It was remarkable to Lamont that, among the strange combination of shapes and textures represented in the other mechanical occupants of the bay, the vaguely menacing cicada-like silhouette of the asteroid pod looked almost normal.
The awkward silence that followed Rosemary’s rather uncalled-for assertion, as Lamont saw it, was mercifully short. Lamont found himself in the unusual position of feeling a desperate need for a biting witticism to undermine the medic’s observation, and yet finding one apparently unavailable. He was merely troubled. His preoccupation was such that he was startled when the curved doors of the lift snapped open to reveal the landing bay from which they had arrived some hours earlier.
Rosemary stepped out first, followed by Lamont. Their eyes scanned a scene that had grown no less astounding for its familiarity; the cavernous, wedged-shaped space with opalescent walls and floors joined by gentle curves. It was large enough to contain a half-dozen strangely-shaped objects that were presumably vessels for space travel, if the additional presence of Westward’s asteroid pod was any indication. It was remarkable to Lamont that, among the strange combination of shapes and textures represented in the other mechanical occupants of the bay, the vaguely menacing cicada-like silhouette of the asteroid pod looked almost normal. It at least had recognizable components with its bulbous windows, pistons, rivets and supply ports. Most of the other vessels, if that’s what they were, lacked a single feature that Lamont could clearly identify on cursory inspection.
“Ed has his work cut out for him,” he remarked.
Rosemary gave a nod of agreement and then cupped her hands around her mouth before shouting: “Oy! Spratt, you here?”
The call echoed briefly around the large chamber, but was not met with any reply. The two glanced at each other.
“Our radios might work at this range,” Lamont suggested, “If they’re anywhere nearby.” He lifted his wrist radio, pressing a button on its side to activate the microphone. “Townsend here. We’re at the asteroid pod. Anybody copy?”
He released the transmit button and they waited for what felt like a long moment. Then, Ed’s voice sounded from the small speaker, recognizable through intermittent waves of static. “Spratt here. If…chamber is North…in the East one.” Another pause, and then: “Looking for…Ashton…”
Lamont felt his brow furrow. Rosemary bit her lower lip and lifted her own wrist radio. “Your signal’s weak, Ed. Can you repeat that last bit about Clifford?”
Ed’s voice answered a few seconds later, but not through the wrist radio’s speaker. Instead, it was behind them. Turning around, they saw Ed Spratt emerging from the shuttle they had just exited. The collar of his coveralls was open and his sleeves were rolled up. “I said that I’ve been looking for a promising reverse-engineering candidate with Ashton. Say, why do you two look so spooked?”