PRIORITY SHIFT
The Red Rover’s side airlock was closing as Jovan perked up. He rolled over to the navigation terminal and woke up its display. He noticed that the loading bay had already been closed.
“What the hell?”
He looked towards the front of the ship. It was still light out. The exit door opened as Dee-Dee entered with Witchy right behind.
“Good, you’re in here.”
“What’s going on? Why did you close up the ship?”
“I think something’s approaching us. Do you mind if I check?”
Jovan rolled aside, allowing Dee-Dee to take a seat. Witchy ran into the captain’s seat and took her rightful place as he shook his head. Like clockwork, every damn time. He turned back to the android and leaned closer. The terminal display was now showing the basecamp’s radar. The Red Rover, Yellow Rover and two StarForgers inside of it. Dee-Dee touched the screen and widened the radar’s sphere of influence. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary thus far.
“What are we even looking for?”
“Something powerful enough to shift the sand beneath my feet. I felt it while I was working on the StarForger.”
Dee-Dee turned to him.
“I understand if it sounds illogical, but I know Wichita felt it as well.”
Jovan’s eyes widened. That didn’t sound good at all. Dee-Dee turned back to the display and began moving the radar in a circular pattern, further away from the basecamp. The Red Rover’s detection capabilities only extended but so far.
“We probably need the Yellow Rover with this, don’t you think?”
“I would, if I thought there was enough time.”
Dee-Dee continued moving the radar, this time towards the south.
“There. Look.”
The android stopped the display as Jovan leaned closer. Dee-Dee was correct. Something was moving across the surface at an incredible speed. Its momentum was coming from the south, but it wasn’t moving in a straight line. It was covering everything.
“What is that? Is that a tremor?”
“Tremors are not known for this type of rapid movement, which could mean that it’s a seismic wave instead.”
“And its headed right for us.” He sighed. “We need to bring the StarForgers in here.”
“There’s no time. Look.”
Dee-Dee pointed to the display. The seismic wave was closing in on the basecamp. Jovan looked towards the front of the ship and noticed that it was getting darker outside. He rolled ahead, stopping behind the pilot seats. A shadow was cast over the basecamp as it looked like night had returned.
“Brace for impact, Jovan.”
He gripped the back of the pilot’s chair and watched as the shadow above the basecamp was growing larger. He shut his eyes in preparation for the worst. A few moments later, he felt Dee-Dee’s hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes to see the android looking down at him.
“Does this mean we’re not dead?”
“See for yourself.”
The android walked back to the terminal as he followed. He noticed that the seismic wave was still canvassing the desert, while the basecamp itself remained fully intact. They were fortunate that the forcefield created by the antenna array was durable enough to protect them from the wave. He wasn’t sure how that was possible, but Jovan wasn’t about to be ungrateful for miraculous events. He breathed a sigh of relief.
“Thank God for Marius, I swear.”
He turned back to Dee-Dee.
“We should probably check on everybody else now.”
“Good idea.”
<>
Marius walked around the basecamp with Witchy by his side. He had Jovan and Dee-Dee round up the cadets while he did a routine check. The forcefield had held up against whatever was happening with the planet while he had been sleeping in his pod. The Rovers were undamaged as were the StarForgers and the alien hovercycles. The only difference now was that the forcefield ceiling appeared to be totally covered with sand.
He began walking back towards the Yellow Rover’s ramp when Orion and Delly exited together.
“Hey, thanks for giving me a heads up, Doctor Marius. Really appreciate it.” She sarcastically remarked.
“If it makes you feel any better kiddo, I was asleep when all this was happening.”
He shrugged as the two siblings followed him back to the loading bay ramp of the Red Rover where Dee-Dee and the rest of the cadets were located. They were all staring up at the forcefield above them.
“What did you say did this again?” Callista asked.
“I believe it was a seismic wave.” Dee-Dee said. “It was coming from the south, although there was no way for me to measure its origins or if it had a specific trajectory.”
“Meaning what?” June asked.
“That the wave was going everywhere.” Callista said. “Which means that it had to original point of impact.”
“Like an explosion or a crash.” Marius added.
“Precisely. Planetary tremors don’t just cover hundreds of miles with no rhyme or reason.”
“So we know.” Gordie chimed in. “It’s not like we’ve been on that many planets to know that for sure.”
“It’s just a hypothesis, Gordie. Not a fact. I’m not married to it.” Callista said.
Marius rubbed his chin. They both had a point. Still, he couldn’t help but feel that there was something deeper to this situation than just a random runaway seismic wave. For all they knew, this could have been retaliation against them for springing Delly loose.
“I’m almost afraid to deactivate this thing. Lord only knows how much sand is currently on top of it.” Marius said.
“Well on the upside, at least now we know what the forcefield’s capable of.” Gordie remarked.
“I’m sorry, what?”
Delly seemed taken aback by Gordie’s candor. As long as she remained around them, she would have to get used to it, just like the rest of them.
“Hey, gotta look for silver linings wherever you can get ‘em, am I right?”