If Earth Should Die Before I Wake

[wombat9966]

Ray was upset. Only five of the twelve retro rockets had fired and he did not understand why. They had all tested perfectly just before they had entered the atmosphere and had remained green until they went to fire them, then something had gone wrong. Nothing that Sanne had done had seemed to make a lick of difference either. They had managed to slow their decent just enough to land safely but not exactly in one piece. The ship would never be space worthy again without major repairs which he doubted he would be able to perform on this planet. Still it seemed like everyone had survived and most of the key areas had remained intact.

He pushed the emergency fire system and the sprinkler and foam systems came on all over the ship. He cycled through all the cameras he was able to repair and watched as the fires were extinguished in most of the areas of the ship. A few small fires still burned but he was able to direct crew members to mop them up. He got on the radio to Sanne. "Bridge to engine room. What is your status, over."
"Engine room, We had a few small fires but we are okay. I am sorry for the problems I caused. I just do not understand it. All of those engines should have fired," replied Sanne.
"Don't worry about it. Get your people to the mess hall and prepare for evacuation as per orders."
"Yes sir, Engine room out."

Ray had some thoughts on what caused those engines to fail especially after he saw the stress readouts. He copied everything to a reader and then turned to the Captain. "Captain everyone is..." He paused in shock at what he saw. Crixus prime as he thought of him was standing over Alex who was covered in a goop and surrounded by a force field Crixus itself was generating. What was going on now? Thinking logically he must be programmed to protect the Captain in a situation like this. Of course this made it harder for the crew to function and for them to carry out their plan.

"Everybody clear the bridge and proceed with the evacuation plan." he punched in a code and began a ship wide broadcast. This is acting captain Engineer Green. We have landed in the ocean but there is a strip of land from us to the mainland. For safety's sake I am issuing an order to evacuate for now. Take your emergency packs and head to the front cargo bay. The way has been cleared and the vehicles fueled. Take several with you and proceed to the mainland. Sister Mary Grace will be in Charge as acting captain until I or Captain Rivers joins you. That is all."

He watched the monitors as people started to make there way towards the cargo bay and he opened the bay doors enough for them to drive a vehicle through. Now to sort out this situation with the Captain.

 

[slippedhalo]

Lost Colony

Hewitt watched, eyes wide, as a strip of land rose up from the smoking waters with a great whooshing sound, solidifying before the eyes of those watching from the beach and surrounding dunes, solidifying and becoming a landbridge directly from the vessel a few miles out to sea to the beach, just a few steps away from where she and Ulrich stood.

Once more she found herself trembling and mumbling, "Holy shit."

It wasn't long before people...Human looking people, began to emerge from the...spaceship...and hobbled toward them along the landbridge. "Are they...Human? I thought the first ones here, our grandparents, we're the last humans alive. They said Earth was dead....Ulrich!?" She heard herself shrieking, "Does this have something to do with the fairy-looking aliens?!"

 

[slippedhalo]

Sister Mary Grace was floating...no, someone was carrying her...Evan Vygotsky looked down at her with his one good eye and smiled as she blinked back in confusion.

"Come on, Sister. This place looks like paradise. You won't need that space helmet." He said, pausing to lie her down on the sandy ground, water on either side of the path, he pulled off her helmet and checked her over with a wince, "Ooh, no wonder you passed out. That's quite a bump on your noggin." He noted. But even as he spoke of it she could feel the alien alterations taking over, healing it rapidly from the inside out. " There was no time to tell you but I would like to say you look quite beautiful with this pearly sheen to your skin. Did the aliens do that?"

She stood on her own and slowly took in the situation. They'd crashed. The ship was in shambles. They were evacuating and using this landbridge to get to the beach where...

...Where OTHER HUMANS were waiting for them!

She grinned, "Amazing!" She managed to say.

"Isnt it?" Agreed Evan.

She hugged him in celebration and as she placed his face in her hands to say something to him a remarkable thing happened...The angry looking wound in the socket where his eye had been removed days before had gone from red to pink, to flesh colored, totally healed over. The eye was still missing but now the wound was completely healed.

They stared at one another, frozen in astonishment.

The moment only broke when three armed Colony humans surrounded them and handcuffed Mary Grace...

 

[DalekRasputin]

Crixus 141's mechanism sprang back to life and he immediately broke the force field releasing the Captain. 'Sorry I had to do this Captain but you are the only surviving Senior Officer and my Prime Directive is to endure your safety in an emergency. I also have some important information stored in my memory banks Sister Mary Grace will find useful for her medical work. Also here is a memory stick contains important information to be used in the event of a crash landing. ' turning to Engineer Green he said 'my circuits are in perfect working order and I will run a diagnostic check of the damage and will report to you in 2 working days. Meanwhile I will shut down the main computer to bar unauthorised action until you instruct me otherwise. ' He turned and began his long task.

(OOC - got a very busy week in real life. I'll check in regularly but hope the robot does not have too many duties)

 

[SeeMeNot]

Sky and the two colonists he'd recruited quickly surrounded the sister and handcuffed her then covered her with a black bag so no one could see her changed skin. They then rushed off without explanation and hid her from the other colonists who were busy rushing about, distributing medical aid and rushing to the ship to help anyone still trapped or in need. And since Sky was a senior deputy he wasn't questioned anyway. The bag was also slightly sound absorbent so no one could here her of she called out.

They made good time and were back to Shades office before most of the survivors had even made it fully to land yet.

"I'm sorry about this miss. Put her in a cell and then go back to the crash site. Nothing happened here gentlemen. Understood?" Sky said to his trustworthy recruits. They nodded and walked out like nothing happened. Sky sighed and put a hand on his head as he looked at Shade who was snoring slightly with a bottle in her hand.

 

[wombat9966]

Well that was easier than he thought it was going to be. Ray leaned down and picked the Captain up and put her on her feet. Grinning he whispered in her ear,"Some people get all the luck. Stuck inside goo and your own personal robot bodyguard huh. I thought I was supposed to guard your body." He stood back and winked at her while saluting smartly. "Engineer Green reporting Captain. Evacuation proceeding as planned in the event of a crash landing. Files taken so a report can be prepared later. The ship seems to have survived relatively intact but she won't fly again any time soon. I left The Sister in charge but with you now able we should hurry..," a small warning light and alarm went off. Ray rushed to the screen and watched what the computer had pulled up for him.

The screen showed the kidnapping of Sister Mary Grace and the men who did it. Two did not stand out too much but the third a tall black man with a badge would be easy to find. "Captain we have a problem. The sister has been taken by what appears to be the local law officers on this planet. Why or how they knew she was here I don't know but I would like permission to go and get her back, now."

 

[slippedhalo]

Mary was recalling another time she was restrained against her will. She'd been nearly a child then and her shock and fear had kept her still during the abuse. Not this time.
She kicked, writhed, bucked, screamed.... to no avail.

Eventually, the sack was pulled off of her head and cuffs taken off but she was left inside a small cell.

"Prison? For what am I being jailed? I'm a doctor, for goodness sake, what if my people need medical attention? I'm probably the best healer in this whole place now that I've been changed...You've got to Let me go!" She insisted, yelling through the barrier at those on the other side.

 

[SeeMeNot]

"Sorry miss I honestly don't know. My boss told me to get you. You should ask her. Though, she's had a few drinks. Actually, more than a few." Sky replied, leaning against the wall and gesturing to the now waking Shade. She rubbed her head with a groan.

"Sky im sleeping. Keep The prisoners quiet." She mumbled and looked at the bottle in her hand then drank the last few drops befire looking atv the new catch.

"Howdy." She said with a little tired smile.

 

[slippedhalo]

Mary regarded the slightly shorter woman swaying before her. "YOU'RE the Sheriff, you? You look like a child playing make-believe with mum's clothes. If you're in charge I guess humankind really is doomed."

She looked around, "I'm sure you've got a boss. Who really runs this... town? I would like to speak to the leader of your people, please. Obviously, there's been a misunderstanding."

 

[SeeMeNot]

Shade chuckled quietly and waved her hand at her in a slow up down motion.

"Shh shh. Quiet down. This is temporary. Three or four days and we'll lay ya down somewhere and you can walk back like you were lost. No biggy. " she said and tried to get to her feet. Fortunately before she fell Sky helped her up and over to the bars.

"Or you would have without those words. Now its five. You have the right to...err...silence?" She said questioningly then waved her hand around again.

"Doesn't matter. Your a risk to the settlement until then. I'll be sure to have you meet the mayor before then to explain things. " she said then groaned.

"Sky the rooms starting to spin. Back to my chair." She said and held onto him as they went back to her nice comfy chair

 

[slippedhalo]

"A few days is too long. I want to talk to the mayor NOW! " insisted Mary, more furious than she'd been since she could remember.

 

[SeeMeNot]

Shade got under her nice blanket in the chair with a sigh. She looked at Mary with a raised eyebrow then huffed and crossed her arms.

"I will keep you here as long as I like. It's my job. Now shush up or I'll make you shush up. The mayor has to deal with all the people from your ship first then he'll come see you." She growled then sighed and sat back in her chair.

"Sky go tell the mayor that I have taken one of the refugees in order to preserve our story and swear to me you'll tell no one of this. Then swear to the mayor the same...but after...before me...just go do it. I'll take full responsibility of her abs be sure to tell you the whole story when you get back. " Shade instructed her deputy then layed her head in her hands as he swore secrecy and ran out.

"God I'll never drink again."

 

[YoungLisa]

Rivers smiled at the mention of the word “goo” and whispered “It was only last night you were putting goo INSIDE me!” Both laughed and Rivers suddenly noticed one of the security officers overheard her and she blushed.

Before she could oversee the situation her thoughts were interrupted by Ray’s shock announcement “Captain we have a problem. The sister has been taken by what appears to be the local law officers on this planet. Why or how they knew she was here I don't know but I would like permission to go and get her back, now.”

“Request denied! I’m going with you!” She looked round at the security and said “Security Officers White, Robson and French draw weapons and come with Engineer Green and me. The rest of you maintain security here and ensure a safe evacuation.” Rivers went into the armoury, entered her personal code and then the command code. Grabbing a gun for herself she said “I’ve overridden the safety command meaning that in a case of life and death you can set your weapons to ‘kill’. Only do this as an ultimate weapon if all else fails. Otherwise set to ‘stun’”.

Turning to Ray Green she said “We have a nun to find and rescue. Let’s go.”

Outside the ship’s confines one of the colony went through the official reception “Captain Rivers, on behalf of the Mayor I welcome you to …”

“Cut the crap” Rivers answered showing a different authoritative side to her nature that few, including Ray had ever seen. “My second in command has been taken prisoner and held against her will. Tell the Mayor I demand her IMMEDIATE release!”

 

[slippedhalo]

The tension of the moment and all events leading up to it weren't missed by Hewitt. She slid between the lady Captain and Ulrich, her smile calming and seductive, her blue eyes sincere as she declared, "No need for violence or worries, Captain. I'm sure your second in command is being treated well and will most likely, soon returned to you with full apologies and explanation as soon as possible."

She put her hand around the taller woman's shoulders and added, "This town, this colony is precious and unique. We may be the only humans in this particular universe and likely, we'll long outlive our original ancestor planet's inhabitants by hundreds if not thousands of years...if we keep ourselves safe, fit, healthy. She...well, you've got to admit, she's not like the rest of y'all, is she? Something is at work in that body of hers and we just need to quarantine her for a couple of days, ensure she's well and also no safety or health hazard to us, you guys, or anyone else, and then we'll be more than happy to return her. I'm super sorry we all got off on the wrong foot. Really, welcome to The Lost Town. We have no intentions of hurting your friend. She'll be treated well...my name's Hewitt, Angel Hewitt. Most people just call me by my last name, though...been years since I've been angelic." She said with a smile and wink.

She then grabbed Ulrich and also put an arm around him. "Our Mayer, he's good people. He'll make sure your 2nd is released a.s.a.p. Right, Ulrich?" She asked, her gaze telling him silently, 'Don't make a liar out of me, what in hell do you think you're doing?', silently.
But, his eyes told her he got her message.

 

[wombat9966]

Ray knew crap and runaround talk when he heard it. Hell he had dealt with more foreman and sitebosses in his life than he cared to admit. Hewitt for all her fancy talk was just giving them the run around. The Sister was probably the healthiest being on this planet and quite frankly he was not going to let some small town hick from the far end of the universe take a friend of his.
"With all due respect ma'am, sir we don't technically fall under your jurisdiction now do we. Sure we can be polite with each other and all but with you grabbing up our second in command like that just because she happens to look a bit different to you well perhaps we don't want to associate with people like that. I thought we had left that sort of bigotry far behind us. Now I have my orders and I guess you have to protect your town so I am going to make this easy on you. You have one day to hand her back or to convince me or the Captain here that she is fine where she is. Fail to do that and I will come and fetch her." He looked down on both of them and smiled coldly. "Don't make me come and get her that way."

Saluting the Captain he hurried off to make sure the rest of the crew were being treated well. Without their main doctor who knew who was in charge now and how they were being treated. He also had to set up a temporary camp until they decided just what they were going to do. Luckily that would be the Captains decision and not his.

 

[slippedhalo]

With nothing else to occupy her mind, Sister Mary Grace knelt in the corner of the cell and began to pray.

 

[YoungLisa]

Rivers saluted back but within Ray’s earshot she said “I can assure you we have come in peace and do not seek confrontation. But my prime concern is the safety of my crew and that will take priority. I want an explanation of why you have acted this way, the immediate release of my second in command and an assurance this will not happen again!” Stepping forward to hold eye contact she continued “You will be foolish to think of me as being just a ‘slip of a girl’ and you will be even more foolish to anger Engineer Green. Believe me you will not want to see him when he’s angry!”

She turned to join Ray but stopped “I know earth history is filled with instances of our violence towards each other and our killing one another. But on the whole those days have gone. You would be extremely unwise to push us back to our past.”

 

[Horus_rules]

Ulrich stood on the beach watching the glowing object in the morning sky grow brighter. All seemed well, until He began to see shining material flying off the ship in the rising sun's light. When the flames began to shoot from the approaching vessel, the crowd around him began to gasp and his heart sank.

They all watched in horror as the ship crashed offshore into the ocean. Even if they didn't die on impact, they would all drowned before the rescue crews would ever reach them. People on the shore started to cry out in prayers for the people on board.

Suddenly as if to answer those prayers, the ground beneath them began to shake and a huge green cloud enveloped the ship and brought it down gently. "Praise the Gods!" erupted from the crowd and they began to fall to their knees and give praise. When the ship stopped just above the ocean, a long bridge appeared from the shore to the ship.Ulrich watched as the crews rushed out over the land bridge to the ship, among them were the two deputies on an ATV with a stretcher on the back.

Just then Hewitt approached and demanded to know what was going on. Ulrich turned to the crowd and shouted. "Isn't it obvious? The people of this Colony have witnessed a miracle at the hands of our Gods! Praise be to the Gods! Let's all bow our heads and pray for anyone who might have been hurt in the ship!" They all began to pray and asked for the Gods to be with the people in the ship.

Ulrich brushed past Hewitt and turned back to watch as the ATV hurried back from the ship with body in a black bag came back from the ship. Ulrich motioned for them to stop, but Sky only stopped long enough to tell him "We have one that is burnt pretty badly, Mayor. We’ll take her to jail and see if we can get the doc to come look at her there so she’s not exposed to the other people’s germs."

After a few moments of gathering with the colonist who were still talking about the miracle they had just witnessed, Sky returned on the ATV and asked to speak with him privately. Ulrich excused himself and had the people form and official greeting line to welcome the rest of the people from the ship.

Sky’s news of the taking of one of crew members pissed him off, but he knew Shades was just trying to follow his orders to protect the innocents of the colony. “Stay close and have the men ready with their weapons, but keep them out of site while I try to smooth this over!” He was making his way back up to the front of the line when he heard angry voices at the front of the line.

Before he could get introduce himself, Hewitt stepped between them and tried to work her charms and powers of seduction on the young Captain and other members of the crew. She put her arm around him and shot him a ‘don’t screw this up’ look. He held out his hand to the Captain. “My name is Ulrich and it seems a mistake has been made, which we will gladly fix as soon as possible. May we go and speak about this matter in private? I am sincerely sorry to start out the relationship between us this way! All I want is for our brothers and sisters to be reunited and join in harmony.”

He listened as the male officer spoke coldly to him and maintained his gaze the whole time. When he finished Ulrich simply nodded and returned his attention to the Captain. “We can work all this out in my office and you can see that your crew member is safe. She will be right next door and we can include her in our conversation. We will ride back on this ATV. Sky hand me your keys and show our guest here where he can set up camp for his crew. Make sure they have plenty of ionized water and food. Hewitt, you wouldn’t mind helping out young officer out, now would you?”

 

[YoungLisa]

“My name is Ulrich and it seems a mistake has been made, which we will gladly fix as soon as possible. May we go and speak about this matter in private? I am sincerely sorry to start out the relationship between us this way! All I want is for our brothers and sisters to be reunited and join in harmony”

Rivers took his hand and shook it as she viewed him with suspicious eyes. Ulrich continued “We can work all this out in my office and you can see that your crew member is safe. She will be right next door and we can include her in our conversation. We will ride back on this ATV. Sky hand me your keys and show our guest here where he can set up camp for his crew. Make sure they have plenty of ionized water and food. Hewitt, you wouldn’t mind helping out young officer out, now would you?”

Rivers waited, took a deep breath and then said “If you would bear with me I need to ensure my crew are catered for.” Taking Ray to one side “Ray I’m going with them. I have to see what has happened to Sister Mary Grace”. The captain could tell he was not happy with situation so she had to pull rank “Engineer, you are to return to the ship and take charge until I return.” Again she saw him wanting to question her decision so she continued “You are in charge, the acting captain until I return …” Then to scotch any misunderstanding she said “That is an order Engineer Green!” She saluted and returned to Ulrich.

“Take me to my colleague please and let’s get this ‘misunderstanding’ over and done with”. As she spoke she ensured her weapon was hidden but fully charged.

 

[wombat9966]

Ray had conflicting orders within him. One was to protect the captain or person in charge of the colony, the other was to obey a direct order given to him by the person in charge and third was he really wanted to protect Alex. Finally something inside of him seemed to give and he decided to do as he was told. Alex was counting on him and besides he had fought her and he knew how tough she was. He turned around and began to make his way back towards the ship.

One thing he could do though was get his people under shelter. He radioed ahead and by the time he made it back three of the Crixus units were standing just inside the door with the materials he had requested. "Very good, now load them onto that small flatbed unit. What of the other information I requested."

"Our exterior camera systems have been damaged and will need repairing but we have managed to get a full 360 degree coverage. While this was a cargo ship it did have the basic defensive armaments. These are concealed but can be deployed under a Captains or acting captains orders. We have determined that 5 are in working order of which 3 can be brought to bear on the town ship."

"Thank you. Continue the clean up and I will be back shortly. Make sure that no one approaches the vessel but keep out of sight. I think the knowledge of your existence should be our secret for now."

Ray drove the flatbed truck out towards the meeting point and soon had a large marquee sized tent erected over all the crew members. He found Sanne doing her best to organize everyone who wasn't injured into groups to help the ones that were.
"Sanne supposedly Food and Water are coming soon. The Captain has gone off to meet with the Mayor and the Sister has been taken away for tests or something," He handed her the rifle he carried and smiled grimly. I have to go secure the ship. I am putting you in charge of the survivors. Keep them happy and fed. The Captain should be back shortly. Good luck."

He jumped back in the truck and headed back to the ship to see what could be done to secure it from the locals and what resources they actually had to play with.

 

[slippedhalo]

Hewitt was ready to help the angry an called Green but he stormed away and took off in a truck without her. So, she shrugged, slinked away to grab a caraffe of coffee and a breakfast pastry for Shade, who she knew was probably suffering a bad hangover and would be kicking herself to have missed this. Hewitt wanted to help her sober up as soon as possible.

She made it to the jail easily in the empty streets. Everyone was at the beach with the newcomers. Once inside, she found Shade moaning at her desk and plopped the hangover helpers before Shade on the desk. "For you, dear." She said, about to tell Shade all about the exciting news but then...

 

[slippedhalo]

The Tamascan Council was having a meeting to try to decide what to do if the one commandment was broken by either the Colony humans or the newcomer ones. They hoped they would not see one human, so precious, die at the hands of another...brother killing brother...The notion was outrageously ghastly!

It was crucial that they not get involved unless needed. Felva's first deterrent to hasty violence was to disable every weapon on both ship and Colony without telling the humans she'd done so. I'd they wanted to get stupid they'd have to use their bare hands and by then she hoped they'd see reason.

 

[YoungLisa]

Rivers tried to remember the journey as best as she could but couldn’t help worrying about her crew. If the whole thing went pear shaped she knew she could rely on Ray to protect her people and to maybe mount a rescue attempt. But she also knew there could be a lot of bloodshed. Her mind went back to her mentor, Admiral Kathleen Phillips who warned her that being in a battle situation wasn’t always about playing chess. Sometimes it was poker.

No words were exchanged on the journey until they reached the office complex which contained the prison. Unaware Felva had disabled all the weapons she felt her gun and checked it was set to ‘stun’. As they drew near to the building what seemed like a guard of honour had formed. Rivers was in no mood for ceremony so she said bluntly “I haven’t time for niceties. My main concern is the safety of my crew and I’m her to receive Sister Mary Grace and take her back to my people. Formal speeches can wait.”

While she waited for the reply she began to rehearse her poker bluff in her mind hoping it would not be necessary.

 

[Horus_rules]

Ulrich scanned the thoughts of the crew members at the beach. He felt the connection between the Captain Rivers and Ray, as well as their mutual distrust of him and the other colonist. He could see their thoughts of weapons and said a silent pray that no harm would come to anyone of the crew or the colonist. He would have to use his powers of persuasion to resolve this issue as quickly as possible!

He used the ride back to his office to further probe the mind of the Rivers and as they arrived he saw her thoughts of a weapon on stun. “Captain Rivers, there is no need for your hidden weapon that is set on stun here; I simply want what’s best for the colony. Shall we go in to check on Sister Mary Grace now?

Ulrich opened the door to see Hewitt staring into the cell with her mouth half open and Shades sleeping wrapped in a blanket at her desk with an empty liquor bottle beside her. “Sheriff Hades! Get yourself together now and Hewitt get out of the way so she can release the Sister!”

He turned to the cell and prepared to apologize to Sister Mary Grace for her treatment, but he found himself facing the most amazing sight that his eyes had ever beheld. He found himself speechless beside Hewitt and the voice in his head “She is will help you join the two in peace.”

“Shades, let out guest out of that cell and let’s get to know each other better.”

 

[slippedhalo]

Mary Grace rose from her position of prayer, thanking God for an answer, and glided confidently toward the cell door, regarding the man before her as she waited for the door
."You must be the mayor I've heard so much about. " she said, her silver flecked green eyes studying his blue. He looked genuinely pleased to see her. If so, why was she in a jail...confusing.

Turning to assess Rivers she could see underlying worry in the woman. "I'm alright, Captain. I haven't been mistreated. How are our crew?" she asked, hoping casualties we're low and everyone was safe.


Hewitt took a sip of the coffee she'd poured for Shade, watching the scene unfold from the background. This woman looked uncommonly beautiful, ethereal,strange... altered. Likely, this was what everyone wanted to keep to themselves, but why? How was this one special?

One thing was for certain, the fertility bank would be hassling her for contributions soon. Lost City had never had any red haired people. The fertility bank salovated over such rare genetic traits. Variety is healthy...one of their mottos.
She knew. They'd also exhibited an interest in blue eyed, brown haired people and natural blondes for a time. They'd go nuts over Mary Grace, not even rare, unique!