Lost In Space: Cataclysm
05 Nov 2023Silvia Sharpe
My consciousness wavers in and out as Venus pushes the battle-damaged scorpion to its limits, the ground beneath us crumbling and sporadically catching fire. My suit steams and smokes under the intense heat, alarms flashing on my helmet's visor, indicating vital signs and suit integrity. Unbearable searing pain shoots through me from the hole in my waist left by the beast's attack. Meanwhile, June diligently monitors the sensors while decoding the jump scrambler. Suddenly, an alarm blares as a tremor ripples through the crash site."Warning! Seismic activity detected. Heat levels rising."
"Hey, Venus, I don't mean to be a bother, but you really need to get back to the ship now. Sensors indicate some form of increased Seismic activity in the area and the seismometer is detecting tremors. I don't have a whole lot of possible answers, but none of them are indicative of anything positive."
'I am trying June. The scorpion is heavily damaged, and this terrain is unforgiving. Silvia is in critical condition with a puncture wound straight through her waist. Please get the thrusters back online. I do not care if you must bypass other systems to provide enough power to them. Hell, we do not even need full thruster power, just need enough to get the ship out of this volcanic zone.'
"Already working on it. Still no updates on the jump scrambler Silvia managed to find. Please hurry, as another tremor has been detected. Also heat levels are becoming hazardous even for the scorpion."
'Yep. Got it. Thanks June.'
The communication channels fall silent once more, and Venus pushes the scorpion even harder. She drives, relying on IR lighting and her suit's night vision, completely unaware of a large, jagged rock obstructing the path of the right front wheel. In an instant, there is a deafening crunch and banging sound as the rock collides with the support arm. Venus and I are thrust forward violently, our momentum abruptly halted. Thankfully, the seat harnesses prove their effectiveness, preventing us from being ejected from the SRV.
"Warning! Hull integrity critical."
The SRVs COVAS issues out the warning to which Venus snaps back at.
'Ya! No Shit you fucking half-wit!'
A nearby lava spout erupts, sending molten rock soaring into the air. Steam and gaseous vapors spew from vents, while little bits of molten rock rain down close by. With urgency in her eyes, Venus points us back towards the location of Memento Mori and accelerates swiftly. Time seems to stretch out as we approach the ship; my vision fades to black as the pain and searing heat overwhelm my senses.
Inside the SRV bay, Venus screeches to a stop. She leaps out of the scorpion and rushes over to the capture crane, swiftly activating the mechanism. The claw from the crane descends, grabbing the SRV and rotating it into position on its locking pad. Mechanical clangs and bangs fill the air as the clamps secure the scorpion in place.
'Silvia stay put. I will be right back to take care of you.'
Venus rushes towards the ship's cockpit, her determined strides undeterred by the shaking ground beneath. Another tremor rocks the ship as she takes her place in the pilot’s seat. On the console, June's holographic projection materializes, assisting Venus in the critical moments ahead. The familiar sound of the Phantom's main thruster assembly spooling up resonates through the ship, amplified by the numerous hull and canopy breaches.
With a series of sputters and groans, the vertical thrusters come to life. Thick black dust, ash, and soot fill the air as the thrusters disturb the ground, forcing the heavily damaged Krait Phantom to reluctantly abandon its crash site. Struggling against its own weight and the extent of its damages, Memento Mori manages to lift itself only a few meters off the ground. The ship lurches and shifts as the thrusters strain to compensate for the compromised ones, highlighting the significant effort it takes to stay afloat.
A deafening alarm blares as the seismic activity reaches its peak level. Panic sets in, and Venus applies forward thrust just as the crash site begins to fracture, revealing a blinding, white-hot glow emanating from molten stone below. Memento Mori jerks forward, struggling to gain any momentum, while the ground near the wreckage of the scarab suddenly flashes with a searing, red-orange light as the earth splits open, and molten rock and metal spew forth from a previously concealed fissure volcano.
The ground ahead of Memento Mori cracks open once more as a second fissure emerges, ejecting molten magma into the air. Venus attempts a quick maneuver to evade the eruption, but her correction falls short. The ship's right wing is caught by the wall of lava, the alloy searing and melting under the intense heat, further compounding the damage to the already battered vessel.
'June, do we have boost capability?'
"We do, but I would not suggest you try it. There is a high probability of failure. I suggest you just push more power.... Venus no!"
Refusing to succumb to the fate of becoming a pile of molten wreckage, Venus swiftly engages Memento Mori's boosters. The thrusters emit a deafening boom as fuel is forcefully injected into the fusion chamber, intensifying thrust output. Plumes of smoke trail behind the ship as it rockets away from the treacherous lava field and the ominous active volcano.
A disconcerting cacophony of strained sounds resonates from the main thrusters as they labor to propel the ship forward at a speed beyond their reliable capacity. Alarms and alerts blare throughout the ship as the thrusters, already damaged, suffer further stress from the heightened output.
"That was stupid and wholly uncalled for. What the hell were you thinking? You are just like Jules, you know that? Amazing pilot but always taking unnecessary risks. There are a few times I remember her intentionally disregarding my advice and input just to prove a point. What you just did was exactly like her."
'I am nothing like Jules! She was a thief and a traitor! She is also dead because she was too stubborn to just leave that prick Diaz and go far away. She nearly got Silvia killed....'
"Shut up! Jules was my best friend! She did want to leave Diaz. She tried soo many times! You know nothing about how hard she tried to get away. She took Silvia away from him tried to save her because you were not there to help. Jules sacrificed everything only for Silvia to abandon her. She consoled Silvia when we all thought YOU were dead. Where were you when Silvia tried to end everything? That is right you were too busy chasing a grudge to even think to look up your ships locations to see where she went. You want to be like this fine figure out how to save all of us on your own."
June's holo self disappears from the console as she removes her presence from the cockpit to focus on figuring out what the jump scramblers true purpose was and who installed it. She was also very much wanting to get away from Venus after her insulting comment about Jules.
****
The deafening roar of the struggling vertical thrusters pierces the silence within the SRV bay. I open my eyes and peer through the gaping hole in the hull, seeing the surreal sight of red-orange magma spewing into the air from distant fissure volcanoes. The ship's landing gear descends, and Venus expertly guides the Phantom down, aided by the weary landing thrusters of Memento Mori, strained, and sputtering due to extensive damage. Upon touching down, the ground beneath us gives way, revealing a vast underground cavern. Venus eases the ship further down, unveiling a breathtaking biological marvel.
My eyes widen in awe as I realize that the cavern before me is the same one, I had glimpsed earlier. Vibrant bioluminescent plants blanket the ground, casting an otherworldly, ethereal glow. Water flows freely, creating cascades down the cavern walls, radiating a mesmerizing vibrant blue hue. Enormous oyster mushrooms cling to the walls, and graceful bird-like creatures dart about, adding to the surreal and magical atmosphere of the underground world.
With a groan, Memento Mori settles onto the ground, its weary metal structure creaking under the burden of its weight. Venus consults the ship's systems panel, her eyes narrowing in concern as she navigates the inventory and finds the synthesis tab, specifically the line for limpets.
'Well, this is problematic. No Iron or Nickel onboard means no repair limpets. And without the scarab, finding resources is going to be incredibly challenging. Damn it. I do not want to be stranded here for months, especially with Silvia injured. I can't expect her to help in her state.' Venus mutters, frustration etched on her face.
She powers down the screen and rises from her seat, striding purposefully to the SRV bay. With gentle care, she pulls me out, and I instinctively wrap an arm around her neck, burying my face into her chest, while she navigates us out of the SRV bay with utmost care. We move slowly, avoiding any jolts that might worsen my pain.
Gently, Venus places me on the medical table and starts a medical scan. To my astonishment, the results reveal that the winged creature's attack has not caused any considerable damage to my vital organs. The sterile, bright lights of the medical bay cast an intense atmosphere as I lay on the crisp, cold table, my heart racing with a blend of fear and anticipation. By my side stands Venus, her unwavering hands and reassuring smile supplying a glimmer of hope in the face of the excruciating stab wound. The room is filled with the soft hum of medical equipment, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Venus administers anesthesia and begins the meticulous process of tending to the stab wound. An hour later, the room is scattered with bloody gauze, strewn across the floor and the surgical table. A protective bandage encircles my waist, guarding the wound against contamination. With utmost care, Venus lifts me from the table and carries me to the captain’s quarters, where I am left to rest, allowing the anesthesia to gradually wear off.
Meanwhile, Melli, our loyal companion, perches on the main console, her ice-blue eyes reflecting the cavern's mesmerizing beauty. Venus joins her, gently caressing Melli's ears. They share a moment of silent understanding, acknowledging the challenges ahead.
'We might be stranded here longer than anticipated, Melli,' Venus murmurs, her eyes fixed on the breathtaking scenery outside. 'I'll need you to watch my back while we're out there. Silvia will be recovering for a while.'