Below

Chapter One
It might almost have been Earth. The globe below them was awash with ocean--80% to be precise--but the glow from the red sun that sliced through its atmosphere gave the waters below the eerie look of blood....
An ocean of blood.
Victoria glanced sharply at Captain Huggins. Seated before her at the console, his back was to her as he divided his attention between the viewing screen and the readout from the vessel's probes.
After a moment, she realized he wasn't telepathic. It was only a coincidence that he'd voiced her own thoughts. An involuntary shiver skated along her spine as she returned her attention to the viewing screen.
Creepy, eh, Tory?
It took an effort to keep her upper lip from curling in distaste, but Victoria Anderson was a firm believer in self discipline. She kept her expression impassive. She didn't turn to the speaker. There was no sense in encouraging the man. Not that he could be discouraged. Chilled, she lied succinctly. However much she would've liked to dispute it, even to herself, she found the prospect below them unnerving.
Right. Takes a bit to get the blood pumping after such a long hyber-sleep. I could warm you up a bit, if you'd like.
This time Victoria didn't bother to hide her distaste. Do you mind?
Eh? Jim Roach's look was hopeful.
She gave him a plastic smile. I'd like to hear the report. She moved away from him, closer to the console, where the captain was pulling up a report from the computer. What's it look like?
He frowned, but didn't turn. A bit more than tolerable, I'd say.
Victoria's lips flattened. She could see enough of the report to tell that barely tolerable might be an understatement. They said the conditions were acceptable.
Captain Huggins threw her a quick glance before returning his attention to the report. It's livable, if not hospitable. The construction crew seemed to deal with the conditions without any problems. Anyway, you knew the information the company had was sketchy.
A flash of anger, quickly quelled, went through Victoria. He was right. She'd accepted the assignment, knowing how the company was ... knowing they hadn't seen much beyond the find of the century. The crew's survival was important to them, but only in terms of whether or not they survived long enough to mine the precious mineral that resided a scant 50 feet below that deceptively threatening surface.
It was deceptive, she told herself. Granted, this tiny system was at the very edge of the outer rim, light years from the beaten path. But several probes had been diverted to the planet to gather as much information as possible before the first landers were dispatched.
You pick up on the beacon yet? '˜Hugs' Huggins asked his communications officer, Leigh Grant.
Nothing ... Too much interference. Wait.
You got something?
Yeah. Faint. There's ... Yes. Definitely. Looks like about 60 degrees starboard. Maybe 50 clicks. Good job, Hugs! You sat us down practically on top of it.
'˜Hugs' looked anything but huggable, Victoria thought wryly. He was built in the general shape of a water bug....a pear shaped torso, arms and legs like skeletal remains.