here, then. At least you’ve got more chance of a signal.’ The shuttle was now accelerating in its ascent; in about ten minutes they would be in the orbital range of the Farquest.’
‘Scott’s right.’ added Josh’s more authoritative voice. ‘We should go back. Even if he’s some kind of alien, we have to know.’
The intercom opened once more. ‘You don’t understand,’ the pilot said, in earnest. ‘There’s something strange about this planet. I knew it right from the start. It’s not safe.’
‘You’re just a coward,’ Josh told him. ‘Afraid of what you don’t yet know.’
‘It’s not a matter of cowardice, Mr Adams. My duty to get you safely off this planet, now our time there is up.’
‘He’s right,’ said the doctor. ‘It would be a foolhardy risk. We should just report this to Cisa, and they can send the appropriate team.’
Josh glared at the doctor. ‘This could be our moment in history: first contact on an alien world – and you want to send a team?’
‘He looked quite human to me,’ said Lichman.
‘Perhaps he’s a time-traveller,’ Scott said. ‘He spoke to me when he was about to jump off the mountain ledge.’
‘Pilot!’ shouted Josh. ‘Take us down! We’re gonna sort this out, once and for all.’
The pilot kept silent. But as the shuttle was on the brink of leaving the atmosphere, it started to descend.
Within easy visual range of the shelter there was no sign of the man. The pilot then announced through the comm: ‘If I land I am not leaving this shuttle. Is that clear?’
‘As a crystal,’ Josh answered. ‘Keep your finger poised on that take-off button, but only for when we return.’
The shelter had been emptied of all its computer equipment as well as the food replicator; a proper ransacking. Scott told his watch to take a picture at high res – two hundred mp – plus a thermal (residue) image, in the hope that somehow this would be useful evidence. Yet the image projected into his retina showed nothing – no heat residue to indicate someone had been here.
‘This is so fucked up,’ Josh remarked, perhaps voicing all their thoughts. ‘He’s got the back-ups of all our work. We’ve gotta track this guy down.’
Lichman had an even more concerned expression on his face than usual. ‘He must have something to do with our scanner failing,’ he said. ‘Maybe he doesn’t want us to find him.’
Josh grinned. ‘Indubitably, Dr Watson. The game’s now afoot.’
‘You’ve done your job. Whoever’s here is not our responsibility.’
‘I’m just curious, okay.’
‘And I’m responsible for your well-being – your health.’
‘Then make a disclaimer.’
Scott felt a knot in his stomach, that inevitable impending danger. Yet he found himself saying: ‘Josh, I’m going with you.’
‘Good man!’
They both walked along the valley; Josh with a kind of aggressive enthusiasm in his stride as he marched on a few metres ahead. This area was desolate: patchy grass, amid the sandstone rocks, partly chewed by the local fauna. No sign of footprints, or that anyone had passed here. Ahead only further mountain ranges.
Scott didn’t want to break the determination in Josh, but it was becoming maddening. ‘Josh, wait up.’
Josh looked round, expression annoyed but still determined. ‘He’s not getting away. I’m gonna stop him.’
‘And then what?’
‘He’s gonna pay for fucking us over like this.’ He sounded like he was on some kind of paranoid vengeance trip.
‘Let’s get back to the shuttle, fly over the area.’
‘You do that; I’m gonna keep searching.’
‘Listen to yourself; it’s like you’re obsessed with him.’
‘He not messing with my head anymore.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Never mind.’ Josh kept walking, not looking back. ‘You just go back to your shuttle.’
‘Fine. You go on your futile search.’
Josh was heading for a lake; there seemed to be only one narrow path around it. Scott still had the mag-scope, he looked round just to confirm to himself that their invader had indeed gone. Then he swooped Josh in his sight who had reached the lake and was beginning to submerge himself in the blue water. ‘Josh!’ he called, to no avail.
Scott reached him, just as he had completely dove under the surface. Scott waded in, surprised by the coldness, even on a reasonably warm day. He struggled to keep his nose above the surface as he pulled Josh upwards; the man was spluttering, a truly maddened look on his face.
‘Let go of me,’ Josh managed through the gasps.
Scott willed himself to drag the writhing man towards the shallower edge. He eventually made it, feeling tired and uncomfortably sodden. ‘What were you trying to do,’ he asked, catching his breath, ‘drown?’
Josh’s face was still contorted with this strange rage. ‘He was there. In there,’ he emphasised, pointing to the lake.
‘I didn’t see him.’
‘He walked in there,’ Josh insisted.
‘That’s not possible.’ His words seemed futile in this instance.
‘There must be some kind of underground base.’
‘If there is then we can’t get to him.’
‘I know you don’t believe me, Scott, but I’m telling you: he’s in there.’
‘We’ll go back later, OK?’
Josh didn’t argue this time; even he wasn’t keen on going back in. They trudged back, Scott was beginning to feel nauseous no doubt owing to the water-logged CO2 mask.
The doctor was standing by the shuttle, his expression was a combination of worry and annoyance. ‘What have you two been doing?’ he said, sounding like the parent of two wayward teenage brothers. ‘Four hours you’ve been gone.’
Scott shook his head. ‘What! It was no more than an hour.’ His watch display confirmed it.’
‘I’ll show you.’ Lichman pointed his own watch at Scott, projecting the time into his eyes.
Josh slouched against the side of the silver-grey shuttle. ‘It’s him, he’s messing with us.’
‘We need to leave now,’ ordered Lichman, still the authority figure here.
Josh mumbled something but nevertheless complied. Scott looked back at the mountainous landscape, thinking that he might catch the mysterious visitor in the corner of his eye. But now it seemed unlikely he would ever appear again.
As the craft ascended, Josh peered down at their base site. ‘As soon as we get back, the Cisa headquarters will receive a visit from me,’ he said, quite calmly now. ‘They’re not gonna cover this up.’
Scott exhaled in relief; at least Josh was not insisting on going back to the surface. He took in the scene below. The designated site, surrounded by mountains on three sides, looked so rich with potential. But too good to be true, as if what he saw was merely a projection, a picturesque AR fantasy planet for the people who wanted escape from overcrowded Earth. He could imagine – even if CISA knew about the visitor, the strange occurrences – they’d still accept the contract from their affiliate corporate financiers, the developers. Simply the pressure to build new outer-Sol communities was too great to refuse.
***