watches them. A small devious smile crosses her face; a simple idea begins to work within her mind.
Cardiff:
Mr. Lawrence, today you’ll be heading back to the abandoned shuttle. We need to see what supplies they may have left behind. Who knows, there might be something else that could assist us while we are here. Oh, Lawrence, take Doctor Mendez with you.
Lawrence:
So, I take it that you didn’t like the eggs then? You could’ve just not eaten them. You don’t have to be like that.
Mendez:
Oh, stop your whining. It’s not that bad to get one on one time with me.
Lawrence:
That hasn’t been established by modern science, so you can’t make that claim.
Mendez:
You don’t even know me. I am very much looking forward to hearing you make snide remarks for the next few hours anyway. What’s wrong with having to go somewhere with me anyway?
Lawrence:
Everybody wants to hang out with a shrink, now don’t they?
Mendez:
Actually…
Lawrence:
Never mind.
Cardiff:
Anyway, while you two are continuing your pleasantries out there, Dr. Long, you will stay here and keep an eye on the control room. I need someone to maintain the radio communications of the team throughout the day. You can manage that without any problems… yes?
I am going to contact the base team and update them on our status, after that I will be checking the different electrical systems and sensors to make sure that they aren’t damaged after all these years.
Doctor Ghent, I believe that you have already seen your assigned task. I noticed that you were reading your tablet earlier.
Ghent:
Correct. If anyone needs me I will be working by the pond today. I have to determine the volume as best as I can. I also have to collect some samples from within the dome. This should keep me busy for a while.
Metal forks come to rest on the accompanying white composite plates one at a time as the crew finish breakfast. Silent conversation, carried on only in body language, pervades the meal. When the last fork is set at the side of Long’s plate, Cardiff stands with her empty plate in hand and nods to the rest of the crew. Each team member leaves the mess hall to begin the day’s assigned tasks given them; all except for Doctor Long, who continues to sit quietly on the bench looking out the window in silence. Cardiff is standing in the doorway, just watching him, she is clearly becoming annoyed with him, yet she remains relatively calm enough to hide this from him.
Cardiff:
Alright Long, that’s enough breakfast time. Get to your station and keep me updated periodically about how everyone is doing…
What happened to you last night? I tried to raise you on the radio and only got nonsense back, I assume from you.
Long’s gaze slowly moves from the window to meet Cardiff’s fixated gaze. His facial expression is plain and fixed. No emotion can be seen on his complexion. He begins to rub his palms together, and then he begins to fidget with his fingers.
Long:
It’s a bit complicated.
Cardiff:
Find a way to simplify it, whatever it is. Get your mind right Doctor. Let’s do what we came here to do. I am counting on you, so let’s get to it. You can take a vacation once we get back.
She turns and leaves him sitting on the bench in a contemplative manner. The sound of her footsteps as they fade into silence lulls Long into a daydream-like state. His eyelids grow heavy and he leans forward on the table for support.
Sand scatters underfoot as Ghent’s heavy boots arrive at the shore of the large pond. He stands, with both hands on his hips, and surveys the still water. The surface of the water is completely undisturbed, appearing like a perfect mirror. Ghent stoops down and grabs a small black rock from its resting place on the shore. The coarse surface of the light rock feels abrasive as he grasps it tightly in his fist. Ghent holds the rock for several moments before he looks again to the glass-like surface of the pond.
A faint
Cardiff:
Mr. Lawrence, today you’ll be heading back to the abandoned shuttle. We need to see what supplies they may have left behind. Who knows, there might be something else that could assist us while we are here. Oh, Lawrence, take Doctor Mendez with you.
Lawrence:
So, I take it that you didn’t like the eggs then? You could’ve just not eaten them. You don’t have to be like that.
Mendez:
Oh, stop your whining. It’s not that bad to get one on one time with me.
Lawrence:
That hasn’t been established by modern science, so you can’t make that claim.
Mendez:
You don’t even know me. I am very much looking forward to hearing you make snide remarks for the next few hours anyway. What’s wrong with having to go somewhere with me anyway?
Lawrence:
Everybody wants to hang out with a shrink, now don’t they?
Mendez:
Actually…
Lawrence:
Never mind.
Cardiff:
Anyway, while you two are continuing your pleasantries out there, Dr. Long, you will stay here and keep an eye on the control room. I need someone to maintain the radio communications of the team throughout the day. You can manage that without any problems… yes?
I am going to contact the base team and update them on our status, after that I will be checking the different electrical systems and sensors to make sure that they aren’t damaged after all these years.
Doctor Ghent, I believe that you have already seen your assigned task. I noticed that you were reading your tablet earlier.
Ghent:
Correct. If anyone needs me I will be working by the pond today. I have to determine the volume as best as I can. I also have to collect some samples from within the dome. This should keep me busy for a while.
Metal forks come to rest on the accompanying white composite plates one at a time as the crew finish breakfast. Silent conversation, carried on only in body language, pervades the meal. When the last fork is set at the side of Long’s plate, Cardiff stands with her empty plate in hand and nods to the rest of the crew. Each team member leaves the mess hall to begin the day’s assigned tasks given them; all except for Doctor Long, who continues to sit quietly on the bench looking out the window in silence. Cardiff is standing in the doorway, just watching him, she is clearly becoming annoyed with him, yet she remains relatively calm enough to hide this from him.
Cardiff:
Alright Long, that’s enough breakfast time. Get to your station and keep me updated periodically about how everyone is doing…
What happened to you last night? I tried to raise you on the radio and only got nonsense back, I assume from you.
Long’s gaze slowly moves from the window to meet Cardiff’s fixated gaze. His facial expression is plain and fixed. No emotion can be seen on his complexion. He begins to rub his palms together, and then he begins to fidget with his fingers.
Long:
It’s a bit complicated.
Cardiff:
Find a way to simplify it, whatever it is. Get your mind right Doctor. Let’s do what we came here to do. I am counting on you, so let’s get to it. You can take a vacation once we get back.
She turns and leaves him sitting on the bench in a contemplative manner. The sound of her footsteps as they fade into silence lulls Long into a daydream-like state. His eyelids grow heavy and he leans forward on the table for support.
Sand scatters underfoot as Ghent’s heavy boots arrive at the shore of the large pond. He stands, with both hands on his hips, and surveys the still water. The surface of the water is completely undisturbed, appearing like a perfect mirror. Ghent stoops down and grabs a small black rock from its resting place on the shore. The coarse surface of the light rock feels abrasive as he grasps it tightly in his fist. Ghent holds the rock for several moments before he looks again to the glass-like surface of the pond.
A faint
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