It had visited them twice before and they still did not know its nature. This unsettled the Captain of the Khonsu 0. She gave orders to measure the thing in any way if it appeared again.
The opportunity arose while the crew was tapping a comet for water ice. Delphi and the Captain were unpacking the drill and Simon wandered the craggy surface with the Dowsing Rod looking for water deposits. The device could tell what matter lay before the user, and at what distance, with a penetrating pulse of radiation.
Simon was about 100 meters away when he looked up and saw a short Filipino man, without a spacesuit, who had appeared and engaged the Captain and Delphi in conversation. He saw his chance. Simon casually pointed the Dowsing Rod at the man. The instrument reported back metal alloys. Strange. Then he realized this was a reading of their ship beyond the man. Simon pointed the device at Delphi. Organic molecules. Back at the man. Nothing.
What are you looking at? Simon jumped in surprise. If not for his anchor, he would have flown into space. A young Hispanic girl was at his elbow. Again, without a spacesuit. He looked from her to the man still speaking with the rest of the crew. How are you here? She beckoned him closer and he bent down to her level. The girl whispered near his ear under his helmet, I’m everywhere. She giggled. Simon laughed nervously, That’s scary. Don’t be scared, She said, I’m your friend!
What about your enemies, Simon swallows, Should they be scared? The girl is silent and seems to stare right through his reflective visor into his eyes. Simon is forced to look away. Simon, who are your enemies, She asks. I don’t know… bad guys… I guess, He responds lamely. He musters the courage to look her in the eye again. Simon, she says solemnly, You have no enemies.