Chapter 8
DAWN
My morning starts off as usual, even if I’m the only one staying on the ship.
Even though SAGE has sent multiple things to help with my allergies, nothing seems to help for the whole day, so I end up right back on the shuttle within a few hours because I can’t breathe and my eyes are watering so much, I look like I’m crying.
Grabbing my favorite drink out of the replicator, I start to head out to the shuttle when I remember Carla asked me to bring her a few things from storage, but for the life of me, I can’t remember the spice she wanted me to look for.
I hit my comm unit only for static to blare back at me.
“ANDI, I was trying to contact Carla, and I’m getting nothing but static. Is something wrong?”
“Forgive me, Mistress Dawn, but I am in emergency mode, and you will have to address your questions in person at my main console.”
“Oookkkayyy, now that is just weird,” I whisper to myself before heading out the door to do just that.
Taking the lift to the upper floor, my steps echo down the long hall, and I stop to look at the floor layout on the wall to make sure I’m headed the right way, as I’ve never been to this part of the ship.
Because ANDI is so interactive, I’ve never felt alone on the ship, even when I was.
But for some reason, this morning everything feels different.
When I come to the door marked ‘authorized personnel only,’ I hesitate, wondering if it will even open for me, but it slides open on its own when I approach.
Walking in slowly, I’m amazed at the crazy scene all around me. What seems like hundreds of lights and monitors are being shown on all the walls, but it’s the viewer in front of me that makes me walk forward.
“Ummm, ANDI, what the hell is that?”
“That Mistress Dawn is the piece of a dead planet that apparently the Nebula did not like the taste of, and unfortunately, it spat it out directly at our location. We got lucky that it did not hit the planet directly, but it is still causing great grief planetside. Because the reflection of Etherium heats Ethra, this mass is blocking that warming light, causing the planet to fall into a frozen tundra instantly. Thankfully, most were safely inside the pods, but I know not the status of the guards, BuK, Briar, KyT, or Vedece. The pods have a failsafe of ‘shelter in place’ protocols, which is triggered by imminent mass destruction and sets off their alarms. That order is something I cannot override with this mass blocking my signal, even though I have been trying nonstop. Lord of Light knows I would feel better if I could simply verify everyone’s whereabouts. ”
“How long is this thing going to be in the way?”
“Another eighty-three of your hours if it keeps moving at this velocity.”
“That’s more than three days and if it’s as cold as you say, no one outside will ever survive that.
We don’t even have any clothes down there available for zero temperatures.
There was no need since it’s been a nice seventy-five degrees from day one.
I thought you and that big shot SCOUT could foresee these types of things coming? ”
“Normally, that would be the case, but SCOUT is on a mission of his own, as a Veil was found by my love, Destiny. This veil has been hiding a whole other section of our universe from us. SCOUT is very protective of his humans, as he calls you all, and when his alarms went off showing an illegal download in an unmapped sector, he turned all his resources in that direction. I do believe if he had not been preoccupied, we would have known about the mass sooner. My sensors flagged an anomaly, but it was here before I could take further action. It is negative twenty on the surface right now, and they have already been exposed to the cold for hours.”
“Shit ANDI, why didn’t you wake me up? Okay, let me grab as many coats as CIP can make, and I will head down. Do we have any extra heaters? God, my brain just scrambled with all the things they’re going to want and need.”
“Calm yourself, Dawn. Until HaL responds, there is nothing either of us can do. Because my signal is so weak, the moment the shuttle entered Ethra’s atmosphere, you would crash because I cannot remotely fly it from here, and you are not trained.
That is an issue that I am going to bring up to the Commander the moment this crisis ends. ”
“So, what, we’re just going to do nothing??”
“No, I have been sending signals out for hours. HaL is the only one close enough and physically able to help in real time. He has not responded yet, but once again I believe no signals can get past the mass. Wait a moment, I have a thought if you are willing. I could use your help.”
“Anything.”
“I need you to board a shuttle.”
“You just told me that if I did, I would crash.”
“You are not going planetside. I am going to fly you under the obstruction so it does not block my outgoing signals. Once on board, I will give you more instructions. I need to calibrate a few things while you are heading that direction.”
I run down the hall, grabbing the first lift that’ll take me to the shuttle bay.
My heart is in my throat as I think about what my friends are going through right now.
Just as the lift opens, one of the shuttles lifts off the floor.
I head inside, but I’ve never been to the pilot’s area, so I’m not sure what to do.
“Dawn, head to the helm and I will get you out into open space.”
“Where is that?”
“Turn to your right, it is the last door on your left. Hopefully, from there, you will be able to send out a clear signal to let everyone know we need help.”
“Why haven’t you done that already?”
“The mass has its own gravitational pull and I was worried, due to my size, that if I left orbit above the settlement, I would not be able to return until after it passed. However, the shuttle is much smaller, so its mass will not have the same effect on it.”
“Okay, I’m here … show me what to do.”
“I am going to fly you out as far as my signal will hold, then because I am focusing on the mass and the planet below, you will have to send a message to all the coordinates I have already logged in. All you need to do is hit each one of them separately and my prerecorded communications will hopefully reach the others before it’s too late. ”
“Question? What happens if something pushes me out of your signal?”
“You will float until we can relocate you. But don’t panic.
Unless the shuttle loses all power, my onboard locators would activate and we could retrieve you in just a few hours.
However, they would only be accessible the moment the mass cleared this part of the universe.
So, be advised, in case of a power failure you would have to get inside one of the spacesuits to survive. ”
“Great! What a wonderful plan, as the universe and I have gotten along so well in the past! Let’s do this. Things are not getting any warmer on Ethra.”
I barely get my butt in the seat before I’m being launched out of the shuttle bay, heading away from Ethra instead of toward it.
Quicker than I realize, I find myself in open space, and when ANDI turns the shuttle, I’m able to look back at the massive rock twirling slowly right through the middle of all Etherium’s moons.
You’d think it would be like a pinball machine, bouncing from one thing to another.
Instead, it’s as if someone is driving it across the emptiness of space.
A large shadow is sweeping beneath it as it passes between the suns and Etherium itself.
“This is as far as I feel like I can safely hold you, Dawn. Go ahead and begin the transmissions.” I start hitting the buttons one at a time, waiting until each one says received.
I’m just about to tell ANDI they’re all done when suddenly a creature like I’ve never seen before pops up on the screen.
He’s not looking at the comm unit directly.
He … it … is looking around, and all I can see past his thick white fur is a white and frozen wasteland as his arm swings around.
“ANDI, I am heading to the dock as we speak. I can be there in a few tics if the solar storms hold off in my area.”
Before I think about it, I speak up. “I beg you, please hurry, … many lives depend on your assistance!”
The creature who answered lifts his arm, tuning his white-furred face toward his comm unit.
His eyes flash bright yellow as he looks me over like he’s never seen anything like me before.
And I’ve never seen anything quite like him either.
I don’t know if he’s a yeti or a sasquatch …
maybe the abominable snowman, but one thing’s for sure …
He sure as shit ain’t human. But the way he’s looking at me? It’s so intense!
“Little female, I will see you soon.” And the screen goes blank.
His deep voice gives me chills, and before I realize it, the shuttle is moving back to the main ship. “ANDI, please tell me you’re driving this hunk of metal. And who exactly was that?”
“Dawn, our plan worked, thank the Lord of Light, as that was HaL who answered. Since all signals were sent, I am maneuvering you back. Once on board, I need you to help the cargo bots stock the individual crates for each pod so that HaL can deliver them on the hover sleds he is bringing with him.”
For some reason, picturing that hairy beast pulling a sleigh delivering gifts gets me tickled.
My next thought is that all he needs now is a red outfit, because with that belly and that beard, he would make a great furry Santa.
Before I know it, the shuttle is slowly sliding back into the docking bay, and to say I’m relieved is an understatement.
Walking down the ramp, my mind is full of questions I don’t know how to answer.
“ANDI, I have no idea what to pack. Everyone will probably need something different or maybe all the same.”
“All we can do is provide the essentials, Dawn: an extra heat source, food, blankets, and toiletries. I started replicating heavy, self-heating coats for each residence when my sensors detected the temperatures dropping, and those will be ready shortly. I have tagged them, so you know which box to put them in.”
“How will HaL know what pod to go to? If everything is shut down, how will he even be able to give them this stuff?”
“I am working on an override key as we speak. This key will open the lower cargo hold side doors, allowing him entrance into all structures, including the guard stations.”
“Where are you assembling the crates?”
“I have already started construction of the crates in the next shuttle bay, so that this process should be completed by the time HaL arrives.”
“I will head that way.”
I’m literally leaning down on top of one of the crates with all my weight, trying to get it to close, when a huge white hand appears in front of me, casually pushing it down until the snaps lock in place.
It takes everything I have not to scream when I look up and up at the massive furry creature that has silently snuck up on me.
There’s nothing remotely human about the animalistic face that stares back at me from such an extreme height.
I should probably be freaking out more, but I know ANDI would never allow anyone to board that would hurt any of us.
I figure I look as odd to him as he does to me. “Hi!” my voice squeaks.
“Greetings female and thank you for your assistance in the preparation of all these crates. I am sure your people will be relieved to receive them.”
“My name is Dawn.”
“I am known as HaL, ruler of Hallister, son of Commander DaR and grandson of Elder Tyberius.”
“Yeah, I’m just plain old Dawn Elenore Higgins from Earth.”
“There is nothing plain about you, Dawn Elenore Higgins. Your coloring is vibrant in a world of little color. It has been a pleasure to be in your presence.”
“Umm, thank you.” Ok, that’s kinda odd, but sweet, I think to myself as I continue to stare up at him.
ANDI’s voice makes me jump. “HaL, the conveyor is already loading your shuttle, and the key is ready for you as well.”
HaL doesn’t say anything else. He just stares down at me as if he’s trying to figure out what I am. When he reaches a large hand toward me, I have to force myself to stand still as he softly runs the tip of his finger down my cheek before abruptly turning away and walking off.
Three substantial steps later, he’s left the room entirely.
Reaching up in a daze, I rub my cheek, thinking how peculiar his interaction with me was.
Then I run out of the shuttle bay only to see the red lights come on in Bay 1, forcing me to step back into the safety zone.
My mind wanders the entire time if I’ll ever see him again.