The Dreaming Oceans of San Miguel by James Vincett

Author:James Vincett [Vincett, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781792317156
Published: 2019-08-31T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9: Collecting a Sample

I'm finally in charge of this farce.

For too long Van Zant had to stand by and watch the amateurs; it was painful. His cringe reflex was almost broken. Talbot had been far too reckless; she had not ordered a careful systematic investigation of the planet's environment. She and the crew were lulled by the beauty of the place. The crew of the Lalande almost certainly made the same mistake, and probably paid for that mistake with their lives. The crew of the Solstice had so far been very lucky.

I may be paranoid, but that doesn't mean everything isn't out to get me.

Van Zant and Kessler entered the lift and exited on the lower deck. They went to the lockers and donned EVA suits, belted on holsters, and then waited several minutes for Mitchell and the mission specialists to assemble.

“Bring a power stretcher,” Van Zant said.

“What the hell for?” Kessler asked.

“Specimen collection.”

Kessler shook his head and approached one of the cargo containers and opened it.

“Lieutenant Commander Mitchell?” Van Zant continued, “Once Commander Kessler and I exit the Solstice, you and the mission specialists will exit and surround the loading ramp. Spread out and keep alert until it happens.”

“Until what happens?” Mitchell asked.

“You'll know it when you see it.”

“Yes, sir,” Mitchell said. His expression and tone spoke volumes; he was not happy taking orders from the political officer. I couldn't care less.

Kessler approached, pushing a power stretcher.

“Load it into the back of the buggy,” Van Zant ordered as he climbed into the passenger seat. “You're driving.”

Kessler complied. “So, where to?”

Van Zant pressed a key on the buggy's console and the starboard cargo door opened. “Go down the ramp, but back up toward Captain Ibori.”

Kessler drove the buggy down the loading ramp as Mitchell and the mission specialists spread out. He pulled a donut, put the vehicle in reverse, and backed up around the bow of the ship. Slowly, they approached the figure of Janice Ibori standing ten meters from the bow of the Solstice. The scaly monkeys and hulks stood several meters from Ibori and didn't move; some turned their heads to and fro, but most just watched as Kessler and Van Zant approached. Ibori stood motionless.

“Stop here,” Van Zant ordered.

“What the hell is she doing?” Kessler asked.

“I don't think that's Janice Ibori,” Van Zant said.

“What?”

“But we do need to get her on the Solstice.”

“What the hell are you saying?”

“It is my hypothesis that she is under the influence of another intelligence.”

“Come again?”

“I think she has been exposed to the dimethyltryptamine in the environment. This has made her susceptible to the will of the alien presence Captain Talbot and I saw in our own dream visions.”

Kessler looked at him like he was nuts. “How can you possibly come to that conclusion?”

“That's how the Intelligence Directorate uses dimethyltryptamine; to soften up subjects for interrogation and control. Among other methods, of course.”

Van Zant saw Kessler look at him with wide eyes. He's afraid of me. Good.

“There's more of them!” Lieutenant Kuusik crackled over the pockcomp.

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.