Part 35 (1/2)
”There's an antenna. Belle, do you see any others?”
”Antennas? No, Alex.”
”That's strange. Anything moving anywhere?”
”Other than what appears to be windblown, no.”
”The town looks run-down,” I said. We were approaching it from the east. ”We going down?”
”You bet.”
”We can do it on the next pa.s.s.”
He nodded. ”Let's get ready.”
”Maybe we should radio them first? Say h.e.l.lo?”
”What language would you use?”
”Standard. Friendly voice. See what happens.”
Alex looked uncertain. Finally, he said okay. ”You talk to them, Chase. You'd be less threatening.”
”Belle,” I said, ”open a channel.”
A momentary pause. Then: ”Done.” ”Done.”
”h.e.l.lo,” I said. ”This is Chase Kolpath aboard the Belle-Marie Belle-Marie. Do you read?”
The voice stopped. Then, it answered answered. We had no idea what it was saying, of course, but it sounded excited.
I told it we were visitors, that we wanted to meet whoever it was, and that we were friendly. When I finished, it replied again.
I would at that moment have given anything to have been able to understand it. I explained how we'd come from Rimway, how we were curious who was speaking with us, and explained that we were going to come down to meet him, or her, and we hoped that wouldn't be an imposition.
”It understands,” I told Alex. ”It knows what's going on.”
Alex remained cautious.
While all this was happening, we were getting into our pressure suits and preparing to leave the s.h.i.+p. Alex buckled on a holster and slipped his scrambler into it. ”You know,” he said, ”it would kill me if we actually found an alien and had to shoot him.” He leaned over the control panel. ”Belle?”
”Yes, Alex?”
”Are there any other artificial structures on the island? Other than the town?”
”There are two piers. Something that is probably a boathouse. Nothing else shows any activity, however.”
”That means there's no vehicle of any kind, either?”
”That is correct.”
”Is there a possibility there could be a lander down there, and you missed it?”
”If it's hidden in a cave. Or buried. Otherwise, the possibility is remote.”
”Okay.” His face scrunched up the way it does when he's trying to make up his mind. ”There's an outside possibility that after we're on the ground, I'll send you a message that I will want you to ignore.”
”Then why would you send it, Alex?”
”Only out of necessity.”
”And how shall I know this bogus transmission?”
”I'll start by saying, 'We have a problem.'”
” 'We have a problem'?”
”Yes. If you hear that sentence, play along. Okay?” I must have been looking at him funny. ”It's just a precaution, Chase. Until we find out who's down there.”
We went below and climbed into the lander. I was talking to the voice the whole time. We are leaving now. Will be on the ground in an hour or so. I'm looking forward to meeting you.
When the Belle-Marie Belle-Marie was in position, I started the engine, the launch doors opened, and we were on our way. The smaller moon was overhead, a pale, diminutive orb barely visible in the crowded sky. The bright definition of the night sky at Rimway had given way to a kind of misty blur. Too many stars out there in the Veiled Lady, too much loose gas. was in position, I started the engine, the launch doors opened, and we were on our way. The smaller moon was overhead, a pale, diminutive orb barely visible in the crowded sky. The bright definition of the night sky at Rimway had given way to a kind of misty blur. Too many stars out there in the Veiled Lady, too much loose gas.
Alex remained quiet on the way down. When I offered to put him on with the voice, he shook his head no. ”You're doing fine,” he said.
The rim of the second moon, the big moon, was just visible over the horizon. As we descended, it disappeared into the ocean.
”The air is breathable,” Belle said. Belle said. ”And there is no evidence of dangerous bioorganisms. However, I suggest you exercise due caution.” ”And there is no evidence of dangerous bioorganisms. However, I suggest you exercise due caution.”
She meant wear the pressure suit. No surprise there.
We began to pick up a bit of wind. Then the wind went away, and we drifted down through occasional clouds, and finally we emerged in clear weather above the island.
It was the largest in a chain of five or six, about eight kilometers across at its widest point. It was mostly covered by forest. There was a natural harbor. And it was generally flat save for a pair of low hills on the north side. The town was located near the hills, along the sh.o.r.eline.
”There are a couple of open places in the town where we can land,” I said. ”Or we can use the beach.”
”Use the beach. It feels safer.”
”We'll have a fifteen-minute walk.”
”That's okay.”
While we made our final approach, I kept the scope on the house with the lights. House House might be a bit of an exaggeration for the structure. It was a two-story shanty, typical of the town, run-down and in need of paint, with a sagging front porch. Curtains were pulled across the windows. One of the shutters was broken. The place had a chimney, but there was no sign a fire was burning. might be a bit of an exaggeration for the structure. It was a two-story shanty, typical of the town, run-down and in need of paint, with a sagging front porch. Curtains were pulled across the windows. One of the shutters was broken. The place had a chimney, but there was no sign a fire was burning.
But Alex never looked up from the screen. And as we dropped toward the sand, he caught his breath. ”Something moved inside.” He spoke in a whisper, as if concerned that he might be overheard.
I was still talking to the Martian, which was how I'd begun to think of the owner of the voice. We are coming down on the beach. See you in a few minutes. The view out here is magnificent.
”Look,” said Alex.