Tisis

Us against the world (N)

After observing their work for a little while, I find Eva again, wait until she is alone again, which happens soon enough and reestablish contact.

"Your engineers are really something. It seems like they are somehow more skilled than the actual engineers we had back on the ship," I proclaim.
"'Having to fear for your life' helps motivation a lot..." Eva replies, her head resting on her upright arms.

"...yes it does...say, you said that this 'Nemo' cracked down martial law on the lot of you and that he is doing it under the pretense, that he needs to protect you from the dangers of the ocean, right?"
"Yes, exactly."
"So if you made it back to land, he'd lose his 'legitimation', yes?"
"People would be far less willing to put up with his rules at least, yes."
"...are you sure, that he wants to go back to land then? And risk losing his position of power?"

Eva remains quiet for multiple seconds and finally replies, "I don't know. I mean, he says that everything he is doing is for the safety and prosperity of the colony, but...when I look into the faces of the people...those aren't the faces of happy people."
"Yeah, I know what you mean...it's just like back on the ship."
"No, it is worse. Far worse. Back then, we still had someone to unite against. Someone to hate. That gave us strength. Right now? Right now we are cowering in fear from an unknown enemy...which might not even exist."

"There is a rather easy way to determine whether he is interested in coming back to shore."
"...there is? How?"
"I sent you the telemetry information I downloaded from the other fragment. It is essentially a map of a large part of Tisis, as seen from orbit."
"A...part of it? Not all of it?"
"Planets are round, Eva. If you keep a steady orbit, you can see a large part of the surface, but you cannot see all there is."
"O...kay...? But where we are is on this...orbit...telemetry...whatever?"

I chuckle a little at Eva's feeble attempts to understand what I just told her.
It reminds me of when I explained stuff like 'seasons', 'weather' and the 'daytime' cycle to Sirus.

"Don't sweat the details, Eva. And yes, the entire area we've been to thus far has been covered by the information. There are still a few black spots on that map, but it should be more than sufficient to make it back to shore."
"Um...whatever you say...so, you mentioned an 'easy way'?"
"Ah yes, sorry, I got sidetracked. Tell Mr. Nemo, that someone from the research department found this map and that you can use it to return to shore...or much rather 'tell which way you need to go'. If he is genuinely interested in getting off the ocean, he will not hesitate using the map to return to land."
"And...if he is not?"

I draw in air sharply and reluctantly reply, "I guess in that case you learn, just how badly he wants to get in your pants...or if he'd rather have you silenced, so you don't spread the information."
"...that is easy, alright...easy for you! You're not putting your life on the line with that!"
"Excuse me?! I came here, over the ocean, at least 500 kilometers into unknown territory, without any sort of supply chain, running on nothing but hope, luck and the will to carry on! All to find you and show you the way back home! I think we've done our share of 'putting our life on the line'! And don't even get me started on the way back, which we still have to manage!"

I look at the map on the tablet, sigh, and reply, "Speaking of which...I'm afraid I have a favor to ask of you."
"...what kind of favor?"
"I...saw a shuttle in the hangar bay while browsing through the assets. It's a long way back home, my friends are exhausted and hungry and the shuttle would go a long way towards making it back safely."
"So...you want me to steal the shuttle or something?"
"Yeah well, no. I'd need you to distract the guards, so I can steal it without getting shot."
"I...need to test the waters with the captain first. See if he's fine with using the map...on that note, where would you have us go anyway?"
"Despite you being somewhat far out, the closest shore is still where you started...so that should be your destination. If you decide to go there, I could also park the shuttle there, so you can take it back."