Au197

by Aline Riva

  As the ship hit the atmosphere and began to cut through, the craft rattled, the rattle turned into a bone shaking shudder and as the crew hung on to their seats and screams and cries were heard behind them as overhead, sparks flew from compromised wiring, the pilot and co pilot of the Pharaoh 2 struggled with dying onboard systems and the ship dipped and land rushed towards them as above the ceiling shook and screams of the crew were lost on the sound of rushing wind as the ship began to come apart.

  “Keep her locked on course!” Mack yelled as he freed the manual landing gear and tugged back on the lever, then slammed a control pad that was blinking out.

  “I'm trying!” Jinx yelled back as sparks flew from the controls and he gritted his teeth and took the pain of the heat as it rose through the smoking panel, then flames erupted and he drew back as Mack let go of the failing manual gears.

  “I tried...I'm sorry!”

  Those were the last words Mack shouted above the tearing metal and the screams of the crew as he looked to Rik and saw terror in his eyes. As sparse tree tops grazed the underside of the vessel and desert dry lands rushed closer, Mack raised his hand and his best friend grasped it. Then the ship hit ground, slamming into sand and sliding in a pale yellow cloud that billowed out behind it as the wreck of the Pharaoh 2 finally came to rest on the surface of the planet known as Ilemia S54Q.

  Chapter 4

  As the dust settled as the warm breeze blew the layer of sand off the wrecked ship, sounds of breathing and struggling with belts and then the soft voices of shaken crew members could be heard.

  “Did we all make it?” Mack called, not moving as he tried to recover from the slam to ground that had shaken his bones.

  “We're all alive!” he heard Jody call back, then he heard a safety belt release, “No injuries...we're all fine...I think...Are we?”

  As the others started to try and free themselves from the safety belts that had kept them strapped in for the landing from hell, some murmured vague agreement as others were too shaken to speak.

  “We made it!” Jinx laughed as relief shone in his eyes, “We made it, Mack!”

  “But where to?” Mack wondered as he freed his belt, then sat there looking through the cracked screen at the view of the rocky, dusty terrain.

  “Start of a forest about half a mile back the other way, I saw it on descent,” Jinx replied, “I reckon that's where we should have landed...target zone was locked on but given the point in time the systems failed -”

  “I saw no people. You'd think a ship this size falling from the skies would have drawn some attention?”

  Jinx caught a look of suspicion in his best friend's eyes and he dismissed it.

  “It's a wide surface area. The settlement could be miles off in the forest! Or even past the mountains beyond it....Maybe they settled by water.”

  “The settlement was located close to where we are now,” Mack replied, “But I see nothing...no sign of life...”

  Just then the partly flashing control panel lit up, and with a crackle and a hiss the damaged comm system sparked to life.

  “Pharaoh 2 – Come in?”

  Mack laughed with sweet relief to know the link to earth had survived.

  “Oh Control, hello! Hello to you on this fine warm morning at our crash site! We are okay no casualties, waiting rescue! Locator switched on...”

  He flipped a switch, and as a green light began to blink, Jinx, who had just freed himself from his belt, slid down the seat as he laughed out of sheer relief.

  “We have your signal locked on, Pharaoh 2,” came the reply, “Due to unsafe conditions on the flight route, expect rescue to be delayed by seven days...You have adequate supplies?”

  “More than enough supplies and a partially functioning ship,” Mack replied, ”And we will be seeking the colonists to make your rescue mission uncomplicated. We'll bring them back here and await rescue.”

  “And the condition of Captain Mackenzie?”

  Mack laughed again.

  “A broken scanner decided to exaggerate. This is Mackenzie. I am absolutely fine, Control. Hurry up with that rescue ship, we look forward to it!”

  “Stay safe, Pharaoh 2.”

  “Will do, Control. Over and out.”

  Then as the light continued to blink on the control panel, Mack got up from his seat. Jinx was already up, now he was helping Tina with a trapped belt, freeing her from the seat where she struggled and had started to panic.

  “Thanks,” she said, looking shaken as he helped her to stand.

  Mack looked around at the crew: Apart from Jinx, every one of these people were temporary crew, who had grabbed the work either for the experience or the easy money to jump on a trip to aid colonists. Going by the looks on their faces as they glanced about the wrecked flight deck, none had ever experienced a crash landing before...

  “Okay it was a rough ride,” Mack began, “But I've had two crash landings before...two in thirty years of space flight and one was due to ground control error and the other due to a minor fault with landing gears and both times no one was killed and no ships got wrecked... I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but maybe we can all see this as something of an adventure... The mid section of the ship is intact, so please go back to your rooms, change out of your flight suits and wear something comfortable because the temperatures out here are very warm – think the middle of summer on earth. In your lockers you will find rucksacks packed with emergency supplies please remember to bring them with you but we will not be going far – just towards the forest to locate the colonists, then we will all be coming back to the ship together, where we can shelter until rescue arrives in seven day's time. Most of the ship is intact and there's more than enough room and supplies for all of us. This is going to be no more than an extended camping trip, okay?”

  Jules nodded, Zeke laughed, Tina had stopped looking tearful and Jody gave him a smile that warmed his heart. Then his gaze shifted to Cora. The young student was visibly shaken as she looked to him with wide eyes.

  ”We're all going to stick together?” she asked, desperately seeking reassurance.

  Mack smiled kindly.

  “Yes, Cora. And we're all perfectly safe. Now go off and get changed and please...sensible shoes?”

  She nodded and then left the flight deck, following the others.

  Mack turned to his best friend.

  “At least we're all alive and earth knows where we are. Seven days out here shouldn't be too bad, we can take some time to get to know the colonists, find out why they sent the distress signal.”

  ”We'll have to find them first,” Jinx replied, looking to the view beyond the cracked screen as through the ripped open roof of the flight deck, the breeze blew ghostly, and no sound of life beyond the ship could be heard, not even carried on the air from afar.

  “Let's get ready,” Mack said,”We should leave as soon as possible - find the colonists and bring them back here.”

  “Yeah, we should keep everyone together,”Jinx agreed, and then the two men left the flight deck together, as the light on the tracker continued to flash, sending the signal back to earth, locking on to the stricken vessel's co ordinates.

  “Really, Cora? Ballet pumps?”

  As the group assembled on the ground in the shade of the open hatch of the Pharaoh 2, it had been Zeke who made the remark, saving Mack the trouble.

  Cora stood there in a flimsy, short summer dress, it was pale yellow and would have looked flattering on her...if this had been a holiday. She looked down at her flat, comfortable shoes and glared at Mack.

  “I had trainers in my luggage but you wouldn't let me bring the extra case on board...anyway, it's okay...I have another pair of pumps in my rucksack.”

  Mack said nothing because words failed him, then he looked to Jules, who wore hiking boots and a light coloured suit minus tie and jacket, then to Zeke, who was in a short sleeve shirt and khaki shorts and hiking boots. Tina was wearing a light summer shirt with tight back cycle shorts and
tough looking trainers and Jody was in a white vest with camouflage trousers and boots, and instead of a rucksack, she had chosen a medical kit in case of emergency. Jinx had opted to cover up from the heat, wearing a t shirt with a white shirt partially buttoned over the top of it, his black jeans and a pair of trainers that looked tough enough to handle a hike over the mixed terrain. Mack had chosen to wear a t shirt and just his underwear beneath his flight uniform, deciding someone needed to wear the uniform of the rescue mission, and it may as well be the captain... He had kept on his heavy boots and the belt he wore about his waist held a knife and a small laser weapon set to the lowest level, purely in case of trouble, although he had no reason to expect it, he was still in charge and was mindful of the fact that the crew were unarmed, because this had been a peaceful mission from the outset.

  He had an active communication device set into the watch he wore on his left wrist, it linked to the ship and as long as power held out, would serve as a link should the rescue party arrive early - or anyone else who happened to stumble across the ship...

  It was still too quiet. He cast his cool blue glaze about the landscape, where sand met with the start of the rocky terrain where sprigs of green thrived, leading the way to trees and lush green fields where beyond, a forest beckoned. He glanced towards the nearby hillside that was a steep climb up to a rocky flat summit that overlooked the desert in the distance, far from the wreck of the Pharaoh 2.

  “I think the first thing we should do is take a look from the top of the hill,” he said, indicating upwards, “We'll have a good view of the desert for miles...if anyone is out there, we'll spot them.”

  “Good idea,” Jinx replied, and then he walked along side him as they led the way up the rocky hillside, taking a slow and leisurely climb towards the top.

  “I can't help thinking about that horrible story, Zeke,” said Cora as the breeze blew and she pushed her fair hair off her face and looked at him, “Why did you tell me that sick tale, I keep thinking about the Amaryllis 4.”

  “I know that name from somewhere,” Jody added, glancing back and then continuing the climb, “I heard of it years ago...just can't place it.”

  “And I told you it was just an urban myth!”Zeke protested.

  Mack stopped for a moment and looked back down the hillside, fixing an icy gaze on Zeke.

  “You made that up? Why the fuck would anyone make up a sick story like that?”

  Zeke shrugged.

  “It's an urban legend, Mack. Sorry, I thought you would have known that! There was never a ship called the Amaryllis 4 and the planet Shyra-K1 doesn't exist!”

  A hush fell over the group as they watched as Mack glared at Zeke, who looked back at him apologetically.

  “It's just an urban legend!” he said again, “It was a bit of fun...”

  Cora looked at him in disgust.

  “Fun? That story scared me!”

  Jody glared at him.

  “It did scare her, Zeke, I saw the look in her eyes! I should hang you by your balls from the nearest tree for doing that!”

  “It's just a stupid story!” Zeke said again, “Why is everyone getting so worked up about this?”

  Mack calmed the situation at once.

  “ Zeke, don't do that again on my watch. No more camp fire horror tales with no basis in truth, I won't have my crew scared out of their wits over some bullshit urban legend. Now, let's get to the top and see if we can spot any signs of life heading out to the dry lands.”

  Then Mack and Jinx made it to the top first as the others followed.

  “I'm sorry!” Zeke was saying, “It was just a story, I never set out to scare anyone.”

  But as they stood at top of the hill and looked out over the desert, as the sun shine down brightly making the silver in Mack's hair look gold as he stared in horror at the sight before him, Jinx gave a gasp.

  “What the -”

  “I see it too,” replied Mack grimly, and as the others joined them and looked out in horror at the wreck of an old, part buried space vessel bearing the name Amaryllis 4 in weathered lettering, Cora brought her hands up to her face to stifle a shriek and then began to weep.

  Mack turned his head, looked to Zeke, whose face had paled in utter shock.

  “You were wrong about that story being a myth,” he said, “There's the wreck of the Amaryllis 4. We've just found Shyra-K1, Mr Raine.”

  Zeke looked on in horror, saying nothing as he stared at the wreckage in the distance, blinked and then blinked again as he hoped it was nothing more than some kind of horrible mirage, but the vessel remained there, part buried in sand, with its weathered writing plainly visible.

  “Oh no...no...I want to go home!” wailed Cora.

  Mack turned back as Jinx continued to stare at the wreck in disbelief.

  “Stay calm,” Mack said as he made his way through the shocked group and met with Cora, then as he looked down at the frightened girl, once again he felt a huge wave of protectiveness wash over him as he looked into her frightened eyes.

  “Cora,” he said gently, “Clearly the story had some roots based in truth. But even if the savage alien tribe had been real, they are long gone. It was a century ago. You're quite safe.”

  “Do you promise?” she asked, looking up to him as fear reflected in her eyes.

  Mack put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a brief hug.

  “We are going down the hillside now and then we are off towards the forest... Soon we will meet the colonists, then we are all going back to the Pharaoh together to await rescue. There will be a big group of us, Cora. Please believe me, nothing bad will happen, okay?”

  She blinked away tears and nodded.

  “Okay, Mack. I believe you.”

  “Good, I'm glad to hear it,” he replied, then he shot a glance to Jody, “Look after her, please?”

  “Sure,” Jody replied, and she took Cora's hand and spoke to her reassuringly as they made their way back down the hillside, heading for the edge of the desert, where sprigs of green rapidly led to the place where trees grew tall and sparse greenery became thicker, leading to a forest in the distance.

  As the group made their way across dry, cracked earth where little greenery grew, up ahead the arid state of the ground began to fade out as more and more greenery covered it. Mack looked across the plain to a field in the distance, then scanned the horizon and glanced to his best friend.

  “I see and hear no sign of life.”

  “Me neither,” Jinx replied quietly.

  ”Are you thinking what I'm thinking?”

  “That depends,” Jinx said, “Either you're wondering how the hell we can raise the cash for another space vessel, or you're wondering if that distress call was sent out because something very bad happened here.”

  As they continued to walk, now the forest was in sight, the trees were tall, their trunks wide and their branches long and skinny, reaching skyward at a dizzy height. Here and there gaps let bright sunshine break up the shade, and the view that greeted them of the nearing woodland was a pleasant one, but Mack felt nothing but unease as he kept his voice low and confided in Rik.

  “The distress call was sent ten days ago...nothing since and no reply from the colony en route. My biggest fear is disease, if something contagious -”

  “Any sign of that shit and we're out of there and back to the ship and asking earth to bring flame throwers,” he replied, “There's something...it's too bloody quiet...” Jinx shivered as he looked about the landscape, “How can a starter colony of thirty four professional people, trained for the colony project, just vanish?”

  “I have no idea,” Mack replied thoughtfully, his sights set on the nearing woodland as he headed for a clearing that seemed to beckon silently to the travellers, either to welcome them in, or to lure them in...either way, Mack knew that he had no choice but to enter - this was still a rescue mission, and he had to locate those missing people...

  “See? It's not so bad, is it?” Jody said as the
y walked through a sunlit clearing, then looked up to see a canopy of green shading to one side, as on the other, shorter shrubbery grew in abundance.

  “It is pretty,” Cora replied, and then she glanced about the forest nervously.

  “Are there any dangerous creatures? Snakes, lizards, spiders?”

  “No,” Mack said, looking back on hearing her remark, “The planet was thoroughly checked before the colonists arrived...No poisonous wild life, no dangerous wildlife, either... a very placid planet, that's what the report said. And I've heard beyond the mountain range is a great place to fish - the river meets with the sea and they have excellent salmon.”

  “Where are the gold mines?”

  As Rik asked that question the others looked to Mack.

  “What gold mines?” asked Jody.

  “Before permission was granted for this to be an earth colony site, a mining corporation tried to claim first stake - they set up mine shafts way out between the forest and the mountain range, had worker droids digging out the shafts...Then it was halted and permission to mine was refused. They switched off the droids, left them down the mine and packed up and went home.”

  “The droids are still down there?” said Tina, as she shivered, “I've seen worker droids before...silver, humanoid shape, glowing eyes and steel claws for hands...creepy.”

  “When did you see worker droids?” Mack asked her.

  “My father was involved in a diamond mining project a few years back,” she replied, “He had them rolled off the production line - horrible things.”

  “They're still underground?” Cora wondered.

  “And deactivated,” Mack said reassuringly, “There's nothing to worry about, least of all shut down digger droids!”

  Then he turned and walked on, stepping over old, fallen tree limbs, and heading for a bright spot in the distance where the trees thinned out a little, and the others followed on.