Kennedy put an end to furtherdebate by saying, “Not really the time for this discussion now, isit? We’d better get a move on – daylight’s burning.”
The team reached the first chasmafter another hour of steady hiking. Kennedy used his hand scannerto measure the distance. “127 meters,” he called to Decker andKapoor so they could input the data into the sling-bridgecontroller. While they were deploying the bridge from its canister,Naiche pointed down into the gorge and said, “You can see where thenatural bridge crumbled away.” With a grin, she looked up atKennedy. “Hope there’s no quaking while we’re making our crossings,otherwise things could get…interesting.”
“All sensors report no signs ofseismic activity, so we should be good,” Con replied. He then askedCroker, “Your people know help is on the way, right?”
“Yes,I spoke to Vania Betang, the leader of the scouting party, thismorning. She was thankful at the news.” After a short laugh, Crokeradded, “They asked if we bring provisions. There was much rejoicingwhen I said yes. They’ve had no food for several days.”
Looking up from her work, Kapoorexclaimed, “You sent them out without emergencyrations?”
“They have slurry,” Corkeranswered. “Though they are running short after so long a time inthis wilderness.”
Quan tilted her head for a moment,then asked, “They have what, now?”
Croker removed from his cross-bodybag a collapsible bottle, containing a thick beige liquid. He heldit up, explaining, “Slurry. It can sustain a human with no othersupplement.”
Kennedy craned his neck tomore closely examine the unappealing substance. “Yeah…I can see whythey asked about food.” When Decker announced that the bridge wasset, he said, “Well, with any luck we’ll have ‘em back tothe Aurora bynightfall.”
Decker, Kay, Kapoor, and Quan allsprinted across the bridge and Kennedy indicated that Croker shouldgo next. Croker hesitated at the edge, saying, “It swaysmightily.”
“They have a tendency to do thatbut it can’t be helped. The netting on the sides will catch you,should you fall and you can use the guiderails to steadyyourself.”
“You’re quite sure it willhold?”
“I’ve led entire squadrons acrossthese so, yes, quite sure.” When Croker continued to waver, Conassured him, “They’re made of vanadinlum – the same material as ourship hulls.”
At that reassurance, Crokerfinally started an agonizingly slow trek across the bridge. Kennedyfollowed, leaving sufficient space so as not to apply any pressureto the visibly nervous man. It took them almost twenty minutes tocross and by the time they’d made it to the other side, Con wasfervently wishing that Croker had stayed on the Aurora. That sentiment increaseddramatically a few minutes later when the ground was rocked by amighty tremor and the man turned white and fell to the ground in aheap of panic.
Both Kennedy and Deckerimmediately checked their hand scanners. They exchanged puzzledlooks, Con stating, “The seismic activity on this moon isweird.” He looked downat Croker who was still sitting on the ground. “Does it always comelike that – with no warning?”
“Yes, always. And thencontinues at regular intervals, for days afterwards.” Crokerglanced between the two Tactical leads. “We must cancel the rescuefor now and head back, yes?”
“No,” Kennedy answered.“We can still get to them. No matter what, we have to try. You saidthey’re running low on supplies – right?” When Croker glumlyadmitted that was true, Con said, “Then we have no choice. Thesling-bridge will hold, they’re rated for quakes. And they issue awarning well before they give way.” He offered Croker a hand andpulled him to his feet. “Get ready though – if you thought thebridge swayed before – you haven’t seen anything yet.”
Croker got more insistenton turning back when they came to a narrow passage blocked by arockslide caused by the most recent tremors. Kennedy and Deckerignored his protestations and called Kapoor and Quan over for aquick huddle.
Naiche said, “The quickestway, is to go up and over.” She smiled down at Kayatennae, who wasrestlessly pawing at the rock heap. “Don’t worry, I got ya’, buddy.We’ll go over together.” Deck looked back at her teammates. “I havecamming anchors in my pack – anyone else?” Quan and Kapoor bothsaid they did as well and started to retrieve them.
“Hold up,” Con said. “Whatabout on the way back? Can we get the entire Aurora scouting party over that?” Heasked Croker, “Do your people have any experience rockclimbing?”
Croker tilted his head andstared blankly at Kennedy for a moment. “I don’t understand – howdoes one climb a rock? Humans have not that capacity.”
Deck said, “Okay, thatanswers that question.” She shrugged at Con. “We’re gonna have toscout out another route.”
They consulted over theirscanner maps and found a detour that would add several hours to thetrip. “That’ll work but it’s gonna put us at the rendezvous spotnear dusk,” Con announced. “I guess we’ll camp there tonight.” ToCroker, he said, “Contact Betang and lether know that we’re gonna arrive pretty late, so they’ll bespending one more night there. We’ll all be spending the nightthere.”
“Impossible – we didn’tbring shelters!” Croker protested.
Con pulled a narrowten-inch tube from his daypack. “We all have bedrolls.”
“I do not. Again, I mustinsist on turning back.”
“If that’s what you needto do, I certainly won’t try and stop you,” Kennedy declared. “Butmy crew will be following me andmy orders. Understand?” He gave the signal andhis team headed off. When Con next looked back, Croker wasfollowing – looking miserable, but following. Kennedy gave the manan encouraging nod as he contacted Lindstrom with an update ontheir situation.
During their protracted tripthrough the canyons, Captain Ricci checked in with Kennedy, sincehe’d heard from Lindstrom that they’d already hit a snag. Helistened to Con’s assurances before revealing that theLovelace was departingfor Jileesa very early in the morning and would soon be out ofcommunication range. Kennedy thanked Ricci for the personalfarewell and offered good wishes to him and the entireLovelace crew.
After signing off, Kennedy sawthat Decker, leading the group and ahead of him by abouttwenty-feet, almost immediately answered a hail on her owncomm-link. He smiled to himself, figuring it had to be the captainand wondering if Ricci had contacted him first, mainly as cover forhis real intentions. Con didn’t mind – he hardly blamed the man
