“Acknowledged, ma’am–and thank you.” Carlton was about to risk his life, so he appreciated a last moment of conversation with his beloved wife.}
{“Carlton, sweetheart, don’t do anything rash yet–understand me?” Although heavily disrupted by ion-induced static, Rebecca’s voice was clearly recognizable.
“Rebecca honey, if I don’t make it back–” he began, but she interrupted sharply.
“Just wait, please! If I can just get some technical information for you, there may be time enough–” her voice was engulfed in a loud burst of sizzling static.
“It’ll take eight minutes to get to the surface, sir,” Ensign Lansford told Carlton. “Every minute means additional radiation damage for the settlers down there. Our shielding armor should keep us safe, shouldn’t it?”}
{Before Carlton could answer, truthfully or evasively, Rebecca’s subspace-carried voice briefly penetrated the ionic interference.
“Darling, hold up! The pu–”
The static crescendoed at that point, drowning out any further communication.