Life On Ampelus by Grant Winston

Author:Grant Winston
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2018-05-08T14:43:25+00:00

Chapter 24

Cydippe and Naoko had decided in favor of flying the surface skimmer across a wide westerly detour in its approach to Novaya Ufa, on the premise that by so doing they could continue past Nufa to the southwest, turn about, and approach the new outpost from the southeast. That route would lead them into the covering foothills of the Grissoms and near the canyon entrance where the skimmer could be put down with minimal risk of detection. Cydippe, who was piloting, flew the skimmer westerly as far as she dared, right up to the edge of the term line, and its life-threatening heat.

Meanwhile, Naoko’s curiosity had been roused by Keir Kelvin’s personal effects stored on board, and he had gone aft and returned with the small pencil box and reseated himself next to Cydippe. He opened the box and began examining the antiquated art utensils much as he would upon seeing a hitherto completely unknown species on Ampelus, or some archeological relics just dug up.

“So what do you think? Can you believe our Earth ancestors used those things as word processors?” Cydippe had glanced over at Naoko, somewhat amused at her fellow scientist’s interest in the novelty of the colorful pencils.

“This one’s no good. It’s broken.” Naoko was holding up an orange pencil with its point broken off. “Guess we can toss it away.” Naoko declared.

“No wait. I remember. I think the same thing used to happen to my father and me when I was a little girl learning how to create documents this way. I think we can repair it. Let me see.” Naoko handed her the curious wooden object. “Yes, I think we can fix it. But we’ll need a, a sharp knife. We’ll keep it. Hand me one of the others.”

As both Cydippe and Naoko became distracted by the quaint art supplies purloined at Alkimenssen, Cydippe failed for a minute or so to keep watch on the instrument panel’s exterior temperature indicator. She had negligently allowed the skimmer to veer west and the control panel’s heat sensors began flashing its red warning to its occupants to change course or lose their craft and possibly life. Cydippe hurriedly returned the pencil to Naoko, and corrected course. Naoko prudently stowed the pencils and papers for later.

As the construction site of Nufa came into sight, Naoko, who had resumed the piloting, deftly slipped the skimmer in between parallel rows of short hills just west of the higher, jagged-topped and imposing Grissom Mountains, and lowered the altitude to merely seven meters, dodging hillocks and even large boulders in his effort to maintain maximum concealment. Then the canyon appeared, and Naoko slowed and descended the final few meters, cut the engine, and, but for the scrape of the skimmer sleds on the rocky soil before they came to a full stop, noiselessly touched down.

Cydippe opened the passenger door and exited down the step ladder, while Naoko walked aft and opened the cargo hatch, lowered the ramp, and let Martha and her three friends down to the ground to be met by Cydippe.

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