Читать книгу Defiant. Tome 1. Defiant - - Страница 17

«You realise this could be a trap, right?» John stood next to the others, tense and wary.

«Yes, John, I do. As I do not know anyone with the initials AS.» Serena watched the planet floating in space before their ship.

Ix Nabrax was a beautiful place, even though unsettled – none of the Terran Company members or Laithorian scouts ever labelled it as fit for life. Even though its atmosphere was breathable – at least, for Veluthians – the local wildlife was way too problematic. The ecosystem was filled to the brim with all kinds of creatures and plants – most of them either extremely dangerous, or poisonous.

So now this colourful – blue, red, emerald and purple – sphere was left to its own accord, unclaimed and untainted by anyone’s presence, until recently. There was one single signal that came from the planet.

Serena couldn’t even fathom how one would survive long enough on Ix Nabrax – even if the so-called «friend’ was of Veluthian descent.

«Captain…» Wolfin’s frown grew deeper. «Allow me to scout around before you decide to go looking for that signal we found?»

«You want to go alone? There?» Serena twitched her brow.

«I’ve been to places similar to this. I know how to be cautious and survive amongst things that populate this world.» her mentor shrugged.

«I’m not willing to risk your life on your hunch, Wolfin.»

«It’s not a hunch, Scorpi. I’ll be careful. I promise. And I’ll be on comms all the time, in case anything happens – you’ll be able to come and get me.»

«You realise the passages you’ll have to take, according to our scans, are too narrow to take a Dragon?»

«I do. I’ll go on foot.»

«Laneth?» Serena glanced at her mechanic, who stood deep in thought next to Kayla, who was engaged with the scanners, learning about all the wildlife along the path they mapped towards the signal that kept pinging from deep within some semi-cave system, or a very strange canyon of sorts.

«Dalilah?» Laneth asked, distracted. «Yes, she’s ready. Though, not as big as I’d want her to be, but big enough to help in a scuffle. Plus, her armour will help, she’s programmed to protect our crew.»

«She’s perfect.» Wolfin smiled. «And small enough I can carry her around my torso if I need.»

«Yes, yes…» Laneth rubbed her chin, too deep in thought. «That was exactly my thought.»

«What are you thinking?» Serena asked, watching the mechanic attentively.

«The INVI-drones we sent found lots of side-passages. Some of those weren’t big enough for the drones to scout. Dalilah can scout them out as Wolfin will be coming upon them. Just to be safe. I’m worried that there are some… caves? halls? …without any signs of life we can register, except plants. Nature doesn’t do things like these. Something is there, we just can’t find what.»

«I’ll take a mask and will be on high alert…» Wolfin proposed.

«And what if it’s not a gas or anything like that? What if we just can’t find signs of life, because our scanners might not be registering them?» Laneth glanced at Wolfin. «You said yourself, this planet hasn’t been exactly researched or even explored enough to know what kind of things might be lurking there.»

Lindon, who stood silently all this time, glanced at their Captain, seeing her frowning:

«You know what else is bothering me?» he asked.

Serena met his gaze, still deep in her thoughts:

«The signal itself?» she guessed.

The Veluthian nodded:

«It is of Veluthian origin. Though, according to our logs, signals like these were used a long time ago.»

«Perhaps, the ship it was sent from was salvaged from one of ours?» Serena shrugged. «We did… use to have a wide array of scouting ships. Centuries ago, though… Maybe this one is an old Veluthian vessel that was lost or crash landed here…»

«While I do find these assumptions to be quite plausible, my lady…» Lindon cautiously said. «I am more interested in the fact that the identification codes within the signal belong to a ship that was said to have been destroyed with hundreds of witnesses to see it happening.»

«Hmm… I missed that detail.» Serena looked down, thinking everything over.

«I have double checked, Captain. Lindon is correct, the codes do belong to a Veluthian vessel named Terrefly, which was marked destroyed in a battle with a pirate fleet over six hundred years ago.» Lyssa reported. «Although, part of the files concerning the names of pilots that were in that battle are corrupted, so I cannot say which Veluthian warrior piloted this particular ship.»

«Whoever it was, they fought alongside Artemis Serdana herself, when she was struck down in the very same battle.» Serena shrugged. «But I do agree that is… surprising to find the ship that was deemed destroyed… here. Why here? Why Ix Nabrax? Who found it? And how?»

«Captain? If Veluthian warriors are courageous and just…» Kayla suddenly looked at Serena. «How come one of them ran from the battle and hid here?»

«Good question.» the woman fell silent for a bit.

«Maybe they thought that if others found out they were alive, they’d be considered a coward?» John assumed, somewhat understanding the logic behind Veluthian train of thoughts.

«Perhaps.» Serena agreed. «That can be a possibility. But this begs another question… did that Veluthian die here? Or were they rescued?»

«I think we’d hear in the Academy if someone survived on Ix Nabrax long enough to be rescued.» Lindon grunted, frustrated.

«I suppose…»

«We can discuss all week, but never get the answers we seek, sitting here and watching the planet.» Wolfin said. «Captain, allow me to be your eyes on the ground and scout out the possible hints to who sent that message to you.»

«I’m actually starting to doubt this message was for me, Wolfin.» Serena stood from her seat and approached the window, studying the planet’s surface. «But I do agree that we need answers.»

She turned and looked at her crew, watching her patiently. Hunter seemed too tense and wary, but he was silent, as was Fisk, who stood there, in the corner, biting his lower lip nervously.

«Alright.» Serena sighed. «Listen up. Here’s what we’re going to do… We let Wolfin disembark first, so that he could take a look around and scout the surroundings.»