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is. I'm only here to observe. I won't step across your authority. STEPS 40.00.07. Can we shake on that?"
       Hunter was disturbed by what the company had pulled on him— again, but Devon's suddenly agreeable disposition had pacified the situation. They shook hands. "You'll be working with Garrett then?"
       "Not really. I work alone. I promise I'll be as quiet as a mouse."
       "I thought you knew she was IO," said Trent.
       "I've been preoccupied," said Hunter. He waved his hand to the others. "Okay, folks. Let's go." He started toward the entrance to the cave, the others following. When he stopped at the opening, which was certainly unbefitting the most spectacular cavern on the planet— just a narrow cleft in the rock leading into darkness, a trail of warmth eased across his face. The air inside the cave was markedly warmer than the biting winds that relentlessly rattled across the desert sands in this latitude this time of year.
       "Say your goodbyes to Tau Ceti," said Hunter as he looked at the pale orange disk setting in the east.
       Ramon stepped forward. "Quiero tomar la delantera, señor. Bien?"
       Hunter nodded. "Yes, you can lead, Mr. Ramirez."
       "Muchos gracias," said Ramon. He rapped on his helmet with his knuckles.
       "Hunter," said Renata. "Do you think that's a good idea?"
       "Pienso que tú nunca tienes algunas ideas buenas, Renata," said Ramon. "Just watch where you step, Señorita Stone, or you might end up with guano on your boots…"
       "You just watch where you step," said Renata.
       "…and when you fall, watch how you land. You wouldn't want to get any shit on that pretty face of yours." He gave her a wide mocking grin, then started toward the entrance, dragging Arielle behind by her hand.
       As the others started after Ramon and Arielle, Renata looked to Hunter.
       He turned toward Ramon. "Cool it, Ramon! If I hear any more of that shit come out of your mouth…"
       They could hear Ramon burst into laughter.
       Renata gave Hunter a look of disdain. "You're right on top of things, aren't you? Nice counter." She entered the cave.
       Garrett glanced back at the robotic transports slowly moving toward them. "You know, Hunter, for all it's worth, I almost hope I never see the surface of this miserable planet again. Go ahead." He motioned toward the cleft with the barrel of his rifle. "I'll follow."
       Hunter took a last look at the wind-gouged surface of Mare Cetus, then slipped into the cave.

Chapter Two

    Mare Cetus

    Third planet in orbit around Tau Ceti

    Equatorial diameter: 12,622 km
Sidereal rotation period: 26h 14m 12s
Mean distance from Tau Ceti: 142.4 million km
    Period of revolution around sun: 342.7846 Mare solar days/year
    (375.73 Earth days)
    Mass (Earth = 1): 0.96
    Number of satellites: 2 (Orientis Mare, Occasus Mare)

    1 AU = Distance of Earth from the Sun.

       Once the group had passed through the cleft, the gently sloping passage broadened considerably. Its greenish-gray walls and low ceiling were exceedingly smooth, as if they had been carved by a master stonemason who had exquisitely polished them countless times. Despite their appearance, Hunter wasn't impressed. They were characteristic of the entry passages of a number of other lesser caverns he had explored on the planet.
       As reflections of greenish-white light from Hunter's symotes, small lights attached to the shoulders of his jacket, danced across the shiny surface of the walls, Hunter realized his lights were operating in the wrong wavelengths. The light should have been bluish-white, not green. Figuring their auto-sensing mechanism was out of calibration, he stopped hiking and began adjusting the controls of a modulator attached to his belt. Symotes. An innovative, though dated technology, they eliminated the need for hardhat or other light sources and added significantly to one's perception of the caverns. They were synchronized with eye and