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** CHAPTER 12** The Blue Comet: Part II

An intense vibration overwhelmed the small fighter ships. Blinded by a blue dust cloud, the four pilots relied only on their localization systems.

Not one minute passed and the commotion was finally over. A familiar landscape made itself present underneath the dust cloud... We were in.

"Keep your altitude, pilots. We will arrive at the designated spot from east in approximately eight minutes." The black furred Retcan indicated.

While we flew across the dark skies of the blue comet, Storm took samples of the atmosphere with a probe attached to his ship's haul.

"This information will be useful for our scientists. It will let them know why such a high quantity of blue mineral is growing in a place like this. Just maybe, this will help us give our mineral crops the best environmental conditions, thus improving production."

The minutes flew by as we once again admired this magnificent landscape. Before we knew it, we had reached the place that we were given on our maps. Our first landing procedure in foreign ground was about to happen.

Our ships slowly started to reduce speed as our altimeter dropped, until we finally came to a stop. The place was dark, and we only relied on our altimeter to show us our position. But it wasn't long enough until the ground filled my horizon. A quick glance into the altimeter and I noticed I was about 10 meters above ground, progressively dropping until I got a proximity alarm going off. I slowed my descent until I felt a slight vibration. We weren't moving anymore. We had landed.

"Storm here, S Series 0356. We have landed." Storm informed R105.

"Confirmed. Standby." Mission control replied.

"D.E Team. Status." He then asked.

"Fox01 here. Everything in order."

"Siberia02, awaiting instructions."

"Anubis03. All systems online. Waiting for your orders."

"Good. We have clearance to get out of our ships. Are you ready for this?"

_ _I couldn't say we were ready, but we were doing it anyway. I immediately went to my armor suit's controls and initiated the pressurization process. I felt how my inner ear clicked as the pressure gauge reached 100% after a minute. Since all of our systems are linked, the indicator in my Wolf500's panel that warned me about hazardous environment shut off right after the armor was activated. Immediately, a green indicator told me that I was free to depressurize the ship and open the hatch.

"Husky here, I'm opening the hatch of my ship."

As soon as the ship got depressurized and opened the first few inches, the once mute cockpit was filled with a deep and powerful wind gush. The more it opened, the more I could see my surroundings. I saw the black rocky surface where we had landed and how a constant strong breeze made all sorts of particles and dust fly around us.

I unhooked myself from the safety harness and walked outside of my ship. I was dazed at the place. The rest of the team was by my side admiring the landscape at ground point. That strong breeze never seized to blow all around us.

"We made it, Husky." Fx told me, while putting his hand-paw on my shoulder.

"We certainly did, brother." I replied without taking my sight from the mountains and huge ice formations around us. This was like nothing I've ever imagined or thought it would be. I was walking in a new world. We were the first Evocanis to ever set paw outside of Canis Major, even if was only a comet.

"Now you have it clear that it was all worth the effort. We made the right choice on joining the D.E Development team, don't you think?" Andy then approached us.

"Yes, Andy. It was the best choice." Fx replied.

"I'm glad you like the experience. Let's enjoy the view while we wait for the others." Storm said. He also sounded fairly impressed by the place. Not like if it was something new to him, but he surely wasn't speaking in a casual tone.

After a few minutes getting used to the enclosure of our armor suits and to walk on the black rocky ice, we stood at the edge of what seemed to be a valley. Inside the valley, we could see the massive formations of mineral that we were interested in. The place where we were at that moment was very dark, just faintly illuminated by the blue ribbon-like clouds of ice and dust dancing kilometers above our heads. Looking down at the valley, the immense mineral formation seemed to have light of its own; Storm said that it almost looked like a city in the distance.

"So you are you a fighter pilot?" Fx asked.

"No. I'm actually an engineer. I work with ships and all sorts of vehicles." Storm replied to the question.

"It must be very exciting to work with ships. My brother Husky and I always had an interest for those things."

"It is, my orange friend. I design ships too. The ships that you've been flying these past days were in part designed and modified by me. I was also in charge of Canis Major's redesign. Many of my prototypes have seen the light of day and now are part of various R Series Ships as well." The black furred Retcan proudly replied.

"Wow. You must be a very important Retcan. Very experience as well."

"You must've been very excited to be accepted in R105, I imagine?" I asked him as I was eavesdropping on their conversation.

"It wasn't easy. To be honest, I never expected that to happen. You see, I'm younger than what is usually accepted in an R Series Ship. The reason why I was accepted was because of my knowledge in Retcan machinery. I didn't search for an opportunity to belong in R105, the Captain and her brother themselves approached me many years ago. They asked me to join their crew."

"Wow, Storm. You must've felt really honored."

"I was indeed. But I was quite intimidated as well. By that time I wasn't aware of how good my prototypes were, or how far my abilities went. It was only when I saw big names in the world of Retcan technology starting to look through my prototypes and ideas when I realized it. They weren't taking me as an apprentice; they were taking me as one of their own. They started asking about my things, not questioning them. I was a survivor of the great invasion war of Lusceonis along with my mother and sister. They are the only ones that I have left, so it was a very tough decision. If I accepted, I wouldn't be with them for at least thirty years, but I would be of much help for my kind. I got their support, so I decided to join. I don't regret it, at all."

Storm was a great guy to be with. Being young, we understood each other nicely, and we seemed to have a lot of similarities. It also made us feel even more attached to our friends the Retcans.

We kept on talking for a while, telling each other our stories, when we received a message from R105.

"Storm, we have encountered a situation that needs to be taken care of. You'll need to wait longer for our arrival." Titan's voice was heard in the closed circuit.

"I understand, Commander Titan."

"Get in your ships and do some fly-bys above the concentration, as well as the perimeter. I will let you know our new time of arrival. It shouldn't take long."

"As you wish, Commander." Storm replied. He ended communications. "Evos, lets get to the ships. The crew's arrival will take longer than expected."

"Are we going back?" I asked.

"Negative. We have been given clearance to do some free flights around the perimeter while we wait."

Those were unexpected news. What could be holding the crew?

Back in R105's bridge, Titan discussed this subject of matter. He was about to board the Explorer Vessel when he was advised by one of his colleagues that something strange was picked up by the probes that he sent a few days before.

With his armor suit on and his helmet in hand, he ran to the bridge to inform the Captain personally.

"You need to see this, Silver." He said panting due to the long way it took from the hangar to the bridge.

"What is it, Titan?" Silver asked from her chair. She didn't even look back at Titan. She was focused on the activity going on in the main screen.

"I just received this from the Science facilities."

Titan placed his helmet down and ran into one of the control panels of the bridge. After inputting some commands a couple of images appeared in the bridge's main screen.

"May I ask what this is?" Silver asked. She didn't seem to be amused and only watched with her hand-paws together against her muzzle.

"As I was showing you these images yesterday, we didn't notice something."

"Something? Please explain yourself." Silver requested, now showing more interested as she sat up and placed her arms on the armrests.

Titan selected one of the images in particular and zoomed in a specific spot.

"One of my colleagues noticed this." A red circle was drawn around a spot to make it clear. Between all the ice and rock, a well defined figure could be noticed.

"Is that...?" Silver stood up and approached the screen.

"Even with the interference that the blue mineral particles in the atmosphere are causing to the probe's scanners, it is very clear what we are seeing."

"That is a structure, Titan."

"I know. You are the fifth one to notice it without any major indication."

Silver just sighed and went back to her chair. "Is this possible, Titan? A built structure in a comet?"

"It could be possible for many reasons, Silver. And for whatever reason that is, that would explain the massive amount of mineral in one spot."

"You are suggesting that this could be a mining outpost?"

"That, and a mineral crop. There is no other explanation."

"Why would an intelligent species move to a comet? It doesn't sound logical due to the high amount of resources that would be needed."

"Maybe there is something in this comet that makes it more liable to produce blue mineral than in a planet, and spending a large amount of resources has a lesser impact than the benefit itself. If that's true, then this Blue mineral belongs to someone."

Silver stood up once again and gave her back to the screen. She let out a sigh, thinking on what their next move would be. If this was a mining outpost, there was an intelligent species involved.

"What do we do, Silver?"

"We can't risk ourselves again, Titan. We've gone too far. However, if this outpost is abandoned, then that entire mineral crop would be a waste."

"I haven't found any other visible structure around the comet's surface, and this structure seems to be buried under various layers of ice. It sure looks like no one has been around for a long time. But it's your decision."

There was a long pause before the Captain responded. "Any vital signal detected?"

"Negative. The place is dead. I haven't seen any place were a living being could survive in this comet. The thin atmosphere is mostly helium and nitrogen. If someone would live here or work here, there should be large pressurized facilities to replenish oxygen and manage resources. My bets are that this place is abandoned."

Silver looked very uncomfortable, breathing somewhat heavily for a second.

"Once again, a crucial decision falls in my hands." Silver said letting out a stressful sigh. She closed her eyes and thought in silence.

"...You are the Captain of R105. It's your job."

Silver opened her eyes and looked right straight to Titan's. She didn't seem to like that.

"I'm sorry, Silver." Titan apologized. He then approached her. Placing his hand-paw in her shoulder, he caressed her. "Look, Silver. I'm taking charge of this if you give us the go. I promise I'll make myself responsible for anything that might happen. You know that we can't let this opportunity slip by. If we do, that will mean that we'll have to return to Lusceonis for resources; I know you don't want that."

Silver placed her own had-paw on Titan's, and gently took it off of her.

"You could be better Captain than I am..."

"Don't say that, Silver. This was your dream and your promise to Kassaar. I couldn't take this away from you. Besides, I lack discipline sometimes, and you know that. I'm not as emotionally strong as you are." Titan smiled. Silver smiled back at him.

Silver went back to her chair and thought. "Titan."

"Yes, Silver?"

"You can continue with planned. But, you need to make sure that there is no one in command of this outpost. Not only that, but you have to make sure than no one will eventually return and claim their possession."

"As you wish, my Captain." Titan agreed. He felt relieved that Silver gave them the go.

"Titan!" She yelled as Titan was about to leave the bridge. "I know that Cobalt wanted to go with you, but I need her in the bridge right now. Now that we've discovered that there might be another intelligent species involved in this, I need someone as close to your skills to monitor the situation from here. Also, I will order another group of the defense squadron to join you."

"I will send her right away."

"Tell her I'll make it up for her."

The discovery was unexpected. But the mission had already been assigned. Titan was right; this opportunity couldn't be wasted. This would not only be of great help for us the Evocanis, but for them as well.

What mysteries would we come across in this apparently forsaken place? Only time would tell...