ahead.
I have that training, but it’s hard-won. It comes from diving, where each handhold might cause a possible disaster. It comes from planning trips to faraway areas of space, where I’m often on my own. And lately, it has come from righting the Enterran Empire, who would love to know about this discovery, deep underground here on Wyr.
I have more than one reason to keep this discovery silent as long as possible. I want to figure out how to get that ship out of here, so that we can study it.
If we can’t get the ship out of here, I want to claim it somehow, so that the Empire can’t. I’m not sure how to do that; this is Enterran space, after all. We’re in their territory, whether we like it or not.
I only got five hours of sleep even though I was exhausted, mostly because I’ve been worried about this aspect of our discovery. As excited as I am, I’m afraid we may have given the Empire exactly what it needs: a working stealth-tech model, so that they can build their own stealth-tech ships.
My only hope is to work quickly, and my only hope of working quickly comes from getting this damn Bug operator to clear the caves.
The morning dawned clear and hot. I am beginning to understand that there are degrees of hot, that what I thought was hot when we first arrived wasn’t hot at all by Vaycehn’s standards. This morning, before the sun is even all the way up, is hotter than any day we’ve experienced so far.
Bridge and I have arrived at the same time that the Bug driver has. I hadn’t seen him put the Bug away the night before. We left before he did. This morning, it arrives with him, a big clunky machine that walks uneasily across the rubble-strewn landscape.
The pod sinks down a few meters from the hole. Then the driver gets out. He’s a burly man, younger than I would have thought, with muscles like Mikk’s, although only on his arms. His brown hair is cropped short. He wears a shirt with no sleeves, and very short pants, revealing hairy legs. His feet are encased in sandals.
He walks over to Bridge, gesturing as he does so.
Even though I’m several meters away, I can tell that the operator is unhappy. He thought he’d be here alone this morning.
And that’s a good sign. It meant he was going to honor his commitment to us, rather than take our money and go on to another job.
Bridge talks to him, and nods toward me. The man looks over Bridge’s shoulder and shakes his head slightly.
Bridge already told me what he was going to do. He was going to play to their prejudices, say how difficult it is to work for a woman. He was going to complain that I want to go back down, even though he has tried to talk me out of it. He told me this before we came, and spoke hesitantly, as if he expected me to disapprove.
To his surprise, I didn’t disapprove. I am for anything that gets us back to that ship quickly.
Both men are laughing now, and I’m sure it’s at my expense. My cheeks warm, even though this was planned. I clutch my bottle of water and wander toward the men, taking my time.
First I look at the opening to the cave. It’s so much bigger than it seems when you take a hovercart through it. Or when you climb out of it while completely exhausted. Big enough to swallow a small building.
I resist the urge to groan. My legs are even sorer this morning than they were last night. I had no idea that was possible. I feel ancient and injured, even though I know I’m not.
I’m glad I’ve given the Six the day off, as well as Mikk and Roderick. They’re right; I should have taken it too.
But I won’t move much once I’m in the Bug.
“Boss!”
I look over at Bridge. He’s gesturing to me. I smile as if I don’t know what he’s been up to and walk carefully over to them. I’m not going to let anyone know how very sore I am.
“This is Paplas,” Bridge says, indicating the driver, who watches me closely. “He owns and operates the Reclaimer.”
The way Bridge says the machine’s name is also a direction; we’re not to call the machine a Bug in front of Paplas.
I nod. Paplas’s gray eyes watch me, then he nods back.
“He’s