well, it's okay. you didn't tell me it was monsoon season going out.
just got back. missed anything?
wasn't my trip, i just did the driving. 'sides, freezing my butt off out in the wet taking pot-shots at the local wildlife isn't my idea of a good time, either.
camped out by the navi-beacon out on linson's range. they're making their own way back tomorrow.
shit. when?
fucking great. i invested some money in them.
i lose 'em all, that's why i'm still out here on this rock. anything else you wanna ruin my day with?
jesus.
tactical nukes, maybe?
see that sheathing on the suspension? eaten away. same thing with the pumps on the base air purifiers. the algae out here just isn't good on these new plastics.
if you want these things kept in working condition, that's the only choice you've got.
relay station like us out in the middle of the boonies; why bother? all you're gonna do is punch a temporary hole in the traffic control net. that'd be small potatoes even for terrorists.
hey, boss. wondered where you'd gotten to.
didn't feel like whoopin' it up with the rest of us blue collars, huh?
not too much of the socializing type, then?
is that a fact.
how long you been out here for now, anyway? three months?
and before that?
only six?
just curious. there's a lot of talk goes around.
what is that?
seltzer?
i'll stick with my own.
nothing. with the satellite down, we can't transmit over the mountain range. he's most likely sitting there wondering why he can't raise us.
'we'? you wanna fly out there with me?
don't worry about it. if the network goes by the book, like everyone figures they will, a marine gunboat from powell'll drop-by for a look- see in four-or-five days. they can go poke around out there and find whatever it was hit us. all we've gotta do is sit tight.
there'd have to be a helluva good reason for him not to.
wake up. we're at the beacon.
looks like trouble.
used one of these before?
okay. watch were you point it.
yeah. somebody won.
i've found ackland!
jesus palomino.
wait a minute, doc.
yeah. found it curled up in a corner of the tent. any idea?
hey, jan. see if you can get someone to check out the chopper.
she was running a little sluggish on the way back. think the turbines might be playing up.
appreciate that.
agreed.
ah, don't worry about i.c.c. they're the least of your problems right now.
think i spoke too soon.
yeah, no problem. ask diller, he's good with his hands.
what happened out there, ack?
nothing else?
show him 'fido'.
we thought you might be able to tell us. i found it by your cot at the camp. you were out cold.
do you believe him?
you should try this seasoned stuff. it's good.
and?
cornering it shouldn't be a problem. each part of this station is basically a self-sufficient deep-space transport module running off external couplers. if we disconnect them and seal off every section, we've got a ceiling of about thirty-six hours on internal power. that should give us ample time to find it.
don't worry about it, yorkie. you're safe now. go get come rest.
what do i think? i think if those marines from powell don't shift their butts getting here, we're gonna get caught up to our necks in the middle of something we shouldn't.
how's it going?
you should hit the sack, too.
what time's sundown?
give me a yell is something happens.
kev, wha?
i'll survive.
jan!
i'm out of ammo. get inside, get inside!
come on!
detour. other way's blocked.
don't wait for me!
run!
hiroko.
they. they snapped my legs to fit.  fit me in here. i don't. remember what happened next.
i can.  feel it moving around inside me. you've got to kill me.
you have to.