“Holy shit,” Jules exclaimed, staring openly at the stone ruins that reminded her of Aztec ziggurats. One of the structures was much taller than anything else in the small city and, from here, they could see three smaller ones arranged around the large one. Long overgrown, nearly every surface was covered with moss, lichens or creeping vines, except where stones had broken loose and tumbled to the ground. A high, thick wall ringed the entire city and was just as overgrown.
“I thought… I thought no one lived here,” Ozzy stammered, running a gloved hand over his face. “I mean, there wasn't any sentient life here.”
“We did all the scans we could,” Jules answered, having conducted some of those herself. There was no evidence of civilisation, not anywhere on the planet. Not even in this location. “We picked up plenty of life but no cities and certainly no sign of any life form sentient enough to build that,” she indicating the ruins with her chin.
“Well, someone built it,” Shiny said, gaping like the others at the ancient spectacle.
Pulling his binoculars out of his pack, Tom switched them to the RR setting. Reflective radiance was pretty accurate when used on stone structures. Didn't work on metal worth a shit but stone and organic material were easy. Nothing would compare to an actual sweep of the land but, for now, this would do.
“No one's home but some bugs and those walking snake things.”
“Slytherins,” Shiny piped up.
“Better go with Slitherings,” Ozzy retorted. “To avoid copyright infringement.”
Jules ignored them, exchanging a look with Tom. He seemed to be thinking the same thing she was.
If no one was home, where had they gone?
XIV
Campsite
When Ren Richards opened her eyes, there was drab olive green above her head. She blinked as sound and other sensations returned to her awareness. When a breeze brushed over her face, she turned her head towards the thin sliver of light coming through the crack in the tent flap. Fresh air, hell yes, she thought, inhaling deeply. The crisp chill invigorated her, and she breathed deeply again before lifting her head to assess her surroundings.
A medical setup explained the fog over her senses. Only drugs could produce these kinds of holes in her awareness. Memories returned, flashing into place: the attack of the Audreys, the staccato rhythm of gunfire and, finally, the pain in her leg. Immediately, her eyes travelled down her body to examine herself. A blue Med Station blanket was tucked around her and she winced trying to tug it off.
“Steady there,” Maya's tired voice made Ren look around quickly to see her best friend rising from a camp chair.
“Maya? What happened?” Ren's voice cracked, and she tried to lick her lips to get some moisture.
“Things went ass over tea kettle,” Maya replied, snagging a water bottle and opening the spout. “Dr. ink this.”
Taking a sip of the water, Ren lifted a hand to grab the bottle from Maya. After a good thirty seconds, her friend put a hand on the bottle to stop her.
“How are you feeling? Any pain?”
Ren didn't answer as she took a quick inventory. No, her leg wasn't hurting. Not like she remembered it. She was tired, but the disorientated feeling was gone. She wiggled her toes and stretched her leg. Her thigh and calf felt like she'd done a good workout in the gym but that was it. “No. Just feels like I overdid it with my Thigh Master.”
“Good,” Maya gave her a tired, tight smile as she pulled the chair closer to Ren's cot. “I fixed you up and the squints synthesized some anti-venom to counteract whatever you were dosed with.”
Ren nodded and gestured to the tent. “Have we made camp?” From what she could see past the opening, it looked like a standard Shark setup for an overnight stay, with a bunch of scientists thrown in.
“Sort of,” Maya told her, pulling her tab out of a pocket. “The ship is currently not considered stable,” she said, pulling up photos of the damaged shuttle. “Here,” she said, handing over the slate.
Ren raised an eyebrow before taking the device. She stared at the first picture for a good two minutes, not believing that battered and ravaged ruin of metal was the slick hopper they'd boarded earlier today. She'd seen the shuttles hit by ground fire and even crashed but… damn. “What the hell happened to the ship!?”
Maya sighed and ran a hand over her hair, pulling out the elastic band to let her dark hair hang down. As she combed it back, neatening it up, she relayed the entire story of the sky crabs and the storm and how the ship ended up in its current demolished state. She finished with Dr. Hall's death.
When she was done, Ren was staring at her wide eyes. “You're shitting me?”
Laughing, absent of any mirth, Maya shook her head. “Crazy as fuck, yeah?”
That was one way to put it. She was about to comment on how she kind of wished she'd been awake for it when she finally noticed that her normally boisterous friend was quiet and sedate, her shoulders hunched slightly. Shit.
“Maya?” she put a hand on Maya's own. “Colin?”
Maya glanced up before her gaze dropped again. “It was too late.”
“I'm so sorry,” Ren squeezed her hand tightly.
“It's bloody stupid,” Maya shook her head, her free hand dashing away the tears leaking from her eyes. “I mean we didn't know each other that long, just since we'd come on board the Rutherford. But with everything going on, it was nice to be with someone, you know?” she whispered, having finally reached her breaking point.
Ren nodded in sympathy. She did know. With so many loved ones lost, so little hope left to go around, just being in someone's arms for an hour or even a day was something to be cherished. “I know Maya, I know.”
Maya wiped her eyes hastily. “We'd only spent a few nights together and stole an hour or two when we could, but it helped. It just feels so bloody unfair, not just for Colin but for Tonie and Dr. Hall. We made it here, we survived Earth being blown to bits. Six months of being stuffed into those ships. They should have had the same chance at a new start as the rest of us!”
Trying to hide her wince, Ren pushed herself up and patted the cot beside her. When Maya joined her on the mattress, she pulled her friend into a hug and held tightly. Maya didn't resist, didn't push away or try to put up a brave face like she was a tough as nails Shark. Instead, she just held on to her friend and cried her tears.
* * *
With Derick on a mission to retrieve the transponders and Tom away on a scouting mission, Luke was trying not to think about being separated from them. Especially now, with the nocturnal orchestra of insects and critters growing louder as the light faded from the sky.
The expedition members were listless, stricken with grief, and leaderless. Luke took it upon himself to step up because no one else did. He rallied the squints, assigning them duties and tasks like his father used to do.
Within minutes, they were all busy, checking data and equipment, calibrating meters. Whatever was reported damaged, he set the squint to repairing it if possible. Most of them came out of their fog under his direction, but he'd caught the occasional glimmer of tears here and there. He didn't blame them. Olivia meant so much to him too, and it hurt not being sure if he'd ever told her.
He was arms deep in the outer access panels to the communications array when he spotted his brother picking his way down the destroyed hill with Jag and French. Thank you, Jesus.
“Derick!” Luke called, waving his brother over, stifling the urge to run to him like he had when they were little.
“Hey,” Derick greeted tiredly as he surveyed the campsite a short distance from the shuttle. Emergency shelters were erected. A row of chem-lights formed a three-meter shoulder from the cliff's edge, to keep anyone from inadvertently wandering off it. Jazz had done a good job, he decided, and motioned Jag and French closer.
“You got them,” Luke stated, indicating the long, cylindrical devices tucked beneath the arms of each Shark. “Are they intact?”
“Mostly,” Derick
nodded, holding up the one he was carrying. “This one's busted though. Got yanked out of the ground and into a tree.”
Taking it, Luke leaned over to hold it under his working lights. Dents and split casing marked the device up and he frowned, looking at the two held up by the other Sharks. “Those two look fine,” he noted and tapped the 'broken' one with a knuckle.
“If I can't fix it, I may be able to salvage parts from it. The array is working but the signal modulator is damaged beyond repair. It won't be a strong signal, even if we do get the transponders to boost it.”
Derick nodded thoughtfully as he gestured for his guys to set the transponders down on Luke's work table. “You two report to Jazz and then take thirty,” he told them.
“We did get a fire going and some actual food cooking,” Luke gestured to the corner of the camp, where one of the squints was stoking the fire. “Nothing fancy but it's hot.”
“Anything that's not dried ration packs will be welcome,” Jag said tiredly before he and French left the two brothers alone.
Derick cuffed Luke's hair affectionately. “Are you responsible for some of this?” he asked, gesturing to the camp behind him.
Sheepishly, Luke shrugged. “I figured I'd keep them busy, keep their minds off Dr. Hall. Getting them to help your guys set up camp was what they needed. Besides, who knew Dr. Andropolis could make a pretty decent stew with our supplies?”
Derick clapped his younger brother's shoulder and squeezed, letting his pride show as he grinned. “It was a good idea Brainiac. Thanks.”
Like all the Rickman boys, Luke learned to be resilient and organised from their drill sergeant of a father. Still, he had to admit, hearing the pride in Derick's voice meant more than it ever had coming from his father. “Oh, Tom radioed back. They found something.”
“Something?” Derick's eyes widened. “Like what?”
“He didn't say but they shouldn't be too much longer. He said it would knock our socks off, in a good way.” Luke didn't know whether he liked the sound of that. They had enough surprises for one day already.
“If he wasn't dropping f-bombs or calling for back up, then probably,” Derick grinned and glanced over a shoulder. Turning back to Luke, he indicated the fire. “Have you eaten anything?” Honestly, Derick knew the answer was most likely 'no'. “Come on,” he said, grabbing Luke's arm.
As they returned to the campfire, Derick spotted Maya coming out a tent, where no doubt Ren was holding court. If she was conscious. Shit, he couldn't think on that. That's what he told himself even when he changed direction to intercept Maya.
“Hi Gunny, Luke.” Maya nodded to both men as they fell into step with her.
“How's Richards?” Derick wondered if anyone aside from Tom knew what a monumental effort he was making to appear concerned yet nonchalant and not go running into that damn tent.
“Awake and kicking,” Maya replied, holding up her chow kit. “I was going to bring her some soup.”
“I'll take it to her,” Derick offered, ignoring Luke's eyebrows jacking into his hairline. Instead, he focused on Maya, whose face bore the signs of her reaction to Edwards' death.
Maya paused, glancing at the tent before relenting. “Alright,” she said, handing Ren's kit over. “But don't let her eat too much. I don't want it coming back up.”
“I won't.”
Within a few minutes, Luke was followed by his brother to the medical tent where the big Shark paused a few feet from the door. Deciding not to be a smart ass, at least for today, Luke nudged his free arm. “So that's the girl huh?”
Derick threw his brother a frown. “Just wanted to check up on her, like anyone of my squad.”
“There's nothing wrong with liking her,” Luke continued, forgetting his earlier promise already. “I mean, the human race is just ten thousand people now. We're going to have to start pairing up. Survival of the species and all. Hanae was saying to create a viable gene pool, women might need to have babies from more than one…”
“For fuck sake!” Derick growled, shouldering his brother out of the way. “I'm just going to see how she is. Stop with the Noah's Ark crap. It's freaking me out!”
Luke grinned and saluted him with a wink. He felt a little closer to normal now he'd got under Derick's skin. “Don't stay up too late. I expect the car back in the garage by the time the newspaper hits the pavement,” he said, echoing their deceased father.
“Bite me,” Derick hissed at him, motioning Luke away from him like he was an annoying fly.
Grinning, Luke took his leave and headed back to the campfire.
* * *
Derick ducked inside the tent, stopping just inside as Ren turned towards him. Her hair was back in a loose ponytail but there was no way it was 'tamed'. He didn't think those crazy curls ever could be and God knew, he didn't want them to be. She looked tired, in need of a good sleep, but he'd take it. Anything other than unconscious in his arms, covered in blood.
“Supper in bed, Gunny?” she teased. “Not how I imagined it was going to be.”
Looking down at the chow kit in his hands, Derick fought a smirk before clearing his throat. “Yeah. Maya said you were awake and hungry,” he winced inwardly. Had he just stood there, staring at her like some idiot? He stepped forward, setting his load down on the small table next to the cot and claimed the empty chair. “Dr. Andropolis made it. I can't guarantee it's edible,” he smirked, getting comfortable.
Giving her a minute to dig in, Derick went to work on his own food. “Glad to see you're okay, Richards.”
“Yeah,” Ren agreed and leaned forward, running her hand across the blanket covering her leg. “Thank God for modern technology.”
Blowing on her stew, she let the silence sit between them, at least until it turned awkward. Gunny was uncharacteristically not talking. She hadn't imagined the begging and what might have been a kiss on her temple. At least, she thought it was a kiss. She remembered only a few seconds of lucidity before the Audrey toxin dragged her into blackness. The worry she'd seen wasn't imagined then and even now it lingered.
“Mayday says we're stuck out here all night?” she asked, trying to break the silence. They'd always danced around flirtation, taking digs at each other and teasing. Anything more, i.e. Derick begging her to 'stay with me, baby', was uncharted territory. There were strict regulations for fraternisation in the ranks. Had he not been in her chain of command, a relationship would be technically all right.
Yet, she suspected the old rules were being rewritten even if it was not soon enough for either of their liking.
“Looks that way,” Derick said, not mentioning Tom had news. Not yet. He glanced over his shoulder at the tent entrance, where he could see a sliver of the hopper. During the event, it had felt catastrophic. Looking at the craft now, it wasn't any better. “Luke's fixed the comms, but it took damage. Even with the transponders, it's going to be hard to get a signal through this atmosphere. When we get back, we'll probably have to recalibrate our communications equipment to compensate.”
Ren nodded as she sipped the surprisingly tasty stew. “Thanks for getting me out of there. When that Audrey speared me, I thought I was done.”
“Audrey?” Both eyebrows went up, making the connection immediately. “Like the musical?”
“Yeah, like the musical,” Ren grinned, eyebrows shooting upwards. “Didn't figure you for a theatre fan, Gunny.”
Derick laughed, and the tension bled out of the atmosphere, just like that. “Nah, mud wrestling chicks is more my speed. My mom loved musicals though. Dad hated them, so whenever he was shipped out, she'd drag Luke and I to them. High school productions, off Broadway, you name it.”
Ren smirked, unable to keep the image of the big, bad-ass Gunny as a little boy, forced into his Sunday best, complete with bow tie and slicked hair. She could sympathize. Her own mother had practically bought out Harrod's and Macy's trying to 'tame' her obviously tomboyish little girl. Elizabeth Richards had desperately hoped the ribbons, frills
, and Mary Janes polished to a high shine would bring out the female in her daughter. It did not.
Derick narrowed his eyes at her. “What's so funny?”
“Just trying to picture it.”
“Uh huh,” Derick rolled his eyes and shrugged a shoulder. “I couldn't let my best sniper get taken out by an Audrey,” he told her pointedly, glad his voice didn't break. “We've lost enough people today. I wasn't going to let y… another Shark die.”
There was more to it when it came to her, and Derick knew it. He remembered what he'd whispered to her on the way back. Right now, when they weren't safe, wasn't the time to act on it or even discuss it. Maybe later, when the regs changed — and he suspected they would — and the world was a bit safer, Derick might revisit his feelings about Ren Richards.
Who was he kidding? Of course, he would.
What was she expecting? Hadn't she just listed out why they couldn't move past whatever this was? Had she expected him to say more? Okay, the little princess locked away in the tower of her heart had. But the rest of her? The Ren that was sensible? She understood his reasons for maintaining the status quo and let it go with silent understanding.
A sharp barking interrupted her thoughts as the tent flap shuddered slightly. Looking around Derick, Ren spied the roly-poly creature trundling towards them.
“What the hell is that?” she asked, not sure if she should shoot it or name it. Behind the odd little thing, two smaller ones yipped in after her. Speaking of shooting, where was her rifle?
“Oh, that's right,” Derick grinned at Ren. “Someone… Shiny and Ozzy… fed a family of them, so now we're friends. This is the momma and her babies.” Digging out a ration bar, he opened it and offered up pieces to the family. The mother had just sniffed it when another, louder 'NAF!' echoed from a distance.
“NAF!!” The loud response made Derick wince, but he laughed as Momma hurried out, followed by her babies. He did note they had both managed to grab a bit of ration bar before hurrying after her. “Tom must be back. When the male disappeared, we figured he'd followed the Major's group.”
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