Asha and family sat there in the darkness of night embracing them. Echoes of thoughts together in mind and heart Asha felt warmth creeping through her body that she never felt before. Turning she gazed upon Talas, never looking at his form beyond basic wellness inspections. She had peered into his mind and heart, that was the Talas she had looked at. That is how she saw him; but now she intensely bathed him with her emitter eyes wanting to know every feature of his face. She felt an ease that he could not see her, just feel her presence and mind as well as the heart he had helped grow deep in her essence.
A tearless, whisper of a sob escapes Asha’s mouth now covered with a mandible.
What was that, Asha? Did you say something? Talas reached out both with mind and his hands to comfort Asha. She felt his mind gently touch her as his hand grasped a now-chitin covered arm. Just adjusting Talas. She then added quickly not thinking an untruth, the temperature is cool on the chitin.
“Mm” Talas grunted. Wondering at the thoughts he felt from Asha. They were tinged with sorrow but joy. Talas didn’t pursue the thoughts as not to pry into her mind. She will share when ready. Asha, I can’t see. If you can lead me back to the crash of my ship and maybe where my armor is along the way I can get stuff to see in darkness and help you hunt. Talas would feel better with a plasma pistol also.
He “felt” a beep and a red film tinged his eyes briefly as a warning. My suit is coming back up. The goo filled back up.
Goo? What is goo Talas Asha over hearing Talas’s thoughts asked.
It is the repair nanites for my survival suit, they were relished while we were in the water. The minerals in the water were used by the suit to manufacture them. Part of the design for long term use. It helps me stay alive here. My armor would help even more during the day.
No, Talas. Armor no good. My armor no good. Star’s anger is not stopped with armor. Nothing stops the wrath of the Star. Asha thought to Talas with a sad resignation to the finality of the Dark Star’s fatal rule of the day.
My armor can take rads from a 20 Mtn yield nuke. The blast, well that is another story. Haha. Talas laughed out loud with his thoughts. Hiding a memory of a ship he had been walking on the surface of go nova under his feet. The memory consumed him like a sudden sea squall.
Above his head laser beams flashed, rockets and missiles detonated. Sometimes on target sometimes missing. His boot firm on the destroyer ‘Emperor’s Hammer’ surface. He had been deployed to repel boarding parties. Scanning the “sky” Talas watched for boarding shuttles or free-space troopers. They specialized in space combat, planetary insertions, and ship boarding. He was one so he knew and that was why he was out here with his 20mm plasma cannon and 10mm plasma auto-pistol. Looking at his HUD to verify load out and resource levels, Talas sighed. At that moment he felt a vibration and his comms exploded with abandoned ship klaxons. Not knowing what was happening, they were too far in the rear and no enemy boarders showed on his HUD.
Talas kicked with his feet as he released the magnetic field. Just millimeters off the hull plate the ship disappeared into a ball of imploding light which pushed out in such sudden force Talas became just another piece of debris flying out from the explosion. All in silence, the radio was silent, space was silent, just the forces of the explosion brought any awareness that something catastrophic had occurred. Spinning but in tandem with the outward vectors of all the shrapnel Talas actually had little chance of colliding with his own ship but with another one.
“Fire correction jets, stop spinning. Bring me to view direction of travel.” Talas stated calmly as he recovered from shock and string of unintelligible words. The suit fired attitude adjustment jets bringing Talas out of his spin in position to see his direction of travel.
Nothing was in front, just clear space Talas thought to some minor relief. He still was heading out away from the fleet and nothing was on his suit comms. They were fried or no one was looking for survivors. If I slow down the ship debris will catch me. Ok, Talas, training. Rember survival training. Going through all resources he was ok for a few hours.
“Begin location beacon. Turn to face on coming debris. Identify and highlight closest objects with projected vectors.” Talas started running through the procedures to maximize deep space survival.
“Corporal Talas, this is search and rescue. What is your status?” His suit came to life with clear and crisp reception.
“Search and rescue, this is Cpl. Talas. Alive and well. Moving fast with debris trailing.” Relief now starts to seep into his body and mind.
“Understood. You will need to do complete fuel burn and accelerate so we can do a drive by and grab you.”
“Ah ok. What do I need to do?” Talas said a little hesitantly.
“Sit back and enjoy the ride, we already have control of your suit, you should notice increase in velocity and rapid depletion of your fuel. We are on intercept course now. You will get picked up and dragged behind us with our magnetic capture field. As we can we will pull you into the hanger bay. Search and Rescue 12 out.” Nothing more, just silence with no expected reply from Talas.
He tried to do as told but his thoughts spun, he watched the fuel gage reach zero but no sight of the S and E ship. Suddenly as those thoughts finished Talas felt a gentle tug on him growing and pulling him away and askew to the fly debris.
“Ok, get ready to get pulled in. This will jar your teeth.” The gruff male voice informed him.
“Ugh” Almost biting his tongue Talas managed to clinch his jaws for the next part of the rescue.
Rolling the ship came into view with the landing bay wide open to swallow him whole he hoped. I was helpless, no control.
The bright lights of the bay blinded Talas as he tried to focus and prepare for the stop. Which happened just as he was preparing to be caught in the rescue net he knew would be waiting for him.
Just as quickly as he hit the net several pairs of hands were on him, setting him right and pulling him to the air lock as the bay area closed and began a slow process of pressurizing the large bay area.
He pulled his helmet off once in pressurized atmosphere. He felt sick.
“How are you corporal? We need to get you to medical for a complete evaluation.” One of the attending medics stated as she was peering into his eyes for signs of trauma.
“Look, I really need the head. Like now.” He began to brush past everyone then turned, “Where is it?” he finished meekly.
The same female medic who was asking questions grabbed him, helped him out of the vac-suit and lead him down a hall to the lavatory. “Here” She shoved him in.
Talas shut the door with no reply. Turned and threw up into the toilet until he was dry heaving. He thought he had thrown his toenails up. After about ten minutes he came out of the lavatory a little fresher and more in control.
“Yea, me too the first time.” That was all she said to Talas as she turned him over to the nurse on duty. Talas just remembered learning he was the only survivor, going on leave.
He spent many nights in arms of women he paid to lie to him. Tell him they loved him and would miss him if he died.
Talas’s thoughts came full circle to the here and now. He thought of Asha, she would miss him if he died. She would cry for him. She loved him. He didn’t have to pay her.
(continued)
-d²
