Journey to the Heart of Luna - Andy Frankham-Allen [35]
They were now walking through the ship, as the Sovereign climbed the two kilometres back up to the cavern entrance, just Nathanial and the captain, and one seaman, on their way to the open deck. Nathanial was not entirely sure he liked the idea of just stepping into the sub-lunar caverns. He was not wholly familiar with all the rumours, but he knew enough to find the thought of venturing out there a bit daunting.
“Captain, are you quite sure this is wise? Surely my deductive brain would be best suited on the bridge?”
Folkard laughed at this. “Stuff and nonsense, Professor. As I explained earlier, when we discover Doctor Grant I will have need of your deductive brain to tell me exactly what Grant is up to. I am not a stupid man, Professor, but neither am I a scientist. I hardly suspect I will get much understanding from Grant, and especially not from Tereshkov, but I am counting on you translating it into layman’s terms for me.”
“I see. In that case, I hope I serve you well.” Nathanial hoped he sounded sincere, but he was not overly impressed by the role Folkard had assigned for him.
“And besides, Professor, I have every intention of making an adventurer out of you yet. Who is to say what we may discover in these sub-lunar caverns? Indigenous life forms hitherto unknown, perhaps the real source of the glow? This is why we are out here, after all, for the adventure, the exploration.”
“Something tells me, Captain, you would have been better suited to the life of a space mariner.”
“Between you and me, I quite agree, however here I am, captain of the most advanced aether flyer ever built.” Folkard glanced behind them at the rating that followed. “I am sure I can count on your discretion, Able Seaman Ainsworth?”
The seaman nodded in a very serious fashion. “Of course, sir.”
Nathanial was amazed how Folkard seemed to know the names of every member of his crew. He had been on the ship no longer than Nathanial, and none of the crew wore name badges, yet somehow it seemed as if Folkard had some kind of special sight when it came to the names of his crew.
“And here we are,” Folkard said, reaching for the steel wheel that secured the door. Without further preamble he turned the great wheel and wrenched the door open. “Welcome to Luna, Professor!”
As the lunar air swept in through the door the first thing Nathanial noticed was the smell. His hand immediately went to cover his nose. “Good Lord, what is that?”
“You expected Luna to smell like Dover? Ah, Professor, you are now in an alien world.” The captain took a deep breath, and his nose twitched. “However, I will admit that smell is rather rum,” he said, and stepped out on to the deck.
Chapter Five
Down Among the Insects
1.
MILLER STOOD by the door, his breech-loading carbine in his hands. He had it aimed out towards the aft of the flyer, while at the same time casting glances inside the airlock to see if perhaps Miss Somerset had stirred. Still she barely moved. Occasionally she would move a fraction, the impulse movements of someone in a deep sleep, but she had yet to make any fast approach to wakefulness. Lieutenant Bedford and Stevenson had been gone minutes, and were now clear out of sight.
He hefted the weight of the carbine in his arms. He never expected to go into combat so soon after joining Her Majesty’s Navy, although he had, of course, been trained in the usage of the standard Navy firearms by Lieutenant Bedford, from light revolvers right through to the Lee Metford bolt-action carbines that both Stevenson and Bedford carried. His own breech-loading carbine, although effective, was not a patch on the Lee Metford which had an eight-round magazine attached to it. If he came under direct attack he would have to shoot and reload each time, and every moment of reloading meant the enemy would be that bit closer, especially in an enclosed space like the damaged flyer. Bedford had once remarked, after a training class, “you make sure every shot counts, don’t allow the enemy to close in. One shot, disable or kill, there are no second chances in combat”. Be that