The pod gracefully began skimming the atmosphere on its decent. The inside was more crammed than usual as every seat was occupied. The passengers where clearly excited and anxious to get to the ground. The viewport in front of Joe was slowly giving way from the fiery plasma of atmospheric entry to the almost blinding white of the upper atmosphere. She brought the pod into a constant decline, bleeding of velocity at a comfortable rate.
The passengers glimpsed their first view of the planet spanning ocean from the small viewports.
"Beautiful." Sarah voiced.
"I don't know." Tony answered. "So much water in one place."
"Come on, earth is also covered to 60% in water."
"Yes, much better than 90%. Just feels unnatural."
"It is an alien planet, that is practically a given." Sarah retorted with a smirk.
Slowly a small speck of green became visible in the far distance in front of the pod. The pod was still at a very high altitude and velocity so soon the small island disappeared behind it.
After another round around the planet and many kilometer of altitude lower the island again came back into view. Joe slowly banked the pod into a slow arch around the central island on the planet. With slowly declining altitude the landmass and the central lake became into clear view. From high up it looked like a giant discolored doughnut. From closer up not many details where being revealed. There simply was not much to see. The land was quite flat with only low hills scattered around. It was almost uniformly covered in a grass analogue about one meter in height.
As the pod leveled out and slowed down significantly a group of small hills became visible. The site has been chosen as the base camp as it provided enough open space to land and establish a camp without having to clear away any of the native vegetation.
Slowly the pod descended towards the designated landing area at the edge of the camp. Carefully Joe set the pod down on the bedrock that prevented the grass analogue from growing in the area.
Joe carefully went through the post-touchdown checklist and secured the pod. After the engines where shut down she swiveled around facing the cabin.
"Alright. The pod is secure, feel free to exit the pod." She announced to her eager audience.
They released their seat belts and filtered out of the pod almost unable to contain their excitement.
Joe finished up and followed them.
She took a moment to take in the scene. This was a different planet with clean air free of any form of pollution or any other sign of human habitation. For now.
The air was also fresh, not constantly recycled like back on the ship. That was always something to cherish.
Even after having spent some time on earth the open sky still felt a bit overwhelming after having spent most of her life in the confines of starships and their corridors. Using her training and lowering her field of vision to the horizon helped. Putting on a cap even more.
Joe quickly oriented herself and set out for the complex of containers that formed the heart of the camp. Several of the containers have been flown down and linked together to create a combined laboratory / living space. The small complex was still in the process of growing as some crewmembers where busy erecting a communication tower.
The rest of the camp was equally busy as groups of scientists where busy with all sorts of different equipment analyzing the rock and the exposed soil where they could.
Joe reached the container that was housing the central laboratory and entered. The inside was dark and gloomy, a stark contrast to the brightly lit outside of the planetary surface.
The room was quite stuffed with a large round table at its center. Dr. Schmitz was conferring with Lt. Smyke at the table over the large display of a topographic map of the area.
"Gentleman." Joe introduced herself putting down the small bag she was carrying on the table.
"Science crew has been transported planet-side. This is a compliment from the captain for the good work done so far."
"Thank you Ms. 9." Dr. Schmitz replied.
"Oh, coffee. Nice!" Smyke exclaimed as he managed to open the small package.
"My thanks to the captain, Ms. 9. This will come in handy." Dr. Schmitz answered formally.
"I'll tell her."
"Thanks. How long will you be staying with us?"
"I'm not scheduled to return until tomorrow, so I'm at your disposal until then."
"Excellent! Have a look at the map."
The current theory that seemed most of the scientists where able to agree upon postulated that in the distant past a large meteor of around 100 kilometers had crashed onto the surface of the planet. The impact was so massive that basically no forms of life would be able to survive. The impact formed a giant crater with a diameter of just above 1000 kilometers. The impact vaporized a huge portion of the planets surface creating a layer of dust and grime in the upper atmosphere blocking out all sunlight for milenie to come. The planet shielded from the warmth of the sun cooled down and became a large ball of ice, frozen nearly solid. After several more millennia the dust finally settled and the skies cleared revealing a planet that had turned into a giant snowball on the outside, devoid of any form of life.
Things looked much different under the surface. The hot core of the planet had made sure that the temperature could stabilize in a certain depth under the mile-thick ice covering the planet. Life began anew here, sheltered and invisible to the outside. As the skies slowly cleared and the planet started to receive warmth from the sun again the ice began to slowly melt. Caves began to enlargen and a planet covering ocean began to form, connecting formerly isolated enclaves of life for the first time ever. This process continued for an untold time until a vast ocean spanning the whole planet teeming with life. This ocean was carefully hidden away from prying eyes by a last layer of ice now just a few kilometers thick, a mere shadow of the former massive formation.
The only enclave that remained isolated from the planet wide ocean was the inside of the impact crater. Divided by the massive walls of the impact crater a unique ecosystem had developed, sheltered from the ocean it was never swallowed up like all the other little enclaves had been with the warming temperatures that accompanied the end of an ice age that had lasted longer than could be measured. Thus a massive freshwater lake had formed that resisted outside influence and remained isolated so much longer.
"You want to try and contact them?" Joe asked.
"Of course. We're trying to determine if this planet is a viable candidate for colonization. So far it looks like the biosphere is compatible enough. Sure, some small adjustments need to be made but nothing we can't handle. But this point is all moot if this planet is already settled and the current inhabitants don't care for new neighbors, right?" Dr. Schmitz made a very valid point.
"Has the Captain authorized this?"
"The Captain fully agrees with me in this matter. Nobody wants to colonize a planet by force, that is not why we're here at all."
"Alright. How do you want to try and contact them? We already tried hailing them."
"We think that this base is a last holdout. Maybe a forgotten bunker or a seedbank. We had quite some of those on earth." Schmitz pointed at the map. "Unfortunately the central base is far too deep for us to reach, we just don't have the equipment to go that deep. But there might be an alternative." He pointed at a different spot at the edge of the lake.
"We have identified a structure embedded in the cliffs here. Maybe we are able to gain entrance there and find out more. It is a mere 40 meters deep, this should be feasible with the equipment we have available to us."
"Alright, lets go take a swim then."
The diving suits where a lot more nimble than the vacuum-rated environment suits that she has worn before but Joe easily managed to slip into it. The backpack was fairly compact, containing a tiny amount of highly compressed oxygen that would be used to recycle the air in sophisticated mechanism that has long since replaced the crude canes of compressed air of old. Completed with a faceplate that was transparent and allowed for easy usage it was far more easy to go diving than it ever had been.
"Is there any risk of diving sickness?" Joe asked.
"Not at the depth we're going. We have air for six hours and you each carry spare oxygen on your belt. That gives additional six hours. In case of any problem we have a team on standby." Tony pointed to a a small group of crew all clad in identical diving suits. "Just hit the panic button on your wrist and they come and get you. Any questions?" Tony finished the introduction.
"Yes. Why are we not using a minisub? I understand that we have one on board." Rick asked.
"It would take quite some time to get it set up. Additionally our target is a rather small hatch, most likely for maintenance. It is simply way to small for the minisub." the chief answered, being the one with the closest ties to these kind of things. "Also these suits are a lot more maneuverable, they provide a lot more flexibility. If we find something that warrants a longer stay we can still bring the minisub down, it is already being checked."
"Alright, lets go."
The group slowly walked into the shallow water. They stopped after only a few meters at the top of a very steep cliff.
"Everybody ready?" The chief checked with the group.
After everybody had confirmed the final equipment check they dived into the water.
After a short moment of confusion Joe quickly oriented herself. The water was very clear and the rest of the team was clearly visible in their bright yellow diving suits.
After a short moment the chief started for their target with the others trailing behind him.
The clear water did not hinder visibility, the cliff face was clearly visible with almost no debris or other particles floating around. Turning around revealed a vast nothingness that got lost to darkness.
After taking a short moment she followed the rest of the team clearly visible in their bright suits. Slowly sinking downwards the cliff wall moved by. As the depth increased visibility went down until they switched on their wrist lights shining bright beams of light on the cliff face.
"Alright, coming up on the hatch." the chief announced over the shared channel.
Joe could soon make out a structure in the cliff face coming up at them.
At a first glance it seemed to be a pretty large circular hatch that would not look out of place on a spaceship or -station. The structure itself was mostly flat with smoothed edges. Like a giant rounded cap.
"I don't see any manual controls." the Chief called in.
"That's not really a surprise. Fan out, they might not be very obvious." Rick answered.
Joe started to look at a section near the hatch using her light. She started checking at the rim where the hatch met the cliff wall and worked her way outward, carefully inspecting every tiny feature she could find on the surface of the cliff wall. With the other members of the team doing the same they covered the vicinity of the hatch thoroughly and in short time.
It took them only a little while to find something that was out of place. A small ammonite fossil would seem perfectly in line with a maritime setting but according to all the currently available data they had just not existed in this lake at any point in time. It could still be just an ornament though.
"I don't think so. The scanner is showing something but I can't pinpoint it." Joe stated.
She tried manipulating the small fossil. A slight vibration was indicating that it was indeed not mere ornamental.
The hatch opened smoothly like a large iris revealing a short tunnel illuminated by a bright blue light.
The team gathered in front of the hatch pointing their scanners inwards.
"Still not reading anything. How is that possible?"
As Rick was about to enter the threshold he was stopped by the chief.
"Hold on a minute. Wouldn't want to go in there without a way of getting back out again, right?" He said.
"Right, thanks." a subdued Rick answered.
Joe manipulated the switch again and the hatch closed smoothly just to open after the next manipulation.
" Ok, lets check the inside."
Some of the team stayed back to make sure that their was an exit.
Joe called the standby team and informed them of their findings before she entered the entrance with the others.
Right on the other side of the hatch the switch was easy to spot as it was not hidden in any way.
While Joe was checking it out the team advanced to the end of the corridor that was blocked by another hatch that locked identical on first glance. The hatch in front of her closed at the same the one on the other end opened. She swam after them as they entered the underground structure.
The cave behind the hatch was dimly lit and of indeterminate dimensions. The corridor opened up to a wide ledge that opened to large cavern filled with machinery.
"Scanners showing anything?" Joe asked.
"Yes." Rick answered. "Whatever has been blocking the scans is not in effect here."
The Team had their scanners out trying to figure out what the purpose of the machinery was.
They slowly descended to the bottom of the cave to inspect the large machines. This close they could feel the energy contained within the machinery.
"Over there." the accompanying engineering rating called out. He had found what looked like a console several meters away from their position.
The team slowly swam over and gathered around the console. The controls where easily identified. A seemingly blank wall above the controls sprang to live, displaying information and acting like a screen no-one in the team had ever seen before. The scanner started to slowly translate the information displayed on the screen.
"This will take a moment. Take a look around but stay within a twenty meter radius. Don't wander off." The chief instructed.
Joe started in the direction of one of the machines that was nearby. She pointed her scanner at it and tried to make sense of what she was seeing. The large amount of power that was channeled through it was making the scan quite difficult to interpret as the energy signature was blinding out any other reading.
After a while she moved on to a different machine, trying to trace the energy conduits to another console. As she approached again the blank wall sprang to live displaying a schematic. She started analyzing it with her scanner, trying to make sense of the information displayed.
Slowly what she saw started to make sense.
Rick initially wanted to study one of the machines as well. As he saw Joe swimming towards the same type of machine he turned and looked around again. He shortly spotted something of interest not too far away. He swam over and started to study what looked like an assortment of tools neatly attached to a segment of the wall.