Chapter 8

Thorpe had been off-duty for just a few minutes when the Beta Shift Officer of the Watch had called him to report the survey team's tardiness. He had returned to Ops but had waited a while longer for Commander McQueen, or one of her team, to report in. McQueen was known to get a little distracted, especially when exploring the wilds of Berengaria.

An hour had passed, at which point Thorpe had been obliged to inform the CO. Personnel and standard base matters were Thorpe's domain, but this could be an emergency situation, which demanded attention from the top.

Commodore North soon arrived in Ops, in casual dress, and briskly marched up to Thorpe at the command console.

"Wasn't McQueen supposed to be back over an hour ago?" North said, his voice at an even level but tinged with frustration. "Why has it taken so long to note her team's absence?"

Thorpe was taken aback by North's tone. "Uh, well, sir, Commander McQueen has been known to be a little late reporting in. There also seems to be something interfering with comms; we can't even detect their transponders."

North rubbed his temple. "Sorry, Captain. It's not you; I'm annoyed with myself."

"Everything alright, sir?" Thorpe asked.

"Personal matter. I was… a bit short with someone. I may owe them an apology."

Thorpe nodded, recalling his own attitude towards Sherene this morning during his interview. As much as he had wanted to get his name out there, he had fallen apart when she had brought up his father, as he always did. For once, he just wanted to talk about his own accomplishments instead of his father's. Perhaps he also owed someone an apology.

"Lifesigns?" North asked.

Thorpe tapped a control and an aerial map of the Pendragon Woods, covering almost four square kilometres, appeared on the main viewscreen.

"Sensors are also having difficulty, although not as bad as communications," Thorpe said. "We're getting vague humanoid biosigns in this general area." He pointed to the southern end of the forest, where a section was highlighted in blue.

"Maybe they're just lost," he added with a shrug.

"Can we use the transporter?" North asked.

Thorpe raised his eyebrows. A transporter had been installed in the starbase for quickly exchanging supplies, and while the matter-energy devices had been approved for lifeform use, many people were still reluctant to go through the process.

"I wouldn't risk it, sir," he said. "Without a clear lock, who knows what we'd get back."

North exhaled. "Assemble a search party, with MACOs and medical staff just in case."

"Sir, permission to lead-"

"Granted, Captain," said North. He knew Thorpe had been itching to lead an excursion mission. "But report in every fifteen minutes"

"Aye, sir," Thorpe said before excitedly darting off.

McQueen and Hafeez strode side-by-side through the dense, darkening forest. They had already lost the rest of the group, so they were determined to stick together.

"Looks like it's getting darker," said Hafeez, looking upwards. "How long have we been in here?"

"I don't know," said McQueen, worriedly. She had wondered the same thing herself a few times, but whenever she looked at her chronometer, she never seemed able to recall its display, as if numbers no longer had any meaning. She had also been hearing strange whispers, but for some reason she felt no need to mention this to Hafeez.

"Must be a while," said Hafeez.

"Hungry?"

"How'd you know?"

McQueen shrugged. "Good guess. Also; I'm starving as well."

Hafeez chuckled. "Yeah, I could go a nice buffet right about now."

"Or a barbecue," said McQueen.

"Oof, stop," Hafeez said with mock anguish. "I'll be drooling."

Both women laughed as they continued their seemingly endless wandering through the unfamiliar terrain.

"Gonna be night soon, I think," said Hafeez, bringing the mood low. "It gets really cold on Berengaria at night."

"Don't worry," said McQueen, sensing the other woman's apprehension. "If it comes to it, I can build us a shelter."

"I guess growing up in the wilderness has its advantages," Hafeez said with a grin.

McQueen knew it was a playful barb. People often liked to joke how uncivilised Australia was before it joined United Earth, but it was a recognised exaggeration. That said, her parents had been borderline survivalists, ever-prepared for another world war, and had made sure she got proper training on how to endure rough conditions.

Recalling one such lesson, McQueen leaned closer to one of the trees. Its lower half was covered in a thick moss.

"You're a botanist," she said to Hafeez. "Is that thing about moss growing on the north side of trees only true on Earth?"

Hafeez smirked. "It's mostly a myth. Moss grows where it's shady. In Earth's northern hemisphere, that tends to be on the north side, but other factors can change that. Here, this whole forest is shady, so the moss is growing everywhere. See?"

She led McQueen around the trunk, showing that it was mossy on all sides. Once on the other side of the tree, however, they were both stunned at the sight before them.

There was a clearing ahead, and McQueen saw a long, metal barbecue with juicy burgers and sausages grilling on it, smoke rising upward. It was more than just the visual though; she could hear the meat sizzling and smell their tantalising aroma.

"Are you seeing this?" Hafeez asked her.

"Uh-huh," said McQueen, her eyes wide and her stomach groaning.

"A buffet," said Hafeez.

That shook McQueen out of her stupor. She looked to Hafeez, confused. "Buffet? It's a barbecue. Just like I was talking about earlier…"

"No, it's a buffet," said Hafeez, as if in a haze, still facing ahead. "I can see lasagne, chicken goujons, garlic bread… Ooh! Triangular sandwiches! Those are the best kind."

McQueen glanced back into the clearing. The barbecue still vividly assaulted her senses, overwhelming any other thoughts.

"No!" she said, shaking her head clear. "This isn't right… Is it? No! Something is messing with us." She grabbed Hafeez' shoulders and turned her companion to face her. "Lieutenant! Look at me!"

Hafeez obeyed, slowly, and blinked a few times. "Commander? What… What was I thinking? A buffet in the middle of the woods?"

"Don't worry, it affected me too. Look." She nodded back to the clearing. There was now nothing there.

"Wait a minute…" said Hafeez as she examined the new sight. She walked into the clearing and knelt onto the grass. More of the rogs were on the edge of the treeline, lapping their tongues away at a cloud of insects.

"This is where we started!" Hafeez said. "See, the grass is still pressed down from where my kit was."

McQueen followed her and saw the indented grass for herself. "How the heck did we get so turned around?"

A voice spoke from behind them. "Did you try asking for directions?"

McQueen and Hafeez turned to see Major Kimura emerging from the trees.

"Major!" said McQueen, walking over. "You're a sight for sore eyes." She halted just before him. "You are real, aren't you?"

She reached out to poke the Major with a finger and was relieved to find him solid.

Kimura smirked. "I think so. But I understand your doubts. I've been seeing some weird stuff in here."

"Same," said McQueen. She pointed her thumb at Hafeez, who was intently observing the rogs. "We just saw a whole bunch of food, just as we were getting hungry. What did you see?"

The usually jovial Kimura suddenly became quite bashful. "Uh… Food, yeah, me too." He cleared his throat. "Some kind of hallucinations?"

"Maybe," said McQueen. "But what could be causing them?"

"I seem to get turned around no matter which way I go too," said Kimura. He nodded to the rogs hopping around. "And those things have been everywhere I went. Could they be to blame?"

"Not them," said Hafeez, withdrawing her scanner. "But I might have a theory…"