Chapter 17
“I’ve got comms back online, if you want to contact the surface,” Quinn said.
“Yes, I do,” I replied.
I video-called Brenda on the way back to the engineering compartment.
She picked up after a few rings. "I thought we lost you there for a minute."
"It seems the habitat is experiencing numerous technical glitches.”
"That doesn't sound reassuring. What's the situation?"
I filled her in on the details, then turned the camera around and filmed the scene, then closed in on Weyland’s body.
I set the phone on a small portable tripod, and she walked me through the examination.
I noted the current time, body temperature, and supposed time of death.
The current ambient temperature in the habitat was 72°.
There was no blood spatter near the body, and no wounds.
No ligature marks, no abrasions. But he did have thermal burns on his hand and charred skin.
I palpated Weyland's limbs for fractures.
After I finished the evaluation, JD and I wrapped Weyland's hands in bags to preserve any trace evidence, then bagged the body.
Weyland’s remains would have to decompress like any living diver, otherwise sensitive tissues could rupture, making autopsy difficult if not impossible.
After I finished with Brenda, I asked her to put the sheriff on, and I filled him in on the details.
"You're telling me this is a homicide?” he said with a groan.
"It's looking that way.”
"I suppose you two want to stay down there and see this thing through."
"You read my mind. It's a contained environment. There's no way off this habitat except for the diving bell. I don't have to worry about my suspect escaping.”
"I'll talk to Tristan and recommend he abort the mission, but ultimately it's his call.”
"I'd rather sort this out while I have a captive audience.”
"Be careful down there. Whoever killed Weyland might not be done yet.”
The sheriff conferred with Tristan, then he got on the call.
“We will move forward as planned,” Tristan said. “This changes nothing. I am saddened and deeply sorry for the loss of Commander Weyland, but we must continue. If we abort now, it will throw off our entire timeline, and we will miss our moon launch window.”
"What about Judy Weyland?" I asked. “I'm not sure she's in any condition to continue this mission."
"I don't mean to sound callous, but if she's not in the condition to continue this mission, she's not in the condition to go to space or Mars. What would happen if such an event occurred in space?”
Tristan had a point. He saw things in a clear way, often devoid of emotion. His focus was on accomplishing the goal he had set for himself and the team.
"I would like to talk to her in private and give her an opportunity to express her wishes,” he said.
I left the engineering compartment and returned to Judy’s bunkroom. The metal pinged as I rapped on the hatch. “Judy, Tristan would like to speak to you. I’ve got him on the line, or you can call him. Comms are back online.”
After a moment of silence, she said, “I’ll call him on my phone. Thank you.”
I told Tristan and said we were sending the body up in the diving bell. At that point, I wasn’t sure if Judy would accompany her husband to the surface or if she’d stay on board.
I returned to engineering. JD and I grabbed the handles and lifted the body bag from the deck.
Weyland wasn't exactly a light guy. At 6’2”, 200 pounds, we had our work cut out for us.
We hauled him through the facility, back to the diving bell.
It was loads of fun hoisting him up through the hatch.
Once we had secured the remains, we returned to the habitat.
The others gathered around, but I didn't see Judy. I asked Wong, "Do you know if Mrs. Weyland is staying aboard?"
He shrugged.
JD guarded the hatch to the diving bell, keeping an eye on the body. I hurried back through the habitat to the bunk room and knocked on the hatch again. "Judy, I hate to put pressure on you, but we need to get the remains to the surface as soon as possible. Have you made a decision?”
I hadn’t ruled her out as a suspect, but I felt it was unlikely.