"You have 22 more hours, Darcey. How deep will you be?" Darcey traced a line on the geologic profile. "800 meters. If the Badgers hold out. And one replacement drillhead left between them. It'll be tight, but we'll hold them together." Six hundred meters. It was more than Drake had hoped. And it opened up possibilities. "Good work, Darcey. Tilt them in once you reach 550 and go straight for this cave, here. I'll be bringing everyone and everything down once you're in, so get the Badgers stowed and the charges set as soon as you break through. Bailey, how's the charade looking?" Bailey was smiling -- despite the likelihood of her dying in the next three days. She was most content under a challenge. "We've driven and marched all over the fake landing zones. Lee's done a masterful job with landing trace. Show me what you want burned, and we'll have all the evidence of an emergency evacuation." Drake drew a slow breath. The Tselt occupying forces might be fooled, and might not. It was his job as military engineer to prepare for the latter? |
