A bit shorter, but much is going on. And much more will be going on in just a few more segments.

For those of you have not read part three of “Obligations of Rank,” and shame on you, Kira discovered she can sense life, anywhere on Mars. Because she’s a made demi-human? From God? I assume the latter but don’t know.

Once they get close to the end of the rabbit hole, we’ll be meeting a Special Guest, who I have not had in mind for some years.

Enjoy my content? Buy me a beer!

Another few breaths with a shake of her head.  I can use my gift from anywhere, she knows that.  I just need to focus…  Kira took a few steps to sit on the metal box that the drone came in.  Focus.

The five techs and miners, two guards, and the two carrying the drone who had just come back out panicked at the Midwife abruptly puking her guts out, falling face forward into the mess, then rolling to her knees.

“Hurts!  Carry me to Sundström, now!” she ordered.

He was already standing at the commotion from outside.  “Midwife!”

“Two things.  No, three,” she cut him off.  “One, she’s alive.  Two, Zhukov is dead.  Three, there’s something else down there that killed him.”

“What?” Sundström exclaimed.  “There’s some native lifeform here?”

“That I don’t know; suppose it’s from somewhere else, just like us?” She looked about as a tech handed her a rag with water on it.  Kira rubbed her face.  “Thanks.  Now, Pärt, since things are now a bit more urgent and dangerous, is the drone ready?”

“Y…Yes, Kira,” he said, so flustered as to forget her title for a moment.  “I’ll guide it for the first hour and, depending on what we see, may turn things over to an assistant, later.”

He turned then turned back.

“Did you, that is, do you have any idea where or how deep she is?”

“No.  Let’s answer those questions.”

Minutes later, the drone hovered over the opening in the cave floor, then descended.  For the straight parts, Sundström maintained a rate of one meter per two seconds.  When there was a twist or bend, he cut that in half.

“I appreciate you caution, Pärt,” Kira said from behind him.  “A second drone is being prepped now and I have ordered one of the Shcha’s to bring more cable.”

After an hour, he paused its movement, relinquishing his seat to one of his subordinates.

“That’s not quite one klick in dead reckoning, so far,” the Chief said to Kira.  “You saw what I did:  those walls are machine-made.  No way they are something natural like an old fumarole.  I just cannot imagine what they were use for.”

“Me, either,” she admitted.  “I will stay here and watch.  Rest and refresh yourself, Pärt.  I’ll want you at the controls when we find her.”