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Roy smooths out Fassbender’s shirt, but the two stare at each other like a couple of pit bulls.
With a careful look of trust, he jogs to one of the many screens. Leaning forward, he runs through a series of commands. He pulls up a group of photographs.
“The rover shots,” I mutter, recognizing them from our entrance interviews.
Fassbender holds up his index finger, beaming. “Look,” he says.
The first picture is a hazy portrait of the jungle terrain. There’s a second picture of the astronaut team we’re supposed to meet. Their faces are beaming with pride.
“I don’t see anything unusual,” I say.
There’s a third photograph.
Hugh points, finger smashing against the tablet screen. “Stop scrolling. Look, right there. You see it?”
My eyes widen. Suddenly, the room feels like an ice box. I focus on two red dots in the background of the picture.
“Eyes,” I whisper.
They’re in the darkness of the trees, barely visible, but definitely there.
The timestamp on the photograph says: November 14, 2090.
“What is it?” Roy asks.
“You’re asking me?” Fassbender replies.
Hugh shakes his head. “They weren’t alone.”
“Weren’t. You’re speaking in the past tense,” Roy says.
“Well, where the hell do you think the team ended up, Tahiti?” Hugh asks.
“We don’t know anything for certain,” Fassbender says. “It could be a lens flare.”
Halloway swallows and cups his hands around his face. “Dear lord...”
It all seems to hit us at once. Urgency.
“Weapons,” I state. “Roy, get them ready.”
“I’m the captain,” Halloway hisses. “The weapons are my jurisdiction.”
I face the captain. The fear in his eyes is cause for concern. “Collect yourself. You’re sweating, Captain,” I say. “Roy can handle this.”
He checks his palm and breathes.
The starship rumbles. Appliances tremble against their holders. Trinkets crash onto the floor. Outside my window, the green planet appears to be swallowing us whole.
“Look, we’ve entered Avalon’s atmosphere. We need to stay focused,” Hugh says.
Reaching into my cubby, I toss Halloway a small hand towel. “I need you to land this ship, Captain. Roy can deal with getting the weapons.”
Roy chuckles, enjoying his updated rank privileges. “Don’t worry, Captain. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Halloway straightens his back and swipes the towel against his forehead. “Fine. We’ll do it your way,” he says, trembling.
He slides past Fassbender and says, “If we turn on each other, it’s to our detriment.”
