Chapter 12 – A New Departure

Mk23 -IRJ Droplet – Class 7 – Carpe Victoria (Wrecked)

Sector - Unknown

Planet - Unknown

15rth May 2341 (BSST)

Morning breaks with a cold snap. The temperature was finally dropping, slowly. Enigma says that in the last five days a few solitary degrees had dropped off. But whilst only slightly noticeable it sure was colder. More noticeable were the nights, much colder whilst the day was only slightly so.

For the past few days I had been pottering around the camp. Fixing, tinkering, and just generally procrastinating. The water situation had stabilised. Not that I had plenty. But it was enough to survive on comfortably. The stream itself was bathe able. Bracing, especially compared to the temp of the air but it was bearable. I had of course made sure to bathe downstream of my water collection point. It shouldn’t make any difference but, why try it.

Downstream slightly the little brook flared out where another tributary joined up. The tributary had hidden from me, almost silently the water trickled and flowed over a soft sand. Banking with grace and poise. Barely a ripple disturbed its outflow and the water was enveloped and embraced by my stream in short order. The banks grew tall with rushes and grasses that bent over under their own weight like a fruit laden tree touching each other until the little stream had a green, bushy barrier to the world. A living roof. Where the two streams joined the banks flared apart briefly before coming almost close enough to kiss each other just beyond.

It was here in this little pool that I could bathe. Along the banks were a few copses of trees that sheltered me from the world. Soft sandy banks made the scene almost picturesque enough to be in a tourist ad. If it wasn’t for the oppressing mugginess of the air and the scent of danger and raw untamed ferocity that seemed to exude from the very planet itself, leeching into everything. It might just be that picturesque utopia that they would preach about.

Perhaps sometime in the future it would be. Taking a morning swim, especially this morning as the cold was slowly evaporating like mist was refreshing. Ducking my head underwater, my thoughts crystallised and as the world fades away to a soft mumble in the background I accepted what I must do. Leaving camp would be annoying, I had grown used to the comfort of being able to rest and relax for periods of time. Not constantly on edge. On that first day after the water was working I had taken a half hour break from the suit. Bathing, stretching and just generally refreshing.

They said you could stretch in the suit, but there was nothing like a glorious stretch free from the suit. Whilst it did aid in movement and especially in moderating the temperature the suit was not natural. Humans haven’t evolved that far yet and getting out was a nicety I had almost forgotten. In those first few days I had even slept in the suit.

In the following days I had progressively expanded my time away from the suit. A half hour first. Then an hour and a half. Until I had taken last night out of the suit sleeping on my bed. Making a bed in the sleeping section was not very difficult. A simple wooden frame with sticks to support me. Then a layer of the ferns and some moss I had found. It was dry and spongy, like natures mattress.

The tepee had a firepit in the centre and I had expanded my tools some. Whilst useful it hadn’t quite been the most productive use of my time. Mentally reviewing my to do list really showed my procrastination.

To Do:

-Find location for camp

-Make fire

-Improve fire starting

-Find water source

-Build shelter

-Waterproof the shelter

-Set up a purifying system for the water

-Make an adze

-make a knife

-Get a supply of wood

-Find food

-Build traps

-Hunting

-Build a set up for preserving food

-Make a bed

-Make a chisel

-Make more pottery

-Make camp defences

So, there was a large section of survival priorities I had abandoned. Find food. Yesterday the suit had run out of nutrition paste. And my growling stomach was demanding I go out and find food.

Now I’m not usually a procrastinator, but the safety of camp had an unusually strong pull. So now I was in a slightly direr situation. No food supply set up, no backup food and only a few days to get it sorted. If I failed today my situation would be much much worse.

Regaining my composure, I lift my head from the water, feeling the water that had once flowed over my shoulders split around my neck and flow along me, like a gentle caress waking me up as the world jumped into action once again. The bird song started up, the rustle of leaves disturbed in the wind and just the general sounds of life filled my ears as I retook my place in this strange world. Getting up I hobbled over to my suit trying to avoid standing on some of the sharper stones that lined the bottom of my bath. Like daggers aimed at me.

Brushing the water from me with my hands I get into the suit and wait a second for the seals to connect. They do, with a gentle hiss before the systems begin to come online. I confirm my identity and all the systems come online.

With one last sigh and a forlorn glance at my safe haven I set out on a hike away from camp. I don’t want to hunt to close to camp. Any blood or guts will attract predators and if one like I saw on my first night comes I’ll be in for one hell of a fight.

Fight mode on the suit drains the battery in mere hours. With very little left, I have to conserve what I have for productive activity. And a pointless fight because I was careless is not one of them.

The land moves slowly beneath my feet and it feels like hours but eventually I get to new terrain. Enigma tells me I am five kilometres away from camp when I settle down and begin to get ready to hunt.

“Enigma?” I whisper trying to subvocalize.

“yes?” he responds.

“Right, so, um, we’re hunting for food today.”

“Ok”

“I’ll need you on alert if we’re to get anything. To start we’ll look for a water source. Presumably the animals here need to drink as well, so we might find tracks. Then, um… Well we’ll deal with that when we come to it.”

“Might I suggest heading to the south-east. The ground slopes that way and water will naturally percolate that way. Perhaps forming pools or joining a source of flowing water.” He tells me.

“Yes, of course. Let’s do that.”

As I walk along, trying to find the water source Enigma opens up conversation for the first time. In the five days whilst I was relaxing I spent quite a lot of time trying to discuss subjects with Enigma. It was now a new hobby. Developing Enigmas personality would keep me sane. Well hopefully it would.

“Ronja?” He asks opening up the conversation. I don’t answer for a bit, shocked that I am.

“Yes, Enigma?”

“Why do you do what you do? Before, I mean.”

“Well, lets see. I focus a lot on my job in the marines and then later in the air force if that is what you mean. To me it was important to make progress in my career. Dad was in the armed forces you see, and his stories definitely inspired me. A captain of a drop ship, he would be deployed into foreign territory. Early in his career this would mean earth mostly. We were a fledgling space faring species then. However, humans developed better forms of transport during his thirties and later he found himself acting as planetary recon. When the war came around he was deployed for months at a time. For a young man with a daughter it was hard life. He would be absent from my life, and almost certainly a huge part of his, for long periods of time. It put a strain on our relationship.”

I took a moment before continuing.

“I remember one time. Must have been when I was six or seven. He’d been gone the longest ever. Certainly, the longest time without word coming back. I was at the age where those implications were just sitting in the back of my mind. Recognised slightly but mostly ignored. Actually, thinking back, I might have been a little older. Never mind it’s beside the point. It was a dark and stormy night and I was sitting in front of the fire. Rain lashing at the windows. Hitting with a rapping noise. Like the crack of a whip. The babysitter had gone home for the night, but I couldn’t sleep. So, I had gotten up and I was just sitting staring into the fire. Anyway, the door opened up with a loud creak and there he was. Six and a half feet tall, all muscled and carrying a huge pack over one shoulder. His beard ragged and dark. Droplets of water sliding down his greatcoat to grace the floor. Damp hair clinging to his brow.

I remember running to him, embracing him. Sobbing out my heart, that I thought he may never have come back. Leaving me all alone. Mother had died a few years back. I have just the faintest memories of her smile. Well dad just closed the door, poured himself a glass of whisky and took a seat. I remember the harsh smoky scent of the alcohol vapour invading my nose as he leant down to pull me up into his lap. He stroked my hair and began to tell me all his tales. The ones I’d heard, the ones I’d yet to hear and I’m sure ones I wasn’t meant to hear. It must have been a couple of hours but eventually he ran dry of the stories.

He explained what it meant to fight for your planet. Instilling, though I’m sure he regretted it a drive to fight and protect, much like he had done. I suppose I fight for earth, for him and the intrinsic values he put in me. I hope that answers your questions bud?”

“Some, I suppose. It still seems odd to risk everything for another. I mean, there is no afterlife, you even agree with me. Smart that you are to not be taken in. So why would you risk everything for nothing? I just, I don’t get it Ronja?” he tells me. He reminds me of a child at times, now especially. Almost like myself to my dad I’m sure. Pondering why I would risk myself. I suppose I am everything Enigma has. His partner, his teacher and guide.

“I guess, since there is no afterlife, just an oblivion where I am nothing, and in that state, I will remain forever. That I should do in this life everything I ever mean to do. To me, rescuing others from hostage situations, fighting to keep humanity free, though I may not live to experience it, fills me with a sense of purpose. For me there is no greater reward or godly plan. Only what we make of ourselves and our time within the realms of consciousness. So, when I possess that sense that I have not wasted time when I earn my money, it is a huge factor of me being happy. When I have that I can relax and enjoy my free time. Time when I can marvel at existence in all its unfounded glory. I guess more than anything I fight for others because I have to earn money to live and relax. And to earn money in this way is enjoyable and fulfilling. Also, I may be an adrenalin junky. You know if I could stop this experience at any time it may just be the most enjoyable holiday ever.”

“Thank you, Ronja. Whilst I may not agree I do understand. Well partially.” Enigma tells me.

“You’ll understand one day I’m sure.”

I’m walking and chatting with Enigma when he suddenly stops. I stop just as suddenly and look around. I’m at the water. How I didn’t notice is beyond me. I guess I do get a little absentminded when I’m talking.

Said water is in fact a small pool. The trees around the banks are more sparsely packed and the undergrowth that was once so prevalent I struggled to walk through it has faded into non-existence. Back up a few metres and I’m sure I would encounter it as well.

Murky and still the water holds an ominous tone. Like some great beast could be lurking under the water. The constant lapping of the water against the shore has reduced what was once pebbles down to a fine grit or gravel. The small stones are interspersed between pockets of sand. A tall tree bows down low, its branches barely disturbing the water. The thin leaves that just extend down far enough float on the surface. Supported only by surface tension. The water billows up the sides. Held back by that thin shiny surface, threatening to come rushing forth covering the leaf before dragging it down to the silt covered bottom to join the other numerous rotting corpses that litter the bottom. Collapsing down into a biological layer. Perhaps with enough time crude oil will be formed.

Walking around the small pool takes me only a few minutes. I’m constantly scanning the banks for signs that this is a waterhole for the local life. Perhaps there is some evolution here that means they don’t need water as much. Adapted to the heat I would assume.

When I am halfway around the pool I see it. Opposite from where I entered the clearing. In the mud of the opposing bank. A footprint. I think for a moment whether I took a step back. It is large. Perhaps twice that of my naked foot. The suit has less distinction that my own. My brain forces images of the humanoid to me.

Recalling the footprint in the sand it shows some similarity. Enigma agrees. Just a few short paces away from the pool is another. Alongside a semidried thick fluid. Dark red in colour. A small scrap of flesh lies alongside the dark streak. Opening up the filters I take in the scent. Rich and sickly. It smells of blood. It clogs my sinuses.

Blowing out my nose I attempt to clear my sinuses. A humanoid was here and recently. I follow the tracks a short distance into the woods where the ground becomes firmer and the footprints lose all distinction. In the last distinct one I see the track of an animal. The monster seems to have stood in its tracks to obscure its path, but I can see it. Some deer like animal I think.

Perhaps I will see more of these tracks later. For now, I will move off away from the humanoid. Hopefully it is long gone.