Into the Eye

"Hmmm," says Nekshi thoughtfully. "This deflector grid is not powered and seems to be unlocked." She starts quickly examining it and its arch.

"Wait a minute," says Mey'Luskar, starting forward.

Nekshi flips open a small, covered wall panel, eyes it for about 0.987 seconds, and then taps something on it.

"Um," says Mey'Luskar, quickening her pace.

There is a hiss, and the grate shoots upward into its socket, its final bang echoing dully in the gloomy chamber. The narrow tunnel beyond is dark and forbidding.

"Wait!" cries Mey'Luskar, breaking into a run. "Don't go in!" She hustles up next to Nekshi (who dodges out of the way just in time) and looks intently at the wall panel. "Off!" she says. "It's all turned off!"

As Nekshi starts to lecture her about the redundancy of her statement, Mey'Luskar quickly digs in her bag, pulls out a piece of candy, and tosses it into the tunnel. It bounces with a dry popping sound.

"This isn't right," she says darkly. "They would never turn everything off!"

Pru comes up behind her. "So Dusker did his job, just like he said!" She glances around at the others. "This is it! Are we going in?"