The Tempest by Peter Cawdron

Author:Peter Cawdron [Cawdron, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-11-04T04:00:00+00:00

Ariel

“We need to isolate these guys,” Emma says, talking softly with Marc as they stand by the vast, curved dome, looking out into the darkness. The ice giant is low on the horizon. A black curtain rises, blotting out both the stars and the land.

“What do you mean?” Marc asks.

“We’ve got to figure out who’s lying and who’s telling the truth—and the only way we can do that is to find inconsistencies in their stories.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“I’m going to corner the professor in his laboratory. I want to know what that damn machine is! I’ll keep him busy and make sure Miranda stays with me. You talk to Ariel and Caliban.”

“Woah,” Marc says. “Ariel, I get—but Caliban? You know he tried to kill us, right? He’s like some super-god-being Krell entity and you want me to go out there and talk to him?”

“I think he’ll talk to you—if you go out there alone.”

“Why?” Marc asks, trying to suppress his sense of disbelief from welling up into speaking too loud. He switches to a whisper, saying, “Why would you think that?”

“Because you don’t pose a threat.”

Marc counters with, “I didn’t pose a threat when we landed. That didn’t stop him then. Why would it stop him now?”

“Because I suspect he wants answers as well.”

“And what makes you think that?” Marc asks.

“Because he’s showing himself—he’s taking human form. Don’t you get it? It’s an invitation. He’s not inviting them to talk. It’s an invitation to us!”

“Then you go out there,” Marc says, struggling to keep his voice down.

“It’s got to be you.”

“Me? Why me?”

“Because I’m the only one that can pilot a starship.”

“Oh, great. So I’m shark bait.”

“It’s not like that,” Emma says. “It’s a precaution.”

“In case you’re wrong,” Marc replies. Emma’s silent on that point. Marc doesn’t relent. “You know, I can hit that big, blue autopilot button like the best of them.”

That cracks a smile on Emma’s all-too-serious face. She allows herself a slight huff.

“All right, wise guy.”

Marc whispers. “If I die out there, I’m coming back to haunt you.”

“Dig deep,” she says, resting her hand on his shoulder as she turns to walk over toward the professor and his daughter. “We need answers, not niceties. Go hard.”

Marc raises his eyebrows at that, unsure how he can compel these seemingly invincible, quasi-mythical creatures to tell him what he wants to know. Hell, he’s not even sure what he wants to know. By definition, unknowns are unknown. Exactly what is he trying to uncover? He wants to ask Emma her thoughts, but she’s already walking away.

Emma and the professor talk for a few minutes while Marc sits on the table with his feet on a chair, staring out of the dome. In the distance, a dark silhouette walks around near the scout. Stalks is a better term than walks, Marc decides. Caliban is waiting. Great. He rolls his eyes, not that anyone notices as he has his back to them.

Miranda, Emma and the professor head upstairs to the top-floor laboratory.

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