geologic specimens,” Blake said as Martin rose to his feet, “but it’s airtight, it has a locking lid, it’s sturdy and it’s chemically inert.”
“And it’s all we’ve got, right?” Martin said, walking over to Blake with the dust-filled cube.
“Right.”
“All right, I’m on board. I would give my left nut to get some DNA from this thing. If it has DNA. Drop the critter in.” Martin held the cube poised beneath Blake’s hand.
“I’d like to go back to the lander now,” James announced. He stood motionless behind Asami, where he’d been silently observing the goings on for some time.
At this, Caitlin turned around in time to see Blake fumble the creature as he looked up at James. Martin deftly maneuvered the container in time to catch it, snapping the lid down with soundless finality. She saw Blake nod thanks to Martin while a flurry of soil roiled inside the acrylic cube like a dust devil in miniature.
“Is something wrong, James? We need to find Suzette now.” Blake took the specimen in its cube from Martin and placed it carefully into his own suit pocket.
“I don’t need to go cave exploring anymore,” James replied, his voice low and calm. “I came this far, I saw this much, and that’s enough for me. Earlier you told me that anytime anyone wanted to go back to the lander, for any reason, that you would have Caitlin escort them back. You said that’s how the tourist trips will work, too. So, let’s see it. I want to go back now. ”
18 | Life
Although James was glad to shake Blake up with his request to go back to the rover, the singular thought continuously refreshing itself in his mind was that writhing animal thing. That’s not microbial ! A lot of people expected the discovery of life outside Earth to be first seen under a microscope. He wasn’t sure what the hell this thing was, that was for sure; he was no scientist. But he knew a wiggling animal when he saw one.
He could barely pay attention to the outrage expressed by Martin Hughes after being blindsided by Blake’s find. Apparently Blake knew about these...creatures...from previous trips up here and had suppressed the news thus far, saving it for when he would have the corroboration of top scientists. I can’t wait to put this in my report. But even James knew the stunning implications of the find.
That’s not microscopic. A full-on animal found living on the moon!
He tried to tune out Blake and Caitlin arguing as he thought about it while both teams made their way through the tunnels.
Whatever it was, it was alive. The entity was either worm or insect or something in between.
But how? There’s no atmosphere here on the moon.
That didn’t change the facts, though. In Blake’s possession was a life form from another world. He couldn’t yet fathom the implications, not just for how people regarded the moon and taking trips to it, but for how our species regarded Earth – and itself.
What else might reside in these subterranean walls?
“Caitlin,” Blake said into his comm unit, “meet me at the outside entrance to the tunnels.”
“Blake,” she protested, “I’m not going anywhere until we find Suzette.”
Suzette . That’s right. Blake’s VP of Marketing had gone missing somewhere in the next tunnel over. That would absolutely have to find its way into his report, too, Burton thought. No doubt the walls were simply too thick in some areas to communicate via the radios. How far could she have wandered off?
“We are going to find Suzette,” Blake said. “But first , we are going to escort Mr. Burton to the surface per his deliberately untimely request. Then you are going to drive him in a rover back to the LEM while Asami, Martin and I go back to get Suzette.”
As James, Asami and Caitlin moved through the tunnel, James again felt out of breath. Maybe that’s why you asked to leave the tunnels? Maybe you really are scared? Can’t hack it anymore? He turned to check his
“And it’s all we’ve got, right?” Martin said, walking over to Blake with the dust-filled cube.
“Right.”
“All right, I’m on board. I would give my left nut to get some DNA from this thing. If it has DNA. Drop the critter in.” Martin held the cube poised beneath Blake’s hand.
“I’d like to go back to the lander now,” James announced. He stood motionless behind Asami, where he’d been silently observing the goings on for some time.
At this, Caitlin turned around in time to see Blake fumble the creature as he looked up at James. Martin deftly maneuvered the container in time to catch it, snapping the lid down with soundless finality. She saw Blake nod thanks to Martin while a flurry of soil roiled inside the acrylic cube like a dust devil in miniature.
“Is something wrong, James? We need to find Suzette now.” Blake took the specimen in its cube from Martin and placed it carefully into his own suit pocket.
“I don’t need to go cave exploring anymore,” James replied, his voice low and calm. “I came this far, I saw this much, and that’s enough for me. Earlier you told me that anytime anyone wanted to go back to the lander, for any reason, that you would have Caitlin escort them back. You said that’s how the tourist trips will work, too. So, let’s see it. I want to go back now. ”
18 | Life
Although James was glad to shake Blake up with his request to go back to the rover, the singular thought continuously refreshing itself in his mind was that writhing animal thing. That’s not microbial ! A lot of people expected the discovery of life outside Earth to be first seen under a microscope. He wasn’t sure what the hell this thing was, that was for sure; he was no scientist. But he knew a wiggling animal when he saw one.
He could barely pay attention to the outrage expressed by Martin Hughes after being blindsided by Blake’s find. Apparently Blake knew about these...creatures...from previous trips up here and had suppressed the news thus far, saving it for when he would have the corroboration of top scientists. I can’t wait to put this in my report. But even James knew the stunning implications of the find.
That’s not microscopic. A full-on animal found living on the moon!
He tried to tune out Blake and Caitlin arguing as he thought about it while both teams made their way through the tunnels.
Whatever it was, it was alive. The entity was either worm or insect or something in between.
But how? There’s no atmosphere here on the moon.
That didn’t change the facts, though. In Blake’s possession was a life form from another world. He couldn’t yet fathom the implications, not just for how people regarded the moon and taking trips to it, but for how our species regarded Earth – and itself.
What else might reside in these subterranean walls?
“Caitlin,” Blake said into his comm unit, “meet me at the outside entrance to the tunnels.”
“Blake,” she protested, “I’m not going anywhere until we find Suzette.”
Suzette . That’s right. Blake’s VP of Marketing had gone missing somewhere in the next tunnel over. That would absolutely have to find its way into his report, too, Burton thought. No doubt the walls were simply too thick in some areas to communicate via the radios. How far could she have wandered off?
“We are going to find Suzette,” Blake said. “But first , we are going to escort Mr. Burton to the surface per his deliberately untimely request. Then you are going to drive him in a rover back to the LEM while Asami, Martin and I go back to get Suzette.”
As James, Asami and Caitlin moved through the tunnel, James again felt out of breath. Maybe that’s why you asked to leave the tunnels? Maybe you really are scared? Can’t hack it anymore? He turned to check his
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