-zzzt-Suit
containment compromised-zzzt-
-zzzt-Suit power at
ten percent-zzzt-
**static**
-zzzt-Suit
containment compromised-zzzt-
-zzzt-Suit power at
ten percent-zzzt-
**static**
Kesoka
groaned and coughed. She opened her eyes slowly. Her suit’s view-screen was a
mess of cobweb-cracks and the HUD display flickered in and out. Her suit’s AI kept repeating the same lines
over and over, occasionally interrupted by static.
She
could just barely make out the stone floor she was lying on through her cracked
view-screen. She tried to get her hands under her to push herself into a
sitting position but intense pain lanced up her left arm. Oh, right. That’s the arm you landed on. She thought to herself. It’s probably broken, or at least
dislocated.
She
managed to slowly roll herself onto her back. She groaned in pain as she did
and another coughing fit shook her. The planet’s atmosphere was deadly to
humans. Her suit’s containment had been breached and she was now breathing the
acidic atmosphere in. Hopefully it’s only a small breach.
-zzzt-“Kesoka,-” -zzzt-“-there?” her suit’s com
crackled as a voice sounded around her. -zzzt-“Kesoka,
come-” -zzzt-
“Jet?” she croaked
-zzzt-“Kesoka, where-” -zzzt-“you?”
Jet’s voice sounded worried.
“”You’re breaking up, Jet.” She
coughed as she finished. She needed to get back to the shuttle.
-zzzt-“What?” -zzzzzt-“-can’t-”
-zzzt-
“Jet?” she coughed again, “Jet,
can you hear me?”
All she heard was static and the
suit’s AI.
-zzzt-Suit
containment compromised-zzzt-
-zzzt-Suit power at five
percent-zzzt-
**static**
She needed to go. She managed to roll herself onto her knees,
and stayed that way for a moment, coughing and cradling her arm. It hung limply
across her lap. She glanced around her and saw a tunnel that led away into
darkness. Might as well go that way.
She mused.
As she struggled to her feet,
she noticed her pistol lying in the dirt. She managed to pick it up without
falling over and gripped it tightly in her hand. Who knows what I’ll run into.
A blast sounded and suddenly
one of the men in front of them pitched over. Jet and Aleryus used the
distraction to take care of the other two. The skirmish was over in seconds
they both glanced in the direction of the shot that had saved their lives. They
looked in time just to see a suited figure pitch forward into the sand.
“Kesoka!” Jet yelled and dashed
toward her. Aleryus followed close behind. They could see her suit’s damage
before they even reached her. Her helmet was dented and its view-screen was
shattered. Pieces of the screen lay in the sand. There was a long gash in the
suit’s plaiting exposing it to the atmosphere and the left shoulder section was
very obviously popped out of place.
“Roll her onto her back.”
Aleryus told Jet. The ridged plate along her spine showed no dents so he felt
safe in his request. “We need to get her helmet off.”
His friend rolled her over and
gently removed her helmet. Her eyes were closed and her skin was pale and
clammy. Aleryus felt her neck for a pulse and was rewarded with a weak
throb. Next he pushed his hair to the side
and put an ear to her face. There was no noise.
“She’s not breathing.” He said
to Jet without looking up. “She’s been breathing the atmosphere for too long.”
In response, Jet ripped off the
breathing mask he had been wearing. This planet’s atmosphere was uncomfortable
for his species, but it wasn’t deadly. He
set the mask’s canister to oxygen and placed it over Kesoka’s head.
A few seconds later they were
rewarded with a weak cough, followed by a weaker gasp, and more coughing. They
waited as her breathing stabilized to weak, but consistent, gasps. Her eyelids
fluttered, but didn’t open.
“Let’s get her to the shuttle.”
Aleryus said and he helped Jet gently pick her up and place her on the floor in
the shuttle. Minutes later they docked in the ship’s hanger.
>>>>>
Captain Dazok stared absentmindedly
at the figure floating in a bright green liquid. A mask covered her face, and tubes and wires
were attached to various parts of her body. A readout on the tank’s glass
showed a steady heartbeat and brainwaves. He was so engrossed in watching the
readouts and his inner thoughts that he didn’t hear Dr. Chidren come to stand
beside him. He inhaled sharply and shook his head as the medic addressed him.
“Chidren.” he said, acknowledging
the medic’s presence. “How is she?”
The medic’s bluish-purple skin
became a greyish blue. “Not very good.” was the raspy response. “Her left
shoulder was dislocated and the collarbone was cracked. She also suffered a
deep gash to the side which caused her suit’s containment to be compromised. Because of that, she’s suffered severe damage
to her lungs.”
“Can the solution heal her lungs?”
the captain asked.
The medic shook her head. “If she
was able to breathe it, probably; but as you know the solution only works for
humans on what it can touch. We injected some into the muscle around her
shoulder, but we do not have a way to make the solution breathable and still
effective. Her lungs will have to heal on their own. If they do, it’s highly
likely that they will never return to normal parameters.”
Dazok was silent. He and Kesoka
were the only two humans in a crew of thirty people. He had been the only human
for over a decade and her addition to the crew a few years ago had filled a
void he hadn’t known existed. Their age difference meant he saw her as daughter
rather than anything else, but he still didn’t relish the thought of her being
gone.
Six Months Later…..
Kesoka inhaled and immediately
knew something was wrong. Her breath hitched and pain flared in her chest. She
dropped to her knees, hands pushing into the stone floor. She had been
breathing hard the entire match, but this was different. She coughed and tried
to inhale again, which only made the pain worse and her to cough more. She felt
a presence beside her and a hand on her back. So much for keeping this a secret.
She coughed again and this time
she spat blood onto the stone. Her lungs felt like they were on fire. She barely
registered her name being called as she gasped for air and more coughing
wracked her body. Dark spots swam before her eyes and she felt her body being
lifted as someone carried her away.
>>>>>
“What happened?” Captain Dazok
asked Aleryus as he walked into the room. Kesoka was curled on her side on a
cot, a mask over her face, eyes closed. Her breathing was ragged breaths
accompanied by coughs.
“She’s been lying about her
lungs.” Aleryus answered him. “She‘s been insisting her lungs were fine, so we
let her be talked into a short sparring match. She was doing rather well when she
collapsed and started coughing. Some of those coughs brought up blood.”
Dazok sighed and mumbled “I
never should have let her come.” as he rubbed a hand over his face. “What did
Dr. Chidren say?”
“We can’t reach him.” was the
quite reply.
“Excuse me.” a nervous voice
behind them said.
Dazok and Aleryus turned to see
a small figure behind them. It was one of the locals. The people here closely resembled
small humans; the tallest among them barely reached five feet. The only visible
sign that separated them was their jewel toned hair and skin markings.
The figure continued, “I was
told the young girl was sick. I am a healer. I thought I may be able to help.”
“Please.” Dazok said and the
moved aside to let the healer move closer to Kesoka. As the small figure looked
her over, he explained what had happened to Kesoka.
“These symptoms sound similar to
stiotine gas poisoning. It usually happens to miners.”
“Is there a cure?” Aleryus
asked.
The healer nodded his head. “There
is. I can’t say how effective it will be on an outsider, but if you’re willing
to let me, I’d like to try it.”
Dazok and Aleryus looked at each
other.
“We don’t have much of a choice,
Captain.” Aleryus said quietly. “She’s dying already.”
“I know.” Dazok replied. He
thought quietly for a moment, listening to Kesoka’s ragged breathing. Finally, he
addressed the healer, “We would be grateful for anything you believe would
help.”
“I will do my best.” The local
said. “I will return in a moment.” Then he bowed and left the room.
A few minutes later, the healer returned with a stone jar in his
hand. “I need her to be lying on her back. This ointment goes on her upper
chest. If this works, the vapors should open her lungs as well as begin to heal
them.”
Dazok moved to Kesoka’s side and gently rolled her onto her back. She
groaned softly as he did, which made her cough more. He sat on the cot and held her arms to prevent
her from rolling back onto her side.
The healer took the breathing mask off of Kesoka and set it on a
table beside the cot unzipped the top of her shirt just enough to pull it open,
exposing her collarbone. He then opened the stone pot and rubbed a blueish
ointment on her chest. When he was done he closed the pot and placed it beside
the mask. He rubbed the excess ointment on a cloth looped to his belt.
“How long will until we know if it works?” Aleryus asked from behind
Dazok.
“We should know in a few seconds. Her breathing should become less
ragged and her coughing should be less severe.” The healer replied.
They listened in silence, waiting for the change. Moments later, Kesoka
breathed deeply, but the cough that followed was significantly weaker. The next
breath was shallow, but calm. Dazok hung his head in relief, and let out the
breath he had subconsciously been holding.
She was going to be alright.
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