"I was talking about the asteroid pod. I was pointing out that so far we've only tried entering the tower in one place, the vehicle bay near the top. What if we were to see if we could find another way in? Near, say, the bottom?"
"Could you run that by me one more time? You were going on about something or other and it probably looked like I was listening." Ed looked up from the electronic board that he had been soldering, his thick glasses flashing in the bright work lights that were directed toward the table at which he sat.
Lamont had found Ed in what had come to be known as Crisis Central, normally the observation deck. Its open space and proximity to the most damaged area of the ship had made it an obvious location for coordinating and affecting emergency repairs. The moveable tables, usually arranged for group meals, were clustered in twos and threes to serve as working surfaces. The overhead lights, turned on to their full brightness, were nevertheless augmented by directional lamps that shone on tabletops covered by mechanical components and binders full of diagrams. The difference between this area and the rest of the ship, most of which was dimly lit to preserve power, was jarring. Also startling was the contrast between the brightly illuminated space and the stark blackness of the space outside the deck's large observation windows. With his pupils contracted, Lamont was unable to see the subtle neon colors of the system's gaseous clouds, and only the brightest stars were visible in the expanse. The window showed almost pitch black except for the reflections from the room. Even the white shroud of escaped oxygen was gone, having been reclaimed after the hull breach was repaired.
Lamont sighed. "I was talking about the asteroid pod. I was pointing out that so far we've only tried entering the tower in one place, the vehicle bay near the top. What if we were to see if we could find another way in? Near, say, the bottom?"
Ed stared at him blankly for a few seconds, the solder smoking in his hand. The sharp sting of ozone struck Lamont's nostrils, reminding him unpleasantly of the moment he had first stepped foot on Epiphany Rex.
"Why would we do that?" The Chief Technician finally asked.
Lamont scratched at his collar. "Well, because we've only seen a tiny fraction of the tower, that's why. There's no telling what might turn up if we were to poke around lower down."
"That's right," Ed agreed, turning his attention back to the electronic board. "There's no telling."
"So you concur?" Lamont asked. "We should give it a go?"
Ed fiddled with the placement of a vacuum tube. "Of course not. It's a stupid idea."
Lamont bristled. "Now, look here—"
The technician scowled and lifted his head again, pointing the smoking tip of the solder at Lamont. "No, you look. I keep trying to tell you that we're in no position for open-ended exploration here. The landing bay of the tower has demonstrated predictably that it will let us in and let us out without any trouble. If that's the case, why would we go poking our noses into someplace where we might be less welcome?"