Just as before, the sphere emitted a cloud of glittering particles that resolved quickly into a spectral projection of the tower. The small, pill-shaped element that indicated the position of the lift glowed red in an apparently nondescript section of the three-dimensional map roughly three-quarters of the distance between the top of the tower and the part that reminded Lamont of a Tesla coil. Ed reached out and made a few experimental gestures with his hand, very small ones that resulted in slight changes of the projection’s perspective as it drifted toward him in response. Finally, Ed tapped the very top of the projection with his finger and, once again, it retreated to the center of the lift as they felt the downward force of acceleration.
“Everybody stay put this time,” Spratt admonished, his thick glasses reflecting the sheepish expression of Rico on the opposite side of the lift.
“What’s that?” Lamont asked, pointing to an amber indicator that was blinking on the front of Ed’s cowl.
Rosemary, who along with Rico had donned her helmet upon entering the lift, regarded the object of Lamont’s question with visible surprise. “It’s the oxygen warning. It means he’s down to a quarter-tank.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” Ed disputed, looking down. “The chemical filters are designed to last—say, yours just came on too.” He pointed toward Lamont, then quickly lowered his hand again when the projection, through which their glowing beacon was visibly ascending, drifted in his direction again.
Lamont’s mind raced. He tugged his hand away from the wall, checking the chronometer on his wrist. “What time would you say it was when we left the asteroid pod?” He asked.
Abigail answered. “9:20 AM.”
“It’s nearly four o’clock now,” Lamont observed, “unless my watch is wrong.”
Ed looked at his own wrist. “I’ve got the same thing,” he confirmed. “What the hell?”
Rosemary swallowed visibly. “That would mean that we were in that garden for something like six hours.”
Abigail shook her head. “That doesn’t make sense. It couldn’t have been much more than one.”
“Two objective indicators are telling us otherwise,” Ed observed grimly.
“Three,” corrected Rico. “My stomach is growling terribly.”
“Now that you mention it, I’m feeling rather famished as well,” Lamont agreed. If the hour was correct, it was long past time for his usual breakfast of coffee and cigarettes to run out of steam.
“That’s funny,” Said Rosemary. “I don’t feel hungry at all.”
Just as she said this, the projection retreated into the sphere, which drifted upward into its overhead niche as the doors snapped open.
“We’re here,” Abigail said.
“Blimey,” whispered Lamont.
Next: To Cower and Adore
Razzum frazzum cliff hanger... ;)