But that’s over there. Not here. Adrian dropped his gaze to his hands. Keep it together. You know what to do. This is why you’re here.
Kevin had pulled himself far enough back into the present to work the radio. “Venera Base, this is Scarab Five. Mayday, mayday. I repeat, Venera Base, this is Scarab Five. Mayday. Mayday. We are down. Scarab Fourteen is down and not responding.”
Adrian tuned him out and concentrated on the instruments. Most of the electronics seemed to be functioning. The computer gave him no errors as he requested a comprehensive list of the damages.
Adrian scanned the report. Bad, bad, bad. The rear axle had collapsed. Two panels on the exterior wall had buckled in to the point they were pressing on the interior insulation and had cut through a whole set of coolant pipes on the way. Ice tank one had been completely crushed. So had air processor three.
Okay. First thing, get back and see what’s to do about those buckled panels. They break through and we’re very, very screwed.
“We have you, Scarab Five.” Tori’s familiar, infinitely welcome voice sounded from the radio. “Your position is fixed. Rescue team being readied for drop now. What is your status?”
Kevin turned to Adrian. The helplessness on his face made Adrian want to hit him.
“Not good, but not dead,” said Adrian toward the speaker. “Crew unhurt. Lost mobility, lost one ice tank, lost one air processor, and have sustained partial loss of one cooling pump. All remaining pumps, scrubbers, and tanks look green. Possible danger of hull compromise. I’m going to check it out now.”
Adrian unsnapped his catches and got to his feet. As he did, a new trembling grind vibrated through the scarab’s floor. The world shifted backward. Adrian pinwheeled his arms for balance. He stared involuntarily out the window. As he toppled backwards, his eyes told his brain that the scarab hadn’t moved, the ground outside had.
The floor hit his back, knocking all the wind out of him. Something hard caught his head, and stars burst in front of his eyes in sync with the pain.
“Holy God!” gasped Kevin. “Oh Christ!”
Adrian tried to lift his head, but the world spun. The floor vibrated again. The scarab slid backward. The front end came down with a crash that rattled his teeth and sent fresh flashes of pain through his head.
“Scarab Five, what’s going on? Talk to me, Adrian!”
“There’s something alive,” rasped Kevin. “Venera Base, cancel drop. I repeat, cancel drop. There’s something alive out there, and it’s coming toward us.”
What? Adrian pulled himself to his knees. I did not hear that.
“We’ve found the goddamned aliens,” grated Kevin.
Adrian planted one hand on the counter and pushed. He reached his feet and looked out the front window. At first he saw nothing but black rock hunched up between the streams of lava. Then, two of the islands moved. They slid out of the lava stream and over the steady ground. From behind them rose a translucent jellyfish half the size of the scarab, its tentacles tipped with pincers.
The world spun and Adrian toppled back to the floor. Consciousness started to slip away. To his shame, he let it go.
Br’sei flew into the main chamber with the speed born of agitation. T’sha shifted on her own perch, turning away from the recorder and its reports that she was still reviewing to get herself up to speed on New Home and its New People.
D’han and P’tesk lurched sideways as Br’sei blew past. He managed to snag a perch in time to keep from crashing into the wall.
“What’s happened?” asked T’sha.
“I…there’s…” Br’sei’s muzzle bobbed as he looked around the chamber. “Where is Ambassador D’seun?”
“He’s surveying the wind currents.” T’sha raised her forehand and beckoned to Br’sei. “What’s happened? Talk to me.”
“I…” Br’sei’s teeth clacked. Was he nervous? T’sha’s bones bunched in annoyance at his hesitation. D’seun had them all too well trained. Even Br’sei, for all the doubts he expressed to her. She was an interloper. Only approved information was to be shared with her.
I am also an ambassador to the High Law Meet. “Tell me what’s happened, Engineer,” she ordered.
Br’sei shrank a little in resignation, but maybe also in relief. “There’s been an accident.”
T’sha’s arms stiffened, lifting her off her perch. “Who? How many are hurt?”
“No, none of ours,” said Br’sei. “It’s the New People.”
The words jolted straight through T’sha. “What?”