Acid Burns

Illyana called up the Extra-Vehicular Assistant console and activated the warm-up
sequence for one of the jungle jeeps. They were modified mohicans, but Dr. Callins — chief
project scientist, and head of biomorphology — had called them "jungle jeeps" on the first
day. Illyana wasn't sure if this was hilarious to scientists, or they were all just sucking up to
Callins, but regardless, the name stuck.
Dan looked up from the console. "What's that noise?"
Illyana turned, trying to pinpoint the sound, before realizing it was coming from her
coolsuit pocket. Her alert sensor was vibrating again. "Oh, no..." She checked the status.
"Sphere six is compromised."
"That's the nearest one to three, heading west. Was there anyone...?"
"No, only number three was manned today, thank God. What the hell is going on?"
Dr. Callins rushed into the room. "Kortter, did you screw up the signal? My entire
monitor bank to sphere six just went offline!"
Callins had the typical short temper of a scientist. Illyana stepped between him and
Dannion to defuse the inevitable argument they would have. "It's not our doing, sir. Six has
been compromised, just like three."
"Then what the hell are you standing around here for? Get out there and fix it!"
"That's what I'm about to do. If you'd just calm —" Still in her hand, the alert sensor
buzzed. "And now we've lost sphere one."
"What?!"
Illyana ignored Callins and called up the outpost map. The biospheres were
arranged in a rough circular pattern, each between ten and twenty klicks from the central
base. It was close enough to reach them with relative ease, but far and wide enough to
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