No. 330A - CYOA2 Part 5 - Martin Plays Along

Part 1: http://aroundgray.blogspot.ca/2013/03/no-322.html

Part 2: http://aroundgray.blogspot.ca/2013/03/no-327-cyoa2-part-2.html

Part 3: http://aroundgray.blogspot.ca/2013/03/no-328a-cyoa2-part-3-ridgeway-is-ally.html

Part 4: http://aroundgray.blogspot.ca/2013/03/no-329a-cyoa2-part-4-martin-doesnt-know.html

“I don’t think it will do us any good to try to escape,” said Martin. “Not right now, anyway.”

“I agree,” said Ridgeway. “But do we just sit and wait?”

 Martin quietly considered the plan before he spoke. “They may still need us. I’ve delivered their equipment, but I’m not sure if I would have been told about the experiment in as much detail as I was if they were just going to detain me. And you, It’s your experiment.”

“Unless Land’s gone rogue,” Ridgeway suggested. “Did you see how she looked at us when we arrived? I’m not certain they were expecting us, even if they needed the servo.”

“We need more information,” Martin concluded. “I’m going to go back to my cabin. It won’t do for them to know we can meet. If they threaten us in any way, we’ll make a move. Until then, we play cool.”

“’Cool’,” said Ridgeway with a nod. “Got it.”

 

Land returned after the promised thirty minutes. With her was a short, dirty looking man. “This is Albert Hodge,” Land introduced. “He’ll be your liaison with the science team. But, for the moment, would you two like to join me on the bridge?”

Martin and Ridgeway said yes and were soon led to the control center of the Nautilus.

 

“Amazing,” gasped Ridgeway. Martin, too, was impressed. At the center of the bridge was a giant holographic schematic of Nautilus Base. The scale was stunning. Near as Martin could tell, a jumbo jet could land on the top deck with room to spare. And there appeared to be seven such decks.

“Is that the core?” Ridgeway asked, pointing at a void at the center of the station.

“Indeed it is,” said Land with a smile. “Hodge will show you around there after dinner.”

Something clicked in Martin’s brain. “You didn’t need the part, did you?”

Land laughed. “Of course not, we’re completely self-sufficient. But we didn’t have you, and you’re a hard thing to find.”

Hodge began to laugh as well, a joyless, grating sound.