Blink: Leviathan (Book 2)

24

Amber stared in admiration at the huge structure of one of the alien submersibles. It was one of three currently moored in a dry dock area – an immense prism-shaped ship that stretched out from end to end in front of her. The doors of the dock itself were enormous, two veritable mountains of stone that locked together to keep out the ocean. So far Vass and his companions hadn't had much luck trying to get them open.

Her eyes were drawn to the bow section which tapered down into a ramp-like structure. The bridge window was easy to see, but slung underneath the main body were two colossal rectangular projections – weapon mounts. The thought of the fire power such a vessel might possess made her a little uneasy.

A ramp led up to what she assumed to be the main boarding door of the ship. Three metres across, it formed a large circle with a control panel built into the plating on the right hand side. With Vass and the other operatives in tow she limped her way up the ramp and examined the panel. Right now its buttons pulsed a low, uncooperative red, and a row of crimson symbols taunted her from the in-built screen.

"We've tried everything that Churchwood threw our way," Vass sighed. "But no joy. The lockdown stays in place."

Amber gave him a knowing smile. "Churchwood didn't have this." Pulling the alien data pad free from her backpack, she thumbed its activation switch. When she'd been trawling through it she had stumbled across all kinds of data caches that she recognised from the console in the main control centre. She also remembered seeing the symbols corresponding to the ones currently displayed on the ship's panel.

It took a few minutes of blundering through the alien interface before she found what she was looking for. This page showed a whole series of five symbol codes like the one that currently blocked their way: one list in red down the left hand side, and another in blue down the right. The ones on the left had lines scored through them, so she started scrolling down.

"What is that?" Vass asked, looking in over her shoulder.

"I think it's some kind of code log," she explained. "You know how our security stations have changing codes every week? It must be something like that. The old codes are crossed out. This lockout code will be the last one put in place before...well before whatever it was happened. All I need to do is keep scrolling and..." There it was. "Boom."

She keyed in the five corresponding symbols to the ship's control panel. A few seconds passed and the red display blinked out for an instant, then was replaced by a blue one showing the new sequence of code. Feeling a spark of excitement despite everything, she reached forward and pressed the activation button.

The huge circle irised open with the faint hiss of metal on metal, and Amber grinned. She looked at Vass. He blinked in surprise then a rueful smile spread across his face.

"I guess that's the last time we doubt you," he chuckled. "Nice work."

"Thanks."

Vass motioned two of his operatives forward to make the first breach of the alien ship. Even now he was taking no chances, and Tundra Squad fanned out in textbook fashion, moving like a well-oiled machine through the corridors within, making their way slowly and carefully towards the nose-cone that housed the bridge. Amber was about to follow them in when a soft hand descended on her arm. She turned to find the medic, Cath.

"Before we go further," the girl began. "I thought you should have this." She unfurled her free hand, and nestled in her palm was an earpiece. "I always carry a couple of spares. I reckon you'll want to be able to be in the loop as this thing unfolds."

"I appreciate it," Amber replied, and she meant it. Scooping up the earpiece with a nod of thanks, she slotted it into place and quickly checked the signal. Then she hefted her lance-carbine and joined Cath in entering the alien vessel.