Victory Saved (2179)

Victory Saved (2179)

by B. B. Irvine

Copyright 2022 B. B. Irvine

Smashwords Edition

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This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Chapter 01 - Darkeyes and The Wolf

IWG-SS JOHN A. WHEELER

HD-19373 System (Iota Persei)

29 July 2178 - Thursday

TAKAGUCHI

So what the hell is it? Meaning not, what is this large buried structure, but, is this a threat to InterWorld Group humans now on this planet? Specifically, their own survey party. Everyone on the bridge knew that, but nobody had anything to say. Captain Jason Takaguchi tried not to sigh or react in any way at all, almost regretting his initial irritation.

These are new kids, scared to death, and getting snappish won’t help. That’s what Bert would’ve said later, after Takaguchi’s blow-up; but Bert wasn’t here, and the pang of absence Takaguchi felt over that wasn’t going away, even with a ship to run. He looked around the bridge and asked, as blandly as he could, Any scans or other guesses yet?

Science Lieutenant Pinon bit his lip, while Ensign Tappil on Engineering looked dazed, in a daydreaming way. Ahh, he suspects, but is slow to decide, and afraid to speak. His Comms officer looked over and reported, No beams or comms, no e-mag static except lightning, Captain.

Takaguchi nodded. Just a big – what? A maze underground? A tunnel complex? He hoped that might prod Pinon, but the science officer just gave his boards another look over, shaking his head, brow furrowed. Takaguchi could see Tappil was now starting to frown – getting anxious. It was a bit much (he knew he would never be a Matisou when it came to teaching) and he sighed as he hit his chair comm. Chief?

This is Lieutenant Kava. The Chief’s on a break, but I am thinking this is a moderate sized complex of covered walls, based on the signal differences between walls, floors, and topfill.

So these are not tunnels, Lieutenant?

No, sir. The walls have ceilings which are covered with topfill and have collapsed in a few areas – see the display on net two, sir.

It came on the screen immediately – at least this engineering lieutenant and communications were on the ball. There were a few depressed areas on the radar cross views, like shelving with the ends smashed. I see them. How old? Any way to tell from here?

No sir. And infrared won’t get through. Deep radar might catch masses of people or movement, but that’s a hard call. Now Kava was anticipating his tactical concerns – human presence would not be seen if strict disciplines were enforced about not going out without a camo-suit, and the jungle itself provided adequate cover if one knew how to move under the leaf canopies.

He tapped his chair. I think we need a look-see. He stood up. I want full I-R and optical scans at one hundred kilometers in diameter – rivers, trails, any other structures. He looked over at Pinon, who quickly nodded. Takaguchi nodded once and his eyes swept the bridge as he continued: I want an approach to the site mapped out that keeps our unit dropping in fast, then landing as quick and quiet as possible. I want a relay datanet and Tac Q.R.T. to yellow, R.O.E. One for back-up. This fast survey mission will need to be ready in thirty minutes and that means off the launch rail – thirty minutes from now. I’m going into my office for ten minutes. He turned and walked down the short ramp off the bridge to his office, hearing the murmur of voices behind him pick up as everyone got to work. He had just put his ship IWG-SS JOHN A. WHEELER on the highest activity level short of actual Action Stations.

Takaguchi took a deep breath and shook his head to clear it. He was not too old for this fekk, but his nerves handled adrenaline a bit differently as Captain. He reminded himself that he had less crew on board at the moment and had lost three during last week’s 22 July rock runner operation; his newbies were still in shock about the deaths, and there were a few less seniors mixed in to guide that. And even though the other senior officers were just off serving on different ships, to a newbie out in deep space, it could seem as if "everyone is gone!"

He had lost two in the initial action last week, then another of wounds later. He had sent Lieutenant Burton Nils to IWG TQ OSPREY as replacement nav/pilot, along with an engineering ensign who Wolf Lobo thought needed a slow cruise for contemplation and thought experiment time. First Officer Debitts was happy about getting more flight time than usual, and Lobo had plenty of bright bulbs working for him in the Engineering Division, but that was five absences so far. He’d sent a lieutenant (j.g.) and two ensigns off on the ScrewballRunner with its new master and commander Lieutenant Commander Winsome Weyrik (formerly on WHEELER, then Chief Engineer on TQ OSPREY), and a lieutenant, a lieutenant (j.g.), and two ensigns on the other PrizeRunner which WHEELER seized, plus another two lieutenant (j.g.) and an ensign onto the prize RockRunner OSPREY had seized – done by its commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Ecurba, in fact. (OSPREY had supplied its prize’s master and commander, a lieutenant nav/pilot, which WHEELER also had replaced).

That was fifteen people gone out of travel complement which had been 68 – close to a quarter of the crew, and it didn’t count the wounded who were still in Medical or just starting modified duty. This made it close to a third of the crew no longer with us. To a crewper, a recently graduated ensign, or newly promoted lieutenant (j.g.) in deep space for the first time, that was "everyone is gone!"

No – most of them are fine, just not on WHEELER.

But not everyone… Takaguchi sighed, a wave of sadness taking him now as well. This damn planet has cost me more crewmates than is fair in any Universe! It was easy for him to imagine his crew safely off on their ships, but the loss of three on the last mission was permanent. A flashflood killed five on my first visit, then we lost eight on the second, and now three on this one…

And I miss Bert. He took another breath, a sour halfsmile on his always serious face. I like being Captain, but I miss Bert being Captain. Now Takaguchi laughed once, and rubbed his cheek thoughtfully. Good thing I’m not a Niv, because that’s just not at all Rational… He would have to make sure the senior officers still on board mixed in more widely so the kids didn’t start to get anxious about all of the vacuum on the other side of the hull because they were all thinking about death right now. It had not directly occurred to them yet that now they could actually be in combat with the Organization of Planetary Projects or with common thieves, and other clearly designated targets. They had trained for it, but only abstractly, and assignment to WHEELER (only a nominally tactical ship) meant odds had lengthened they’d be doing only cargo/training runs.

Takaguchi knew better, had never said otherwise. The newbies were not over-shocked, but sober-shocked; that was appropriate, but still had to be monitored. That should be easy, because morale was always very high on WHEELER. Everybody knew everyone else, so it would just take a few extra rounds by himself and the seniors, letting people flag them down to talk, picking and choosing when to chat with the deeper thinkers, brooders, and ruminators.

The geologic and resource survey WHEELER had originally been tasked to do here at HD-19373/Iota Persei had been ongoing and thorough from the moment hostilities ended, and it would be wrapped up by the next afternoon. They had been winding down and were due to leave the system in two and a half days, on 1 August 2178 – and now this… He hit the comm. Takaguchi to Lobo. That would get his Chief Engineer, no matter where he was on WHEELER.

Lobo here, Captain.

Lieutenant Kava: a very sharp worker there, Chief.

Thank you, sir. The new second will be pleased to hear that.

Now that you’ve finished your break, what’ve we got?

It looks old to me, sir.

How old?

Very old. Hundreds of years old.

And is it in current use? For a planet not biocleared for visits, this one had seen a lot of visits, official and otherwise. Takaguchi felt his lips quirk into a bittersweet smile – he and Matisou had been on the first survey team in September 2163; then the next one in May 2173 – they had met the alien Qet, accidentally crossing paths during an inter-Qet dispute between several ships. Shortly after that visit they had returned in August 2173 to complete the survey and discovered a rock running operation, one lifting and smuggling Rare Earth Alloys (REA) for huge profits.

No one had seemed to have lived for any length of time on the planet, but planets were very large, and because of the Conflict there had been less resources available to patrol the system. Look-sees by the IWG had become almost predictable – and this planet had been a personal REA source for Conflict profiteer Admiral Custer Beria, Commander in Chief of InterWorld Group Space Fleet Northen Ecliptic Command. His rock runners had the IWG look-see schedules and had operated regularly in between them. Takaguchi knew they had been here; although it now appeared that Admiral Beria had cornered the market of supplying the O.P.P., Takaguchi now needed to consider if the Organization of Planetary Projects might have come seeking a direct lift of a few of the rocks bearing critical resource alloys needed to build its starships.

I would guess not, but I am guessing, warned Lobo.

What makes you guess that way, Chief?

Absence of thermals. Heat is always the hardest thing to hide, especially in a habitat. Trails that are walked on are trampled and soon conduct heat differently. Human and Qet cooking areas produce it.

Thermals are not more than seventy percent detectable from this orbital range.

Lobo chuckled. "That’s why it’s a guess, Captain T."

Fair enough. Look, we’ve taken on a ton of greenies – any of them archaeology or architecture fans?

No, sir. But I can evaluate the structure, if that’s the mission profile.

I didn’t want to ask, Chief, it seems like... Well, not much of a mission to send my Chief Engineer on, frankly. He kept it casual, and so did Lobo – who had in essence just volunteered.

Quite all right, sir. Think of it as a chance to further the check-out of Lieutenant Kava’s skillsets – she’ll be in charge down here while I’m gone.

Mm. I think it should be a very small, purely recon party of no more than three... Bring your VEOpts, it will be dark in there... Hm, what about Delaridel? That covers vision, hearing, and strength.

Lobo chuckled. "Hell, sir, if it’s me and Cara, you don’t need to send anybody else."

LOBO

What did you mean by that? she asked him.

I just meant we could handle anything we ran into, he answered, trying not to wince.

You are overly optimistic in your assessment of our capabilities, she said tartly.

Commander Wolfredo Lobo frowned. That’s not the best team spirit I’ve ever heard.

Lieutenant Cara Delaridel laughed. "Are you nervous, sir?"

Lobo flushed. That’s a rather impertinent question, Lieutenant. He kept his focus on the autopilot track as they dropped toward the atmosphere, trying to stay cool – there was something about the young Niv woman that was getting to him, and he wasn’t sure he wanted it to (and was even worried that he couldn’t seem to stop it).

Don’t be. We found structures like this on Niv, or at least, that is what it looked like at the brief.

He sat up in his flight chair. Why didn’t you say anything?

She looked over at him. He was a dark haired, tan complexioned human male with a black moustache, wiry build, and an easy way with flying, ships and many things. But that question had an ‘edge’ to it; he was irritated. "Because that is strictly ‘need to know’ information, and a roomful of greenies don’t ‘need to know.’ But you do ‘need to know,’ Commander."

He relaxed slightly – the Niv were notoriously private about a great many things. And the Captain? He was still irritated in principle.

He ‘needs to know’ later. I could be wrong, and his primary concern is whether the O.P.P. is here now, not speculations about what this might or might not be. The Organization of Planetary Projects was still waging guerilla war in every major system, including this one; any odd structure was a potential base camp needing investigation. Given this planet’s history (from the Qet Encounter of 2173 to the rock runner groups rousted out from here in August of 2173 and again most recently on 22 July 2178), it was of special concern in this circumstance.

I disagree with your judgement, Lieutenant. His voice was now neutral enough – he wasn’t irritated, but stating professional judgement to a junior officer.

Cara frowned. I’m sorry you feel that way, sir.

Forget the O.P.P. We need to work together against the unknown.

The young Niv looked out the forward window. I’m sorry, sir. I’m still thinking too often as if I’m alone. As a Niv recon specialist, that had been her most usual way of operating.

He winced. What can you tell me about the ones on Niv?

She looked back at him. Nothing else, at the moment. I brought it up to reassure you, not influence your appraisal in any way.

This won’t be like the power distributor, will it? His voice now had a dry, resigned tone. They had worked together a few times since she had joined WHEELER five months ago and had done well, despite some cultural mis-reads and unusual learning experiences.

There was a leak in an inner docking bay door’s hydraulic node, which she was monitoring as he was working on finding the site to patch it – at the time, it was just pin-point, and the lubegoo spraying out as a superfine mist was slowly, invisibly forming drops on the deck. They had a miscommunication (which was still no clearer on replay – it had seemed to add up then!) and as he applied the probe unit to the metal surface, it made a hole.

The insulating lubegoo on the deck was already a super slippery slime and he lost his balance but caught himself and hung there while the monitor digiVid record made made him the star of his own slapstick video. The leak sprayed the area with lubegoo, causing full system shut down. His hands went slippery and he slid onto the floor. He fell every time as he tried to stand up, sometimes after a lengthy, exhausting attempt resolved at last in a well-balanced result – Ahh, I got it! Uh-oh – Oooops!!

Two other engineers coming to help had turned his Chaplinesque series of pratfalls into a Three Stooges episode as a series of belts flung to him or looped overhead inevitably became slippery and then failed, dumping him to the deck or pulling them in. Finally all three of them were doing nothing but pratfalls, until exhaustion made them slither off the field of battle (even trying to get to all fours to crawl caused a pratfall).

He had been sore for a week, not helped by laughing when the vid showed up on screen at the Stooges Working Group viewing night; even their conversation (something about checking on the left or right, and a confirmation by asking right? instead of correct?) It was now hilarious, since everyone was blandly going through probe distances and pressure levels, doing the checklist, and then one glitch leads to classic slapstick. She had been far more embarrassed than he was, but he was Chief Engineer and could afford it.

She now looked away quickly, trying not to smile. No, sir, nothing like that.

If I recall, you claimed I hadn’t asked a specific enough topic question for you to ‘whittle away at the chaff’ and answer in time. That isn’t the case here, correct?

She looked back. I’m sorry, sir. I’m really not supposed to say anything at all about Niv. I don’t think that’s the way to go, and I left Niv because of it, but it’s quite deeply ingrained. I’m working on that. There’s a report in your ship database I sent about the Niv structures which I thought you could use as a point of reference after the mission. She looked out the side window and sighed. I shouldn’t have said anything at all, then you’d have found it as I’d intended and asked me whatever you wanted to, having been free of any preconceptions.

Wolfredo Lobo looked straight ahead and kicked himself. Not only was Cara Delaridel a Niv, she was an Exotic – in actual fact, more than an Exotic, she was an actual Darkeye, but politically and in her way of thinking, she had left that behind – transcended her genes, as she had said once. She did not think like any other Niv he knew, yet was every bit as strong, smart, skilled, and trained. She applied Rational thinking in unusual ways, often seeming to dispense with it altogether – in short, she was an angry young Niv, thirsty for knowledge, full of passions.

Plus she had the biggest, darkest eyes he had ever seen. Literally. The Darkeye trait was designed to grow eyes with pupils three times as large as a Sol Homo sapien eye, with a lens system and bare retina that could see thousands of dim stars in color at night, or as well as many night animals could, out in the woods, or in jungles, or in dark tunnels or caves... Or inside asteroid habitats, if the power is shut off. Combined with enhanced pattern recognition ability, it made a natural deep space navigator specialist Niv, and a Niv capable of fighting in pitch darkness.

She had thick black hair she had let grow out since leaving the jungles on Jade and joining the science-cargo ship WHEELER this past February – barely five months ago. Her skin was matte black. The outermost layer of cells absorbed most of the next living layer’s oil and sweat. Her outer skin had almost no oil or sweat to reflect light at night or other low light condition, and she was usually matte black. There was very little sclera white left in her eyes but her teeth were white and mucous membranes were pink, so the effect was very exotic, and unlike even the darkest Sol human.

She also had a distinctly more Amazon look than an average Niv female frame (which was already more muscled than Sol females). Most Niv women looked muscled and extremely fit; Cara had the build of a young Super Heroine, much more heavily muscled than even Niv normal, although still supple. She had so far proved impossible to beat at any game with patterns and in most athletic contests (she had lost an apple pie eating contest, though).

Cara was an exotic, intelligent, beautiful young woman. She was also the most human Niv anyone on WHEELER had ever met. It meant she was as moody and unpleasant as anyone else on board could be... But on the whole, she was liked, because she had been a decent and hard working crewper (who had competed in the apple pie eating contest, the high point of the June Farewells) who always tried hard to do the best thing.

Like reassure her Commander that it wasn’t a complete unknown they were flying into. He cleared his throat. Well, I’ll look forward to reading it, and try to keep an open mind until then. Thanks.

You’re welcome sir, she replied stiffly.

Lobo kicked himself again. If she gets chilly, that’s my fault. He was surprised at his unsettled inner cool – usually he had no trouble being on missions with attractive crewpers, but... Ahh, fekk.

1.2

If there was any doubt about a structure, it had to be looked at.

If they had not exchanged two thirds of his crew for new crew when IWG MTCc DRAGON had arrived alongside WHEELER in late May to transport Captain Matisou and rotate all the newbies on board for in place June graduation-promotion, Takaguchi would have had the usual number of skilled crewpers available. The need to crew the three prize ships they had intercepted on the rock runner operation and their tactical assistance ship, IWG-TQ OSPREY, had then depleted Takaguchi’s ‘skilled senior’ and ‘semi-skilled’ rosters. Usually WHEELER had plenty of people to look into this – a full Science team, with two Tactical Quick Response Teams at the ready for a hot response, just to get started.

Takaguchi did not have the skilled personnel available at the moment, and he wasn’t certain exactly what they were responding to yet. Either was Lobo.

This planet at HD-19373 was still not officially biocleared for landing, so no one lives down there, except their own survey party outpost (another drop in the pool of ship’s personnel on board at the moment). No other overt human signatures or signals were down there, and none had been heard since they first entered the system on 21 July. It took good discipline to keep electromagnetic devices turned off, or a lack of that technology. The geology survey on the ground also had extended ‘bot coverage from space, and the full range of Engineering and Science sensing technologies used had not yielded any sign of life at the level of proto-human band, tribe, culture or science – just various fauna. There were no sentient intelligents down here except the survey party from WHEELER.

Still, a response was called for, Lobo agreed with that. It was a structure, something not found often enough to simply dismiss; in this case, it meant Captain Takaguchi sending his third senior officer to take a look, with his Unique Tactical Asset (as her file designated her). Takaguchi had been tempted to add an overwatch, but did not have anyone with the field experience he could spare – the handful with combat experience (including Elsa Chips Hatven) he had to save for the one Tactical Quick Response Team making up his tactical response if the area in question should prove hot. As in, somebody shoots at us hot.

Lobo looked up at the canopy tops. It was pitch dark, just as the plan called for. Their tactical field uniforms had external temperature controls which kept them at ambient temperatures and defeated infrared sensors. They were moving quietly enough to pass as a jungle sound. Motion sensors in a living jungle were not practical; there might be pressure sensors or something else, but they were not on a specific trail and the whole area couldn’t be set up that way. It was a safe risk. Right.

He followed Delaridel as they slowly approached the A.I.Q. (Area In Question.) Delaridel was silent. Lobo had worked a few years with Aria Threnody, a Niv (the Chief Engineer he had learned the ship from); he was well versed in Niv behavior. Cara was here to look and listen, and that’s what she was doing. Their only communication was supposed to be tactically oriented and silent (there were special marking chemicals on her fingertips so her hand signals would show up on his Vision Enhance Optics in the darkness of night, here under double and triple canopy jungle). Their main job would be introducing hover’bots into the tunnels, or whatever they were. Hover’bots were too flimsy to be launched from orbit or even a ship in atmosphere; they might be overlooked in a ground tactical plan, and launching them by hand from just outside the entrance avoided many sorts of counter-strategies and detection devices.

He thought about Delaridel. She had a way that kept him on his toes, and yet she never forgot that he had been one of the crew on board during the Qet Encounter (which had validated the whole Niv decision to Change). She would get flustered and nervous when she spoke of it with him, one of her more charming, un-Niv qualities, and he remembered Matisou falling for it every time (it was hard not to).

She had also proven, more than once, that she was one of those hard call operators, the kind one needed in a tactical crunch. There was no stiffness now, but she had been wounded during the rock runner operation ground assault the previous week. She had still managed to carry another wounded crewper to safety, shooting an opposing force member who tried to stop them. It was not as dramatic as her going to help Hornet Andersen during the TASHA Test on Cape Of Velvet last February, but it was a close call. As they now moved through the jungle toward the structure area, he realized he had chided her for not telling Captain Takaguchi about her speculations during their last real conversation... There hadn’t been much time, but they might be under fire and screaming orders back and forth later – why go out on a grumpy note?

Lobo shook his head. They really didn’t want to find anything. They hoped at best there would be evidence of a previous passage, so they could retreat for now. They wanted to arrive at the site well before dawn, put their hovers in, and follow up during daylight, if the way was clear. If it looked risky (i.e. if it was currently occupied), they would observe from a distance and wait for the next nightfall to be extracted.

1.3

The structure was silent and dark. They crept to the nearest opening, Cara on overwatch as Lobo tossed in the hover’bots. Then they scuttled two hundred meters back into the underbrush while WHEELER’s remote ‘bot pilots and the science boffins in orbit above them went to work. It was pitch black and quiet here, with enough foliage around them to naturally screen infrared sideways, but the jungle overhead had thinned out and the night sky was visible. The air was sweet when they opened their helmet visors.

Lobo cracked a water ration and handed it to her. She took it and drank some. You move well through the jungle, she said quietly.

I have a great guide.

Thank you. Do you want water?

Yes, thanks. She drank a bit more, then he took back the now half full ration. I think this is an old, old place, he observed, drinking the rest.

She took a very long, slow, meditative breath. Yes... It is an ancient place.

He studied the handheld EngDPaT screen as the data came in. There was no sign of human occupation; in fact, whoever had lived in the structure was either much shorter or incredibly crouched over. The passages were uniformly one meter tall (just over a yard, or three Old Feet, about 39 inches) by two meters wide, and the rooms built were in multiples of two. A few rooms were two point five or four meters deep. All were empty, except for local fauna bones. A map was being created for them to follow after daybreak; the hover’bots would scout their way. Now they just waited, hiding out in their pocket of shadow.

He looked at her. She was looking up at the stars overhead. I have begun to question my role in things, sir.

In what way, Lieutenant?

I find that killing is more difficult to rationalize. I believe that my talents can still be utilized in a less active analyst or intelligence role. I am inclined toward the Science Division, myself.

Not Engineering?

Possibly. I am interested in deep space optical systems. He could hear her grin. I hope that is not terribly stereotypical.

No. It’s a select niche, in fact.

I meant my eyes.

I know what you meant. It was funny.

You have always been a serious officer. I hope that it is okay if I am not always serious.

He felt oddly distressed. I like to laugh.

Of course. No one said otherwise. You are very inspiring in your quiet way. I do not think I will be able to be as quiet.

You don’t know me very well. Admiral Matisou and Captain Takaguchi have different views on my mouth, I can assure you.

She laughed softly. As do I.

Lobo was glad it was dark, because he must have looked pretty dumbstruck at that instant. That was an ambiguous remark, an opening or a signal, if he was looking for one, or just conversation. Now that they had stopped, he was more fully aware of her. He could smell her shipsoap, shampoo and the faint citrus-evergreen scent of Niv sweat against the green smell of the jungle – everything more intense after canned ship air.It’s okay to question your role in things, but we both have orders to follow, at least in the short run, he said.

Yes, sir. That was not my focus. Neutral again. The moment was past. How old would you estimate the structure to be?

Hard to say... Given the overgrowth on the topfill, using the ruins of Earth’s Central America as a measure, at least two hundred years, probably more. I’d expect more tree root damage.

What if the building material used repelled roots and inhibited trees from growing? Caused by a mineral effect, perhaps.

Lobo shrugged. I’ll have to look around myself. Five hundred years, maybe another two or three hundred. Even without tree growth, a thousand years seems a bit long to go without more earthquake or flood damage. He pointed. You were right – there are a couple of collapsed areas.

Those require careful attention. They are unstable but also may preserve anything caught beneath them, providing they have not yet been perturbed by survey or poacher contact.

Way up here? This is the hard country.

Yet we are here.

Lobo opened and closed his mouth. His DPaT bipped. Kendo to Lone Wolf. It was Captain Takaguchi, using their Tactical tags.

Lone Wolf here.

What’s your feeling?

Looks quiet. I think we can proceed as planned.

Remember, it’ll take us eight minutes to get there.

As in the Eightfold Way.

He heard Takaguchi chuckle. I’m so glad this has re-invigorated your skill at poetic allusion. I like that one. Talk before move-out.

Aye, sir. Thank you, sir. Team out.

Delaridel held up her DPaT. Sir, look at this.

I think the Captain was having fun, but that reminds me, we’re on an operation here. Call me ‘Lone Wolf,’ or ‘Wolf’ for short, okay?

He heard her laugh. I suppose I’m ‘Darkeyes,’ then, but I’ll risk it if you call me ‘Cara’ in an emergency, since you’re also just ‘Wolf.’ Sir.

Lobo chuckled. Very well. He checked his DPaT. What is this? It looks like a donut on top of some coffee cup ring stains.

It’s a density plot. Those areas are slightly less dense than the others on multi-scan imaging. This rock has melted and resolidified.

Is it volcanic, or a meteor strike?

Neither; although they might cause a similar result, this is only two or three centimeters deep.

They can tell that from the ship?

"No, sir. I tested it myself and it was just confirmed from orbit in some of the thinnest areas on the outer arcs."

Lobo grinned. The ‘sir’ was a Niv way of indicating who was Niv here, not just being polite. You’ve been busy. Good work. Mmmm, what could do this, besides a weapon blast or a very hot drive ring?

Nothing else comes to mind.

He sighed. This pre-dates humans here and the structures are too small to be Qet, so somebody else was here and it wasn’t friendly. He smiled at her. That sounds familiar.

If we are to proceed with our plan, we need to establish a night camp until the sunstar returns. Do you have any preferences?

No offense, but I don’t do well up in platforms.

That would be safest, nonetheless. What about our present location? I see a depression just over there that is easily enlarged into a night R.P.

He smiled at how she had handled getting her opinion in without drawing too much attention to it. That satisfied the Niv Rational Mind in Action without insubordinance, and at some point a mind might be changed by the subtle suggestion. Not his, not on this. He was fearless when flying, or in space, or as he went across the high catwalks in some of the engineering spaces he worked in, but he was afraid of unknown heights. Sleeping on a tree platform in the dark, worrying he would roll off, would be impossible, and the threat index was very low at this point.

The depression was near the edge of a long clearing. It was an oval clearing about a hundred meters long, perhaps two thirds as wide, without a single tree, just tall grass. The depression she indicated was hard to see from within the clearing and not near any trail leading in. It was off along an edge and would only be stumbled across or into by coincidence.

Out of the way, easy to modify, big enough for two – perfect.

He stood up and stretched. Time to start digging.