Part 8 [spoiler]67 Days until end of Contract Davidson cut through the ice with his lance, on high power, melting through it with ease, as he carved the pathway in the ice which had now settled thoroughly. Their scans showed that they were finally starting to get there, and their pit descended into almost pure darkness now. This was his passion, his driving force, which kept him going. He didn't know why, but he needed to see the creature again. He wasn't crazy. Brendus had explained that everybody had their own ways of doing things. And maybe, it was Davidson's way of coping. Brendus said that if it was, he had no right to try and stop him and instead help him. The man was a true friend. The lance cut through more ice deeper and deeper, and with a sudden hiss of steam, Davidson found that there was no longer ice. Dark water surged upwards towards him, and, planning for this, Davidson activated a force field in the tunnel, keeping the water trapped in place so it didn't make it all the way up to the icy surface. He cheered, looking with a smile for once, at the blackened pit before him. They had done it. Now, all they had to do was finish his suit. Davidson checked his clock, and found that time was up. He started climbing upwards to the surface far beyond. He had good news, for once. 1 Day until end of Contract Davidson sat at the edge of the entrance to their great tunnel to the ocean far below, along with Brendus. The man whistled. "Aye." "We did it, didn't we?" "Aye, that we did lad. And now the last part is up to you. Ye made this, and yer time is ticking. If ye believe what ye saw is down there, crazy or not, it's yer choice." "What if I'm gone longer than a day?" "Aye laddy, I'll take care of things. Ye do what ye have to do." Davidson placed a hand on Brendus's shoulder. "Thank you. Really, for all that you've done." "S' no problem lad. Now go, time's a wastin." Davidson took a look at the great blue-green sky before him, as the pale blue star rose for the day, illuminating the gas giant and its immense rings, and for the first time in a long while, this place was beautiful again. Davidson looked down into the pit. "Well, wish me luck." "Aye lad. Good luck." Davidson teetered over the abyss, looking down to the darkness below. He wasn't taking the long way this time around. Davidson put one foot over the edge, and fell over, into the darkness below. Davidson crashed into the sand with a heavy impact, jarring his armour but not damaging it, as he stood up in the blackness. His radar was on, and he knew, he must be somewhere close, because the grappler that had long since been buried under the ice here was close. He turned on his lights, and looked out to the darkness outside his visor. There were things he never noticed before, now that he was calm. Even down here, there was amazing levels of plant life, which glowed very dimly in the dark, nothing compared to what was up higher, but even here, it was its own little world. Davidson set off in a direction, taking what he hoped would be the best path. He wasn't sure of himself, and as time wore on, his plan seemed more and more insane. But he felt like he had to do this, or he would never get the chance again. He walked in silence, listening to his radar as it searched for the transmitter in his suit. He walked for hours, or what seemed like it, as he slowly progressed through the sand of the darkened ocean floor. And, finally, as his guesses were right, there was a ping on the radar. Almost excitedly, Davidson headed off in the direction of the ping, growing closer with each step. He wasn't afraid anymore, as he traveled in the blackness that was so thick it looked like it would envelope him completely. And, with growing excitement, he did it. His radar was at the maximum, and he looked down, to find part of his discarded suit, laying there in the sand. An eerie calm came over him, as he looked at it. He was trapped in that once. Stuck down here with no light, no chance of rescue. And here he stood now, having come here willingly. He searched the area, and, seeing nothing left to do, he sat down. There was nothing left to do, but wait. And, one last thing. He used the interface in his suit, and spoke the one simple word he had before. Hello. He set it on a slow broadcasting loop to play in the waters outside, and simply lay there, dimming his lights. It almost felt just like before, when he was stuck down here. This place seemed like it was part of a tomb, and part beauty. It was serene, and calm, but so alone. And so, sitting at the bottom of the ocean, on an alien world, Davidson did the only thing he could do. He waited.[/spoiler]