by Nate Johnson
“Nora? It’s your watch,” a distant voice whispered. She cringed then pushed away the desire to turn over and bury herself in his warmth. She turned away and immediately felt the cold start to seep in. Crawling out of their shelter, she stood and approached the whisper.
Britney handed her a spear and pointed up the canyon, “Jonathon is about a hundred feet that way, you go about a hundred feet the other way, there’s a big boulder you can sit next too.” Nora nodded her head and stifled a yawn, as she trudged through the sand to the designated spot.
The night was darker than the inside of a bad dream. Clouds blocked the starlight, hanging low and thick like a wet blanket. Stopping a shudder, she sat down in the sand with her back to the rock and gripped the spear so tight her white knuckles shined in the night.
“What are you doing here?” she mumbled to herself as her eyes scanned up and down the narrow passage. Not for the first time she questioned everything she had ever done and ever thought. Life had been great, and you needed to see the universe, to explore the possibilities. Anything had to be better than a boring life at home with her family. Boy, how wrong could a girl be? Her heart ached for that nice, boring, safe life. Instead, she sat there in the dark acting like Yark bait.
Her mind drifted off to the previous day's march. Her muscles started to hurt just thinking about doing it all again tomorrow.
A noise up canyon made her head whip around. She stared into the night, trying to pierce the darkness. It had been a clicking sound. Like someone tapping sticks together. Everyone had been asleep under the over hand, they had to be. No one would be up the canyon, not at this time of night. Her heart race and she began to sweat despite the cold night air. Should she investigate? What if it was a trap to pull her away from the camp?
Standing up, she pointed the spear and continued to listen. The canyon walls reverberated with silence. Nothing. It had to have been her imagination, she thought. Then she heard it again. Definitely, three sharp clicks followed by silence for a moment then two more. Closer this time.
Whatever it was, it was moving her way. Her stomach picked that exact moment to betray her and emit a rather loud rumble, immediately notifying whatever was out there to her exact position.
Swallowing, she hissed at Jonathan and then nodded towards the dark. Should she wake the others? What if it was nothing. They needed their sleep, and she needed to avoid the embarrassment of looking like a scared little girl. But what if it was the Yarks, or something worse? She hated being indecisive, but she really didn’t know what to do. Jonathan wasn’t helping, he would look over then back out at his sector. Was he hearing things too?
The clicks sounded again making her insides tremble. She was responsible for everyone’s safety. Was this how Erik felt all the time? Instead of cursing the dark she rushed back to the camp. Grabbing a burning stick from the fire she stood behind the barricade, peering into the darkness. The burning branch in her hand faintly lit the canyon, throwing the walls into yellow shadows. A faint movement at the edge of the darkness caught her eye. A short back and forth motion as if it was testing the light like a dear at a water hole.
As the branch died down the light shrunk and the darkness began to take over. As the dark shadows crept forward, the movement matched pace.
Nora’s insides froze, and her hands began to sweat around the burning branch. The hand holding the spear had started to sweat long ago. Was that movement? Was it dangerous? Should she wake them? Erik would know. Her stomach turned over and she had to fight down a push to scream. Instead, her eyes narrowed as she focused on the movement. Dark brown pinchers swung through the edge of light and then back into the darkness. Huge pinchers, monster lobster sized pinchers. She sucked in a ton of air, ready to let lose the scream of a terrified angle. The pinchers shot forward, followed by the biggest Centipede in the history of the universe.
The long, flat, monster was well over nine feet if it was an inch. The brown segmented body undulated back and forth as hundreds of tiny legs propelled it across the sand. Towards her, straight towards her.
The scream finally ripped from her throat and reverberated from the canyon walls. The creature seemed to shudder as her squall washed over it. Its front section rose off the ground like a cobra’s. A flash from a childhood story about a snake in the garden passed through her mind, distracting her. Then she heard the pinchers snapping at her as it continued to move forward. Propelled by the remaining little eighty feet.
Nora didn’t think, didn’t wonder if her scream would bring Erik. She did what any self-respecting adventurous would do. She gripped her spear and thrust with all her might. Directly at the deadly, circular maw, chomping at her.
The creature swerved and swayed away then lunged towards her. Nora yelped and jumped back as the circular mouth full of teeth lunged for her hand. Both of them pulled back, assessing the situation. Nora’s heart raced, she could smell the dust and the rank campsite, every rustle in the wind and every click and scrape the monster made.
Her mouth was dry and felt like the inside of an old shoe. Seeing her opening, she thrust again and caught the creature square in the mouth, the spear passing through the teeth and into the head beyond.
The monster squealed and pulled the spear from her hands as it whipped its head from side to side.
Nora jumped back again, into a solid wall behind her. Spinning, she heaved a sigh, finding Erik standing there with another spear in one hand and a burning brand in the other. How long had he been there? Obviously, her scream had brought him, but how long ago was that, seconds? It felt like minutes, maybe hours.
The creature yelled a high whistling sound as it thrashed back and forth still trying to dislodge her spear. Nora couldn’t take her eyes off the creature. She felt Erik put a hand on her shoulder, and a wave of safety and security traveled through her. He was here. But then she thought. I didn’t need him. I did this without him.
She smiled to herself as her hands began to shake with the realization of how close she had come. She had done this herself, but God it felt good to know he was standing there if she needed him.
He looked down and smiled, gave her a small nod then handed her his spear. “Go get ‘em Simba,” he said, indicating she should finish the bug off.
Nora’s smile grew a mile wide as she shoved the spear into the beast’s heart.
Chapter Fourteen
Erik looked out over the flat, dry, brown plain. They had caught up with the herds at last. The Kairns only migrated a few miles each day. Stopping to eat along the way, moving south at a leisurely pace.
A second type of animal had joined them, coming in from the east, these were smaller, faster. Much like an antelope or small deer, but without horns. They obviously relied upon their speed and maneuverability for their safety.
Somebody had named them Jacks because when they jumped through the tall grass, they looked like jumping jacks released from a box.
We’ve got about as much chance of getting one of these Jacks as we’ve got of catching a star, he thought.
Glancing around as the group moved up to join him, he had to smile to himself. They were dragging, tired, and worn out. But, they weren’t complaining. They kept their heads up and kept trudging onward. God, he was proud of them. Three weeks on the trail and they hadn’t quit.
He noticed Brenda looking at Jonathan, and smiled to himself. The boy had grown two inches and put on thirty pounds of muscle. Young Mr. Scientist had become of interest to the ladies. It was amazing how living in the wilds for three months could change some people.
“What are you thinking about?” Nora asked, as she stopped next to him.
He smiled down at her. “I think we’ll camp here for a couple of days. They could use the rest. The river’s close, there is enough wood.”
She didn’t smile back at him. Instead, she studied his eyes as if trying to understand the real Erik Tanner. At last, she nodded her head and dropped her travois.
“Nora,” he said, as sh
e began to walk away. “Do you want to take a team out tomorrow for the hunt?”
Her eyes lit up. “Really?” she asked.
“Yes.”
A wide smile broke across her face as she jumped to give him a quick hug and kiss on the cheek.
Erik sent up a silent prayer to Captain Freeborn, ‘Sir, you are asking a lot.’
Nora sprang to tell her friends the news. Everyone relaxed and began making camp.
Yes, Erik thought as he watched her. This was becoming the hardest thing he had ever done. Keeping his hands off Miss Johnson was a cross almost too hard to bear.
Sighing, he began unpacking, as he tried to take his mind off the beautiful brunette.
Later that night, he stepped away from the camp and looked up at the stars. He did this most nights. Watching, wondering. Would they come? When? How many more will die before rescue arrives?
Shaking his head, he turned to go back to camp when a twig snapping caught his attention. He froze and waited, slowly removing the spacer’s tool from his belt.
Nora stepped out of the shadows. Her eyes darting to the knife in his hand.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” she said.
He put the knife away and watched as she approached.
“What are you doing out here?” she asked.
“Just thinking,” he answered, looking back up at the stars. He had to not look at her. Anywhere, but her. Especially, here in the dark.
“You’re not going to change your mind about me leading the hunt tomorrow?”
“No,” he said with a laugh. “It’s yours, you’ve earned it.”
She relaxed and stood next to him, looking up into the night sky to try and see what he saw.
“How much longer until they get here?” she asked, obviously talking about their rescue.
“The truth? Three to six months. They are probably only getting started in the search. It will take a while. But, they will come. Lord Lexington, the Defense Minister, is not going to lose twelve students on his watch. He’ll have the Imperial Navy out in force looking for you guys.”
Her face took on a strange look at his words, but she remained quiet. Continuing to look up at the stars. “I hope you are right,” she said, “for their sake,” she added, nodding over her shoulder back towards the camp.
“I know I am right,” he said, “don’t worry.”
A sick feeling traveled through his soul. They needed to hang on until they were rescued. Nothing must be allowed to harm this woman next to him.
“What then?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“After we are rescued. What then? What does Petty Officer Erik Tanner do with his life?”
Erik laughed. “I hadn’t really thought about it. I’ve got to stay focused on tomorrow and next week. But, I guess there will be a big investigation. If I’m lucky they’ll assign me to another ship.”
She studied him for a long moment, then gently shook her head and walked back to camp.
His eyes followed her as she left him. What did she want from him? he wondered. What else was there, but the Navy? It was his home. The one place he felt like he belonged. His guts tightened up. And, the Imperial Navy was not going to be happy about what happened. A lost starship. Beating the crap out of Combs. Civilians dying on his watch.
Nope, if he was lucky, they wouldn’t throw him jail for a dozen years.
.o0o.
The air was hot and humid. That wet blanket kind of humid that made it hard to breath. Erik held a hand to his brow and glanced up at the sun. It was past noon. They should have been back by now. His stomach clenched up.
He knew he’d be like this until they got back. Hell, really, it was until she got back. Why had he ever agreed to this ridiculousness?
Nora had left just after first light with Dean, James, Jo, and Gene. A proven team. They would lookout for each other. But, it wasn’t the same, he thought to himself. He should be with them.
Scanning the horizon, he searched. His mind wandering to the thousands of things that could go wrong.
Finally, there, in the far distance, four small dots appeared. His heart jumped. Four, not five. And, they were walking too close together.
What was wrong? Calling to the camp, he began to run towards the hunters.
As he drew closer, his heart began to race, someone was hurt, he could see them carrying a stretcher between them. One person on each corner.
He strained to see more as he ran. Yes, that was Nora on the front left, using both hands to carry the stretcher. His insides lost some of their tight tension. Dean was on the right, Jo and Gene in the back.
He began to jog, his soul twisting with worry.
At last, he reached them. Nora looked as if she was about to fall apart into a million little pieces. Her brow was creased, and her eyes had that shocked look that Erik was way too familiar with.
“It’s James,” she cried out, as they stopped and gently lowered the stretcher.
“What happened?” he asked, as he slid to a stop next to them. James was ashen faced, almost gray. His torso was covered in blood. Too much blood for any one man to lose.
“A stampede,” Dean said, as he bent over to catch his breath.
Erik dropped down next to James and began to examine the boy. He was covered in blue and yellow bruises. His face scrunched up in pain.
“It was those damn Yarks,” Jo said, as a tear slowly fell down her cheek. “We’d cut out a section of the heard and were working them towards Nora. No problem. Dean on the far side, James at the rear.
“Suddenly, the Yarks rose up out of the grass and spooked them, the Kairns.”
“It was almost like they’d planned it,” Dean said with a curse.
Jo continued, “The Kairns turned around on the spot and sprinted back the way they had come. James didn’t have a chance. They ran over him like he wasn’t even there.”
Erik processed what they were saying as he gently pulled back the bloody shirt. The boy’s guts had spilled out. His heart fell. The Nanos weren’t going to be able to fix this. It was a miracle that James had lasted this long.
“Let’s get him to camp,” he said, as he took the front of the stretcher. Dean and Gene grabbed the back. Jo put an arm around Nora and started to lead her back to camp.
The look of guilt and shock on Nora’s face haunted him. He desperately wanted to take her in his arms and make her feel safe and secure, but his responsibility was to get the boy back to camp where he could at least die amongst friends.
When they got back to camp, Brenda immediately began seeing to James. After but a minute, she paused and looked up at Erik, shaking her head.
Someone cried, someone else cursed.
Damn, this was not right, Erik thought. So unfair. Things had been going well. He looked down at the young man and shook his head. It wasn’t fair.
Brenda held a water bag to his lips while Jo gently wiped his brow with a damp cloth.
Everyone stood there, looking at their friend. Erik knew what they were thinking. It could have been them. This was James, if it could happen to him, it could happen to any of them.
Suddenly, Jonathan stomped away from the group surrounding James and grabbed two spears.
“Where are you going?” Erik asked as he stepped in front of the young boy.
“Get out of my way,” Jonathan said, as he tried to push past Erik. “Those Yarks have been trailing us for days. They did this, they as good as killed him.”
Erik gently rested a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “I agree,” he said, “but not now. Now we wait for him to go, then we bury him. There will be time for revenge.”
Jonathan looked into Erik’s eyes. “You promise?” he asked.
“I promise, somewhere, somehow, we will get them.”
Jonathan’s shoulders slumped, and he turned to look at his friend on the ground.
Erik bit back a comment, he left the boy to his misery. Instead, he searched for Nora.
>
She stood to the side, her face was pale, and her hands shook. She glanced up at him, and his heart broke. She was in so much pain.
“It’s not your fault,” he said, as he wrapped her in his arms. It was as if she had been holding herself together until she could be there in his arms. Sobbing, she buried her head in his chest and cried. He simply stood there, rubbing her back, and repeating over and over. “It’s not your fault. There was nothing you could have done.”
They must have stood there for almost a half an hour when Combs came up to them.
“I’ll start digging a grave,” he said solemnly.
Erik glanced over at the body on the ground. The boy was gone.
He nodded his head to Combs and continued to hold Nora. She was what was important now. He couldn’t let her slip too far away. He couldn’t let her fall into a world of guilt and doubt. This was his responsibility. His error.
They were in for a worry of hurt, he thought. Jonathan was right, the Yarks had been trailing them. Erik put it up to simple curiosity. He had never thought they could plan something like this.
If the monsters were getting organized, his little group of civilians was going to be in a lot of trouble.
Chapter Fifteen
Nora sighed, as she rose from placing the last stone into the trail marker. Every time they broke camp, she had left a long stone arrow pointing the way they had gone. Erik had assigned her the responsibility early in their trek. She could only pray that the rescuers would see them.
How much longer? she wondered. Could they last until the rescuers got there? The fact that her people were looking was not in doubt. The question was, would they be in time?
She looked back towards the camp as the group made ready for departure. Six weeks on the trail was taking a toll. The group was becoming listless, tired, almost giving up hope. Brenda was coughing all the time. Dean had broken his ankle last week and had to be hauled on a sled. More effort, more calories lost.
