Echo. Part 35

"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.

"What?" He was pointing at the screen while I tried to make sure we didn't land in the ocean.

"Belle, rerun that last segment."

We were looking at the house. And a shadow moved across the curtains.

I couldn't believe this was actually happening. We'd known all along that maybe this was what Rachel had found, that she had come across someone someone.

Something.

When I shut off the engine, the gravity came back. My weight jumped by about seventeen pounds. Alex's went up by roughly twenty-seven. It's a feeling you never get used to.

I released my belt. "We're here," I told the Martian.

Alex was surveying the outside. Moonlight. Incoming tide. Forest. "But no movement."

"Alex, what do you expect? He couldn't understand a word I said."

I told him we were coming, that we'd be there in a few minutes. We put our helmets on and went for the airlock. With a hole cut through the outer hatch, it was of dubious value. We got into it as quickly as possible and closed the inner hatch. (Belle would check to ensure that no dangerous bioorganisms had gotten into the cabin.) The sound of insects and the rumble of the tide were audible through the hole in the outer hatch. I opened up.

The beach was narrow. Long lines of waves were rolling in. Alex insisted on going out first. He stood in the hatch, and I asked whether he had a memorable comment to make before he took his first historic steps.

"Sure," he said. he said. "Let's hope that the place is friendly." "Let's hope that the place is friendly." He climbed down. Having learned my lesson, I closed the hatch before following him. There was something about the beach that left me not wanting to keep talking. But I didn't think it would be a good idea to sign off. Keeping the conversation going seemed like the right approach. So I simply lowered my voice and said that we were on the beach and were getting ready to enter the forest. And what a beautiful island it is. The sand was damp, and we both sank a bit. Seaweed and sh.e.l.ls were scattered around. We got our bearings, which consisted of Alex pointing into the woods, and saying, He climbed down. Having learned my lesson, I closed the hatch before following him. There was something about the beach that left me not wanting to keep talking. But I didn't think it would be a good idea to sign off. Keeping the conversation going seemed like the right approach. So I simply lowered my voice and said that we were on the beach and were getting ready to enter the forest. And what a beautiful island it is. The sand was damp, and we both sank a bit. Seaweed and sh.e.l.ls were scattered around. We got our bearings, which consisted of Alex pointing into the woods, and saying, "That way." "That way." But he had an impeccable sense of direction. But he had an impeccable sense of direction.

We switched on our wrist lamps, crossed the beach, and plunged into the trees. Some were hardwood, others were a bright green, with pliable trunks and branches, and long, spear-shaped leaves. They seemed permanently damp, and I recalled the predator plants on Echo II. It's not a good idea to make unnecessary noise while walking through a strange forest. I told the Martian I was going to disconnect for the moment. "Will see you shortly."

He replied with enthusiasm, the voice rising to an even higher pitch.

Getting through the woods wasn't easy, but at least nothing made a grab for us, although the foliage covered the ground so thickly we had trouble finding our way.

There were thick bushes, some with bright flowers of various colors. (It seemed too cold for flowers.) Something growled in the treetops, and occasionally we heard movement. I touched my scrambler. Good sense of security there.

Alex grumbled that maybe he'd been wrong, and we should have landed in the middle of the town. "No more night hikes," "No more night hikes," he said. he said.

"Promise?"

Belle broke in: "The light just went off." "The light just went off."

"Okay. Thanks, Belle."

And, seconds later: "It's back on again. But a different room this time." "It's back on again. But a different room this time."

Eventually, we broke out into the town.

The houses did not look as if anyone had lived in them for a long time. Rooftops were worn away. Stairs had collapsed. In some places, vegetation had begun to overwhelm the structures.

They were not arranged in any kind of symmetry. There was no appearance of streets. They were simply scattered across an open area at random.

And there, along the edge of the forest, was the light.

It filled the windows at the back of the house. The rest of the building was dark. Alex checked his link: The light we'd seen from orbit had been in the front windows.

I was about to speak to the Martian again, to tell him we were there, but Alex indicated I should stay quiet.

Curtains were partially drawn. He signaled for me to keep back. "Be careful," "Be careful," he said. he said.

"Okay." We were whispering.

We walked quietly up to the window and looked in.

Something sat in a chair with its back to us. It was decidedly sat in a chair with its back to us. It was decidedly not not human. I saw a fur-covered skull with raised ridges and horns. And long claws. But it wore a human. I saw a fur-covered skull with raised ridges and horns. And long claws. But it wore a robe robe, and it was reading a book book. One wall had been converted into bookshelves. Music was coming from somewhere. It was rhythmic, pensive, sensuous.

I think my eyes were coming out of my head.

Then Alex pressed my shoulder. "That's odd." "That's odd."

"You mean that he's not out looking for us?"

"Look at the books."

"What about them?" Alex turned away and studied the woods. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"Stay close." He started to remove his helmet. He started to remove his helmet.

"Alex," I said, "what are you doing?"

"Belle says we don't need it. Why wear it?"

"She suggested we take no chances."

"My feeling exactly." He put the helmet down and began to climb out of the suit, unsnapping the wrist lamp and putting it into a pocket. He put the helmet down and began to climb out of the suit, unsnapping the wrist lamp and putting it into a pocket.

"Whatever you say."

"You too," he said. he said.

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"Alex, what's going on?"

"I'm not sure. Get out of your suit."

I removed it and took a deep, but tentative, breath. A cold forest has a distinctive scent, even when half the trees look as if they're made out of green rubber. That place had it, too.

My head spun momentarily, and he asked if I was okay.