She stared at the hatch as if she believed that she could see through reinforced alloy. Hope recognized the Captain’s intense expression. It was one that she displayed when she was deeply concerned and attempting to think through the problem when an obvious solution eluded her.
Hope considered moving closer to the Captain, to be nearer should the Captain require her support. She decided to remain standing where she was, rather than possibly disturb the Captain’s thoughts.
“Captain?” Engineer Owens said. His expression clearly displayed his uncertainty.
The Captain turned to look at the Engineer. “Yes, Ensign?”
Engineer Owens looked at Engineer Choy and then back at the Captain.
“The door’s definitely jammed,” he said. “Whatever he did, he did it good.”
The Captain scowled, being careful not to direct it at the Engineer. She was clearly unhappy, though.
“What’s that leave us with then?” the Captain asked.
“It’d take hours to cut through the hatch,” Engineer Owens said.
“What about the bulkhead?” Security Ensign Bayer asked.
“That’d still take time,” Engineer Owens said. “Those panels are reinforced—“
“I meant there,” Security Ensign Bayer said, pointing to the open bulkhead where the Engineers had just been working.
“I’m not sure we can detach it from this side,” Engineer Choy. “These sections were not designed to be accessed from the inside.”
“Okay,” Security Ensign said. “But there’s only one thickness to get through now.”
Engineer Owens frowned and walked toward the open section. He knelt and peered into it, and then leaned closer and reached into the recess. He moved unseen items aside and studied the interior of the bulkhead.
“Hmm, it’d be a tight fit,” he said. “But I think we could do it.”
Security Officer Bayer looked at Security Officer Nang and then at Engineer Choy.
“Some of us,” he said.
Engineer Owens grinned. “I did say it’d be a tight fit.”
“What’s your plan?” the Captain said.
Engineer Owens looked again toward the open bulkhead. “I think our best bet’d be just to punch our way through.”
The Captain looked dubious.
“Shouldn’t we do something a little quieter?” Security Ensign Bayer said.
“We cut our way through with lasers,” Engineer Owens said. “It’d take longer and he’d still hear coming through—have more time to prepare.”
“Agreed,” the Captain said suddenly. “We’ve dragged this out long enough.”
A long, awkward silence followed.
The Engineers looked toward the Security Officers, who looked at each other, and then back at the Engineers. All of them were apparently waiting for the Captain to do or say something. She appeared unaware of this, Hope thought, for the Captain’s expression had once again taken on that intense appearance. After the long silence, she seemed to realize it.
“Bayer,” the Captain said. “You lead the way, followed by Nang.” She turned toward the Engineers. “Choy and Owens, you follow me in.”
A series of almost simultaneous acknowledgements followed.
“Hope,” the Captain said, turning toward the Medical Officer. “Follow us in,” she said. “But only after we’ve signaled that the way is clear.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Good,” the Captain said. She looked more at ease and more confident now. “Choy,” she said. “Go down to the emergency kit and grab us a set of hand torches.”
Engineer Choy looked uncomfortable.
“Um, Captain,” she said tentatively. “We have some with our equipment.”
The Captain stared at Engineer Choy for a moment and then nodded. The Captain began to speak, but Security Ensign Nang spoke first.
“We each have one on our duty belts,” he said, displaying one in his open palm.
The Captain looked from Security Officer Nang to Engineer Choy, at Engineer Owens, and then at Security Officer Bayer.
“Well, I don’t have one,” the Captain said calmly, and with, Hope thought, a faint hint of amusement. “And neither does Hope.”
The Captain turned toward Hope.
“Do you?” she asked the Medical Officer.
“No.”
The Captain did not quite smile, but looked almost . . . smug.
“If you would be so kind,” the Captain said to Engineer Choy. “And get one for me and Hope.”
“Yes, Captain,” Engineer Choy said with proper deference. She turned away and headed down the corridor.
The Captain looked at Hope. The Medical Officer stared back at the Captain, unsure what response the Captain expected. The Captain’s mouth formed a small smile and then she turned back toward the Security Officers and remaining Engineer.
“What’s your plan?” the Captain asked Engineer Owens again.
“Well,” Engineer Owens said with slight hesitation. “I was thinking of just using my boots.”
The Captain stared at him questioningly.
“There’s not a lot of room in there for tools,” he said. “If I can brace myself well, I should be able to just kick the panel away.”
The Captain considered this solution silently.
“Well,” Engineer Owens said. “It might take a few kicks.”
The Captain nodded, clearly agreeing with the Engineer’s assessment.
“A few,” she said, but only quietly.
Engineer Choy returned, carrying two small light sources that were designed to be fastened around one’s wrist or forearm. She held them both out to the Captain. As far as Hope could determine, there was no difference between the two units. She did not understand why the Captain needed to make a choice.
“Thank you, Ensign,” the Captain said as she selected the one from Engineer Choy’s left hand. She examined it briefly and then began fastening the strap around her wrist.
Engineer Choy approached Hope, pausing hesitantly few steps away. “Uh,” was all the Engineer said as she held out the remaining portable light source to Hope.
Hope accepted it, but did not put it on. She did not believe that she would need it unless there was no light at all within the cargo bay. As there had been no indications that the power inside the cargo bay had been disrupted, unless through some effort by the Engineers, Hope expected to find that at least emergency levels of illumination would be available.
“Ready whenever you are,” the Captain said to Engineer Owens.
“Right then,” the Engineer said and moved back to the open section of bulkhead.
The Engineer knelt before the opening, studying it intently. Finally, he reached inside and moved something aside. Then, he lowered himself onto his back until it rested flat against the deck. He placed his boots inside the opening and then, slowly and carefully, began to slide his body along the deck into the opening in the bulkhead.
“Cozy,” he said as his head disappeared inside it. His voice came to Hope with a slight metallic echo.
More than a minute later, the Engineer’s voice returned again.
“Okay then,” he said. “Here we go.”
#
A shrill chirp of an insect sounded suddenly in the silence of the cave. Almost instantly, he realized that it had come from very close by. That there might be insects, or even small reptiles, within the cave did not surprise—except that, in a way, it did. They did not belong there, yet he could not explain why.
He looked down, hoping to get a glimpse of the creature by the faint, available light. He realized then that a new light, bright in the darkness flared next to him. It was only the smallest point of light, and an odd hue—the color of plants in the heat.
Curious, he reached down to touch it, to cover it with his fingertip. Unlike flame, it was not hot. In fact, it did not feel warm at all. It had substance, which surprised him. Flame was not hard; one could not really touch it. This he could touch.
The light, he realized, came from a small objected fastened at his waist. Experimentally, he tugged at it. The object came free easily and continued to share its small light in a steady rhythm, almost like a silent drumbeat. When it chirped, he realized that the sound had come from the object. Without thinking, tossed it away, throwing it high over the barriers that surrounded and protected him.
He heard it land, skittering across the strange ground upon which he knelt. Then silence returned to the cave, and the light could no longer be seen. It was a bad thing, he knew. It would have allowed them to find him. Now, they would only find it.
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