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Marooned on Giri Minor
"Give me your handlight," you say to Dr. Munro.
"I'm not giving you mine," she says, "but you can have this backup I found. You aren't actually going out there, are you?"
"Someone needs to check on Ibanz," you say, "and given there are so many unknowns right now I can't in good conscience ask someone else to go."
"You don't believe he's actually made contact with Commander Andrade, do you?" Oviedo-Nandez asks. "All I can hear is Ibanz shouting, and frankly it sounds like he's gone mad."
"Well either way, he needs our assistance," you say. "Wait here for me."
And with that you take Munro's light and step down out of the shelter.
Since Ibanz started shouting the little bug-like creatures have turned their attention in his direction. He is still carrying on as if having a one-sided conversation with Commander Andrade. "Yes sir, I will do that sir," he says. "But what do you say? Yes, tell your man I said it's OK to land the shuttle over there. We've got injured personnel who need to be evac'd right this minute."
Your light is shining in his direction, but now you can't make out anything. As you zero in on his voice, however, you are starting to see more and more of the creatures, which look like little black crabs as long as your thumb. You can't tell if they're scurrying toward Ibanz or running from you. Light sensitivity seems to be the only thing that's been in your favor so far.
"Ibanz, where are you? Have you made contact with Andrade?"
"Captain, is that you?" he says. "Yes, the commander is here and she wants to see you! She's got a special message she wants to give you."
Just then you hear a small crunching noise under your boot. You shine your light down and see that you have stepped on several of the little black crab-creatures. They had been racing from the path of your light beam, but it seems you've reached a point where they are so concentrated they have no place to go.
You shine the light ahead, but still you see no sign of Ibanz. "Chief, where are you?" you say. "I want to speak with the commander."
"I'm right here, captain." With horror you realize his voice is no longer in front of you, but below you. What you thought was another ancient log rotting in the desert is Ibanz lying on the ground, covered with crab-creatures, their pincers latched into his skin. His eyes stare past you toward the larger of two moons in the sky.
Your reflex is to reel away, but instinct says that Ibanz needs your help. You start to reach down to him when you feel a sharp pain on your calf. And then another, and yet another on your arm, then on your neck. By sheer force of numbers the creatures have evaded the beam of your light and are crawling up your body.
When they bite, the effects of their neurotoxins are swift and powerful. Suddenly it's daylight, and you are standing in the desert with Ibanz. Commander Andrade stands before you, congratulating your courage. Overhead a fleet of rescue shuttles zooms toward the survivors back in camp. It is such a happy moment that you fall to your knees in joy. When the light falls from your hand, the crab-creatures overtake you.
"I'm not giving you mine," she says, "but you can have this backup I found. You aren't actually going out there, are you?"
"Someone needs to check on Ibanz," you say, "and given there are so many unknowns right now I can't in good conscience ask someone else to go."
"You don't believe he's actually made contact with Commander Andrade, do you?" Oviedo-Nandez asks. "All I can hear is Ibanz shouting, and frankly it sounds like he's gone mad."
"Well either way, he needs our assistance," you say. "Wait here for me."
And with that you take Munro's light and step down out of the shelter.
Since Ibanz started shouting the little bug-like creatures have turned their attention in his direction. He is still carrying on as if having a one-sided conversation with Commander Andrade. "Yes sir, I will do that sir," he says. "But what do you say? Yes, tell your man I said it's OK to land the shuttle over there. We've got injured personnel who need to be evac'd right this minute."
Your light is shining in his direction, but now you can't make out anything. As you zero in on his voice, however, you are starting to see more and more of the creatures, which look like little black crabs as long as your thumb. You can't tell if they're scurrying toward Ibanz or running from you. Light sensitivity seems to be the only thing that's been in your favor so far.
"Ibanz, where are you? Have you made contact with Andrade?"
"Captain, is that you?" he says. "Yes, the commander is here and she wants to see you! She's got a special message she wants to give you."
Just then you hear a small crunching noise under your boot. You shine your light down and see that you have stepped on several of the little black crab-creatures. They had been racing from the path of your light beam, but it seems you've reached a point where they are so concentrated they have no place to go.
You shine the light ahead, but still you see no sign of Ibanz. "Chief, where are you?" you say. "I want to speak with the commander."
"I'm right here, captain." With horror you realize his voice is no longer in front of you, but below you. What you thought was another ancient log rotting in the desert is Ibanz lying on the ground, covered with crab-creatures, their pincers latched into his skin. His eyes stare past you toward the larger of two moons in the sky.
Your reflex is to reel away, but instinct says that Ibanz needs your help. You start to reach down to him when you feel a sharp pain on your calf. And then another, and yet another on your arm, then on your neck. By sheer force of numbers the creatures have evaded the beam of your light and are crawling up your body.
When they bite, the effects of their neurotoxins are swift and powerful. Suddenly it's daylight, and you are standing in the desert with Ibanz. Commander Andrade stands before you, congratulating your courage. Overhead a fleet of rescue shuttles zooms toward the survivors back in camp. It is such a happy moment that you fall to your knees in joy. When the light falls from your hand, the crab-creatures overtake you.
THE END
