THE VALLEY AHEAD
Grant’s feet marked the proper beginning of the slope.
Beyond the insulated toes of his rig the ground sloped away on an exponential
curve and plunged out of sight. He supposed this valley would be the same as
the two before it. Dusty. Crumbly rocks. Maybe some evidence of water millions
of years ago.
Precious seconds ticked by, but he remained frozen at the proper beginning. Staring out the little picture frame created by his visor. A bleak pink world with a pink sky and endless rolling valleys.
“Commander.” Loop’s voice came through Grant’s relay with only a hint of static.
She was a good second, Grant reflected. Dependable if not
ambitious. Ambition could be overrated. Fools rush ahead, as they say. Wise
words.
“Commander,” Loop repeated.
Grant heard her quiet voice in his ear, but he knew that Loop was standing about ten feet away--off the left side of the picture frame.
“What is it?” His own voice sounded odd. Strained.
“Nineteen minutes from bingo oxygen, sir,” Loop replied. “We still need to cross two ravines to get back.”
Interesting. Loop thought of them as ravines. It fit better than valleys. Grant turned his head to the left to talk over his shoulder; the body language wouldn’t be visible in the rig.
“I suppose it would be a death sentence to head down,” he said. “Just for a few minutes?”
“It’d be more than a few minutes. I think this side turns into a cliff.”
“Right.” Grant licked his dry lips. “I’m sure you’re right.”
Looking down at the toes of his feet required a hunched motion to press his face against the visor. This accomplished, Grant rotated his protesting neck to look right.
Toby had left quite a mess in the dust. Right there at the beginning of the slope. His precise boot prints disappeared into a series of wide swipes that upset the crumbly inch of topsoil. Four distinct grooves cut by fingers were the only identifiable imprints. They began three feet from Grant’s right boot.
“We should get the body,” he said.
“Survey Corps regulations won’t allow it, sir.”
“We can return here--”
“No, Commander, we can’t.”
The sound of heavy soles crunching into the dirt came through the receiver on Grant’s left side. The Lieutenant had already started back.
Grant stayed a moment more. His eyes remained locked on the ground, but all they could see was Toby’s terrified face. His mouth open in the start of a scream. Arms flailing for purchase. Seeking a grip. Or a hand. Then it was too late and he was tumbling. Over and over down the slope where he vanished for two seconds before a distant thud let them know he had hit bottom.
Tranquility base here, Grant suddenly thought, Toby has landed. He shuddered.
“Commander,” Loop repeated.
Grant heard her quiet voice in his ear, but he knew that Loop was standing about ten feet away--off the left side of the picture frame.
“What is it?” His own voice sounded odd. Strained.
“Nineteen minutes from bingo oxygen, sir,” Loop replied. “We still need to cross two ravines to get back.”
Interesting. Loop thought of them as ravines. It fit better than valleys. Grant turned his head to the left to talk over his shoulder; the body language wouldn’t be visible in the rig.
“I suppose it would be a death sentence to head down,” he said. “Just for a few minutes?”
“It’d be more than a few minutes. I think this side turns into a cliff.”
“Right.” Grant licked his dry lips. “I’m sure you’re right.”
Looking down at the toes of his feet required a hunched motion to press his face against the visor. This accomplished, Grant rotated his protesting neck to look right.
Toby had left quite a mess in the dust. Right there at the beginning of the slope. His precise boot prints disappeared into a series of wide swipes that upset the crumbly inch of topsoil. Four distinct grooves cut by fingers were the only identifiable imprints. They began three feet from Grant’s right boot.
“We should get the body,” he said.
“Survey Corps regulations won’t allow it, sir.”
“We can return here--”
“No, Commander, we can’t.”
The sound of heavy soles crunching into the dirt came through the receiver on Grant’s left side. The Lieutenant had already started back.
Grant stayed a moment more. His eyes remained locked on the ground, but all they could see was Toby’s terrified face. His mouth open in the start of a scream. Arms flailing for purchase. Seeking a grip. Or a hand. Then it was too late and he was tumbling. Over and over down the slope where he vanished for two seconds before a distant thud let them know he had hit bottom.
Tranquility base here, Grant suddenly thought, Toby has landed. He shuddered.
It had happened too fast to react.
Grant finally turned away, a wind-up toy on a wound-down spring. He started walking on legs that felt stiff. Back towards the two previous valleys and the survey ship.
It had happened too fast. There was nothing he could have done.
Grant was almost sure of it.
Grant finally turned away, a wind-up toy on a wound-down spring. He started walking on legs that felt stiff. Back towards the two previous valleys and the survey ship.
It had happened too fast. There was nothing he could have done.
Grant was almost sure of it.
THE END
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