They were nearly to the mining camp before Susan saw it.
Something wasn't right. The entire area around the camp should have been bathed in bright light, but it wasn't. There should have been the bustle of work, yet the only indications that the facility was even there were the shadow shapes of buildings blocking out sections of the sky's star field.
She stopped her crawler beside her guide's. She could just make out another vehicle parked ten yards beyond.
Unfastening her seat belt, she struggled from the crawler and started for the dirt-covered Quonset hut living quarters almost invisible fifty yards ahead. Then she stopped. Her escort sat in her crawler, unmoving. Susan shuffled back, bent, touched her helmet to her guide's.
"I have orders to leave you here, Captain," came the other'smuffled voice. "You'll return with director Hyatt."
Susan nodded in her helmet, although she was sure the other could not see it. She no longer felt anger toward her guide. The lieutenant's methods were unconventional, yet she had accomplished the task assigned her. She had delivered Susan safely, with minimum delay.
"Thanks," Susan said. She straightened, then turned and shuffled toward the mining camp's living quarters.