Night of the Aurora (Salmon Run - Book 1)

Chapter 21

"See, it is the snow machines!" Zach said, pointing.

Sasha shifted from one foot to the other. "They're going to be really worried we didn't arrive with our pack."

Zach could imagine. Imagine his father pacing and the lecture he would get.

Although, technically, none of this had been their fault. Maybe his father wasn't worried yet. Not that much time had passed.

"How can such small vehicles cause so much trouble?" Qeet said near to his ear.

Zach jumped. Qeet had extended himself from one of the horizontal pipes to watch the display. And through the thin dark gray skin he saw shadowy shapes move and pulse. Was he seeing organs?

He snapped himself back. "I don't know. Maybe the metal? The engines also produce electricity. Maybe it's somehow funneling energy into your generators? Energy it can't handle?"

"Hmm, possible." Qeet retracted. He flattened his body to slip through two tight pipes. "Or, more likely, a resonance."

"Qeet, I hope you are not about to do what I think you are," Nanuk said over a hum that appeared in the room.

"What do you believe I am about to do?" Qeet asked from somewhere across the room.

"A forcefield could be detected from orbit. We should speak with the Admiral."

Zach didn't care for the conversation. They didn't want to be seen from orbit? Who were they hiding from?

So much didn't make sense, and his head felt like it was tying itself into knots trying to figure it out. Too much more and he was going to end up with a splitting headache.

"I would not do such a thing without clearance. However, a slight refraction field over the energy intakes might do the job just as well."

The lights suddenly grew brighter. The crackles and pops over the speaker eased. 

"Level seven systems restarted," a voice said over the speakers.

"Well, that did something. Can you get level sixteen going?" Yenni shouted. "That's where we have intruders."

"Wait, I have it!" 

The lights grew even brighter and the static disappeared from the speakers. Qeet rappeled back into view, moving across the ceiling like a long-armed Tarzan. "I was right, it was a resonance. A rather interesting one. I have it pinned down. It shouldn't impact any of the systems any longer."

"Engineer Qeet, did you find the problem?" a voice said from one of the floating displays.

The display flew to the ceiling at Qeet's gesture. "Good evening, Admiral. Yes, the problem has been identified and neutralized. A problem with the outer energy intakes. I will start the process of bringing up all systems now."

Zach craned his head to try to see the image of the infamous Admiral, but all he saw from the back of the display was a dark shape.

"Good. I will need all systems for level sixteen active as soon as possible. I need full access to all security-bots to neutralize native intruders. Inform me as soon as they are available."

"Yes, sir."

Zach looked up at Nanuk, "I'm sure that means us, as well."

Qeet pushed the display away. "Indeed it does. Nanuk, may I suggest you return your pets to their native environment before the Admiral discovers them?"

"We are not pets," Zach and Sasha said together.

"How long before the full systems are back online on level twelve?" Yenni asked.