buzzing with activity. Roger and Matt were arguing about something, while three or four scientists were trying to talk over the noise of the fight, increasing the racket. To add to the confusion, several men he recognized as security personnel from his company began to file into the now-crowded room. He couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Glad you find this amusing,” Jenna said and sighed.
“I believe I’ll let you take the lead, Miss Robins.”
“Why thank you, Mr. Hawthorn.”
Jenna clapped her hands together loudly. “Excuse me, everyone. May I have your attention?”
Eight startled faces swung around and faced Jenna. Silently, Ben cheered her on.
He’d never seen her like this, in charge. And for once in his life no one seemed to notice him. He moved to the corner of the tent, spun a chair around backward, straddled it and sat down to watch her work.
“I’m assuming Roger has briefed everyone on our situation.” Jenna waited until the majority of people nodded. “Excellent. I believe the artifact was used for terraforming the planet.”
A rumble in the room from the scientists, several shaking their heads. The urge to 60
say something, to try to help rescue her, was strong. He squeezed the back of the chair and waited. Jenna didn’t leave him hanging for long.
“I know, where’s the hard proof? The explosion is the key.”
Jenna walked into the center of the room and pointed to Roger. “Let me see your kit.”
“I didn’t use anything from my kit on that thing. I didn’t have a chance.”
She took a large plastic kit box from Roger and set it on the ground in front of everyone.
“For those of you new to the team, this is a standard kit. In here we have various chemicals that we use to test soil and other samples that we collect. This,” she picked up two small bottles, “is magnesium and this is liquid oxygen. Now on their own they are harmless. But when you combine them—”
“They’re explosive,” Ben finished for her.
Jenna cast him a quick glance and nodded. “Given the right conditions, yes.”
Everyone turned and looked at Roger.
“I already told you I didn’t do anything. I set the kit on the ground about three feet from the device and left. This wasn’t my fault,” he said a bit too quickly, his face growing red.
Jenna held up her hand. “I know, Roger. I’m not implying you had anything to do with this. I think it was the artifact itself.”
That’s when it struck him. “Of course.”
Jenna looked at him from over her shoulder and smiled. “The artifact seems to have the ability to pull together elements that combine perfectly. When mixed together, these two chemicals make a very powerful explosive.”
“Just like the crystals underneath the device now. Makes sense,” Roger nodded.
Jenna stood. “We need to figure out how much power this thing has left. I’m going to break you into teams and give you your assignments. Once we know how powerful this thing is, then we can figure out if it will pose a threat to the planet.”
“Wait a minute,” Matt spoke up, making sure to catch Ben’s attention. “You think there is a threat? How big?”
Jenna’s eyes darted around the room, but she didn’t look at him again. Ben knew she needed to stay in control and if anyone thought for a second that she was taking her lead from him, everything would fall apart.
“You saw the damage that was done when the device combined a small amount of chemicals. Think of what would happen if someone got their hands on bucketful, or a tank.” She waited for that image to sink in before she continued. “Someone had tried to move the device. We found evidence of modern tools.”
“Then we need to set up a perimeter.” Matt looked to Ben again.
He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t undermine Jenna, even though every inch of him 61
was straining to take charge. For once in his life he was going to sit back and let someone else run the show. Jenna had trusted him
“Glad you find this amusing,” Jenna said and sighed.
“I believe I’ll let you take the lead, Miss Robins.”
“Why thank you, Mr. Hawthorn.”
Jenna clapped her hands together loudly. “Excuse me, everyone. May I have your attention?”
Eight startled faces swung around and faced Jenna. Silently, Ben cheered her on.
He’d never seen her like this, in charge. And for once in his life no one seemed to notice him. He moved to the corner of the tent, spun a chair around backward, straddled it and sat down to watch her work.
“I’m assuming Roger has briefed everyone on our situation.” Jenna waited until the majority of people nodded. “Excellent. I believe the artifact was used for terraforming the planet.”
A rumble in the room from the scientists, several shaking their heads. The urge to 60
say something, to try to help rescue her, was strong. He squeezed the back of the chair and waited. Jenna didn’t leave him hanging for long.
“I know, where’s the hard proof? The explosion is the key.”
Jenna walked into the center of the room and pointed to Roger. “Let me see your kit.”
“I didn’t use anything from my kit on that thing. I didn’t have a chance.”
She took a large plastic kit box from Roger and set it on the ground in front of everyone.
“For those of you new to the team, this is a standard kit. In here we have various chemicals that we use to test soil and other samples that we collect. This,” she picked up two small bottles, “is magnesium and this is liquid oxygen. Now on their own they are harmless. But when you combine them—”
“They’re explosive,” Ben finished for her.
Jenna cast him a quick glance and nodded. “Given the right conditions, yes.”
Everyone turned and looked at Roger.
“I already told you I didn’t do anything. I set the kit on the ground about three feet from the device and left. This wasn’t my fault,” he said a bit too quickly, his face growing red.
Jenna held up her hand. “I know, Roger. I’m not implying you had anything to do with this. I think it was the artifact itself.”
That’s when it struck him. “Of course.”
Jenna looked at him from over her shoulder and smiled. “The artifact seems to have the ability to pull together elements that combine perfectly. When mixed together, these two chemicals make a very powerful explosive.”
“Just like the crystals underneath the device now. Makes sense,” Roger nodded.
Jenna stood. “We need to figure out how much power this thing has left. I’m going to break you into teams and give you your assignments. Once we know how powerful this thing is, then we can figure out if it will pose a threat to the planet.”
“Wait a minute,” Matt spoke up, making sure to catch Ben’s attention. “You think there is a threat? How big?”
Jenna’s eyes darted around the room, but she didn’t look at him again. Ben knew she needed to stay in control and if anyone thought for a second that she was taking her lead from him, everything would fall apart.
“You saw the damage that was done when the device combined a small amount of chemicals. Think of what would happen if someone got their hands on bucketful, or a tank.” She waited for that image to sink in before she continued. “Someone had tried to move the device. We found evidence of modern tools.”
“Then we need to set up a perimeter.” Matt looked to Ben again.
He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t undermine Jenna, even though every inch of him 61
was straining to take charge. For once in his life he was going to sit back and let someone else run the show. Jenna had trusted him
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