No one could claim that Trac had been gifted with tact. Though to be fair, none of them had been gifted with that as robots. It wasn’t standard in their programming. Only their lone human, Kraye, might have cause to complain about the lack, since he’d been the only one on board the Najer with feelings.
But he’d never said anything.
“I have enough cybernetics to be useful,” Tim said.
Riina seemed to open her mouth, but then she pressed her lips together.
“No one should go down until we know more. Let’s give the sensors time to collect data. Veirn, any early insights into what that is?”
“I do not believe it is natural,” Veirn said. “There is evidence of propulsion.”
One of the forward screens changed. It took Tim a couple of seconds to process this new data.
“It is an energy trail.” The entity had arrived in the system from almost the opposite side they’d come in from. He started a search through the available Garradian data on what was beyond this system in that direction.
He had cause to know that space was wide, vast, and mysterious. But it was only since he’d become human that he’d processed that information as awe-inspiring and yes, overwhelming. His more finite brain struggled to grasp just how big, while his memories showed previous matter-of-fact acceptance.
The two realities sat uncomfortably together inside his mind.
“I should be on the team that goes to the surface,” Lt. Dish said.
This statement had the benefit of redirecting all attention her way.
“Why…” Riina began. The captain made a sound that was clearly negative.
“Dr. Walker is my mission directive,” she said. “I’m the lone Expedition representative. And I agree, we should get down there and find Dr. Walker and Harold.”
If Dr. Walker was her mission imperative, then Harold was most likely Tim’s, since the robot was Garradian. Or did that make the robot the captain’s imperative?
His human brain was once again experiencing dissonance.
They were still closing in on Arroxan Prime, though at a different angle, one that wouldn’t put them in orbit, but rather send them on a close pass. Tim suspected that the captain planned to make a wide turn back, which would allow them to examine the other side of the planet and determine how widespread the intrusion was.
“Based on our last communication with Dr. Walker,” Tim said, “our rendezvous coordinates were here.”
He made those coordinates appear on the display that showed them the planet.
“If we dropped a stealth shuttle as we pass by, we should be able to reach those coordinates, collect the doctor, and rendezvous with the Quendala as it makes a wide loop back around.”
“To wait until we’ve made a complete pass risks the loss of Dr. Walker and Harold,” Trac agreed.
“Something disruptive is occurring on the planet surface,” Veirn said. “We are receiving data that could indicate surface explosions.”
“Explosions?” Riina’s voice was sharp. “They have a lot of seismic disruptions…”
“These are not typical of the previously recorded seismic disruptions,” Veirn actually interrupted her.
Tim blinked at this. It was most unusual.
“It is possible,” Veirn continued, “that the alien anomaly we are observing is firing on the planet.”
“We can’t…” Riina began but was interrupted again. By Lt. Dish.
“We can’t leave our people, our person or Harold down there,” she said.
“But beyond that,” Captain Kellen said, “if some entity is attacking Arroxan Prime, it is our duty to discover why and how.”
“And intervene?” Lt. Dish asked the question Tim was thinking.
