A weight settled next to me, and I startled awake. Logan slouched beside me.
“Well?”
“No luck. Everything's blocked.”
“What about Domotor's isolated system?”
“I can retrieve data from it, but I can't get into the executable files. The ones that run the systems.”
“What type of data?” I asked.
“Useless stuff like the population control stats, fuel data, hydroponic fertilizer mixtures, and sheep feeding times.”
“Useless to you, but not to those workers.”
“True,” Logan said.
Checking the time, I calculated how long we had until the Travas recovered. Hour sixty-five. They would get feeling back soon. And we had fifteen hours until Logan's escape was discovered.
“Let's get out of here.”
“Do you want to see the Outsiders?” he asked.
I almost fell off the couch. “How?”
“One of the isolated systems is the video cameras pointed to Outside. I took a quick look to confirm my suspicions.”
My brain stumbled over his words. I always seemed to be the last person to know. “Just tell me, Logan.”
“I studied the damage to the Transmission. Bad, but not five explosions worth. One did the job. So, what were the other four trembles? I guessed the saboteurs used the blast at the Transmission to cover the Outsiders attaching to Inside.”
“Attaching?”
“Yep. They have to line up and attach to Gateway in some way or risk being exposed to Outer Space.” Logan returned to the computer.
I stood behind him as the screen turned black. Then the view changed, and spots of dim daylights illuminated a bumpy rectangle made out of black metal...a bubble monster! I had forgotten all about them in the craziness of the past few weeks. Eight long arms hooked onto an otherwise smooth metal wall…Inside. At least, I had been correct in assuming the monsters were a conveyance. Small comfort.
Logan pointed to the arms. “When these clamped on, they caused those tremblers. I’m guessing they attached two at a time. See this?” He tapped on a spot on the belly of the monster. “That’s their Gateway. Even though they’re moving slow, they’ll link theirs up with ours soon.”
“How soon?”
“Depends on them. They have control of our computer. We’re completely unprepared, and nothing can stop them.”
“Thanks for staying optimistic,” I said.
Maybe we weren’t as unprepared as Logan thought. I wondered if those bubble…ships in the top level could stop them. Would they have weapons, or could we use those arms to pull the Outsiders off? No idea.
I helped Logan back into the shaft and followed, closing the vent behind us. With no closer options, I led him to Riley's storeroom.
The room had an abandoned feel to it. Or was that just my heart?
Logan plopped on the couch. Dust puffed and I sneezed.
“This is just temporary. Once we figure out our next move, I'll find you a better place to hide,” I said.
“There is no next step. The Outsiders come in. The end.”
“Unacceptable. Try again.”
