Colony by Benjamin Cross (ready player one ebook .TXT) 📗

before. Then it disappeared and relocated a short distance away.

His brow furrowed. Something wasn’t right.

2

The seal hide stood on a ledge set back from the edge of the cliff. It was a small canvas lean-to, braced against an overhang and camouflaged with dumps of scree. Callum reached out and shook one of the struts. The canvas scrunched between his fingers, but the structure held firm.

“We have built many of these along this coast because this is where the seals are mating,” Darya said, pulling back the flap. “Let us get inside before it gets colder.”

The hide’s interior was cosy and mist-free, and the pale grey-green canvas glowed with absorbed light. The overhang recessed steeply where it met the ledge. Darya reached into it, unfurled a roll of material and arranged it as a floor covering. “This will stop the cold from coming up.”

Callum secured the entrance as best he could, then he turned and slumped back against the rock. Having rummaged around inside her rucksack, Darya sat next to him, mimicking his position.

Callum looked over at her. She was silhouetted against the canvas. A bluish-white light fell across her face as she turned her camera on and began scrolling through her digital images.

“It’s a shame,” he said, as her shots of the bear flicked past. “Are you okay?”

“I just don’t understand how anybody could do this. I told you it was the bears who needed protection.”

“Perhaps whoever shot it was defending themselves.”

“This is not likely.” She looked up at him, her eyes focussed. “And do you not think that we would have heard about this? Do you think that if somebody was attacked by bear they would still let us onto this island?”

“I don’t know,” Callum answered. “I admit they seem big on health and safety, but how much do you know about this Volkov character? It’s him calling the shots, after all.”

She snorted. “You are right, this man is ignorant pig. He is not interested in the bears or Harmsworth, or even people. He is interested in money and power.”

“You knew him before?”

She nodded. “He is one of the richest men in Russia, very high up executive with state-run oil company. I have worked with him before on Sakhalin.”

“Sakhalin?”

“It is very beautiful island in the Sea of Okhotsk off east coast of Russia. They find oil and gas there few years ago and build two onshore processing plants, one in the north and one in the south. It is very similar project to Harmsworth. I was part of the assessment team for this also.”

“So what did he do wrong?”

She rolled her lips. “It is what he did not do right. He did not listen to what we recommend and now the beautiful nature on Sakhalin suffers. Many of the rivers are polluted, with eroding banks, and the sea life is being driven away from the coast by the seismic testing of the seabed. Can you believe that Mr Volkov tries to pin this on us! He tells the environment minister that our assessment is unprofessional, that we are not doing a good enough job even though we are very thorough while he tries to make it as difficult as possible for us.” She took a deep breath. “I just wait for him to do the same here.”

The guy had seemed a bit intimidating perhaps, creepy even with his skull-like face. But there had been nothing in his conduct to suggest that he was hostile towards the EIA process. If anything, his attitude was accommodating, more so than Callum had expected from a man in his position. Perhaps Darya’s perception of him was more a reflection of her sensitive nature.

“I can tell what you are thinking,” she said suddenly, looking deep into his eyes, seeming to read his thoughts. “You are thinking, What is she talking about? You are thinking that Mr Volkov has sympathy with the Harmsworth assessment. But I promise you, this man does not know the meaning of this word. Do not be fooled by him, Callum. He acts this way because of money.”

“Money?”

“Friends of mine in the Academy of Sciences made sure that the damage done to Sakhalin is big news in Russia, and in Scandinavia where the partner companies are based. There was then a lot of pressure on the Federal Service for Natural Resources to fine the company and to make sure that they clean up their mess.”

“You don’t think he’s learnt his lesson then?”

“Yes, but I think that he is learn the wrong lesson. He does not want to lose more money here on Harmsworth. This is perhaps why you do not see the real Mr Volkov. It is not because he cares.” She paused then added, “He is also very clever man. Before Sakhalin he was in politics, and before this it is thought that he was member of the KGB. It is well known that he still has many friends high up in the State Duma. He is what is wrong with the new Russia. He is old Russia.” She turned off the camera, throwing her face back into shadow. “His eyes are closed and dishonest. They are not like yours, solnishko. You have good, caring eyes and good, caring heart. This is why you try to defend him.”

“I’m not defending him, Darya. I just don’t know him.”

She placed a hand on his cheek. He could feel the coolness of her palm against his stubble. Her eyes lightened and a faint smile parted her lips. “You need to shave.”

He looked into her eyes. Bags had begun to form under them. “You should take a rest,” he said, pulling her rucksack around. “Use this as a pillow.”

“Maybe just a short time.”

He moved over so that she could lie down facing the overhang. Then he took the bag and positioned it under her head.

“Are you not tired also?” she asked. “You have been awake a long time.”

“I couldn’t sleep just yet,” he replied. “Besides, we should probably take it in turns to stay