He Without Sin by Ed Hyde Page B

there all right.”
    Pre-landing analysis showed a safe environment in general, but there is still reason for caution. The areas we’ll be working in need to be checked carefully. We need to know what ‘unexpected problems to expect’ as most of us heard during a short speech from Master Brachus before we landed. Brilliant.
    I am startled to hear, “Hey, where are the portable assay units?” from off to the side and behind us a bit, which I thought was solid rock wall. Mark doesn’t blink and silently indicates his work shop.
    “Relax, why so jumpy? We are safe here,” he says to me. “I‘ve made sure that there are no easy ways into this area. He’s one of us!”
    “Yes, but why sneak up on us like that? And where the hell did he come from?” I answer, annoyed. I’ve taken a look around our site and see that the raw rocky site has more than a few spots where a person on foot could come or go. And there are nooks, crannies and crevices galore, including one just off to our left.

    “Craig’s probably still checking nearby for any useful outcroppings.”
    We see him, Craig Brown, now looking back towards us with his palms open and a questioning expression on his boyish face. He has to be older than he looks, because otherwise he wouldn’t be eligible to enlist. The freckles and mop top only accentuate the impression.
    “I told him they were there but didn’t tell him I have the only access. Hee. The fun never ends. Later.”
    “Wait, didn’t you need help with something?”
    “Nah, I’m good. Forget it.”
    Mark gets up and casually walks toward Craig, who shakes his head when he no doubt senses Mark’s amusement at his expense.
    My official data logging and archiving functions are primarily automatic. If there are any flags, I have to manually resolve the issue, but that’s that. What I’ve found through experience is that there are a large number of possible problems with a complex system, not restricted to networked data systems like ours, but any complex system. The distribution of problem types is such that they lend themselves very well to analysis. Once you understand the high frequency problems, know how to address them and, hopefully, prevent them, you are left to deal with lower and lower frequency problems. End result: manual intervention is required rarely. Once problems start to repeat and you recognize them, things start getting easier right away.
    The field reports are coming in, formats are good, and nothing more needs to be done by me. I’ve looked at a few. The freeform parts of the resource team’s submissions are pretty bland. Not much there. Realistically, most of their data comes through from their instruments, so what’s there for them to add? Dylan is the exception; he notices things and likes to comment. Wes’ comments seem like so much gibberish to me, but I may be biased. It’s hard to believe he has any standing at all, but there he is. Mark’s reports are professional, to the point, and regular. He’s a good writer.
    I do follow David’s reports—these reports I am mentioning are all public record by the way. His reports are interesting. He likes to comment too. He’s called me down at next light to see what he’s set up for his bio work. He’s made contact.
     

     

Bio Camp
    “I’m going to ask Mark to put together another flyer. You Ok?” David asks.
    “Whew! Yes. Man, the air is really thick and sweet down here!” This is my first trip to the lower elevations. We’re at roughly 3 East and 27 North. It’s not far from base— which we are using as zero longitude—but what a change! The higher density of the atmosphere coupled with the humidity make for a marked difference from base camp conditions.
    After a quick orientation inside we have made our way out of the concealed landing and camp area and stand now in the midst of an alien and yet somehow familiar world. It’s overwhelming and I am disoriented at first.
    “You’ve checked this all