Point Nemo by Jeremy Robinson

Author:Jeremy Robinson [Robinson, Jeremy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Breakneck Media
Published: 2024-04-09T00:00:00+00:00

26

“And you said ‘first contact’ wouldn’t involve microscopes,” Nakano says, looking up as I enter the tent. She’s hunched over a Chinese microscope while Julie turns pages in an old leather-bound journal. The field lab is lit by a kerosene lamp.

“Was just saving you from having to carry all that gear,” I say.

“Uh-huh. Hey, how long do you think those bodies have been lying out there?”

“Five years and one month,” I say.

“Oddly specific, but okay.”

“Why?” I ask.

“This sample, has been sitting in this slide, presumably, since those men died.” She moves to the side and motions to the microscope. “Have a look.”

Curiosity overpowers my reason for visiting the tent. I lean down and look through the microscope. It’s hard to see in the low light, but there’s no mistaking what I see through the lens. Tiny tendrils of Xylem.

Moving.

Alive. After five years on a glass slide.

“It’s alive,” I say, standing back.

“The Xylem survived in space,” Julie says, “probably for millions of years. Maybe billions. Being pressed on a slide for five years is a vacation in comparison.”

“Vacation...” I look through the microscope again. The microscopic tendrils reach for the slide’s edge, but never reach it. “Doesn’t look very relaxing.”

“Can you read this?” Julie asks, turning the notebook around to Nakano. The page in question is covered in hastily scrawled Chinese text.

Nakano feigns offense. “I was born in America, you know. And I’m Japanese.”

“And there are some similarities between Japanese and Chinese logograms. And I know you’re fluent in Japanese. And you have a stupid-high IQ. So, can you read it?”

Nakano rolls her eyes. Reaches for the notebook. “Of course, I can.”

Notebook in hand, she reads the text. And frowns. She flips through a few more pages. Asks, “What is this?”

“Observational notes,” Julie says. “I think. From one of the men outside, I’d guess. There’s a bunch of sketches, too. Mostly of fungi-like organisms. A few crudely drawn creatures, too. Nothing that looks dangerous. It all felt innocuous until I reached that page. What’s it say?”

“We must…” Nakano glances at me. “Destroy the island.”

I nod. “Because it’s not as benign as we thought.”

They both turn to me.

“How’s that?” Julie asks.

“You should come with me.” I look up through the clear ceiling. The sky above is dark purple, but still reflecting enough light to see by. “Before we lose the light. And bring that.” I motion to the flickering lantern.

I lead the way, machete drawn and senses heightened, not just because darkness equals danger in a jungle, but because I’m no longer convinced the island’s potential for good is worth the risk of allowing it to remain on Earth. Julie is behind me, lantern held high, Nakano by her side.

“Just through here,” I say, and push aside a flexible, stalky growth, revealing the space station.

Nakano gasps, alerting Tyler to our presence. “Tiangong-1.”

“I don’t understand,” Julie says, stepping into the burnt clearing. “How did Tiangong-1…get here?”

“Same way the ISS did,” Tyler says, stepping down from the ruined space station. “The Xylem brought it down.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.