Rescue, Part 4

Posted on Tue 27th Dec, 2022 @ 4:18am by Renato Solis
Edited on on Fri 30th Dec, 2022 @ 2:46am

1,133 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: A Fresh Perspective
Location: Kwhopa
Timeline: MD 6, 1450

Previously ...

Lowering the volume again, Aldous surmised the UT must change it for effect. Clearly, Amatoska agreed with the other Delphine, two optimists alike, so he replied, =^=We work together, remove what you can, we blast what we can, you protect us from falling debris Mr. Stern Stuff, name of the game is we hurry. Assume Pasteur is in orbit trying to get to us eh? Straight up is fastest.=^=

Amatoska agreed, =^=Then we shall ascend!=^=

And now ...

Amatoska shot upward, out of sight, others following. Sensors tracked the motion and the sudden strike at the top. A phaser beam was fired, Amatoska had a tool belt from what those on Tigres could see. The two of them were making a new tunnel and keeping the debris from falling directly. Suddenly, turbulent waters and whining sensors showed changing densities. The cavern roof fell to pieces and the Starfleet officer swore. Aldous just knew he could hear Amatoska laughing.

=^=Quit showing off, Ama!=^= Kree-O laughed. "You're scaring the small ones!=^=

Ii-a confirmed the path was clear when she lead, =^=Follow, we have to hurry before this resettles!=^=

The Delphine knew where the large pieces were, and called out for strikes from Tigris. Reynolds was happy to oblige, and pieces dissolved in their path as they went. There must have been a hard point, as they got awfully close to the summit of another underwater cavern in their ascent. They actively witnessed the red squid-like crewman using two tentacles to fire two beams, and the hard point on his head to pry rocks loose. Amatoska was moving multi ton boulders. It looked like these Lovecraftian creatures were attacking the rocks ... and winning.

=^=GYAHHH, AVAST YOUR MAD ASCENT, BE READY FOR THIS ONE, IT IS . MIIIGHTYY!=^=

A huge piece was removed at once, four times the size of Tigris. Collision alarms sounded and Ii-a called out in fear for their being crushed. Aldous fired both phasers full bore, impacting the chunk of ore and warming it only slightly.

The impact never came. Kree-O had a mounted beam emitter over his dorsal and used a tractor emitter to nudge the piece to one side of the cavern. With great effort, he had it faced backwards to his orientation to resist the pull of the tractor beam.

=/\= Tigris you are clear to rise. Ii-a the waters are getting bad let’s pull you out, tanks ready on board,=^= Amatoska ordered. =^= You've done a great job, but now it's time for you to get to safety.=^=

Ii-a hated the small water tanks but followed the reasoning. =^=Amatoska needs assistance as well.=^=

Aldous realized the light was sufficient to get a good look at their saviors. Amatoska was a ringer for Earth squid, but the torpedo shaped main body was much more elaborate, with compound eyes and olfactory receptors near the protected lower thorax portions.

The very large eye was closed, a gash evident. Other cuts and evidence of bleeding announced Amatoska was indeed wounded. A prominent burn at the near end of one appendage/tentacle made the Lieutenant sick to recognize how ignorance could effect others. Amatoska had several wounds, and showed elevated bio-signs, these waters were too cold, it was painful for the valiant officer to even be here even with an exosuit harness.

Kree-o finished the motion with the large boulder and replied, =^=All of us can go, if there is nobody else in need. Let us hurry. =^=

Reynolds had to ask, the same question he had since Marux woke him several hours ago. "Is there nothing we can do to stop this? We can’t let the whole world die."

Amatoska also spoke, =^=I dropped the reactor into the containment pit and directed the vaults to flood into the cavern. Nearly all of it has been destroyed. Toxicity will not exceed this world's threshold for tolerance.

Kree-O added, =^=But local systems will be affected still. That means us, let's go!

=^= Pasteur is standing by to transport. Order is: Ii-a, Kree-O, Amatoska last. Tigris occupants as soon as aquatics are out. TRANSPORT on Pasteur's signal!=^=

Amatoska briefly clasped onto Tigris, content for the little ship to do some work. Ii-a pushed from behind to get them started and followed along side. Once they reached signal depth, Pasteur began beaming the survivors up directly, no need to relay. The lieutenant was beyond gratitude, and applauded Amatoska with a smirk.

"Yes, to answer your question from earlier in full… I am grateful. You really came through today. I’ll make a commendation happen out of this. For all of you, we owe you our lives, that is the closest I’ve been to certain death. Thank you."

=^= All in a good day's work, little Starfish. We are grateful you survive. You worked well with us. =^=

Amatoska had taken on a calmer affect, blood loss and exhaustion working together. =^=There is an Aquamarine deck in association with Cetacean Ops. I would enjoy seeing you.=^=

Nodding, Reynolds acknowledged the invitation, "Definitely, I’ll bring a game to play."

=^=IS IT CHECKERS?=^=

Aldous was taken aback, "Why do you ask, because I can bring Checkers."

Amatoska turned its eye to Aldous, the gash had nicked his eyelid but not the eye itself. =^=I DESPISE CHECKERS, THE PATTERN IS OFFENSIVE!=^=

Kree-O checked on each of the crew, finding injuries, but nothing life-threatening. =^=He just hates losing,=^= the big creature laughed.

As the reverb finished inside the shuttle, Aldous saw his new friend had vanished into light. He was alone on the ship, after so many, and so much had happened. It took only a moment to leave the water and fly into orbit, but the image of the sheer force of will that Amatoska had demonstrated made its mark on the lieutenant. Of all the species he had ever met, none had existed in such a different environment. How many other wondrous peoples existed, but were so different there was no attempted communication and learning?

Waiting for a chance to dock his ship, his thoughts raced on all he had just experienced. “Computer, give me a list of the species serving on Pasteur currently. Do not include humanoids, just any crew that are dissimilar to me, umm, a humanoid.”

Aldous would fix this today. He had just learned to look outside his species in a whole new way. He felt shame for the lesson coming so late, but what had only been spoken of and never practiced in reality could be fixed by facing reality. He was not a human centrist, or Xenophobe to only befriend species like his own. Sapience came in many forms, he had to remember that. His new friend Amatoska would help.

=^=Eighteen entries selected, representing forty three crew..=^=

“Let’s see them, then.”

-End-

Austen

Susan

 

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