An ice volcano surrounded by frosted waves. A silent ocean rested on a frozen beach. Beneath the sparkling thick icy surface, there rose a hiss. The gentle hiss grew into a rumble. The rhythmic rumble mushroomed into a rattle. The frentic rattle raced up and up and up through the network of mining tunnels. Next was the rattle screamed.

In a fog of mechanical screaming and ice crystals, a lone figure approached the sound raising his hand. The moon landscape went back to silence.

“Not again,” Reilly said, putting his head in his hands.

“Report, January team, report. We have some anomalous reading over here at CC. Status of the YX-5 drill. Report.”

“January team here. Status of the YX-5 is let me see here…FUBAR. Stop playing with me. You know the drill is stopped. I’m heading back to home base and maintenance is waiting,” Reilly said.

“This is completely unacceptable. Water retrieval is down 13% this quarter alone,” Theo said.

“Stow the pep talk, Theo. Do you think I want my big gray ass out here freezing for nothing? I’m out. Son of—“

Under the hangar bay dome, a small group gathered around a massive hover drill. Androids and humans alike heads bowed as if in prayer over a massive metal spire. Command Center Coordinator Theo Whitlow marched into the hangar, steaming.

“What the—“ Theo said.

In the center of the huddle sat the YX-5. Rust, red and orange blossoms, bloomed across the metal Holes, some as big as a man’s fist, dotted the once sharp surface.

“I don’t understand it. My crew cleaned and polished this drill last month. This is years if not decades of deterioration,” Evergreen said, hands on her hips. “The weird thing is…”

“It’s all weird, babe,” Reilly said resting a hand on her shoulder.

“True, But what is especially weird is this persistent rust problem only happens in the Oceanus region,” Evergreen continued.

“Corporate is going to kill me. We are the least profitable mine for Lightbearer. Oh my God this is ruined. I’m ruined,” Theo wailed.

The workers ignored him. Evergreen worried her plump lower lip. Reilly nodded for Evergreen to continue.

“Talk babe. What do you think is happening?”

“That’s just it. I don’t know what’s happening. This is not normal. It’s as if something doesn’t want us to go any farther in this region. Something someone is making us stop on purpose.”

Evergreen moved closer to the drill, peering into the pattern of holes with a bright flash. She dropped the flashlight. Suddenly she leapt back. Reilly caught her up in his arms. The flashlight rolled away. In the bright light the holes resembled machine language a series of zeros and ones.

“My God what does it say?”