Mounting Tensions

Preparations

Darvin sauntered through the hangar doors and strode across the open chamber, stopping beside the ship. His fingertips reached up and traced the cold chassis as his gaze swept about the sparse space. The living mountain clenched his hand and banged the hull. "Giselle, are you aboard the craft?"

A groan ripped through the vast room as the pilot's head rose from inside the cockpit. With a huff, the young pilot peered over the compartment. Her eyes rolled up as she twirled her fingers. "Darvin, what are you doing here? I figured you would have more important matters to attend to rather than pestering me before my launch?"

"I'm here to determine your readiness for your departure." He kept his fingertips pressed against the cold metal as he sauntered under the vessel's chassis. When he came to the front of the vessel, he knocked against the hull as he stepped out from under the craft. "Given our shared history, are you surprised by this final visit to ensure a smooth expedition?"

The pilot rubbed her forehead as she clambered out of the ship and climbed down the ladder. Once she reached the bottom rung, Giselle dropped to the ground and spun about to lean against the rough rungs. Propping her foot against the last one, she folded her arms across her chest. "I expected as much, but I was hoping you would trust me to follow your instructions. Which portion of your detailed directives do you consider too unwieldy to observe?"

"There's no need to be snippy." The living mountain shook his head as he sauntered down the hull, tracing it with his fingertips. When he stepped next to Giselle, he removed the bottom panel, exposing the inner circuitry. Darvin leaned against the hatch and probed the circuits. "Despite the quality of the supply chain, given the quick turnaround, it's important to triple check everything."

Giselle laid her arm on Darvin's shoulder and pointed at the flashing lights. "Is that system running to your lofty standards?"

With a scoff, Darvin shoved the panel into place, thumping it with his hand. "Your air recycler seems to be in working order."

She poked Darvin's side as she flicked the hull. "Are there any systems that you're really worried about?"

Darvin shook his head as he pulled a tablet from his jacket. He dragged a finger under his eyes as he bounced the device against his thigh. As the living mountain's shoulders sank, he lifted the pad, waving it under the pilot's nose.

"What's this?"

"Take it," Darvin said, pressing the tablet's edge into Giselle's chest. "Without the information contained in this tablet, your boat won't get very far off the ground."

The pilot grasped it with a pair of fingers, using them like tweezers. She raised the device, placing it between them. "I thought your sources were foolproof."

"While I have excellent contacts, I'm incapable of preventing the establishment from altering their protocols." With a soft chuckle, Darvin's head swayed as he circled the ship. He stopped beside a larger access panel and removed the section of the hull. He laid it on the ground as he leaned into the spacious cavity. His fingers traced the conduits as he said, "My connections are why you have the updated policies for your departure and your arrival on Caderth."

While her chest contracted, Giselle sauntered over to an empty crate and hopped onto it. After pulling her legs under her body, she thumbed through the file. When she finished, she thumped it against the sturdy wooden box. "Could these procedures alter again before I arrive at the colony?"

After sealing up the access panel, Darvin slapped the craft as he walked behind the engines. When he reached the other side, he clapped his hands and sauntered to Giselle. He leaned against the crate. "Considering the length of your journey, you'll reach the planet before any updated orders."

"What about my return trip?"

Warm belly laughter filled the hangar as Darvin ambled toward the exit. "Those instructions have not changed."

"What makes them so special?"

Darvin halted and gripped his forehead. "That question proves that you never bothered to finish reading the original procedures I provided."

She bounced the tablet against her palm as her lips twisted into a smirk. "You know, I knew there was something I kept forgetting to complete."

With a heavy sigh, the living mountain spun around as he clapped. When the thunderclaps stopped bouncing off the walls, he shook his hands. "I had excellent reasons for providing them to you."

Giselle shrugged as she laid the pad on her lap. "Despite the magnificent hibernation system, studying your instructions will provide me with a superb resource to occupy my mind during this jaunt."

Darvin's head swayed back and forth as he backed toward the exit. When he bumped into the door, he gripped the handle. "When you consider the fact that those protocols detail you should land on the far side of the moon and then use the private comm to communicate with me for the short flight home, it's still relevant."

Giselle hopped off the crate and shook her head, tucking the tablet under her chin as she climbed the ladder. Once at the top, she tossed the device onto the seat and leaned against the cockpit. "Thanks for checking in with me. It is nice to know you care."

"While I worry," Darvin said, lifting his free hand to his temple, "we all have duties to attend, and secrets to collect."

Laughter bubbled out of Giselle's throat as she sat down and fished out the tablet. "It's so cute when you're worried. But you can inform Rylan I'll be settling on Caderth within a month, and I will find the answers to his questions. Hopefully, they'll be what he's hoping for."

"He is searching for the truth," Darvin said, nodding his head as he opened the door and walked through the opening. "Be safe in your journey."