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Even though I didn’t necessarily want to see the android again, I followed Ethan from the room. For one, I didn’t want to be alone, and for two, if they found something, I wanted to know it. Knowledge was power, especially when I was already at such a huge disadvantage.
The android hadn’t moved since we left. Ethan dropped back into his chair and recited his idea to the android, who listened in silence.
“Do you think we could do that?”
“Yes.” The android’s tone didn’t fluctuate much. “It should be well within the sensor’s capabilities. I may have to amplify the output to reach more than the immediate area, but it is theoretically possible.”
Ethan grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. “Excellent. Can you get to work on that?”
“Of course. I will need to reprogram the sensors manually.”
“I figured as much.” Ethan pressed his lips together. “Do everything you can to prep for that now. Just be ready for when we have the sensors.”
The android paused. “Are we abandoning our original mission to collect data regarding the storm’s effect on the topography of this area?”
Ethan pulled at the hairs on his chin. “Compile whatever data we have and save it, but that’s no longer our priority. Our new priority is to get off this planet as soon as possible.” He glanced at me over his shoulder. “I assume you need to return to Viridis, yes?”
I nodded. “As soon as possible.”
Ethan nodded back. “It’s official IPF business. They want her dead. That overrides your protocols.”
Andy—though I didn’t like to think of the android as having a name—turned his head to look at Ethan. “My first and foremost objective is to preserve human life. If either of you are in danger, then we must leave as soon as we are able.”
“Good.” Ethan turned to the computer and began typing. “We need to find a way to outmaneuver the storm. There haven’t been any signs of any people yet, right?”
“You instructed me to inform you if I saw anything that might remotely point to human life, and I have not alerted you. Therefore, I have found nothing.”
“Another good sign.” Ethan didn’t even acknowledge the android’s condescension. Maybe I was imagining it. He had an odd way of speaking, but Ethan seemed used to it. He didn’t appear to have any problems with having an android around. And if Andy hadn’t killed Ethan by now, then I could assume he was at least moderately safe to be around.
Ethan typed away for several long moments before he stood up. “Come with me.”
I followed him into the hall and down a set of stairs. The lower level contained a ton of equipment. Some I knew their use, like the radiation detector, personal protective gear, sample collection gear and so forth. Other things I didn’t recognize.
He ignored them all and went to a cabinet along the back wall. He typed in a code for the locked door, and it popped open. Inside were weapons. I spotted a few guns, one rifle, and an extensive collection of knives.
I whistled as he began rifling through them. “Are those guns registered?”
“Do you care?” Ethan half-smiled at me as he passed me a projectile gun.
After checking the gun over, I shook my head. “Nope. Not even a little. Pass me some ammo.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He chuckled and passed me a box of bullets and then a couple of knives. He had quite an assortment of them.
“I see you are much more into blades than guns.”
“When I was younger, I used to hunt a lot with my tribe. Knives were our friends. I didn’t have access to a gun, so I got used to killing with a knife. And then we’d have to butcher what we killed. Knives had all sorts of uses out in the woods. I became as comfortable with a knife in my hand as I was with a pen.”
I wrinkled my nose at the idea of killing and butchering an animal. It was a hypocritical reaction, but I couldn’t help it. I didn’t mind eating animals, but I didn’t want to be the one to hunt them down and kill them. “You did a lot of outdoorsy things as a kid, didn’t you?”
“Oh yes. I never liked spending time in the house.” His fingers stilled. “My grandfather was my guardian. He wasn’t the nicest of people.”
A feeling of kinship welled up in me. “Yeah, I get that.”
Some of my feelings on the subject must have leaked into my voice because he shot me a knowing look. “Did your parents raise you?”
I shrugged. “My dad died when I was little. My mom didn’t take that well and went down a bad path. I was taken from her when I was twelve. Went through a variety of foster families. Some good, but most were bad.”
Ethan gave me an understanding look. He withdrew the rest of the guns and passed some of them to me before loading up his arms. “That’s rough. Do you have any other family?”
