Collective Hindsight (Book 2) - Aaron Rosenberg [2]
“No, I mean it. We’re a team, right? And Tev isn’t part of that, because he doesn’t want to be. He’s not willing to work with anybody else, because he’s convinced that he’s better than the rest of us and that we only slow him down.”
“Well then, be glad that the commander is the one working with him, and not us.”
He chuckled. “Oh, believe me, I am.”
* * *
“It is unnecessary for both of us to do this, Commander.” Tev’s voice sounded in Sonya’s ear as the pair of them, clad in space suits, started walking through the Dancing Star’s corridors. “I can analyze this ship while you attend to other matters on the da Vinci.”
Sonya glanced over at him, saw her own helmeted face reflected in his faceplate. “I appreciate your confidence, Tev, but I disagree. You and I have different approaches, which means two different perspectives. I’d hate to think that we’d missed something here, and jeopardized our mission, because we were relying on a single viewpoint with all of its limitations and biases.”
Her second drew himself up to his full height and thrust out his chin, which had the unfortunate result of making his beard jut out against his faceplate like a stiff brush. “I do not miss anything, Commander, and I resent the suggestion.”
“Do you?” She resisted the urge to snap back at him, but also refused to coddle his ego any longer. Enough was enough. “Fine, then. Tell me what you see here.” She waved her hand, and they both glanced along the hallway.
“A single corridor,” her second replied immediately. “Cylindrical, though flattened at the bottom for easier passage. Indirect lighting. Doors spaced along each side, inset and with manual releases. Temperature of fifty degrees Celsius. No atmosphere.”
She nodded. “And what does all that tell you?”
“Clearly this is the main corridor. The atmosphere has never been restored after it was ignited at Randall V, which indicates that the computers are either not fully operational or not programmed to provide air automatically.” He glanced back at her.
“And?”
The hint of a frown appeared. “And? There is nothing else to be gained thus far.”
“Not true, Tev. For example, you noted that the doors have manual releases. Judging from their shape, the crew must have hands and fingers like ours.”
He sniffed. “We know they did. The autopsy reports—”
“But I didn’t ask you what we knew from other data. I asked what we knew from what we could see right now. That’s why we’re doing this. Ignore everything you knew about this ship before we beamed aboard.” She ran one hand along the wall. “This isn’t metal, though it feels metallic. Looks more like ceramic, which would fit with the heightened temperature. Good heat resistance. The lights are actually tiny bulbs along a shelf just below the ceiling, with a lip that hides them but lets their light shine out. There’s no carpeting—the floors are the same material as the walls and ceiling—and no decoration. This wasn’t a luxury ship, or even a home. More like a science vessel or a military ship. Nothing here that wouldn’t be useful. No time or energy for frivolities.” She met his gaze and held it, and after a moment he shrugged.
“Point taken, Commander. Two views are more effective than one.” For the first time since she’d met him, he said her title with a hint of respect, and she nodded back.
“Right. So let’s get back to our viewing, shall we?”
Chapter
2
When the call came, Overseer Caldon was in his quarters. The message was patched through to him despite his orders to hold all messages while he slept, which meant that it must be important. The crew knew better than to disobey him without good reason.
The minute he heard the caller’s voice, Caldon admitted that the crew’s actions had been correct. He would discipline them for disobeying him, of course, but the punishment for withholding this call would have been far worse.
“I have a commission for you,” his sponsor informed him.
“Of course, sir—I am at your disposal.”
“Sensors in Quadrant Ten-Fifteen, Space Nine-Beta have detected a ship. Its configuration is unknown, though it