Fri May 13, 2005 8:35 am
Here is chapter 13. Sorry about the 6 month wait.
CHAPTER 13: Stranded
Trent crawled from the cockpit cursing his luck and his dislocated shoulder. He banged the injured shoulder against the hard plexiglass of the cockpit and yelped in pain as the joint popped back into place. It hurt like hell, but at least he could move it again.
He held his hand over his eyes and scanned the area. The Anubis had crashed into an area that was mostly sand, which had prevented the breakup of the cockpit and thereby sparing Trent's life. The rest of the ship was spread out in a debris trail that stretched for many meters into the distance. Smoke from burning fuel rose high into the air, and Trent realized he needed to get as far from the wreck as possible in case the wackos from the Covenant were searching for him. He climbed back into the cockpit and retrieved a survival pack which contained a first aid kit, rations, a blaster pistol and a location transmitter. Trent opened up the first aid kit, grabbed a painkiller hypo-syringe and injected himself. The throbbing pain in his arm eased, and he threw the syringe back in the pack. He grabbed the location transmitter and put it in his jacket pocket.
Trent turned and began to make his way toward some rocky hills when he remembered that he had picked up an escape pod before the crash. He looked over the wreckage without much hope. The hull of the Anubis had pretty much been torn to pieces on impact, and it would be a miracle if anything survived the impact.
He stopped. Off in the distance, something glittered in the dim sunlight.
Cockpit glass.
Trent ran over to the escape pod, amazed that it had survived at all. It was in pretty sorry shape, but was mostly intact. Trent tried to open the pod with his hands, but it was jammed shut. He found a piece of metal to use as a lever and began to pry open the pod. After several minutes of effort, the pod swung open.
Juni was alive, but unconscious. She was bleeding from a head wound, but it looked to be superficial. Trent opened his first aid kit and dressed the wound as best he could. He had no idea why he was doing this, as not more than fifteen minutes ago she had tried to kill him, but she had been a friend, and was someone he had once loved.
Other than the head wound, Juni didn't seem to have any other serious injuries, so Trent decided it was safe to move her. He slung the survival pack over his shoulder and picked up Juni. His injured shoulder ached in protest, but he carried her toward the hills in the distance.
--------------------
The cavern reached five meters into the hillside, and Trent figured that this was as good a place as any to hide out for a while. The hike had taken nearly an hour, and he was near exhaustion. He gently laid Juni down and collapsed on the other side of the cave. Next he took out a small lantern and turned it on, illuminating the cave with a soft glow. He then pulled out the blaster pistol, keeping it close by in case trouble showed up.
He leaned back against the cave wall, closed his eyes and let his thoughts wander. How could Juni, he wondered to himself, sink so low as to betray all those she knew? Then again, he wasn't exactly one who could pass judgment in that regard...
Trent woke with a start. How long had he been asleep? He checked his chronograph and cursed as he saw he had been out for nearly three hours. He looked around and saw that Juni was gone, and she had taken the blaster pistol and survival pack with her. Fortunately, she had not bothered to search him and as a result had not found the location transmitter. Trent knew that his best chance of survival now was that transmitter.
He fished in his jacket pocket and pulled out the device. He knew that if he activated it, the Covenant might reach him before the Order did, and considering what he had just done to several of their agents, the welcome he would receive if they found him first was not one he wanted.
He had no choice. He activated the device and looked up into the sky wondering who would reach him first.
Mmmm...Synth Paste...
CHAPTER 13: Stranded
Trent crawled from the cockpit cursing his luck and his dislocated shoulder. He banged the injured shoulder against the hard plexiglass of the cockpit and yelped in pain as the joint popped back into place. It hurt like hell, but at least he could move it again.
He held his hand over his eyes and scanned the area. The Anubis had crashed into an area that was mostly sand, which had prevented the breakup of the cockpit and thereby sparing Trent's life. The rest of the ship was spread out in a debris trail that stretched for many meters into the distance. Smoke from burning fuel rose high into the air, and Trent realized he needed to get as far from the wreck as possible in case the wackos from the Covenant were searching for him. He climbed back into the cockpit and retrieved a survival pack which contained a first aid kit, rations, a blaster pistol and a location transmitter. Trent opened up the first aid kit, grabbed a painkiller hypo-syringe and injected himself. The throbbing pain in his arm eased, and he threw the syringe back in the pack. He grabbed the location transmitter and put it in his jacket pocket.
Trent turned and began to make his way toward some rocky hills when he remembered that he had picked up an escape pod before the crash. He looked over the wreckage without much hope. The hull of the Anubis had pretty much been torn to pieces on impact, and it would be a miracle if anything survived the impact.
He stopped. Off in the distance, something glittered in the dim sunlight.
Cockpit glass.
Trent ran over to the escape pod, amazed that it had survived at all. It was in pretty sorry shape, but was mostly intact. Trent tried to open the pod with his hands, but it was jammed shut. He found a piece of metal to use as a lever and began to pry open the pod. After several minutes of effort, the pod swung open.
Juni was alive, but unconscious. She was bleeding from a head wound, but it looked to be superficial. Trent opened his first aid kit and dressed the wound as best he could. He had no idea why he was doing this, as not more than fifteen minutes ago she had tried to kill him, but she had been a friend, and was someone he had once loved.
Other than the head wound, Juni didn't seem to have any other serious injuries, so Trent decided it was safe to move her. He slung the survival pack over his shoulder and picked up Juni. His injured shoulder ached in protest, but he carried her toward the hills in the distance.
--------------------
The cavern reached five meters into the hillside, and Trent figured that this was as good a place as any to hide out for a while. The hike had taken nearly an hour, and he was near exhaustion. He gently laid Juni down and collapsed on the other side of the cave. Next he took out a small lantern and turned it on, illuminating the cave with a soft glow. He then pulled out the blaster pistol, keeping it close by in case trouble showed up.
He leaned back against the cave wall, closed his eyes and let his thoughts wander. How could Juni, he wondered to himself, sink so low as to betray all those she knew? Then again, he wasn't exactly one who could pass judgment in that regard...
Trent woke with a start. How long had he been asleep? He checked his chronograph and cursed as he saw he had been out for nearly three hours. He looked around and saw that Juni was gone, and she had taken the blaster pistol and survival pack with her. Fortunately, she had not bothered to search him and as a result had not found the location transmitter. Trent knew that his best chance of survival now was that transmitter.
He fished in his jacket pocket and pulled out the device. He knew that if he activated it, the Covenant might reach him before the Order did, and considering what he had just done to several of their agents, the welcome he would receive if they found him first was not one he wanted.
He had no choice. He activated the device and looked up into the sky wondering who would reach him first.
Mmmm...Synth Paste...
Again, WOW! Just unbelievable. Keep up the very good work, I know I have kept a lot of people waiting in the dark for a long time with my story but there is no more excuses for you.