Wally Stanislaw, part 2

Yesterday, OMCOM gave MINIMCOM the coordinates of Wally Stanislaw's research site. Wally was one of the potential candidates for the Darwin group but neither Rei nor Rome thought it was something he would get involved in. However, since they were there, they decided to chat with him anyway:

     Rome led the way followed by Bonnie with Rei bringing up the rear. They came to a campsite, or at least the Vuduri version of a campsite with several tents that resembled teepees and a much larger “building” covered by a white material. They approached the white building, entering by the door flap and standing there were two men conversing over a large flat table. To the far left were three others, a mix of Vuduri and Essessoni, working with hammers and chisels and brushes and something that looked like a pen-light.
     The two nearer men looked up. One of them was Deucadon.
     “Rei!” the young man exclaimed.
     “Steben!” Rei called out. He trotted over and the two of them hugged although Rei pulled back before Steben could apply substantial pressure. “I haven’t seen you in like forever,” he said.
     “Yes, it has been a long time,” replied the young man, just a bit shorter than Rei. His peach-fuzz beard was just coming in.
     “Bierak,” said the other, taller man.
     “Hey, Wally,” Rei said.
     “What brings you and your lovely wife here?” the scientist asked.
     Rei waved to Bonnie and Rome who came over to join them.
     “Steben,” Rei said. “This is my wife, Rome and this is Bonnie Mullen.”
     “Hello,” Steben said cheerfully. “I’ve heard a lot about ya,” he directed at Rome.
     “Likewise,” Rome said. “And as I said, I’ve already met Wally.”
     Wally nodded. “Hello, Rome,” he said. “How have you been?”
     “I’ve been better,” Rome answered. “We’ve had some things happen that were not so good.”
     Bonnie interjected. “Wally, I think you and I met once before. Rome told us you’ve been working through her library?”
     “Oh, yes,” the scientist replied. “Rome’s library computer has been amazingly helpful in our work here.”
     He held up a pencil-sized tube, reminiscent of a laser pointer from an age long gone. “Rome, next time you speak to OMCOM, tell him thanks for these miniature PPT throwers. They’ve been incredibly handy in carving things out of the rocks without disturbing them. Way better than anything we have.”
     “I will do that,” Rome said.

Now that they have his attention, it is time to ask Wally a few pointed questions. But the conversation takes a serious left turn.