Journey to the Heart of Luna - Andy Frankham-Allen [42]
“So, belatedly, he and his little team returned to Luna. Once again it was financed by the Tuscan Weekly Citizen, who wanted the scoop on the discoveries due to be made. He was accompanied by several experts, and a reporter…and, uh, me. My uncle had already triangulated the direction from which the glow came, and we travelled directly there. Traversing the gorge was not easy…”
At this, no doubt against his better judgement, Bedford enquired; “The gorge, Miss Somerset?”
Annabelle looked back at the lieutenant. He, as well as Miller and Platt, were a little distance back. He was strong and big shouldered, with a firm look about his moustached face. He had a very commanding presence, the look of a man who brokered no tomfoolery, and thus, naturally, someone whom Annabelle immediately felt a strong affinity with. Bedford put her in mind of her father.
“A chasm almost dead centre of the basin next to which I, uh, landed my uncle’s flyer,” she explained.
For a moment Bedford was silent, then he nodded abruptly. “That explains why the Sovereign left us. They must have seen this glow of which you speak, and gone to investigate. I assume Professor Stone was aware of the significance of the glow to your uncle?”
“I made him aware of such, yes, Lieutenant.”
“Very well. Please, proceed with your tale.”
“Thank you,” she said curtly, and resumed, but not before she noticed a slight smirk on the countenance of Mister Stevenson. “The gorge narrows the further down you go, but as you saw, the Annabelle is quite a small flyer and we were able to reach the bottom with minimal fuss. There the Russians were awaiting us. Tereshkov is a very resourceful man, but no less insane than the rumours suggest. He has paid handsomely for the loyalty of the okhrana quite well, and they are entrenched on this side of Luna. They also have secreted several lookout posts in the smaller craters.” At this she glanced back at Bedford. “They are most certainly aware of your presence.”
“And no doubt responsible for the attack by those Selenite creatures.”
“Very unlikely, Lieutenant. Even if the Selenites were aggressive, the Russians have treated them in ways that would never secure their co-operation. I really have no idea why they would attack you.”
“Perhaps they…” Stevenson began, then stopped. Literally, he ceased his walking and looked around.
Annabelle stopped next to him. “What is it?” she asked, in a whisper, careful not to alert Bedford and the other two men who were nearing them now.
Stevenson frowned. “I do not know,” he said, his voice as low as Annabelle’s, “I had this…sensation. As if someone were breathing down my neck. I had it before, in your flyer, but this time…”
“There is no one else here but us.” She peered closely at his face, now dripping with sweat. “Perhaps the lack of oxygen…?”
Stevenson forced a smile. “Yes, that must be it.”
“Everything okay, Mister Stevenson?” Bedford asked.
“Yes, sir,” Stevenson replied.
“I just needed to stop for a moment,” Annabelle offered up quickly, and rubbed her legs. “My muscles are a little weak from lack of use.”
“I see. Well, as much as I have sympathy for your condition, Miss Somerset, we do not have the luxury of a respite. If we may continue on?”
“Yes, of course, Lieutenant.”
Annabelle, throwing Stevenson a furtive smile, which he quickly returned, set off back down the tunnel. Stevenson and the team followed once more.
“What were you about to say, Mister Stevenson?” Annabelle asked.
“What? Oh yes, I was going to ask if perhaps the Selenites viewed the Annabelle as some kind of prize?”
“Again, unlikely. My uncle made a study of them on his previous expedition to Luna, and we spent quite some time with them before the Russians…turned on us. They rarely venture onto the lunar surface; they find it too cold.” Annabelle shook her head. “Attacking you and venturing out of their caverns is very much out of character,