Chapter 9 chapter eight
"What's this?" Darl asked as he lay on the bed clutching the button-like thing Finn had given him.
"The method we used to sneak up on Jenkins," Finn said, handing out the rest. "These are the body identification transponders on the delivery truck. I pried them off the scrapped vehicle. Every opening and closing of the cargo door is recorded and requires identification. If you are a crew member, use the communication machine for identification Just identify it. If it’s a material truck, it depends on the thing on the body.”
"Why can't we go in and out without the communicator, so we won't be identified?" Hansen lifted the transceiver to a well-lit place and looked at it carefully.
"That would have resulted in unexplained opening and closing of the cargo door," Finn said. "If Jenkins had been as attentive and paranoid as Dahl described, he would have noticed the anomaly."
"So we can't take the communicator, take this chip, and track him down," Dahl said.
"That's the plan I've come up with," Finn said, "unless you have something better to offer."
"I've been so busy recovering for the past two weeks that I haven't had time to think about it," Dahl said. "I think it's a good plan."
"So when are we going to find this guy?" Duvall asked.
"If he's been tracking down the captain and the other senior officers, he's going to be there when they're moving," Dahl said. "That's the first shift. If we can get him at the beginning of the third shift." , there is a chance to catch him in his sleep."
"That would wake him up and find five people staring at him from above," Hearst said. "That shouldn't scare him."
"Maybe he won't sleep. If he finds us, he might try to escape." Dahl said, "If we only go to one person, maybe let him escape. But if the five of us surround us from different aisles , it should be unlikely that he escaped."
"Get ready everyone, the yeti hunt is about to begin!" Finn said. "We're going to catch this big furry guy."
"Other than that, I want to figure out what happened on this ship as soon as possible," Dahl said.
"So, on the third shift," Duvall said, "tonight?"
"Not tonight," Dahl said, "give me a day or two to get used to walking again." He stretched and then jerked.
"How long do you need to take sick leave?" Hansen stared at his every move.
"Today is the last day," Dahl said. "They're going to do a final checkup on me after you're all gone. I'm healed, just a bit stiff from lying around too long. I'll be ready in a few days." During this period, the only thing I have to do is to go to the alien biology laboratory to meet me after I am discharged from the hospital, and ask why my superiors have refused to show their faces to condolences since I was injured .”
"Maybe it's because of the two crew members who got eaten," Hurst said. "Of course I'm just guessing."
"I agree," Dahl said, "but I want to find out if there is another reason."
Dahl had just arrived at the door of the alien biology laboratory when he heard Captain Collins say: "You don't have to come here, you are no longer affiliated with this laboratory, I transferred you to another position." Dahl stopped and looked around.Collins was standing in front of him, looking at him hostilely.At the workbench behind her, Trin was concentrating on analyzing the information on the data board.Two new faces appeared at the other workbenches, looking at Dahl timidly. "Is the newcomer replacing Kesaway and Becky?" Dahl turned his gaze back to the captain. "Jack and Fiona are irreplaceable," Collins said. "Of course it doesn't mean it can be replaced, it's just expendable." Dahl said, "at least when performing field missions." Dahl turned his head and gestured to the newcomers, "Have you not told them about Jin? Or about the ship?" Long? Did you reveal to them how you suddenly disappear when someone appears? Has that magic box ever had a chance to appear, Captain?" Collins seemed to be trying to restrain her emotions, and she finally squeezed out a sentence: "This is none of your business, Lieutenant. You are no longer a member of this laboratory. Lieutenant Di, the associate scientific officer of the bridge, a week ago Sacrifice on field duty. I recommended you to King to take her place and he approved. You will be in your new position tomorrow. Technically, this is a promotion, congratulations." "I was once told to stay away from the bridge." Dahl said, nodding in the direction of Tring. "Two people actually said that. But there was one guy in particular who was very tough." "Nonsense," said Collins. "The bridge is the most suitable place for a young man like you. You have daily contact with the upper echelons of the ship. They will gradually get to know you and let you learn a lot. You'll have field missions almost every week, if not more often," Collins said with a sarcasm. "Well, Captain," Dahl said, "you show me what you think of me by giving me this promotion." "Don't think too much about it," said Collins. "You deserve it. And now, I advise you not to waste your time here, Captain. You need to get your energy back for your first day on the bridge." Dahl stood up straight and gave a neat military salute.Collins turned and walked away unresponsively. Dahl turned and was about to walk towards the door when he suddenly changed his mind and strode towards the new member. "How long have you been here?" he asked the one closest to him. She glanced at another colleague and said to Dahl, "It's been four days. We've been transferred from the Hongsu." "Haven't been on a field team yet," Dahl said. "No, sir," she said. Dahl nodded. "A little advice for you guys." He said, pointing to Collins and Terling behind him, "When they suddenly say they're going to make coffee, you'd better go to that storage room and take stock. Both of you. I don't think they'll bother to tell you this, in fact neither of them should ever tell anyone in the lab about it again, so I'll tell you. Keep an eye on them, don't let them give you away. " After Dahl finished speaking, he turned and walked out of the laboratory, leaving behind two bewildered newcomers and two officers who were gnashing their teeth.
"Slow down, Andy!" Duvall said, picking up his pace so he wouldn't fall. "You've just recovered." Dahl snorted and continued to lumber down the hallway.Duvall hurried after him. "Do you think she sent you to the bridge to avenge two of the lab's men?" she asked. "No," Dahl said. "She sent me to the bridge because I reminded her of Jack and Fiona, who were sent on missions. Her heart would be exposed." "Inside," Duvall asked, "what kind of heart?" Dahl glanced at her. "Full of fear," Dahl said. "This whole boat is full of fear, Maya. They hide, they disappear, and they try not to think about how much time they spend hiding. Someday, no one will They can't escape and they have to face themselves. They hate it. That's why Collins put me on the bridge. Otherwise, every time she sees me, she has to admit that she is a coward." He Quicken the pace again. "Where are you going?" Duvall asked. "Leave me alone for a while, Maya." Duval stopped, and Dahl walked forward. In fact, Dahl didn't know where he was going.The frustration and anger in his heart have long been burned, and now he just wants to escape from the hustle and bustle as soon as possible, and go to a place where he can be alone on the Intrepid. Because of this, when the crowd in front of him thinned out, and Dahl finally realized that his fatigued muscles were giving warning signs of soreness, he found himself standing outside the door of the cargo aisle, away from Jenkins' secret The closest place to a hideout. He stood in the doorway for a while, remembering the collective plan of action of sneaking up on Jenkins and asking him all the ins and outs. "To hell with it," he said.He slammed the entry button down and opened the passage door. A snowman is standing on the other side of the door.He grabbed Dahl and dragged him into the cargo aisle.Dahl screamed in fright, but his body was too weak to resist.He tumbled down the driveway and recognized the yeti as Jenkins.The cargo door behind him was closed. "Be quiet." Jenkins plugged his ears tightly with his fingers. "My God, it's so loud." Dahl looked at the closed door, then at Jenkins. "How did you do that?" he asked. "How did you know I was there?" "Because I'm a learner of human society," Jenkins said. "From a human point of view, your behavior is very predictable. Besides, I have been continuously monitoring your every move through your communicator, you idiot .” "So you already know—" "If you're referring to your clever plan to sneak up on me, I'd have known about it," Jenkins said. "Part of it was those ID chips your friend Finn took. What he doesn't know is that it's no longer When the chip on a service delivery truck is scanned, I'm instantly alerted. He's not the first person to try to get through the aisle this way, and you're not the first person to try to find me." "I didn't try to find you," Dahl said. Jenkins snapped his fingers as if to attract Dahl's attention: "Did I just say that before? Nonsense doesn't do us any good." "I'm sorry," Dahl said, "please give me another chance. Others have tried to find you, but have failed." "Yes," Jenkins said, "I don't want to be found by them, and neither do the people who benefit from my program. We've developed an understanding that I can avoid anyone I don't want to see." "So you want to see me." Dahl said cautiously. "More precisely, you want to see me, and I don't mind being seen by you," Jenkins said. "Why me?" Dahl asked. "You've just been transferred to the bridge," Jenkins said. "Indeed," Darl said, "and I also recall that you specifically told me to stay away from that place." "That's why you came here to find me," Jenkins said, "even if it would ruin all the plans you and your friends had made." "Yes." Dahl admitted. "Why?" Jenkins asked. "I don't know," Dahl said, "I haven't even figured it out myself." "No," Jenkins said. "You figured it out, you just didn't think about it consciously at the time. Now think about it consciously and tell me why. But hurry up, I don't think it's safe here." "Because you know the root cause," Dahl said, "everyone on the Intrepid knew something was wrong with the ship, and they had a plan to avoid getting involved, but they didn't know the root cause. And you know." "Maybe I know," Jenkins said, "but what does it matter?" "Because, if you don't know why something happens, you can't really understand it," Dahl said. "Until you know why, all tricks and superstitions are of no avail. When conditions change, you die." deal." "That's a pretty banal inference," Jenkins said. "It doesn't explain why you decided to come to me now." "Because someone is plotting to kill me now," Dahl said. "Collins transferred me to the bridge because she's determined to kill me." "Yeah, getting killed on a field mission is very effective on this ship," Jenkins said. "I'm going to the bridge tomorrow," Dahl said. "From then on, my concern is not if I'm going to get killed, but when. I'm running out of time, and I've got to figure it out now." .” "Then you can avoid death," Jenkins said. "That would be best," Dahl said. "Collins didn't want to die and you called her a coward for that," Jenkins said. "I didn't call her a coward for that." "I think so," Jenkins said. "If I can figure this all out, maybe I can save myself, maybe I can save someone else," Dahl said. "There are people here that I care about, and I want them to live. .” "Okay, so," Jenkins said, "I'll ask you one more question, Dahl. What if I tell you what I think and you think it's all crazy?" "Has anything like this ever happened?" Dahl asked. "You played for Collins and Trin, and you told them what you thought. They didn't believe you." Jenkins chuckled. "I was talking crazy, not a lie," he said, "and I think at least Collins believed it." "How do you know?" Darl asked. "Because that's what makes her what you call a coward," Jenkins said, scrutinizing Dahl. "But maybe you don't. No, maybe not at all. Maybe your friends don't either." Yes. So get them together, Lieutenant Dahl. Meet me at my hideout tonight. Exactly at the same time as your intended sneak attack. See you then." Then turned and left. "Can I ask you a question?" "Is there anything else you want to ask besides the truth of the matter?" Jenkins asked. "Two, to be precise," Dahl said. "Kesaway said they were sent on a mission because you didn't tell them Kim was approaching. He said it was revenge for me trying to find you. That's it. ?" "No," Jenkins said. "I didn't tell them where Kim was going because I was on tuba at the time. I can't keep an eye on everything all the time. Second question?" "You kept Finn and me away from the bridge," Dahl said, "why tell us?" "Well, I told your friend Finn because he happened to be there at the time. I figured it wouldn't do any harm if he was a jerk," Jenkins said, "but to you, well, I Have a special interest in the alien biology laboratory, or you can call it a nostalgia. I can also say that your reaction to what happened around the spacecraft is far more interesting than mere fear. So I decided to give you a warning and a little personal advice It won't hurt." Jenkins made a gesture of understanding, and then said, "Look now, at least you're still alive, at least until now." He reached out and opened the cargo door, pushed Dahl back into the world of the Intrepid, and turned away up.
Dahl had just arrived at the door of the alien biology laboratory when he heard Captain Collins say: "You don't have to come here, you are no longer affiliated with this laboratory, I transferred you to another position." Dahl stopped and looked around.Collins was standing in front of him, looking at him hostilely.At the workbench behind her, Trin was concentrating on analyzing the information on the data board.Two new faces appeared at the other workbenches, looking at Dahl timidly. "Is the newcomer replacing Kesaway and Becky?" Dahl turned his gaze back to the captain. "Jack and Fiona are irreplaceable," Collins said. "Of course it doesn't mean it can be replaced, it's just expendable." Dahl said, "at least when performing field missions." Dahl turned his head and gestured to the newcomers, "Have you not told them about Jin? Or about the ship?" Long? Did you reveal to them how you suddenly disappear when someone appears? Has that magic box ever had a chance to appear, Captain?" Collins seemed to be trying to restrain her emotions, and she finally squeezed out a sentence: "This is none of your business, Lieutenant. You are no longer a member of this laboratory. Lieutenant Di, the associate scientific officer of the bridge, a week ago Sacrifice on field duty. I recommended you to King to take her place and he approved. You will be in your new position tomorrow. Technically, this is a promotion, congratulations." "I was once told to stay away from the bridge." Dahl said, nodding in the direction of Tring. "Two people actually said that. But there was one guy in particular who was very tough." "Nonsense," said Collins. "The bridge is the most suitable place for a young man like you. You have daily contact with the upper echelons of the ship. They will gradually get to know you and let you learn a lot. You'll have field missions almost every week, if not more often," Collins said with a sarcasm. "Well, Captain," Dahl said, "you show me what you think of me by giving me this promotion." "Don't think too much about it," said Collins. "You deserve it. And now, I advise you not to waste your time here, Captain. You need to get your energy back for your first day on the bridge." Dahl stood up straight and gave a neat military salute.Collins turned and walked away unresponsively. Dahl turned and was about to walk towards the door when he suddenly changed his mind and strode towards the new member. "How long have you been here?" he asked the one closest to him. She glanced at another colleague and said to Dahl, "It's been four days. We've been transferred from the Hongsu." "Haven't been on a field team yet," Dahl said. "No, sir," she said. Dahl nodded. "A little advice for you guys." He said, pointing to Collins and Terling behind him, "When they suddenly say they're going to make coffee, you'd better go to that storage room and take stock. Both of you. I don't think they'll bother to tell you this, in fact neither of them should ever tell anyone in the lab about it again, so I'll tell you. Keep an eye on them, don't let them give you away. " After Dahl finished speaking, he turned and walked out of the laboratory, leaving behind two bewildered newcomers and two officers who were gnashing their teeth.
"Slow down, Andy!" Duvall said, picking up his pace so he wouldn't fall. "You've just recovered." Dahl snorted and continued to lumber down the hallway.Duvall hurried after him. "Do you think she sent you to the bridge to avenge two of the lab's men?" she asked. "No," Dahl said. "She sent me to the bridge because I reminded her of Jack and Fiona, who were sent on missions. Her heart would be exposed." "Inside," Duvall asked, "what kind of heart?" Dahl glanced at her. "Full of fear," Dahl said. "This whole boat is full of fear, Maya. They hide, they disappear, and they try not to think about how much time they spend hiding. Someday, no one will They can't escape and they have to face themselves. They hate it. That's why Collins put me on the bridge. Otherwise, every time she sees me, she has to admit that she is a coward." He Quicken the pace again. "Where are you going?" Duvall asked. "Leave me alone for a while, Maya." Duval stopped, and Dahl walked forward. In fact, Dahl didn't know where he was going.The frustration and anger in his heart have long been burned, and now he just wants to escape from the hustle and bustle as soon as possible, and go to a place where he can be alone on the Intrepid. Because of this, when the crowd in front of him thinned out, and Dahl finally realized that his fatigued muscles were giving warning signs of soreness, he found himself standing outside the door of the cargo aisle, away from Jenkins' secret The closest place to a hideout. He stood in the doorway for a while, remembering the collective plan of action of sneaking up on Jenkins and asking him all the ins and outs. "To hell with it," he said.He slammed the entry button down and opened the passage door. A snowman is standing on the other side of the door.He grabbed Dahl and dragged him into the cargo aisle.Dahl screamed in fright, but his body was too weak to resist.He tumbled down the driveway and recognized the yeti as Jenkins.The cargo door behind him was closed. "Be quiet." Jenkins plugged his ears tightly with his fingers. "My God, it's so loud." Dahl looked at the closed door, then at Jenkins. "How did you do that?" he asked. "How did you know I was there?" "Because I'm a learner of human society," Jenkins said. "From a human point of view, your behavior is very predictable. Besides, I have been continuously monitoring your every move through your communicator, you idiot .” "So you already know—" "If you're referring to your clever plan to sneak up on me, I'd have known about it," Jenkins said. "Part of it was those ID chips your friend Finn took. What he doesn't know is that it's no longer When the chip on a service delivery truck is scanned, I'm instantly alerted. He's not the first person to try to get through the aisle this way, and you're not the first person to try to find me." "I didn't try to find you," Dahl said. Jenkins snapped his fingers as if to attract Dahl's attention: "Did I just say that before? Nonsense doesn't do us any good." "I'm sorry," Dahl said, "please give me another chance. Others have tried to find you, but have failed." "Yes," Jenkins said, "I don't want to be found by them, and neither do the people who benefit from my program. We've developed an understanding that I can avoid anyone I don't want to see." "So you want to see me." Dahl said cautiously. "More precisely, you want to see me, and I don't mind being seen by you," Jenkins said. "Why me?" Dahl asked. "You've just been transferred to the bridge," Jenkins said. "Indeed," Darl said, "and I also recall that you specifically told me to stay away from that place." "That's why you came here to find me," Jenkins said, "even if it would ruin all the plans you and your friends had made." "Yes." Dahl admitted. "Why?" Jenkins asked. "I don't know," Dahl said, "I haven't even figured it out myself." "No," Jenkins said. "You figured it out, you just didn't think about it consciously at the time. Now think about it consciously and tell me why. But hurry up, I don't think it's safe here." "Because you know the root cause," Dahl said, "everyone on the Intrepid knew something was wrong with the ship, and they had a plan to avoid getting involved, but they didn't know the root cause. And you know." "Maybe I know," Jenkins said, "but what does it matter?" "Because, if you don't know why something happens, you can't really understand it," Dahl said. "Until you know why, all tricks and superstitions are of no avail. When conditions change, you die." deal." "That's a pretty banal inference," Jenkins said. "It doesn't explain why you decided to come to me now." "Because someone is plotting to kill me now," Dahl said. "Collins transferred me to the bridge because she's determined to kill me." "Yeah, getting killed on a field mission is very effective on this ship," Jenkins said. "I'm going to the bridge tomorrow," Dahl said. "From then on, my concern is not if I'm going to get killed, but when. I'm running out of time, and I've got to figure it out now." .” "Then you can avoid death," Jenkins said. "That would be best," Dahl said. "Collins didn't want to die and you called her a coward for that," Jenkins said. "I didn't call her a coward for that." "I think so," Jenkins said. "If I can figure this all out, maybe I can save myself, maybe I can save someone else," Dahl said. "There are people here that I care about, and I want them to live. .” "Okay, so," Jenkins said, "I'll ask you one more question, Dahl. What if I tell you what I think and you think it's all crazy?" "Has anything like this ever happened?" Dahl asked. "You played for Collins and Trin, and you told them what you thought. They didn't believe you." Jenkins chuckled. "I was talking crazy, not a lie," he said, "and I think at least Collins believed it." "How do you know?" Darl asked. "Because that's what makes her what you call a coward," Jenkins said, scrutinizing Dahl. "But maybe you don't. No, maybe not at all. Maybe your friends don't either." Yes. So get them together, Lieutenant Dahl. Meet me at my hideout tonight. Exactly at the same time as your intended sneak attack. See you then." Then turned and left. "Can I ask you a question?" "Is there anything else you want to ask besides the truth of the matter?" Jenkins asked. "Two, to be precise," Dahl said. "Kesaway said they were sent on a mission because you didn't tell them Kim was approaching. He said it was revenge for me trying to find you. That's it. ?" "No," Jenkins said. "I didn't tell them where Kim was going because I was on tuba at the time. I can't keep an eye on everything all the time. Second question?" "You kept Finn and me away from the bridge," Dahl said, "why tell us?" "Well, I told your friend Finn because he happened to be there at the time. I figured it wouldn't do any harm if he was a jerk," Jenkins said, "but to you, well, I Have a special interest in the alien biology laboratory, or you can call it a nostalgia. I can also say that your reaction to what happened around the spacecraft is far more interesting than mere fear. So I decided to give you a warning and a little personal advice It won't hurt." Jenkins made a gesture of understanding, and then said, "Look now, at least you're still alive, at least until now." He reached out and opened the cargo door, pushed Dahl back into the world of the Intrepid, and turned away up.