Journey to the Heart of Luna - Andy Frankham-Allen [39]
Not that it seemed necessary anymore, as the ants were no longer following them. He had looked back several times, to check on their retreat, only to discover that the ants, including the copper one with the gun, remained at the open airlock, almost as if they were protecting their prize.
Bedford and Miller were still ahead of him, Platt having regained consciousness. The able seaman was a little confused, and probably concussed, but he quickly adapted and was now walking alongside the other men.
Just as they reached the cave mouth, Miss Somerset finally started to stir. Stevenson suspected it was the change in temperature, because even he could feel the heat emanating from the cave through his atmosphere suit. He lowered her down as gently as he could, and helped her steady herself. For a few moments, while Bedford and company scouted the immediate area of the cave, Stevenson remained with Miss Somerset.
She looked around, taking in her surroundings. As the seconds passed by she slowly recovered her composure. For the first time Stevenson noted that she wore a pair of beige trousers, and a checkered blouse. Around her waist was a gun holster, sans gun. Her eyes rested on him, took in his atmosphere suit and the Union Flag stitched onto the breast. She opened her mouth to speak, then stopped, held up a finger and reached inside her blouse. She pulled out a small wooden box, the front of which was a small grill. Miss Somerset pressed the box against her respirator.
“I see my message reached the Admiralty,” she said, her American tones clipped and precise.
“Yes, ma’am. I’m Ordinary Seaman Stevenson, from the HMAS Sovereign.”
Miss Somerset looked around the cave, at the other Sovereign crew. “I assume Nathanial is still on the ship? That is, of course, if he had the gumption to actually come to my rescue.”
“Professor Stone is, indeed, on the Sovereign, Miss Somerset.”
“Professor? Nathanial never told me he became a professor.” For a second Miss Somerset smiled to herself.
“Captain Folkard insisted he remain to assist in the search for Doctor Grant,” Stevenson continued.
Miss Somerset’s hand went to her respirator-covered mouth. “Oh my God, my uncle! He still thinks me a prisoner of Tereshkov.”
“Would you care to explain why that is so?” Bedford asked, as he returned. Miss Somerset turned to him, and he saluted her. “Lieutenant George Bedford at your service; first officer of the HMAS Sovereign.”
Miss Somerset nodded curtly, but her eyes hid a slight smile. “A pleasure, I’m sure.”
“Also, how are we able to hear you?”
Miss Somerset grinned. “This little box, a marvellous invention of my uncle. It’s a wireless transmitter, carries my voice directly to the speakers in your helmets. One of a kind.”
“How is that possible?” Stevenson asked.
“I have no idea, Mister Stevenson, I’m not a scientist.” She looked back to Bedford. “Before I explain myself, would you care to explain why I am now in a lunar cave?”
Bedford gave a short, but accurate, account of their exploration of the Annabelle and the subsequent attack of the ant creatures. She listened intently, but once Bedford described the ants, and Stevenson added the bit about the gun, Miss Somerset interrupted.
“That is quite ludicrous, Mister Stevenson. The Selenites are not remotely aggressive. They’re peaceable, builders, creators. They’re not warmongers. And to take up arms…” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, but that makes no sense at all. They rarely venture onto the surface. Certainly they can store oxygen in their lungs, but to attack…”
“Nonetheless that is what happened, Miss Somerset,” Stevenson said.
“Selenites; is that the native name of the moon men?” Bedford asked.
“No, Lieutenant. The moon men are, I believe, quite different. Selenite is a term coined by my uncle, from Howell’s Epistolae Hoelianae in which he describes all lunary men as Selenites. Uncle Cyrus has discovered that the Selenites do not have a species name, although