Earth's Last Angel (20 page)

Whispering starts, and Val waits a moment before speaking again. ‘Preparations will go on as planned, and I must insist that no personnel enter the LTMs training area until it is cleared by the investigators. Mondok now has instructions for you on the prospecting procedure.' Val motions to Tom, and they leave Mondok to carry on with the briefing.

Mondok takes up the laser pointer and zeros in on a diagram of a quadrant. ‘Before you do any drilling, you must set out your pattern according to your standard drill pattern. I know all of you are professionals and don't need me to tell you how to do your job.'

He puts down the pointer and stares directly into the faces of his crews. ‘Now, I am however going to give you the most important information of all, so listen carefully. You must stay in your assigned quadrant. This is an absolute must. The reason for this is that, there are hot spots of activity, gravitational anomalies we have labeled hot zones. They are dangerously unstable and therefore, they are zones that are strictly out of bounds. Anyone leaving their assigned area will be facing severe disciplinary action. Is that clear?' He glares fiercely around the room. Satisfied with the nods and murmurs of agreement, he smiles. ‘OK, then, stay safe people. That's all I have to say for now.'

Twisting his wrist frill, Mondok pores over his list of names for the prospecting vessel teams.

He has just discovered that Daniel, the man with the head injury, was meant to be on PV 013 as well, as a driller's offsider. ‘Damn, two to find,' he mutters.

He sighs. The only two crew members available to replace them had been given warnings over not following orders, and were not considered to be fit to work on any prospecting vessel.

He is tempted to call in the captain, but he knows he is busy dealing with the accident investigation.

He considers his options. Together the pair are trouble so it would make sense to put them on different prospecting vessels but if they each caused trouble, two prospecting vessels would have to be called back in. With both on PV 013, only that vessel could be called in, with less disruption to the expedition.

That's it, Mondok decides. They will both replace the injured men. Even though one is a co-pilot, the pilot still had main control. The other is a driller but would have to accept being busted down to driller's offsider, hopefully with not too much strife he could get himself into. With his mind made up, Mondok picks up the list and goes in search of the men to interview them.

With the repairs on PV 005 out of the way, and not much left for him to do, Ven's thoughts begin turning toward Sofia. He thought they were getting along so well together and he was beginning to think her attitude was something to do with Tom. There was her reaction in the hotel when she saw him there, and then at the briefing when she seemed torn between watching him and looking away. He doesn't have her number, so he'll just have to go over there and talk it out. He didn't realize he had been standing holding the door handle until his door chime went off. He pulls his hand back as if he has been burnt, then he reaches out and opens the door.

Sofia stand there. ‘I'm sorry to bother you,' she says.

‘You're not bothering me. The funny thing is I was just on me way over to see you.'

‘Oh, why?'

‘I want to know why you are here, first,' he says. Ven hopes it is for his company. He can handle just being a friend if that was all there was, though he knows he will always hold out hope for more.

Not waiting for her reply Ven smiles, ‘I was coming over to ask you if…you even like me.'

‘Well, of course, I like you. You're a really good friend.'

‘So Tom is more than a friend?' Sofia's face confirms his suspicions and he stands up. ‘I think we both need to get out and have a walk,' he says. ‘Got a favorite café?'

‘Anywhere but Murple Bubbles,' she says.

‘There are plenty of outdoor cafes, we'll choose a French one.

She laughs then turns serious. ‘I'm sorry, Ven.'

‘If we are going to be friends, Sofia, you have to stop saying sorry. It drives me crazy. You can't help your feelings.'

‘And I can't help mine,' he thinks.

Mondok sits opposite the two men in the small office of the control room. ‘Chaze and Drummer,' he says. He looks down at his paper though it isn't necessary. He would have preferred to interview them separately but time is the issue and he's snagged the opportunity to get them both at the canteen. They are not impressed with being called for an interview in their break but Mondok doesn't care. It is the perfect chance for them to redeem themselves, though he knows they are going to need some straightening out first.

He feels them watching him as he reads through their files, but doesn't look up until he has finished. ‘Well, you both must know that we need a co-pilot and a driller's offsider for PV 013.'

‘Hey, I'm a driller, not a blasted offsider!' snorts Drummer.

Mondok raises his eyebrows. ‘You're a driller with a record, and lucky to be given an opportunity to work on a prospecting vessel in any capacity…understood?'

‘I'll be treated like dirt,' he objects.

‘Well, you do have the option to refuse.'

‘Don't' be stupid, Drummer,' Chaze warns. ‘There's only one trip.'

Drummer glares at him. ‘It's OK for you. You'll still be a co-pilot.'

‘A reserve co-pilot,' Mondok corrects him. ‘You'll both be on probation until you prove yourselves trustworthy again. So, the first question is, do you want this opportunity to clear your records?'

They both reluctantly nod.

‘OK, then, I'll get you to sign this agreement and then take you through the usual tests.' He pulls out two documents and passes them to the men to sign.

‘Read it carefully first,' he says. ‘I'll be back.' He leaves the room and walks over to the dock where the PV 005 is.

Denise is finishing off the last couple of boxes.

‘Denise, could you please do me a big favor?'

She stops, looking at him wearily. ‘I hope it's not too tiring, because I have had it.'

Mondok shakes his head. ‘It's a quick crash course, more of a refresher, with the drill rig for a driller's offsider for PV 013. He was a driller.'

‘Oh, you mean Drummer? Why don't you get his shift boss to do it?'

‘I've just had to give Drummer a tune-up. He's far too cocky. I know you can deal with that. I don't have the same faith in Ben yet. I want this expedition to be a success.'

Denise sighs and pulls herself up from the floor. Mondok puts out his arm to balance her.

‘I'm so glad I'm on PV 005,' says Denise. ‘I wish Kenny were here, and Bekky, too.

The dock for the prospecting vessels is crawling with crew members applying last minute preparations. Sofia can't help smiling. Mondok is strutting about like a little bantam rooster, ordering people to get a move on and get the PV's in the correct alignment for launching. She imagines he will crow with delight when they are all out there finally on their way. PV 005 is positioned at the rear of the first five to be launched. Some of the crew stand outside waiting to have their names checked off before they enter the launch area. Sofia takes her case from Ven.

‘Thank you,' she says.

She reaches over the case and kisses him lightly on the cheek.

He seems surprised by the gesture, and she forces a smile then turns away.

Denise has been half listening to the chatter from the co-pilot, Vardok, when it is announced they will be leaving in 10 minutes. ‘Damn,' she says, cutting off Vardok mid-sentence. ‘Sofia's not here.'

‘I'm sure she will be soon,' says Vardok, in his easy going drawl.

‘I'm not so sure,' says Denise, thinking of her disappearing act in the hotel. She catches hold of Mondok as he goes past. ‘Mondok, Sofia's not here.'

‘Keep your frills on,' he says. ‘I saw her with Ven. Look, there she is now.'

Denise looks where he is pointing and sees Sofia trying to run while clutching her case.

‘This is going to be mega cool,' says DJ, one of the trainees. His identical twin AJ just nods vigorously in agreement.

Mondok laughs at their enthusiasm. ‘Well, I wish you well on your expedition, guys,' he says.

They watch him rush off to the next PV, then they enter PV 005. Sofia rans up the ramp after them, puffing. ‘Sorry I'm cutting it fine,' she says to Denise.

‘There's nothing to be sorry about, Sofia,' says Denise. ‘You're here now.'

‘Count down in one minute.' Nolack-1's voice takes them by surprise and they scramble into their seats, buckling in. ‘Ten, nine, eight…'

‘We're really doing it people!' whoops a huge Norok looking guy when the vessel lifts from the pad. Sofia sighs, her earlier tension vanishing. PV 005 is space borne and heading for the asteroid belt. ‘Hey, Thirz,' she says to the big guy. ‘How are you going?'

‘Brilliant now that I'm on this mean machine.'

Thirz is a born systems technician. He lives and breathes technology, like Ven. She thinks of Ven then. She shakes her head as if to break her thoughts. Distraction, that's what she needs.

‘Quadrant coordinates locked in,' Frances's voice drifts back from her pilot's seat up front of the flight deck. The unfasten seatbelts sign chimes.

The crew unbuckle their belts and Sofia wanders up front. Tom's face appears on the communications screen. Sofia stares, forgetting he can also see her. ‘Hello Sofia,' he says.

‘Oh Tom, hello,' she says after a moment, trying to cover her surprise.

‘How was takeoff?'

‘Exhilarating.'

He grins. ‘Speed freak.'

‘Yeah! Look who's talking.'

Sofia becomes aware he is looking past her and she turns around. Denise has moved in and is waiting to speak. Sofia senses something from the team leader, disapproval perhaps. Maybe she thinks she is out of line with the banter. ‘You're imagining it, she tells herself.'

‘I'll leave you to talk to Denise now,' she tells Tom.

She wants a hot shower and to get into something loose and comfortable. There is less than 14 hours now before they reach their quadrant, then she will be busy with instructions for the drill crew.

Tom has just nodded without answering. The rest of the crew still sat in their seats, with seats swiveled so they can chat with one another across the aisle. ‘Sorry,' she says as she walks between them, heading towards the biosphere.

The biosphere is refreshingly cool compared with the flight deck, and Sofia finds her unit as luxurious as the one she had back on the Sobek. Smaller, but everything is available to her, even a full wall communications monitor. She toys with the idea of contacting Ven. No, she tells herself. She likes Ven but seeing Tom again, even on monitor has been enough to reignite that stirring within her. No, it will be best to leave it until tomorrow, when hopefully Ven will call her instead. She senses that Ven was holding out for more than friendship with her, and she wishes she could return that feeling. Ven is a nice, genuine, guy. It would be far less complicated.

Her unit seems empty. She turns on some light rock music, and wanders through to the kitchen where the same marble bench tops form an L-shaped kitchen, a home away from home. She touches the pantry and watches the door slide open.

The shelves are fully stocked. Taking a can of chicken and vegetable casserole from the shelf, she places it on a metal plate under a laser hood, removing it after a few seconds. Steam rises from the instant meal and she sets it down for a minute to cool.

After a while she goes to the bedroom to pick out something to wear. The bed looks inviting with the ruffled cover and plump liquid pillows. She lays down on it, feeling the bed move and shift with the pillow to accommodate the shape and contour of her body, fully supporting her in a gentle embrace. She closes her eyes. ‘Just a nap,' she thinks. Her mind wanders over the day's events in a haze until she feels herself slipping into a deep slumber.

Mondok sits, his eyes glued to the screen. The first four vessels have just set off their identity bench mark beacons, with PV 005 due to at any moment.

‘How is it all progressing,' Tom asks, from behind his shoulder.

Mondok keeps his eyes on the screen as he answers. ‘Like clockwork.'

‘Uh huh,' Tom replies, amusement in his voice. ‘So have you had a break from that screen?'

‘I did go home to bed,' says Mondok. He won't mention he slept for only three hours before returning to monitor operations, though he suspects Tom already knows that.

‘Well, I have come to relieve you so you can at least go and have something to eat.'

Mondok points to his thermal food and drink container. ‘I've got food,' he says.

Tom sighs. ‘Mondok, you have to take a break in the interests of your own safety. You know that.'

‘OK, just as soon as PV 005 has dropped its identity bench mark beacon,' he says. ‘Then it's all yours.'

Tom laughs ‘Deal.'

PV 005 is approaching ‘0' point. Hearing the pilot's report, Mondok and Tom turn to the monitor and wait.

Frances maneuvers PV 005 until the vessel hovers precisely above ‘0' point. Unobstructed space stretches in each direction for 500 km, essential for the laser beams the beacon will emit. Frances gives the guys waiting in the airlock the signal. Thirz and Ivan launch the identity bench mark beacon, rolling the 200 liter drum sized tube from the rear airlock into space, then position it by remote from the flight deck panel. Its tiny Boddington reactor is activated and immediately laser beams pierce out into the darkness.

Thirz and Ivan return to the flight deck. ‘Good job, guys,' says Frances. ‘Now, it's time for some fun.'