06: Trapped on a Dead World

If you have the opportunity to do amazing things in your life,
I strongly encourage you to invite someone to join you.

Simon Sinek

“Alright,” Al announced as they began their descent into the lower atmosphere. “If there are any active monitors on the planet, either in orbit or on the surface, our presence is no longer a secret. Yet the chances of anyone on such a barren and unforgiving world surviving this long is negligible. Just like our previous exploratory mission, we’re only here to gather information, because I don’t want to face a similar situation. If we end up stranded somewhere, unable to replenish our supplies, I hope someone will investigate what happened to us. Simply the fact they’d care, might honor our memory, and provide some memorial is meaningful, because we’re potentially facing the same fate. And no, I have no intention of reporting this to the Tandorians. They never knew these people, so there are no families who’ll give a damn what happened to long-lost distant relatives. This is more personal. This is about honoring the unknown, and we can’t afford to ignore their fate.”

As he spoke, Solomon sang a heavy, ponderous tune, but as he progressed, it grew lighter and more hopeful. “Our mission is information gathering and possibly a limited recovery. We know where the abandoned ship’s crew set up their base camp. One has no indication of any recent activity, and it’s unlikely there are enough resources to power a simple rescue beacon. The structure is sturdy, but fierce storms have undoubtedly inundated it with sand. The atmosphere is obscured by dust, so we’ll likely need to dig our way in, which won’t be easy in these suits. We’re only looking to determine what happened to these people, and why they ended up in such a god-forsaken hellhole.”

“I’m still unsure why we’re here,” Etta said, grasping Theo’s hand. “I understand why you need engineers, but why two academics rather than someone who’s better in a pinch?”

“What we need is expertise,” Al said, guiding the shuttle into the proper descent trajectory. “Your knowledge of geology, atmospheric conditions, biology and physics is vital, though most of our work will be physical.”

“Wouldn’t Eli be better with those details than a biologist and theoretic physicist?”

“He knows a lot of trivia, but doesn’t have the same proficiency you do. If we need more generic ideas on what we face, we can contact him or Addy, but you have the precise skills we require.”

“In that case, I should remind you how inefficient this trek is,” Theo pointed out. “We’ll need to factor that in our future decisions concerning which planets are worth investigating. It may not be advantageous exploring stark, uninhabitable worlds. Remember it when we uncover their fate.”

“I’ve got to admit,” Myi agreed. “This is a lot of effort just to feel more encouraged about our own future. It makes more sense to take it as an object lesson in wasting time on unproductive investigations.”

“Those are valid objections, but they’re a bit late, since we’re already here,” Al said, as he countered the wind while landing the shuttle.

“It doesn’t look like anyone has been here for a long time.” Kaci examined the dust-covered structure through the shuttle’s window as they prepared to disembark. “It doesn’t appear it’s been sitting idle for four hundred years either.”

“You’re right,” Etta said. “With the type of storms the planet gets, and the amount of atmospheric dirt, it’s relatively clear.”

As the others discussed the situation, Al carefully prepared Solomon. He set him in his specially designed suit, essentially a visorless baggie. The hum of circulating air lulled it to sleep the way covering a bird case keeps parakeets quiet.

“I don’t know why you bothered bringing him,” Kaci said. “It’s not like he’s going to be any use while we’re investigating what happened.”

“As always, he helps everyone’s mood, which boosts their effectiveness. More importantly, Be and Xi are tired of babysitting him. He accepts them when I’m not around, but with anyone else, he whines and cries a mournful tune. Even though he’s comfortable with them, he’s fidgety and nervous until I return. This way, even if he’s sleeping in his bag, he’s happy and serving a valuable role.”

“It may just be the wind blows the dust back off as fast as it accumulates.” Theo finished pulling on his gloves before donning his helmet. “I’m guessing, under a thin layer of accumulated dirt, there’s nothing but solid rock. There’s likely not enough soil to even create an artificial, indoor garden. I haven’t observed any large bodies of water which are typically needed to support planetary life.”

“Yet, according to the One,” Etta argued, “the planet has plenty of water, with high levels of humidity in the air and soil. There seems to be as many clouds and rain as dust storms. If so, the opposite might be true. It might be the ground is so porous it absorbs everything, rather than rock beds collecting water.”

‘So much for your combined expertise, ‘ Al teased, opening the hatch once the air was evacuated. ‘We’ll never learn anything sitting around speculating.‘ Everyone stepped down, dust rising as their feet hit the ground. Curious, Etta knelt, picking up some undisturbed dirt and rubbing it between her gloved fingers, examining it.

‘Nope. There’s plenty of moisture in the soil. I’ll collect some and do a detailed analysis later to see how productive it might be.‘ She opened her pack, extracting a small vial and filled it with a small sample. ‘Don’t forget, the only reason the Earth is blue is because it literally rained for thousands of years. This planet just might not be old enough for the water to collect in the correct places yet.‘

‘Your understanding of planetary geology might be a bit simplistic, ‘ Myi advised. ‘Since we have more experience with the formations of protoplanets, we can discuss it later, but now isn’t the time.‘

‘That’s fine,’ Etta said, standing. Chich’k wasn’t wasting time sitting around arguing over boring details. She sprinted ahead, using her arms and legs like a loping four-legged animal. ‘The point is, it’s dangerous making assumptions before you have the data to back up your assertions.‘

The earlier storm was past, and while there was still grit as the winds battered their suits, the visibility wasn’t obstructed. The structure was mostly metallic, but parts of it were repeatedly patched canvas. Apparently someone had lived here and carefully maintained it for a long time.

‘Look! Panels replaced.’ Chich’k rattled the panel to emphasize her point. ‘No match original. Whoever here, not only mine ore, but utilize materials local.‘

‘Again, you’re making unsupported inferences, ‘ Myi argued. ‘It might be recycled metals from their shuttle, mixed with contaminates from burning enough fuel to melt it all.‘

Chich’k shrugged. ‘You expert play. I report what see.‘ She struck the surface to measure its strength. ‘Solid construction, no flake, despite years of wear.‘

‘Not quite, ‘ Myi announced, holding a loose flap hanging from the side of the structure. ‘By the way, I’ve found a way in without having to check under the welcome mat for a key.‘

Before anyone could respond, Chich’k rushed past, using her hands-between-knees trotting style. The others gathered, peering in. Chi-chi stood, stretching to see over the nearby tables. ‘Dusty. More than outside, but no body, no datapod neither.’

Myi followed her in, brushing her helmet as she disturbed the hanging material loaded with sand, stopping to consider the interior. Before she could do more, Chich’k shot off like monkey launched from a t-shirt cannon. She leapt from chair to desk to counter without pausing.

‘More personal, but no inhabit. Print on poster illegible. No one live for decades.‘

‘I wouldn’t say that, ‘ Myi countered. She brushed the dust off a small locker with a small brush from her kit, revealing a candle she picked up to display. She bent over, studying it, before pinching the wick and examining the soot remains on her glove. ‘This is fairly recently used. There are some trinkets here. Maybe it’s a memorial of some sort? It might be the inhabitants didn’t die so long ago.‘

Chich’k waved objects through the air, attracting everyone’s attention. ‘Find plate, fork.’ She stared at the Tandorian utensil. ‘Still dried food. They hurry leave, not dish wash.‘

‘Yet, the place is immaculate. They took the most valuable items, leaving the everyday ones.’ Myi slowly spun in place, taking everything in. ‘Hardly the type of thing you’d expect if it was sitting open, exposed to fierce sandstorms for hundreds of years.‘

‘Possibly the tear in the structure was more than the last survivors could withstand, ‘ Al offered. ‘If they couldn’t repair it immediately, they likely gathered everything useful and tried to find somewhere else to hide. Their bodies might be buried in the dirt or under a sand drift outside.‘

Chich’k scrapped some of the dried food off with her gloved fingers. Due to her smaller hands, they were actually more dexterous than the others’ larger suits. ‘Gunk petrify. Memorial more recent last meal than.‘

‘It isn’t unusual.‘ Al insisted. ‘It means they survived, and returned to memorialize those they lost. But there’s little to suggest they endured long afterwards.‘

‘Or the substances don’t react like our Earthly versions, ‘ Etta suggested. ‘They may remain viable for longer. Myi, what do Tandorians manufacture wax from, and would they transport it this far, or is this locally made?‘

‘It’s never been a significant factor in Tandorian life. Any use would have been for ceremonial purposes, and only on a few isolated planetary cultures, ‘ she answered, examining the candle again. ‘Still, if this was some sort of religious community, they might have carried their own. Thus it might be constructed of anything, or been brought here from one of the planets they visited.‘

‘So essentially, we have no answers, only more questions, ‘ Al said, shrugging as he headed back outside. Once there he consulted Kaci. ‘If you had to leave in a hurry, and only had a limited amount of oxygen, where would you head?‘

‘If it was me, I’d head back to my ship, which remains in orbit. I’m thinking that’s a sensible idea, as I’m getting a bad feeling about this place.‘ She stopped to examine her arm, and then the back of her glove, as they’d been out in the wind the entire time. ‘I think something in the atmosphere is corrosive. There’s no sign it’ll compromise our suits, but I’m unsure how long they’ll hold up to prolonged exposure, especially if the winds increase substantially. This is no place to live, under any circumstances.’

He too stopped and did a slow turn, scanning the horizon. ‘There’s no place near offering much protection, particularly breathable air. I’m guessing they headed to a nearby rover or shuttle and went somewhere else. We may need the One to do a more extensive survey of evidence of habitation, now that the upper atmosphere is clear.‘

‘Sorry to interrupt, ‘ the One cut in, as if in response to the query. ‘I’m getting an interesting reading. There was a sudden heat bloom from the cliffs to the north-northwest, thirty degrees from your current position, about forty-three miles away. It’s localized to a small area, and only persisted for a few moments. Checking my previous measurements, I now see there have been numerous such releases in the area. However, they were so subtle, I hadn’t detected them.‘

‘Now that is interesting!‘ Al turned, waving the group forward. ‘Okay, people, grab whatever you need. We’re going on a quick trip.‘

Kaci shook her head as they both headed back to the shuttle to prepare it for the others. ‘I’ll say, wherever you go, you not only surprise everyone, but complete mysteries just appear for you to solve. I don’t know which gods are looking over your shoulder, but I’m glad you’re on our side!‘

__________
“I’m not sure,” Kaci said, peering out the front window, “but it looks like solid rock to me. There are cavities and hollows, but I don’t see any hotspots.”

“You wouldn’t,” Al said as he maneuvered the hovering craft so they could examine a wider expanse. “One said it only lasted a few moments.”

Theo studied the cliff just as intently. “If it was a release of internal gasses, or a brief hiccup from a nearby volcanic tube, you wouldn’t see another ... until it occurs again.”

“What that?” Chich’k asked.

“What? I don’t see anything.” Al leaned forward, straining to see whatever he’d missed.

She jumped on the dash, leaning against the window, touching the translucent material with her finger. “Low, near ground. Color odd, symmetrical. No find in natural formation.”

“You’ve got good eyes. I hadn’t noticed.”

“Good eyes need when run from bigger creatures in trees, or from troops with lasers when trap in air tubes.”

“Can you do a quick thermal scan of the region?” Al asked the shuttle. Each had their own AI unit, although the One didn’t seem to hold them in the same high regard as shipboard AIs.

“There are various thermic anomalies, though not very subtle. It’s warmer than the surrounding surface, but not substantially so. However, there are numerous small heated areas. Not bright, but together they heat the cliff surface so it appears a consistent temperature.”

“I’m landing,” Al warned them. “We’ll examine it closer ... once we determine how to access it.” He turned to the native Tandorians onboard. “I don’t expect any of you are experienced mountain climbers while wearing these bulky space suits, are you?”

“No worry,” Chich’k said, jumping from the craft’s dash to the seat and then the door. “I climb anything, with any tool. We born for this!”

Once they donned their helmets and opened the hatch, she wasted no time. Running full speed, she catapulted off a nearby bolder and clutched the cliff face as if it were a metallic ship’s wall. She then scaled the precipice as if she were walking along a comfortable hallway.

‘Don’t get too far ahead, ‘ Al warned. ‘One advised us there was another release of heat from this region while en route.‘

‘I used to fighting overwhelm odd. I handle self. Watch falling rock.‘ Theo and Etta just managed to jump clear before a stone the size of Theo’s head crashed between them. Stone fragments pelted their suits.

Myi shook her head, which the form-fitting uniform reflected. ‘She’s like a little kid on holiday.‘

‘‘She’s even worse in bed, which is exhausting!’ Kaci assured them. ‘She climbs Ivan’s pole like it’s a towering tree with nuts on top.‘ She lowered her voice. “I hate to tell her that they’re actually underneath.”

Chich’k reached a point, stopping to consider it from different angles before raising her hand, holding her observers at bay. She then turned, knocking on the discolored area with her handheld laser, which no one noticed her climbing with. The sound was oddly metallic.

Everyone waited, not sure what was happening. After about two minutes, the tinged oval cracked open inwardly. She made several hand motions at whatever was inside, turned and held her hand aloft again, palm out, and clambered inside.

‘What the hell?‘ Kaci asked.

‘We need to get up there, ‘ Myi said, heading back to the shuttle.

‘She said to wait, ‘ Al reminded her.

‘You’re kidding, right?‘

‘No, I trust her. As she said, she’s experienced, and she’s terrific at rapidly evaluating situations without overthinking them. She has excellent intuition.‘

A moment later, someone threw something out the opening, which tumbled down towards them. Everyone leapt clear. Startled, Kaci and Myi drew their weapons. When the object settled, they realized it was a rope ladder. Theo turned to Al, shrugging.

‘We’d best climb. It’s going to take us a while to ascent, and they’ll lose a lot of heat while we do. We don’t want to piss off our hosts.‘

__________
The group ascended as quickly as possible, with Al being the last. He’d returned to set the shuttle on auto-protect and retrieve Solomon. Nearing the previous hidden entrance, he was unable to see in. The sharp contrast between bright sunlight and the dark interior made it appear pitch black. As he reached in, Myi and Theo grabbed his arms. They yanked him in, as someone he couldn’t see pulled the ladder up and slammed the door shut, bolting it in place. Al shivered, wondering whether it was to protect those inside or to keep the newcomers from escaping.

Once the door was latched, cutting off the bright exterior light, his eyes began adjusting, and forms started taking shape. As he waited, he followed the lead of his other team members and unfastened his helmet. Holding it under his arm, Solomon held in his other, he took in what lay exposed before him.

His crewmembers stood beside him by the external bolted entrance. Standing at the other end were dozens of gaping, wide-eyed adults, children and infants. They comprised a single species dressed in crude, rough spun fabrics in a variety of green and brown colors. And there, among them, sitting on one man’s shoulders, sat Chich’k. She was happily testing a new object with her teeth, not yet ready to crack it. She claimed she needed the enzymes in her mouth to ‘work their magic’ ripening the nut before cracking it.

The people were tall, the adults standing between five to seven feet, but were clearly humanoid. Their fingers were long and thin, and their faces were elongated, with their eyes set further apart than in humans. They lacked any other obvious decorative ornamentation like feathers or color-changing scales. They possessed hair similar to Homo sapiens, but in a wider variety of colors, covering their bodies without the long locks atop their heads.

“Really?” Al asked, releasing Solomon from his baggie. When freed, he purred, and the people they faced stared, clearly never encountering such a being before. “You meet complete strangers, and immediately beg for food?”

“It how say hello. Greet stranger, ask nut, they provide. Only evil not share. If they offer none, we remain edgy, unwelcome.”

“Pardon me.” He shifted his helmet to his other arm, steeping forward and extending his hand. “I’m Al, the captain of our ship. We’re the landing party.”

“No undersand,” the woman said, eyeing him nervously. “Words strange,” she said in a pidgin Tandori, so far removed from the original it was difficult to parse. “You friend speak fast, but use few word. We follo her. Not you.”

“Sorry.” Al continued reaching out, but spoke slowly, enunciated each syllable. “I am Al. This,” he indicated everyone behind him, “is my crew.”

The woman standing before the others stared at his outstretched hand as if he were handing her a viper. After several awkward moments, she reached out, imitating him, when he grasped her hand, shaking it. Her eyes widened, her pupils dilating and her nostrils flared.

“That why ask nut,” Chich’k sagely offered. “Ask food, none question why. Hand hand, no one trust.”

“It’s meant as a peace offering,” Al explained, as he had many times in the past. “You can’t stab someone if they’re holding your primary weapon hand.”

“Ahh, now understand. Still, easier ask nut. Everyone trust nuts! No one questions hunger.” She smirked. “They love mine.”

As he released the woman’s hand—and she yanked it back as if she’d been bitten—he studied the faces staring at him. Chich’k had a point. These people accepted her unreservedly, while they weren’t sure of him or his crew. It was exactly as said earlier. She dove into dangerous situations, rapidly evaluating the situation using intuition without overthinking the details. If they didn’t respond positively, she could react before they could strike. What’s more, requesting a tiny portion of food, no matter how exotic, took people off guard and set them at ease. It demonstrated you weren’t afraid of them, but comfortable enough to ask for something to nibble on.

“So Chich’k, who ... are these people?”

“Xactly who think,” she answered.

“They’re the crew of the ship orbiting the planet,” Myi said, which wasn’t much help.

“Actally, they gran’s, gran’s gran,” the head woman corrected. “We two hunner, thirty-six gener from first. They always tell us this come. They tell, over and over, they story. Make us repeat, word word, ensurely never forgo.”

“Are you following this,” he asked Myi over his shoulder, not taking his eyes off the people nervously facing him.

“You get used to it,” she said. “It takes longer, since they don’t have our aids to translate our words into theirs.”