Return to Heaven

[marauder13]

[OOC : This is a closed thread for DemureDryad and myself. We both hope you enjoy our tale.]

Marine Comm Tech Gamma Evan Michaelson had reached that point in his career where he didn't worry about the nature of the orders received. The ship he was a crewman of was sent wherever they were needed to do whatever they needed to do and then awaited further orders. But for all his apparent apathy, he actually enjoyed his time in the service. He was seconded to the Terran Navy, in a support role that would enable him to undertake advanced learning opportunities.

The TNS Gortha had been sent to a Designation X system to perform a routine survey. Since the Wars of Independence, a number of systems were noted to had not been surveyed, or the data on them had been lost. Some of the worlds were actually colonized, and during the way they had slipped through the cracks of human knowledge. More than one such colony had been grateful for being found again.

Evan had brought up the sensor readings on one of his secondary displays. His main station was communications, but he was the backup if the Sensor Tech was killed. She would also look after Comms in the even that he was killed. They arrived at the Zenith point of the solar system, and the initial scan showed that there was a rocky planet in the habitable zone, and it had an atmosphere. During the week long trip to the planet, the crew took in all the data they could from the suite of sensors. The entire trip had been routine, and not even the surveying completed on the inbound trip had done anything to relieve the boredom.

Transmission detected on Channel 12. Duration: 0.0013 seconds. Source: Unknown.

"Bridge, Comms. Registered an unknown, unidentified transmission. Sensors were not able to determine the source." The display showed further data. "Captain, the encoding of the transmission is not one we have on file, and the content is insufficient to decrypt."

"Comms, Bridge. Confirm receipt of unknown transmission. Report any further transmissions or addition information. Bridge out."

Evan did a facial shrug as he resumed scanning on as many frequencies as he could. He ran his hand over the stubbly light brown hair as he tried to guess what the transmission was, and more importantly where it came from.

The lights cut out, and the room was filled with a blackness that was almost consuming. By the time he registered the lack of light, the room was flooded in red. Along with the change of the room lighting, the displays changed to make them stand out brighter in the monotone light.

Evan looked at the sensor display, seeing that three unknown craft were closing on the Gortha. Adrenaline already coursing through his system from the change to battle stations was increased when he knew the reason why. He continued to monitor the communications channels, but his main focus was on the sensor feed. They had just reached what would have been their orbital altitude when they were attacked. He saw that smaller objects had detached from the attackers, moving at great speed towards the ship.

"Brace for impact."

Evan did just that as the first of six missiles slammed into the Gortha. The whole vessel bucked from each successive strike. Evan heard the screech of metal being rent by massive forces applied to them. Pressure doors slammed shut to prevent decompression of the entire ship. He felt the change in the ship's vector. There were other shuddering noises, as well as system failures. Evan had no idea that the craft were following up their missile attacks with laser based attacks which were cutting offlarge pieces of the crippled ship. Most of his displays were off, but the new that remained on showed him nothing but bad news. The few external sensors still operating confirmed his worst fears, the Gortha was plunging towards the planet's surface.

"All surviving crew, we are about to enter the planet's atmosphere. What's left of the ship will hopefully land well enough to allow some survivors. Hold tight, and pray." Evan recognized the voice of the pilot, who had also warned them to brace for the initial impacts from the attacks.

Unlike previous atmospheric insertions, the Gortha rolled and tumbled through the air as the pilot fought to maintain control. The ship shuddered and rumbled as pieces broke off under the violent grip of the atmosphere. Evan prayed that when he did die, that it was quick and he wouldn't suffer or even know it was happening. He was thrown around in his seat as the ship fought the elements about it.

"Impact in ten seconds." Evan felt the ship move erratically, and he thought it might have slowed down slightly. Huge crashing noises filled the room as the Gortha plowed through the native foliage before hitting the ground with a violent slap. The crew were bounced around as Gortha broke up on the initial impact. Evan knew beyond all doubt that he was tumbling in his part of the ship. For what felt like an eternity, he came to a rest in an upright position. His chest and abdomen felt like he had been clubbed by a large piece of metal.

"I made it." Evan's voice sounded more like a wheeze than a normal speaking voice. He unclenched his fist, moving his hand to release the restraints. He gingerly rose from his chair, feeling every single muscle scream abuse at him for using them so soon after the crash. He staggered to the door, looking for the emergency release panel. He popped it open with a hard slap. He pulled out the crank, fitting it into the hole designed for it. Gritting his teeth, and sweating more than the effort would generate, he proceeded to open the door.

The corridor beyond the door showed just how bad things had got. A large hole had been melted through it a metre or two along. The impact of the landing had bent the floor in a couple of places. He moved passed the metal that looked like it was liquid at one stage as he made his way to where the bridge had been. It was still there, but it was a mess. The view port had broken on impact. Four of the five members of the bridge were dead. He didn't need to check them as their wounds and injuries were beyond what a normal person could take. He moved to the only candidate for survival. The pilot was covered with blood, but he was clearly breathing.

Evan went for the first aid kit. He got to the clear covered panel when he heard a mechanical noise from outside. He peered over his shoulder to see a spherical device floating on the other side of the broken view port. Evan didn't even stop to think about what to do. He jumped through the door out of the bridge. He heard the effects of a laser bolt destroying human flesh.

Wincing from the pain in his chest, Evan ran for the weapons locker. He heard faint cries of fright, along with more screams. The locker was located in a corridor that had suffered bad damage from the crash. The locker had been compressed, but fortunately for Evan, the door had popped open from the damage done. He wrenched the door open further, and tried to remove one of the rifles. It slipped from his hand, unmoved. Not wasting any time, he tried the next rifle, moving along until one finally came free as it was supposed to. He grabbed a energy cell for the rifle, slapping it in. The readout on the side told him that there was a full charge, and the mechanism for the underslung rocket launcher was active, along with there being a complete load.

He ran back to the bridge as fast as he could. When he got there, he moved cautiously toward the ruptured viewport. He saw the wounds to the pilot's corpse, and did his best not to throw up. But the movement from outside made him forget the pilot's state. He brought the weapon to bear, his left hand taking the grip and trigger for the rocket launcher. He waited for the indication of a lock, then fired the rocket. It flew straight and struck the flyer almost dead centre. Metal flew off it like a hail shower and smoke billowed out of the hole as it plunged to the ground. Even wasn't sure that it had been rendered inoperative, but he couldn't get a clear shot from the bridge.

It took him ten long minutes to find an exit point, only to find three more of the crew dead in a similar way to the pilot. The laser that the flyer used was powerful, almost making their bodies explode. He knew there was nothing he could do for them, so he concentrated on finding the flyer. He found it on the grass, trying to lift off the ground, but failing not long after clearing the ground. He took another shot with the rocket launcher, rupturing another undamaged section and causing a secondary explosion that broke it in half.

Too tired and exhausted to think, he collapsed on the ground beside the ship, surrendering himself to the pain. Both physical and emotional pain.

 

[DemureDryad]

http://i1005.photobucket.com/albums/af180/Taliah32/232_large-1.jpg?t=1311736120​

Note: Italics in quotes indicate dialogue in tribal language.

Mai’asati bowed her head in reverence, as the burial proceeded. In the last half hour, devastated family members had come to speak on her behalf. To speak about the good times. Vin’skah, the village holy man, spoke the prayer for the dead in a somber tone. The young huntress felt a pang of sadness in her heart, but she did not cry. Tears were for the ones she loved. Though she knew the woman, as she knew everyone in the tribe, the woman and Mai’asati were not close. Often, people died. Was she to live her life in sorrow of the dead? No, she thought. There were enough people mourning her.

Vin’s prayer projected well in the dank jungle air. Some of the faces holding hands in the circle were tear streaked. Others, like Mai’asati’s, held acceptance. “Fate has decreed this one to return to heaven. She goes with God’s blessing.”

The members of the village spoke the reply in practiced unison. Mai’asati thought that perhaps they spoke it too much. “Taken by the hand of God. Earthbound, Amen.” The frequency of similar demises had necessitated brevity of funerary ritual. She had been a simple woman. A tanner. Like all villagers she relied on the Hunters to do the soldiering necessary to protect against the Jungles dangers, bring in food, and retrieve the various raw materials used for tool making. This was not to mention the veritable pharmacy the wild offered.

The large circle of villagers broke hands, going about their business. A group of the woman’s family members gathered to philosophize and smoke dried Nikotee leaves. Mai’asati sighed and turned from the people, her sandaled feet sinking slightly in the soft underbrush. She felt the heat radiating from the burial fire in lieu of the body. In her tribe, bodies were left where they fell in the jungle, to become a part of the world they had left. The fire was the light of God, that little divine spark that remained after God had sent them here.

Tilted eyes, blue as a riverlilly, twinkled at the sight of her mount, lounging lazily outside the gathering. The domesticated beast was black as night, though his eyes glowed amber. The long, saber like teeth glinted in the twilight. It’s muscles rippled even at rest. His ears perked as she approached. Fiercely loyal creatures, all hunters had one to call their own. The massive mammal was remarkably intelligent, and aided in more dangerous hunts, as well as protecting the village when predators struck. They slept on the jungle floor, while the villagers slept and conducted their affairs in the maze of grass huts and rope bridges strewn about the canopy.

Mai’asati patted the Asati on the muzzle, and smiled warmly as he nuzzled her face. She heard a fellow hunter approach, though she did not know who it was until he spoke.

”They named you well, Maya.”

She looked over her shoulder at the man. “The answer is still as it was yesterday.” The village elder’s son, Ney’ator, stood behind her. Each of the tribes had an elder, although Maya was not sure if their offspring was as irritating as their own elder’s. Even in the fading light his eyes were predatory. It would cement his support among the villagers to marry with the strongest of the hunters, and the village guide for the yearly pilgrimage to boot. Maya did not dislike him, although if he continued to be as insistent as he had been, her dislike would grow.

“You are of age to bear children, and have been for some time. You have a duty to make this so.” She felt his hands on her tattooed shoulder, tracing the fierce asati portrayed in black ink.

She pushed him away, giving him a testy look. Dexterous fingers picked up her spear and bow. ”That is enough. Leave me.”

He backed away, smiling knowingly with his hands upraised. He was right, to a certain extent. She was bound to bear children. It was a great honor in the tribe, as well as a necessity for survival, to have a child. But, she thought, It was more useful for her to spend four years as a hunter than to conceive and raise a child. She would be unable to do her work, that perilous thing that gave her joy, while the child learned what it needed to know. Whenever she had lain with a man, she had used the various contraceptive plant life in the jungle to prevent such a pregnancy. It was a practice frowned upon in the village, though sex was not.

As he left her, she leaned in to look into the large animals eyes. “I wish you were a man, Raash. Time for sleep” He blinked lazily, without understanding. Maya smiled and stroked the sleek fur of his neck.

Taking her armaments with her, she turned back to the village. Various hunter’s asati patrolled the ground at night, keeping the land clear of the many nocturnal predators. There were larger beasts in the jungle, but few of them were brave enough to attack such a large gathering of asati. And the predators of the forest had learned over time that while the humans were small, they were not to be trifled with. Not in large numbers, anyhow.

She climbed the ladder nimbly, on the way to her hut. She was one of the last to do so. A deafening roar assaulted her ears, and she looked up in wonder as a streak of fire flashed across the pink sky, twinkling through the gaps in the trees. ”Demons fire…” She spoke the profanity aloud, even though no one was there to agree with her.

A wide smile broke across her face. No one in recent memory had seen such a clear omen from god. Certainly it was a good one. A divine ball of fire, landing in her own tribes vicinity! She rushed the rest of the way up the ladder, and ran to the watchtower, which extended some distance above the canopy. Vin’skah was right behind her. ”Was that what I think it was?”

He nodded, huffing a puffing a little bit, as he was perhaps not as fit as his huntress companion, and certainly not in the prime of youth. “Yes… A sign from God… Hurry, Maya.”

She grinned at him goodnaturedly before scrambling up the watchtower. “You’re out of shape, old man. Perhaps I could carry you?”

”Hush, child. I’ve had enough of your disrespect.” He was smiling, however, as murmured chatter filled the village. Laboriously, he followed the young woman.

Reaching the top, her eyes searched the jungle floor, finding a long streak of scorched trees to the north. Smoke poured from one end. Vin’skah still struggled up the ladder as another visitor came to the site of the divine sign. Oh no… It was a demon! Of course they would come! Her hands gripped the bamboo railing, watching the devilish creature shoot its evil fire upon the site. A strange metallic object received most of its blows. Maya would have to investigate now, before the demons left nothing…

Vin’skah only just peaked over the edge when Maya began her descent. ”Where are you going?”

”To rescue whatever God has given! I will not allow the demons to take from us this gift…”

He caught her arm. ”It’s almost nightfall, its too dangerous!”

Wrenching her arm from his grasp, she continued downwards. ”It’s worth it.”

~~~​

Raash’s paws pounded at the undergrowth, sending organic particulate flying in his wake. Maya gripped the harness for dear life, eyes focused on the path before her, on the towering pillar of smoke in the sky. It was a race against the sun. As she neared the site, she pulled up on the reigns. Swiftly she dismounted and grabbed her spear out of habit, though it would be useless against the Demon. ”Raash, hide.” He wordlessly followed the command, lying low in tall grass. The light grew ever more faint.

Maya circled the sight of the strange things arrival. Its shiny appearance was marred by dents and soot. The demon loomed, occasionally firing a streak of light into the metallic object. She gasped as the most extraordinary thing she had ever seen occurred. A pinprick of light, and a trail of smoke, erupted from the large mass of metal, striking the demon and exploding with no small amount of force. Her eyes widened as she watched it fall from the sky. How is that possible?

She ran towards it, abandoning her stealth at the defeat of the demon. A man emerged from the object, dressed in bizarre clothing. Ducking behind a tree, she hid from him. There was no telling what he could be. An angel, perhaps. Silently, she followed him. He went to were the Demon had fallen and brandished an odd metal appendage, before another streak of smoke erupted from its tip, killing the Demon for good.

He collapsed without so much as a celebration, though Maya was rejoicing inside. He must be the prophesied hand of god, destined to take them back to earth. No! he cannot die out here… I must take him with me! She ran up to him, speaking the divine language. “Hand of God! Hand of God! We must go… quickly, to my village!” She pulled on his arm, ignoring his dull, confused eyes. “Come! The forest is deadly at night!”

 

[marauder13]

Evan felt himself slip into shock. His racing heart was slowing down. He was shaking from the withdrawal of the adrenaline. The entire scene from the bridge to the destruction of the machine replayed in his mind. He heard the screams of those that died outside. He felt that he should have been able to do something to help them. He was a marine after all, not just a deck walker. His awareness of the outside world narrowed until he was only aware of the rifle and his jump suit. Being zoned out in a potentially hostile location was not the most intelligent of choices, but Evan was letting his body set the terms. His brain was more than happy to let that happen.

He vaguely heard a voice speaking to him, but when he was aware enough, he missed what was said initially. The hand grabbing his arm pulled back to the harsh and stark reality in an instant.

“Come! The forest is deadly at night!”

Evan reacted on pure instinct. He stood upright so fast his feet left the ground for a moment. He peered past her head and saw the movement of a large animal in the foliage nearby. He brought the rifle to his shoulder, triggering a snap shot at the movement. The laser pulse went high, coming nowhere near striking the slow moving large cat.

"Quick, with me." He took her in his left hand, half dragging half pushing the woman in front of him, staring at the rapidly approaching very angry massive feline. Evan quickly calculated the chances of getting off a killing shot against the chances of the animal shredding him and the woman. In the split second it took to run the numbers, running for the Gortha was the safest course of action. He got to the hatch, pushing the woman through, and scrambed in behind her. He slammed the hatch closed, securing it against the raging beast outside.

He stayed still, staring at the hatch, controlling his breathing. His brain was slowly catching up, going through all the things he had seen, and bringing them to his attention. The woman's voice was unknown to him, and carried a thick accent he had never heard before. She claimed knowledge of the safety of the jungle surrounding the craft. There was no way a crew member would know that. Plus none of the crew had an accent. His calming heart accelerated as he brought himself around to look at the woman who he thought he had saved.

He looked at her face, seeing a leanness there that was not common amongst the people Evan knew. He also noted that she was not short, since his own rather pale blue eyes were looking down at a slight angle to her darker eyes. The black hair was roughly tied up behind her head, keeping it from getting in her way too much. Her neck was covered in dark neck bands and necklaces that blended together to appear to be a solid mass. His eyes went further down, seeing that she was not wearing a Terran Navy uniform. What she was wearing, however, displayed her healthy and well toned body. He was slightly distracted by the massive tattoo covering her left arm and shoulder. Her long legs were very athletic, and he was certain that she was capable of running long distances quite easily. The tied off sandals looked sturdy and plainly functional.

Evan brought his gaze back up to her face, noticing another important feature that his panic had caused him to overlook. The long, sturdy and plainly function spear she held in her hand. His eyes were wide and the feeling of shock was starting to creep up on him. His knees started to feel weak as many varied scenarios flooded his mind. None of them he found comfortable. His face was trying to go the same shade as his close cropped hair as he came to the final realization.

"That thing out there... the fucking great big cat. That's yours, right? And you live here, don't you? Please tell me that the flyer out there is not one of yours." Even felt himself clutching at straws. Everything that happened was too much too quickly. All he wanted to do was curl up and let everything unravel as it wanted to. He was stuck, alone with a woman gone native and a panther that took way too many growth hormones laced with steroids. And not just any woman, but a rather athletic, competent looking woman who was up there in the sexiness stakes if he took the time to confirm it.

"I must be imagining it. Shock from the crash. I must be trying to deal with some terrible injuries by conjuring up images of gorgeous amazons riding large cats."

He looked back at the scantily clad woman, and ignored as best he could the frustrated growls coming from the other side of the hatch. "Sorry, ma'am, but I've had a bad day. Sorry I haven't been too polite with you. I'll let you get back to your cat." He moved away from the hatch, releasing the mechanism to allow her to go out. "Just give it a push to open it. Please don't let the cat eat me." He slumped down, cradling the weapon between his body and thighs and hugged his knees.

 

[DemureDryad]

With surprising speed he shot to his feet, looking past her, as Raash sensed the time for obedience to her command had come to an end. Her heart jumped in her throat as he fired his holy weapon at her back. "Nai!" In her distress, only the native word for 'no' rose to her lips. God be praised, he had missed.

"Quick, with me." Forcefully he pushed her into his odd structure. Maya allowed it only because of his stature as the Hand of God. Whatever divine abilities he had, she was not pleased with him. She cursed him in the native tongue, her face slightly angered, before he spoke again.

She watched him, and then turned her attention on the ship. It was not unlike the Temple of the Return, in many ways. Maya made the connection swiftly, a giddyness coming over her, contradicting her near panic over the short window of time remaining to get back to the village with the man, and her anger with him for threatening her loyal hunting companion. Slowly her mind processed what she had seen, the bodies strewn about outside... mangled and mutilated in the way of the demons. This mans friends. Maya felt sympathy well up inside of her.

He turned to her before she could attempt to voice her panacea of emotions, seeming to take her in for the first time. Noting his fiery short hair, unusual to her, she returned the action. "That thing out there... the fucking great big cat. That's yours, right? And you live here, don't you? Please tell me that the flyer out there is not one of yours."

"Yes... It is Asati, not... 'fucking cat.'" What the words he used meant, she did not know. "I live here. And the Demon is a fiend to all mankind. You... killed it." Her hand went to his arm in a comforting gesture, the confusion on his face contradicting her own admiration. But they could not stay here. They had perhaps fifteen minutes to return to her village.

"I must be imagining it. Shock from the crash. I must be trying to deal with some terrible injuries by conjuring up images of gorgeous amazons riding large cats."

Maya did not know what to make of that, but she grew impatient. "No, real."

She could hear Rash pawing and protesting at the metal shell keeping him from his caretaker. "Sorry, ma'am, but I've had a bad day. Sorry I haven't been too polite with you. I'll let you get back to your cat. Just give it a push to open it. Please don't let the cat eat me."

The man sunk dejectedly to the floor. Ignoring the 'hatch,' she walked up to him, and nudged him with sandaled toes. Her voice was frantic and urgent. "No, come back with me, now. You are very important. You must come. No time for talking!" Back at the village, they could exchange information, and learn of one another. Maya could console him for his fallen soldiers... But here, now, they must move. Maya was not willing to stay with him, not with Raash outside, all alone. And, she thought, there was no way she was going to leave without him. He was a holy sign. The more she thought about it, the more she regretted being so stubborn with him.

Seeming surprised at her insistence, he looked upon her harshly. The cadence of his voice was recognizable, universally, as irritability. "Hey! Gentle there. Come with you where? Where out there is safer than in here?"

"My village. There isn't time. Trust me." She looked into his eyes for the last two words, trying to impress upon him that he could rely on this information, that she knew what she was doing. He winced as he rose. Maya suspected he had broken a few ribs, though the healer would know.

At his compliance she turned, sprinting to the metal door and wrenching it open. Raash waited, growling. "Raash, calm." He ceased immediately, and swiftly she mounted the creature, offering her hand to the stranger. Looking wary, he hesitated. "Come! Come!" She jabbed her hand to punctuate each word, looking nervously at the setting sun, a blood-red half-circle on the horizon. He grabbed her hand, showing the athleticism of a well taken care of body as he pulled himself behind her. She felt his arms wrap around her waist, and his breath on her neck.

Digging her heels into the haunches of the beast, he shot off toward the village. They made it just in time, hearing the deep growl and crushing brush of the Ba'alzamon. as it came out to hunt. They pulled into the village, the Asati on the prowl and the people shouting and pointing from the treetops.

Maya dismounted, patting Raash's neck. "I will take you to the healer, to see to your wounds. We can talk there."

 

[marauder13]

Evan found himself being guided to the rather large cat by the Amazon. Her words rattled through his mind, trying to make the necessary connections to allow it all to make some sense. "My village. There isn't time. Trust me." She hopped onto the back of the beast with practiced ease. She extended her arm to help him get up behind her. She was clearly nervous and anxious about leaving the crash site. He slung the rifle over his shoulder, and scrambled onto her feline mount. Without any prompting, he wrapped his arms around her, and closed his eyes.

The physical contact was a great distraction from the chaos of the previous hour. She was very well toned, and the occasion brushing of his arm by her breasts reminded him that she was also well shaped. She smelled so differently to the crew. Her scent was more natural. Her skin felt smooth, warm and delightful to his touch. As the massive beat beneath him moved at what he gauged as a rapid pace, his mind drifted to more juvenile fantasies of exotic warrior women, and how much fun they would be sexually. Rather than be embarrassed by such thoughts, he embraced them as a counter to the vivid replay of events in his mind.

When her cat started to slow down, Evan opened his eyes to see three more of the massive beasts come over to sniff them all. It took ever once of his remaining willpower not to scream and jump when one of the new cats ran a rasping tongue over his hand. He heard cries and calls of other people, a substantial number of people from the sounds of it. He looked up, and felt a sense of awe wash over him. High up in the massively wide trees were platforms and buildings where people stood and shouted. The felines about them, including the recently dismounted Raash, turned their attention to something out in the dense foliage.

"I will take you to the healer, to see to your wounds. We can talk there."

Still gaping like a tourist, he followed Maya toward a hastily dropped ladder. He was drawn to her retreating form disappearing up the ladder. Even from below, she still was very much the sexy amazon warrior. Ignoring the jabs of pain, Evan quickly went up the ladder, hearing the drill sergeant's bellow telling him exactly how to climb it, and what would happen to him if he didn't get up there in the required time. When he reached the platform, he collapsed from exhaustion and pain.

Standing about him were a small group of the locals. The similarities to Maya were enough to tell him that they too had been there for a while. Like her, they were dressed in rough fabrics and leather that covered the essentials. They were all fit, athletic from spending a great amount of time moving and climbing. Dark hair, dark eyes, slightly pale skin roughtly the same height as Maya.

In comparison, Evan was taller by almost a head, and a lot more solid. He was fit, but nowhere near as fit as the locals appeared. The only skin he was showing outside his gray Terran navy jump suit was on his hands, neck and face. His short cut hair was white, and his eyes were blue.

They looked at each other like they were looking at the most incredible thing they had ever seen. He saw Maya standing a little way away from the crowd, with what he thought was an expression of impatience. Given her background, the expression may have been something else, but he could only use his own background to draw his conclusions. When she started to move, they all moved back, afraid of what he might do. Their soft voices spoke in the same language that he heard Maya use when talking to the cat. he continued to stand, overriding his body's demands to just stay there. More sounds of surprise surrounded him as he staggered over to where Maya waited for him.

He followed her through what he felt was a maze of platforms, bridges and the occasional ladder. More of the village looked at him, keeping a safe distance from the strangely garbed one. When they stopped outside what he thought would be the healer's hut, Evan wanted nothing more than to lie down. The terror of the day had finally drained him of his energy. The adrenaline that carried him that far finally ran out. He was sore from head to toe from stress, injuries and pushing himself beyond his normal bounds.

He looked back at Maya through half open eyes. "Thank you." His eyes closed as he slumped against the hut and slid to the platform in a heap.

 

[DemureDryad]

She ran to his side as he fell, his voice fading as he uttered his thanks. A few villagers moved in for a closer look.

"Back! back!" Maya glared at them, before returning her concerned eyes on the stranger. Perhaps his injuries are worse than I thought... Her hand rested on his forehead, noting its heat.

She called out to the healer. "Jah'vee! Please help! The older woman came rushing out, surprise flickering on her face, before she returned to her calm, healers demeanor. Even the hunters admired her ability to make decisions under pressure. Of course, she had saved many of them from certain death.

"Cut his shirt off with your knife. We should not move him if he is too badly injured."

Still kneeling at his side, the girl pulled the knife from the small sheath strapped to her left thigh. It was a simple thing, fashioned from the tooth of a Ba'alzamon. But it had proven sharp, and durable enough for the hunters purposes. In four years as a hunter, Mai'asati had never required a replacement. Without pause, she hooked the curved, yellow blade into the collar of his odd garment and ripped it downwards, severing the fabric and baring his upper body to her dark blue gaze.

His left side was covered in a mass of vicious purple bruising, peppered with minor abrasions. It was a painful wound, but it would not threaten his life. It was his mind that was in danger, Maya thought. She had seen the bodies of his tribesmen. "Help me carry him inside, girl."

Maya did as she was told, takeing his arms as the other woman took his feet, and placing him on a simple cot. When she was finished, she stood over him for a moment, considering. She noted that he had a rather handsome face, having been in to much of a hurry to notice before. He was fit, and Maya found his strangely short hair pleasing. His eyes, however, were his most striking feature. Maya had never seen such eyes, blue as the afternoon sky on a clear day. Maya's own blue eyes were somewhat of a rarity among her people, but his... They were much different. "Will he be alright?"

"Yes, child. I will give him some painkillers, and a sprig of Tan'rhea root to guard against infection. Go, now. When he awakes in the morning, I will send for you and Vin'skah." The old healer waved her hand dismissively, already grinding a peculiar poultice in her mortar and pestle.

Wordlessly, Maya left the hut. Without warning, the implications of the nights events began to weigh heavily on her. The villagers peppered his with questions, and she couldn't help but sigh as they rained down on her. "He is from the sky... He..." She hesitated, though her eyes lit up with hope and wonder as she spoke her next words. "He killed a demon..."

More questions erupted in a cacophony of voices. They varitably demanded an answer from her. "I don't know... I don't know... I will ask him in the morning... I am going to sleep." Maya gave them all the steely look that she had become notorious for. Whenever she gave that look, the villagers knew that Maya was going to get what she wanted. Some of them chuckled.

She left at a brisk trot, making a beeline for her hut. A pang of guilt shot through her as she avoided Vin'skah, but she was tired... and the day had been eventful.

OOC: Shoot me a PM and we can work on the dialogue for tomorrow morning. As always, feel free to commandeer my NPC's.

 

[marauder13]

[OOC : A big thank you to DemureDryad for her input into this post.]


Evan's mind floated through the darkness, taking time to put the jumbled thoughts and memories into some semblance of order. There was no sense of fear, dread or sadness. Just a detached, administrative approach to getting everything in order. As he sorted through the crash and the encounters with the flying drone, he picked up on a number of things that he had missed. The weapons cabinet was full of working weapons, but the rack was bent and made it difficult to remove them. With some of the general tools, he would be able to free them. The ammunition boxes were not stuck from appearances, and could easily be opened if they were stuck. Most of the interior of the ship was still accessible, even if parts were ripped open, or severely buckled.

But the amazon woman managed to get some reactions from him, mostly lust based ones. He clearly saw everything to do about her. She was very trim, taut and terrific. Not only was her body fantastic, but the way she moved, and the way she showed confidence made her even more attractive. But he did pick up on the way she held him in deference, as if he was important. His more primal self ran with that, bringing forth images of her offering anything, while emphasizing her body, to help him, and make him feel better. The visuals went the way of a porn vid, and ended with a very happy marine, and a pleasantly tired amazon woman.

Lost in the afterglow of his raunchy thoughts, he tried to roll over. The move was stopped by a sharp jolt of pain that also brought him out of his sleep. he moaned softly to himself, along with a few choice words about his predicament.

Maya walked in, birds chirping in the dewey morning. "Hello, stranger... How are you feeling?"

Evan opened a pair of bleary eyes, gazing vaguely in the direction where the heavenly sounding voice came from. "Like I've been hit by a truck. You?"

She looked a little confused, but her curiosity propelled her forward "I am... fine. But I have many questions. For one... where did you come from?"

Evan nodded in reply to hearing that she was well. "Where did I come from? Well, I came from the Gortha, which is what crashed. But I am from the Terran Federation. From Terra herself. Some of the outer systems still call it by the old name, Earth, but it's called Terra.

"Ummm.... Is this the healer's hut?"

Maya leaned over Evan, her hand resting lightly on his chest to give her support. Her face was alive with something positive, possibly exciting. "Earth?! It's true! Have you seen the face of god? Have you come to take us back to heaven? Now I know why you can kill the Demons...."

Evan frowned, getting slightly alarmed at the increased state of excitement from his saviour. He started to move up onto his elbows, grunts in pain, and flops onto the bed. Between his body and her rather strong arm holding him down, he was not capable of any further movement. "Wha? Face of what?" Evan shook his head. "Take you were? Slow down, you're going to fast. Earth is now called Terra. Yes, the planet exists, still. What's this talk of heaven and stuff?"

The woman looked confused by Evan's reaction. "You... don't know the story?" There was a pause, which looked like she was deep in thought. "So thats what a planet is... Maybe... I can show you what I mean. There are caves nearby. When you are well enough, I will take you, and tell you of the legends of my people. Earth is... special. You will see." He watched the slow blossom of colour to her face. "Oh... Yes, you are in a healers hut. She is very skilled."

"Ahhh... no, I don't know the story. We didn't know anyone was here. We didn't know what was here. That's why we came." On hearing that it's the healer's hut, he looks a little sad for a moment, then relaxes. Well, so much for that fantasy "Is this the only village, or are there others? How many people live here?"

"There are two other tribes. One in the mountains to the west, and the plains to the north. Our tribe is about a thousand people, though we are the smallest. I do not know how big the others are. The mountain people tell stories of other tribes, but I do not believe them." he felt a slight pang of loss when her hand left his chest as she knelt at the side of the bed, sitting on her heels. But she still remained close, giving him a look of a child wanting to get something sweet to eat. "Please, Will your people come and take us to earth? It's very important to us, and most of us never thought we would be alive when... you... would come."

Evan turned to face Maya. "Look... ma'am, my people don't know that you are here. I only know because you found me. My ship wasn't due to report for at least another thirty standard days, and there is a ten day buffer before they start search and rescue operations. Hell, I am not even sure that they could get here, not with those.. demons of yours flying about." Evan rolled over onto his side, grimacing and hissing as he did. "I have no idea what will happen when they find out you're here. If they decide to remove you, then it will take time to make sure that you're safe to go to another world in the Federation. There are rules and shit for it, but I don't know. I'm just a Marine Comm Tech. I'm so far down the totem pole that those who would decide don't even know I exist."

She pulled herself back as though she was slapped "So... We are both at their mercy..."

"Both at who's mercy?" Evan rolled onto his back with another series of grimaces and hisses. "Right now, I need some food, rest and then I need to get back to the Gortha and see what I can do about letting people know what's going on here." He turned his head to look at Maya again. "I don't even know your name, but thank you for everything you've done so far." Evan gave her a warm smile, before closing his eyes and resting.

"We are at the mercy of your superiors." She stood up, looking a little dissapointed. "This village will offer you every comfort we have. You are welcome here. My name is Mai'asati, but I am called Maya."

Evan opened his eyes, looking back at his saviour once more. "I'm Evan. Evan Michaelson. Again, thank you, Maya." His eyes drifted closed, dozing and recalling every image of her he could.

 

[DemureDryad]

Evan Michaelson... He acted strangely, for a messiah. No, Maya thought, he was not a messiah. Powerful, yes, but only a man. Rumors of the hand already buzzed about the crowded walkways of the village. As they had the night before, the villagers crowded around, hoping for a snippet of information from the only one that speaks his language. Maya felt heartbroken that he was not here to save them from this terrible place. So much death had crossed her eyes. For a moment, a night at least, she had thought that she would spend the rest of her days in painless bliss, earthbound, with the rest of her people. This was a very delicate situation. She could not just break the news to them... She could not just tell them that earth was a place just like this one. Maya was not comfortable with it herself.

Her worldview was crumbling. The otherworldly man with the pretty eyes had destroyed it, and she liked him anyways. His words replayed in her head as she glared at the villagers, filled with pain. 'Take you where? Slow down, you're going to fast. Earth is now called Terra. Yes, the planet exists, still. What's this talk of heaven and stuff?'

"Go AWAY!" She shouted at them. Some of them recoiled in surprised. Others peppered her with more questions. "I don't know! Let me think!" The lie caught in her throat for a moment, before she finished the sentence. She turned abruptly and took the nearest ladder to the jungle floor. Maya dared not look back at them. She could feel their eyes. 'I am not even sure that they could get here, not with those.. demons of yours flying about...'

She ran. Her feet, bare since she did not take time to don her sandals, pounded against the feathery moss. Some of the lazier asati were still sleeping, but Raash followed her dutifully. As she splashed through the shallow stream that ran through the middle of the village, the massive cat followed. His eyes seemed to sense her distress. Maya did not slow, running upstream until she reached the small pond, and the sheer, rocky cliff face. White water tumbled a full two hundred feet from above, crashing into the pond with a dull roar.

Turning, she buried her face in the fur on Raash's neck, clutching him tightly. At least Raash was true. She couldn't let Evan see what his words had done. When she parted from the beast, shimering wet lines decorated her cheeks. Sniffing and composing herself, she stared coldly at the waterfall. "Raash, stay."

'I have no idea what will happen when they find out you're here. If they decide to remove you, then it will take time to make sure that you're safe to go to another world in the Federation. There are rules and shit for it, but I don't know. I'm just a Marine Comm Tech. I'm so far down the totem pole that those who would decide don't even know I exist.'

Maya didn't know what a 'Marine Comm Tech' was, but she was certain it wasn't a vocation as powerless as Evan made it seem. He had some skills, and damn him, he would use them. Even if it wasn't heaven, maybe he could do something. He had to do something...

Walking on the narrow rocky ledge, she edged close to the waterfall. With a final, graceful leap, she was inside the caves. A sad smile spread on her face. This was the place of legends. The godly alphabet was displayed in proper order on the first wall. The clearly artificially cut walls were flat, and covered with inscriptions. Some of them had always been unintelligible to her, but now... The word planet... It made everything clear. Shedding her clothing, she rummaged through the pouch at her hip, and pulled forth some razorleaf and a slippery substance made from the fruit of a Punja tree. She wet her legs in the pools that formed at the caves entrance, from the spray of the falls.

Her eyes were lost, distant, as she dragged the leaf over her calves and thighs, scraping away the excess hair. How could we be so wrong? But the answer to that was obvious. It was easy to see how they had come to such a conclusion. The inscriptions had lost their meaning over the course of thousands of years.

What am I going to tell them? She tossed the dull razorleaf, and carefully grabbed another. It had to be the truth. The conflict had to be open. There would be resistance, those who said that Evan was a trick from the demons. A trick to shake their faith that the Hand would return.

But mankind was clever. She looked at the contents of her bag. A bar of soap made by Jah'vee, The domesticated animal that waited outside, the beautiful village they had built over the course of their long history. Was it so hard to believe that the Temple of the Hand had not been built by god, but man? Suddenly, it did not seem so ridiculous to Maya. If there was a God, perhaps he wished them to solve there own problems.

The pain in her heart lifted fractionally as she thought this. Diligently she finished shaving her legs and trimming the hair above her sex. She used the various concoctions in her bag to brush her teeth and finish her morning routine. Grabbing the bar of soap, she backed up, staring at the angry water before her. she burst into action, sprinting and ignoring its anger. She burst through the other side, feeling that floaty feeling in her stomach before she plunged headfirst into the clear, chilling water. She gasped upon surfacing, her hair whipping backwards and smacking wetly against her shoulders. She scrubbed herself, the floral scent filling her nose as she shivered from the cold. Climbing from the depths, she collapsed on a rock, relishing the surface that had been warmed in the sun. She dried over the course of a few minutes, before her sharp senses picked up someone walking toward her.

"Maya, people have been looking for you."

She sat up, unembarrassed at her nudity, and looked cooly at the man. Nakedness was customary and common among the villagers. It was Vin'skah.

"I don't care."

He pursed his lips. "People have to know what he has said, Maya. This is not very fair of you."

Getting off the rock, she walked toward him, the damp in her hair dripping down her back. "I will tell you, and we can go back together. Promise that you will not go against me."

Looking wary, he nodded, and Maya told him all that she had learned. She told him that Evan was a resource that must be used, and that they could not be swayed by stagnant Ideas. He was terrified, and distraught, and accepting in turn, just as Maya had been. They went back together and told the villagers. And there was much conflict, as she had predicted.

 

[marauder13]

Evan slowly turned his head and opened his eyes to watch the finest pair of legs he had ever seen carry Maya out of the healer's hut. He found himself thinking of how those legs would feel under his hands as he caressed them on the journey to the gate to heaven that resided at the top of them. He smiled as he closed his eyes, grateful that he was alive, and reasonably safe.

"Amongst a people where only one of them understands what I say. Primitives who have adapted well to their home planet. The Navy will come looking for us, that much is certain. But they will not be expecting unknown hostiles were responsible for our failure to report. Hell when they get here, they'll find the comms array at the Zenith point, and then pretty much do what we did, except they'll be hailing us on the way in."

His eyes, snapped open, and he sat up with a cry of pain from the rapid movement. The healer walked in soon after, carrying a platter with what the locals ate. She saw him sitting up, and put the platter down and came over to beside Evan's bed.

"Stay!" She gathered a cushion and put it against the wall beside the bed, then turned Evan around carefully, letting him lean back against the cushion. "I have brought you food and drink." She got the platter and brought to over to him. She took up a small piece of meat, handing it to him with a nod.

Evan took the offered meat, taking a small testing bite. It was rich in it's taste, and the meat seemed to melt against his tongue. He smiled, and nodded as he popped the rest into his mouth. He accepted each piece of offered food, picking up that she was letting him try everything. The tastes were different, and some were exotic. One of the pieces of fruit or vegetable was so spicy that it felt that his mouth was set on fire. He grabbed the large cup to find it full of water, and quickly doused the flame within his mouth.

"Wow... I think I'll give that a miss thanks." He pointed to the small pile of it, shaking his head. The older woman nodded her understanding, and he started to feed himself.

"Oh, you fucking idiot, Evan. The Comms array. If I can get a message out, I can at least warn High Command as to what they can expect." He chewed thoughtfully on some of the food. "It's twenty-two and a half standard hours away, and the survey said that the world has a twenty-six point seven five standard hour day. We didn't get a chance to enter orbit, so we came down on the northern hemisphere, so we've got LOS." He beamed happily to the healer, who returned the smile, with a touch of confusion. "So, I go back to the Gortha, fire off a message to the Comms array, and they will know where we are, and what to expect when they get here. Plus, they will know about the rest of you too."

Evan got stuck into his food, eating everything except for the fire starters. He ate everything else without a pause. he handed back the platter with a nod and a smile, and eased himself back on the cushion. He watched as the old woman started to examine his injuries. He winced when she touched some tender spots, but he was impressed with how professional she seemed in her approach.

"Much better. You heal fast, like a villager. Rest."

Evan just smiled, working off the woman's tone and behaviour that he was doing well. He guessed she told him to rest, sleep or stay put. The standard doctor's command. He started to get conflicting lines of thought. One thought was about Maya, and how much she turned him on. Something about the graceful, mostly naked amazon was getting parts of him thinking of all kinds of mischief. He dismissed the old 'cultural differences' approach that would get her into bed with him. She was too clever for that. But before he finally stopped that line of thought, he had no idea how to seduce such a woman.

His other line of thought was how he would better make himself survive while waiting for the rescue team to arrive. He had a weapon, which was close to fully loaded. But he would need more magazines and ammunition for it. He would need new clothing, even if his uniform hadn't been sliced open. Plus, there were numerous other tools and gear he could use to make life easier for everyone.

He looked around, and saw the KGS-2477 laser assault rifle propped against a wall. He eased himself out of the bed and onto his feet. The healer rushed over to him, waving her hands and pointing to the bed. Evan shook his head, gently guiding the woman out of his way. She was smaller than Maya was, making Evan feel like he was a giant compared to her. He walked over and picked up the rifle, flicking the safety on, and holding on to it by the grip.

"I need to have a walk." She just looked back at him, confused but doing nothing to stop him. Evan ducked his head going through the door, then stood straight in a slight stretch. It was then he heard the sound of raised voices. While the words were meaningless to him, the emotion in the voices was not. The villagers were feeling passionate about something, and if they were people like him, they would be angry and shocked. He headed over to where the voices were located.

He came to a platform elevated from the one where a lot of people had gathered. They were yelling, waving arms and generally being very agitated. He made out Maya, with three other men close to the epicentre of the turmoil. Like her, most of the people were clothed enough to protect sensitive places, along with what could be ornamental or status indicating pieces. A few had tattoos like Maya, but they were few in number. Evan sat down, moving what looked alike a seed of one of the trees out of the way. It was the size of a tennis ball, with a solid husk and a rather liquid sounding centre. He dropped it and turned his attention back to the massive debate below.

The four in the middle managed to get everyone to quieten down, then it was Maya and an older man talking, no arguing with what appeared to be a father and son. Maya and her companion remained calm, while the other two seemed to be angry, an emotion shared by more than half of those gathered. The father seemed to be pointed at Maya, speaking very angrily about something. It looked to Evan that he was blaming her for something. Then one word came out of the torrent spewing from his mouth.

Earth.

Evan frowned. They had been told about him and what he really was. The locals didn't take the news well, and seemed to think that it was Maya's fault to some degree. Her attempts to plead her case were drowned out by the mob who seemed to be getting more and more out of control.

Evan saw one of the nuts hanging from a branch above Maya and the other three. He took the safety off the rifle, took aim at the nut and fired a single pulse. As he suspected would happen, the laser bored through the husk, heated the inside causing it to explode in a loud, and messy manner. It also made everyone stop yelling, and look around to see who, or what, caused it to happen.

"If I may have a word." He called out loudly enough for Maya to hear his words. "I see that you have heard about who I am, and why I am here. It would seem that you are not happy hearing about it. But I am not going to just lounge around here, doing nothing while I wait for my people to arrive and take me home to Earth." He chose the name deliberately, rather than using the proper name for him homeworld. "So, if you people are finished, I will be asking Maya to come with me while I go and get some of my belongings, and send word to my people to tell them where I am."

Evan looked directly at Maya, waving his hand to beckon her over to him.

 

[DemureDryad]

Ney’ator looked betrayed, as if this was merely an addendum to her refusal to marry him. He stared angrily at Mai'asati, from beside his father, the Elder. All Elders took the same name. Few knew it's meaning but the pilgrimage guides. Navigator. The old man, his beard grey and scraggly, his body hunched and wrinkled, had called a village assembly after Vin'skah had told him of the new information regarding the man from earth.

Passionately, Maya and Vin'skah had made their case to the people. Navigator and Ney'ator were ever the staunch traditionalists, but Ney'ator was the true voice of the Elder. He was too old, too weak, his memory was too clouded. It was Ney'ator who did the talking. The balance between the respect Vin'skah commanded and the respect the Elder carried had always, since before anyone could remember, been precarious. Constantly, the holders of the titles had fought behind the scenes battles. Political maneuvering abounded unchecked.

Ney'ator's retort was as Maya had expected. After her explanation, his voice rang out to the crowd.

"You would believe the woman he speaks too? Look at her eyes, she has been seduced by the snake! The abomination of this man has corrupted her faith. He is not the hand! He has been sent to infiltrate our ranks and lead us to ruin!

Several cheers emanated from the crowd. They were getting riled up. This could quickly turn into a mob if something was not done soon. They had to make their case, or die. For the first time, Maya truly realized the gravity of her challenge to the way of things. Intellectually, she was aware of it. But now, it took on a more tangible, emotional weight. Evan is going to change everything.

Interrupting his passionate, if incorrect speech, Maya pleaded with the crowd. "Please, please, people... For years we have prayed to return to earth. I am not saying that this was for nothing. Perhaps God has sent us Ev... This man. God has given us the opportunity to act upon this gift! But he will not do it for us! We must earn that privilege, just as we have earned the right to live with our strength!"

The less fanatic of the crowd cheered. They were quite a bit fewer than the others, perhaps only two hundred of the thousand present. Half of the hunters raised their tattooed arms, however. A few shoving matches began. Things were getting worse.

Maya felt Vin'skah's hand on her shoulder, pointing to Ney'ator. He whispered in the Elders ears, gesturing for the crowd to maintain silence. Mostly, they listened. Navigator's eyes took on an angry glint as he stared at Maya. He spoke softly. These words were not meant for the crowd. "You would destroy the order that we have enjoyed, Mai'asati. I cannot let this pass. The Demons... They are behind this, and they have poisoned your mind. We must kill-"

A flash of light, and a loud pop sounded above them. Some of the villagers recoiled in fear, but all of them fell into a dead silence at the sight of Evan.

"If I may have a word." He was looking right at her. She was again awed by the power of his weaponry, and immensely grateful that he had stopped the brewing conflict in its tracks. He did not yet know what he had averted, but she could have kissed him. "I see that you have heard about who I am, and why I am here. It would seem that you are not happy hearing about it. But I am not going to just lounge around here, doing nothing while I wait for my people to arrive and take me home to Earth."

Maya translated frantically as he spoke, only changing a little. Instead of saying, 'take me back to Earth,' she embellished, 'take you back to Earth.' Maya felt slightly dishonest. But Vin'skah needed the support. Maya was just a simple translator in this venture. Thats what she told herself, anyways. "So, if you people are finished, I will be asking Maya to come with me while I go and get some of my belongings, and send word to my people to tell them where I am." She finished the translation, then spoke with her own words.

"I beg you to stay calm. We bring back more tools to fight the Demons!" The erie silence remained. The people still dwelled on the terrifying shaft of fire, springing from Evans' odd metal appendage. Out of the corner of her eye, Maya saw him wave her over to talk. Her eyes were thankful and relieved as she trotted over.

A smile betrayed her words as she grew closer. "You should be sleeping, savior." For the first time, there was a reason to call him such a thing. For now, he had averted a disaster. Hopefully. "Things are very... troubled, Evan Michaelson. They are saying that you are a Demon... That you are trying to trick us into abandoning our beliefs." Chatter resumed amid the assembly. Maya could not help but stare at him. He was so many things to her people. She wondered what he was to her. The gratitude was evident, even as she relayed the dark news. Her eyes turned serious as she considered the handsome angles of his face. Delicate fingers traced his jaw, feeling the two day stubble. Leaning in on a whim, she let her lips brush gently against his cheek. "Thank you... I think things were getting dangerous."

Turning to the nearest ladder, she could feel hungry eyes traverse her body, and she relished it, suddenly feeling pleasantly desired and feminine. Another smile curved her lips upward, hidden from his sight. "Come. And on the way, tell me what I must do to help you in your task."

 

[marauder13]

Evan couldn't help but watch her with a lustful eye as she approached. Some of her shape was deceptive, and the way she seemed to almost flow with each step made his belly churn in a very good way. But for all the grimness of her dress and appearance, her smile made her look rather attractive and wholly feminine. Not that there was any doubts as to her being a woman. The closer she got, the more detail he made out that clearly told him that Maya was indeed a fully grown, very healthy woman.

"You should be sleeping, savior. Things are very... troubled, Evan Michaelson. They are saying that you are a Demon... That you are trying to trick us into abandoning our beliefs."

"Hah. There is always some who says that when their legends finally turn up. They're so used to the power, they can't give it up, even if it means their people miss out on lots of benefits."

Evan looked back down into the crowd, seeing the young man who spoke against Maya. Like her, one of his arms was heavily tattooed. He seemed to have the same level of fitness that Maya possessed. There was also something about the way he moved and looked that seemed similar to Maya. But all that changed when he looked up at Evan. Evan felt the heat of pure hatred wash over him, as well as seeing the other man tense up. Evan recalled some of the inter unit contests and the psych games held before the contest began in earnest. He felt his face slip into the same neutral expression that spoke of world of hurt if his opponent tried anything. He felt some satisfaction at the slight blanch from the villager. Evan turned away at that point, pleased with the outcome.

He turned into a soft touch running along his jaw, followed by an equally soft kiss to his cheek.

"Thank you... I think things were getting dangerous."

His eyes went to her with a combination of shock, surprise and some reassessing. Both fleeting contacts left his heart running a little faster than normal, and had him wondering what was behind both of those moves. He was trained about cultural differences on Federation worlds, and how one sides' innocent remarks and gestures may be received in a totally different light by the other party. Was this one of those cases? Was what she done something shared between the people of this world like a hand shake was? Or did it have the same meaning as if it was done by a Terran? He was torn as to what he wanted it to be. If it meant the same as what he took it as, then those fantasies with an Amazon might become a reality. Sometime. If he didn't make a mess of things, like getting one of them killed.

He dragged his thoughts back to reality, and started to follow her down the ladder, getting a pointed reminder of his physical well being as chest muscles objected to their abuse.

"Come. And on the way, tell me what I must do to help you in your task."

"I'm coming. Don't panic, Maya. Just make sure that your... Asati doesn't eat me, or even taste test me." By the time he reached the ground, he was sweating and in a degree of pain and discomfort. He walked over to where Maya and the large cat waited for him. He accepted the offered hand to get up behind her. He settled himself quickly, wrapping his arms around her belly and waited for them to leave. This time, he was aware enough to know what was happening, and he took some joy in the fact that he was holding Maya close to him. He liked the feel of her firm belly, along with the hints of not so firm flesh above.

'All I need to do is think of a reason to do this while not on the back of the large, protective feline.'

"How can you help me with my task? Easy. Tell me about the talk you had with the village. The one I interrupted. Then, you can tell me about why some of your people have those tattoos over one arm. Finally, you can tell me a little bit more about yourself, since you're the only person I can understand so far."

 

[DemureDryad]

"I'm coming. Don't panic, Maya. Just make sure that your... Asati doesn't eat me, or even taste test me." A spritely laugh left her at that. The idea was absurd. If he had seen the village children playing with the creatures, he would understand. They only turned into deadly killing machines if their owners were threatened, or if they had ordered it to strike.

"You are safe, Evan." The amusement in her voice was unabashed. She watched him climb down the ladder, hiding his pain admirably. He really should be in bed. However, there were urgent matters at hand.

Besides, Maya had plans of her own.

He climbed onto Raash's back, and Maya felt his strong arms encircle her. She could feel his toned upper body pressed to her almost equally bare back. Maya decided he looked and felt much better without his clothing. It was a favor she did him, ruining the garment. "How can you help me with my task? Easy. Tell me about the talk you had with the village. The one I interrupted. Then, you can tell me about why some of your people have those tattoos over one arm. Finally, you can tell me a little bit more about yourself, since you're the only person I can understand so far."

There was much to go over. Many questions that would require an answer, if he were to send his signal, and by proxy, give her people a chance to escape from this world. It struck her as strange that other, foreign humans had the means to do this. "Okay..." She hesitated, thinking that she didn't know where to start. "To us, to our faith, Earth is... Like a place of happiness. You go to Earth when you die. To say that you do not believe in Earth... Traditionally, it is blasphemy. To say that Earth is just a... a planet... That is also blasphemy. That is why some think you are a Demon, Evan. But, you have killed a Demon. I think that we can convince most. Especially if you can kill more."

Her heels dug into Raash, urging him forward. The odd pair took a far more leisurely pace through the jungle than the one they had taken the previous night. Maya wriggled against his chest, trying to evoke a reaction from him. She thought mischievous thoughts. "The tattoos say, 'I am a hunter.' It is very important to my people. A tattoo means... respect." Evan should get one soon. It would help with the mounting schism in the village. He had already hunted more dangerous prey than she could ever hope to challenge. "I am not very interesting. I grew up normally. The jungle took my mother and father when I was a teenager. My mother taught me your language." There was no sadness in her voice. It was a common occurrence for young people. Too common to be a great tragedy. The jungle was a harsh place. "It is my job to guide the people to the Temple of the Hand, because I am a capable hunter, and I can speak the language of God. I think the temple is not unlike your Gortha, only it is much much bigger." She spread her hands wide to indicate the severity of her description.

As they trotted through the forest, she pointed out plants. Things to avoid, things to harvest, things one could eat... If he did not learn these things, Maya thought, he may not survive long enough to get back to his tribe. She could tell he was paying attention from the way his face followed her finger when she pointed. Sometimes, though, he did not move. In these instances, he was always looking at her. Maya could feel his warm breath on her neck.

The clearing, and the damaged vessel, came into view. Nothing had changed. As she dismounted, ordering Raash to stay, she felt a pang of nervousness. It took some effort to quell it. Her eyes followed Even as he went to the hatch, a impish gleam in her eyes.

She prowled after him, the door swinging shut. Maya leaned her spear against a shining wall, turning to the man. As she approached him, predatory and graceful as ever, she reached out, grasping his arm and turning him to face her. She pressed him against the wall, her eyes wide and suggestive in the brief, almost imperceptible moment before she smothered him with a fierce, playful kiss.

 

[marauder13]

It wasn't until after they got moving that Evan realized that the top half of his uniform was missing. The press of flesh against flesh awakened thoughts he was trying to keep at bay while he carried out his work. But his thoughts were constantly pulled back to the remarkable woman sitting in front of him. She felt so good wrapped in his arms, her warm smooth skin moving under his arms, caressing him in a wholly new manner that he was enjoying way too much. He could feel himself react to her physically, which he tried rather strongly to ignore.

He did his best to listen to her answers to his questions, finding out about the tattoos, and the relationship they had to the villager's defenders. Then she started telling about the flora. What was good, edible and dangerous, both while alive and as a food. He tried to take in what she was saying, but her proximity was overriding his brain, and forcing down paths he wasn't prepared to take right then. She was warm. She smelled almost intoxicating. It was a marvelous scent that was entirely her. There was no stink to her, or the lack of smell that happened to most Naval personnel after using the cleansing gels for a long time. Plus there was muscle in her too. Not from excessive weight training, but from being really fucking healthy. Running, hunting, eating food that was good for her, rather than the processed crap that they got aboard the ship, or in the ration packs.

They got to the crash site. Evan was a little shocked to see none of the bodies on the ground. 'The local wild life must have dragged them off to eat.' Evan couldn't decide how he felt about it, so just left the feeling of disgust at the defilement of the dead rest along side the sadness of the loss of friends and crew mates. The halt of Maya's mount and the movement of her dismounting brought Evan back from his musings. There was a lingering reluctance to let her go, but he got himself back into a work related mode, and slid off the back of the cat as well.

Training long buried in the depths of his mind came to the fore. There were gaps, faded images and sounds of training exercises, gym work, rifle ranges and shooting galleries. The rifle came up into his arms more confidently, and his steps were more suited for a hostile environment. He looked for threats as he closed on the hatch he used the day before. The pain in his chest faded to an ache, his focus on getting them to the ship alive.

The hatch opened swiftly at his touch and he passed through quickly. He heard Maya come in behind him, closing the hatch behind her. Evan put his rifle up as she grabbed his free arm. He felt himself rotated to face Maya. He couldn't determine the meaning of the wide eyed look she gave him. He almost lost his balance as she pushed back into the wall, looking at him intently before she kissed him.

He was taken by surprise, not sure how to react to her advance. In those moments, the more primal part took control. The feel of her lips against him ignited a fire within him that flared a warmth he had not felt in a long time. The dangers of the previous day were fresh in his mind, and the sample of heaven he could achieve while alive was too much to let pass. He let the rifle point to the floor, then drop. He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her closer as he pressed back against the cushions of flesh eagerly pressing against his lips. Again, her scent filled his nose, lifting him to a better place while he drank in her taste while he continued to let his passion run free.

He managed to stand himself upright, off the wall, holding her firmly. The press of her flesh against his felt right, meant to be. He felt the ripple of her muscles against his own. There was also the lengthening mass pressing against her that spoke clearly of his thoughts concerning her. Yet he continued to kiss her, pressing himself against her as he went.

But his training again came to the fore. His duty was paramount, and only when it was seen to, then he could enjoy the delights Maya was offering to him. His arms widened their circle slightly. He pulled his lips from hers, the skin of his lips desperate to remain in contact with her as he pulled away. He rolled his lips, extracting the last morsels of her as he steadied his laboured breath.

"Thank you. That was... uhhh... great. Not just great, there are better words, but..." He gently released her, stepping back enough to pick up his rifle. "We have work to do. When it's done, then we can do that again, and... other things too, perhaps."

Evan turned to the inner hatch, taking his time to get his thoughts back in order. Moving away from her had his mind clutching at the fresh memories of the kiss. near death experiences must get the mind fixated on things like sex, because Evan was having real difficulties pulling his mind away from what they did, and what they could do. 'Work first, then play.'

He walked through the dark passageways of the ship, working off his knowledge of the layout, heading for his work station. There was a loud squeal of alarm from ahead, and Evan took a snap shot at the source. Something hanging from the ceiling of the passageway fell with a thump. Evan choked on the putrid smell of the scorched flesh of the creature he had shot. More squeals erupted, and Evan fired blindly, hitting and missing without any knowledge of what was being attacked. Something about the size of a domestic terran cat, but with slick, smooth skin fell on him, sinking long needle like prongs into him. The wound erupted in a fire that leaked deep into his body. In a near panic, he grabbed the thing, ripping it off his shoulder and throwing it to the floor. He heard a satisfying splat as it hit the floor. But the death of the creature did nothing to alleviate the deep tendrils of fire that were ripping through him.

"What the fuck did those things have in them? Napalm?" His voice rasped through the gritted teeth, slipping slightly as he stepped in the splashed remains on the floor. But he was soon at the opened door of his work station. Tears streamed from his eyes as the burning intensified in the wounds. Through the water haze, he could see than some of the systems were still active, and slapped the light activation pad, filling the room with a low level of illumination.

"Maya," Evan wheezed, "the green... box with a white cross on it. Bring it over. Inside there is... a yellow... packet near the top." Evan's voice rose in pitch as new waves of pain washed over him. His words ran out of his mouth in a rush. "Open it, and slap the white side of the strip on the skin near the wounds."

 

[DemureDryad]

Maya almost purred when he returned the kiss, and with passion. It could never be said that the young huntress was not a vibrant, sexual creature; she hungered for him. Perhaps she enjoyed the novelty of him. But it was more, she thought. He could save her people, if they did things right. Her lack of knowledge on the topic didn't sway her, though she was aware of that lack. He would save them because thats the way it must be. Maya demanded it.

"Mm..." She stepped back as he pushed her, freeing himself from the barrier of the wall. A gentle game of dominance. The feel of his toned arms around her was different than the feeling of his arms atop Raash... This was sensual. Personal. Affectionate. The feel of his maleness, hardening against her stomach, was ample evidence of his favorable response.

And then he broke from her. Maya shot him a mock pout, eyes still twinkling. Her heart beat a little faster in her bosom. She nodded at his explanation, understanding his concerns, suppressing a smile at his 'other things.' Oh yes, Evan Michaelson...

It was a shame he had deprived her of the distraction. As he moved throughout the ship, looking rather dashing with his incredible alien weapon, Maya got to thinking about the ship. Her eyes wandered about the enclosure. Nothing looked familiar. She couldn't name a single device in the room. The fact that she had been taught for her entire life that such vessels were the work of God did not make her feel welcome. Leaning against the wall, she slid to the floor. She started as the sound of his weapon echoed in the small space. The way he held the thing, she wondered if 'Marine Comm Tech' meant he was a soldier. He was certainly built like one.

Another shot immediately followed. Maya jumped up and grabbed her spear, dashing after him. She saw him stumbling into another room, this one filled with otherworldly lights. She paled at the blood trickling from a wound in his shoulder. She recognized it. Stupid stupid stupid! She should have known that the Thar'cowah would take residence in this empty, dark shell. It was normally a nocturnal creature. Evan's shots must have awoken it. "What the fuck did those things have in them? Napalm?"

Her eyes widened, and she took a step back at the unnatural light spilling from the room after he flipped some mechanism or other. This place was very strange.

"Maya," His voice was pained. "The green... box with a white cross on it. Bring it over. Inside there is... a yellow... packet near the top. Open it, and slap the white side of the strip on the skin near the wounds." His voice filled with more strain after every passing moment. He would not die. He was safe in here, and he had killed them all. In the jungle, the things fellows would have waited for him to drop, and feasted on his flesh. He would feel everything. It was a terrible way to die. I should have gone with him... She had assumed that his powerful weapon would protect him, but knowledge seemed to trump that power in this instance. She scampered for the thing he had described, rushing back to him, and doing as he had said. He looked relieved after a moment.

She put a hand against his cheek, urging him to look at her. Her eyes were serious. "The venom is not fatal. It is only pain. It will be very hard to move for the next couple hours." She thought of the time. "We must stay here tonight. I am sorry I did not warn you. Stupid." She blushed, embarrassed.

"I will return in a moment, Evan." It took her a few minutes to find a bigger hatch, and a room that Raash could sleep in. Just barely, he squeezed through the entrance. He was not safe outside, without the pack. The great cat was disinterested in his odd surroundings, and she left him to his own devices.

As she returned, she curled up against Evan's side, resting her head on his unwounded shoulder. More questions worked their way to the forefront of her thoughts. "Evan... Are you a soldier?" She paused, a serious, contemplative expression on her features. She opened her mouth, as if to say something, then closed it when nothing came. As she made up her mind, the words left her, filled with gravity.

"...What is Earth like?"

 

[marauder13]

Moments like those, Evan thanks the wonderful scientists who discovered or created Metaclaracine. The drug simply turned off the pain receptors. One moment, you could feel pain, the next moment, you couldn't. But it was also dangerous, because pain told you that something was wrong. Under the effects of Metaclaracine, someone would cut his arm off right now, and he wouldn't experience a single bit of pain. He would feel the flesh being cut, bone and joints separated, but there would be no pain.

He felt Maya's hand caress his cheek, bringing a sense of calmness to him. He looked up at her, feeling a tightness in his chest, as well as resistance in his arm to his desire to move it. The calm started to evaporate under the effects of the panic.

"The venom is not fatal. It is only pain. It will be very hard to move for the next couple hours."

Evan's eyes widened for a moment, detecting the spread of the paralysis through his body. He was still able to breath, at least enough to remain conscious. His jaw still moved a little, as did a few fingers on his left hand. He took the news on board. Only pain... hard to move... couple of hours. He willed himself to calm down. He was safe, and he knew that it was temporary. Plus he had Maya to help him.

"We must stay here tonight. I am sorry I did not warn you. Stupid. I will return in a moment, Evan."

He saw her face colour, imagining if it was embarrassment that caused the colouration. he felt the pang of fear at being alone, but reminded himself that this particular room could be closed off enough to keep them safe from anything else that decided to come into the wreck. But it was only a minute or two before she was back. Her legs looked so good up close, and he thought of leaning forward to taste them. But he watched them as far as he could, given his limited mobility.

But when she curled up beside him, his heart tried to leap out of his chest with the speed increase. The feel of her head resting on his shoulder was blissful. Evan was lost at how strong the feelings were within him. All he could put it down to was the feeling of impending death. The planet seemed to be full of dangers, and he wanted to have something good to hold on to for when he died. That, or he reverted to being eighteen again.

"Evan... Are you a soldier?"

"No, I'm a marine." The response was automatic, done without thought. "Sorry, Maya. Yes, I am a type of soldier. A Marine is a soldier who serves on Navy ships. When people try to get aboard when they shouldn't. Sometimes, we are the first ones in when there is a serious battle. But I have been trained how to run the communications gear for the Marines and Navy. So ships can talk to each other, and we can communicate with the Federation. I was on board the Gortha as a Communications Technician, Comm Tech for short, rather than a Marine. But because I am a Marine, all of my normal gear was stowed as well."

It felt good to tell her about himself. Evan again thought it was something to do with being remembered in case of the worst. But then, it might have been for the simple reason he wanted her to know more about him.

"...What is Earth like?"

"It is a place of rebuilding, of wonder and putting lessons learned into practice. Terra has been the site of several nasty wars which scarred her deeply in places. At one time, there were too many people living there, straining the world. Two massive wars fixed that side of things, but damaged much of the planet. We found how to travel to the stars, and many people left to start new lives. Those that stayed behind, well, they went underground mostly. The buildings that remained above the ground were made so that nature could make use of them too. Very few man made structures can be seen from the air. The animals are slowly starting to reclaim the lands. We use many ways to make energy that are safe for everyone.

"It's beautiful, Maya. Above the complex where I live, a forest that took root a century before flourishes. We had special viewing stations built, as well as some walkways through the trees so people could enjoy the nature. Our scientists are bringing back animals that died off because of humans. Our population is limited, people are given incentives to move off world and only special people can move back to Terra.

"The people are... well people. We have families there. Old people, children. Workers, artists, soldiers, scientists, merchants."

He looked around, seeing one of the monitors was on standby mode. "Maya, listen to me. In front of you, and half an arm's length to your right, is a monitor. It has a flashing green light under it. Please go and touch it. I need to know what is on the screen."

 

[DemureDryad]

A marine, then. She heard pride in his voice as he defined the term, and his specialization. It was good that he was trained to fight. Obviously he was not helpless, but such a mentality would serve him well here. Besides, Maya could not deny she found it to be an exotic, exciting profession.

In many ways, Earth... Terra, she corrected herself, sounded remarkably similar to this place. The people, anyways. There had been wars among the tribes, but they always had their own precarious survival to consider. It was a revelation, to realize that humans were not built for this planet. Her people had no name for their home. They only called it the World.

When he spoke of his peoples abilities to travel the stars, it both amazed her, and seemed to fit. The legends of her people said that each of the stars, forming the constellations she had grown up with, had been visited by the hand of god before they were allowed to settle here. Penance in the void for a deep, biological sin.

Perhaps it was humanities warlike nature. How strange that, for Terra, that nature had been so strong as to conquer its forests. Maya could not imagine such a thing. Here, they were little better than constant prey.

Maya had been coming to enjoy the feeling of his breath against her cheek, the low sound of his voice as he described wonders to her. It was easy to become smitten with such a man. Every movement and word was purposeful. "Maya, listen to me. In front of you, and half an arm's length to your right, is a monitor. It has a flashing green light under it. Please go and touch it. I need to know what is on the screen."

"Okay." Slowly she separated herself from what felt far too much like a lovers embrace. Or perhaps, she thought, just the right amount. "Thank you for telling me these things. I would like to see it."

Turning, she spotted the light in question, and an agile digit pressed it down. A darkened rectangle came to life, displaying the divine language.

/Comms/
Power: Go
Operational: N/A (Equipment Error)

/Weapons/
N/A (Equipment Error)

/Fuel/
Empty

/Engines/
N/A (Equipment Error)

/Life support/
100%

/Engineering/
21%

/Power/
17%

Maya relayed the words to him, sounding out the combinations of letters she did not know. There seemed to be a simplistic map of the ship. It was very obviously color coded, and Maya read off the labels along with its corresponding color. The status of the cargo bay, the barracks, and various passageways seemed to please Evan, while the rest brought consternation tempered by acceptance. Green was good, she gathered.

"What does this mean, Evan?"

 

[marauder13]

Evan wanted to help Maya with the pronunciations, but he left her to it. She was good, and managed to get them all right without assistance. He liked that she moved out of the way to let him see what he could of the map.

"What does this mean, Evan?"

"The Gortha is telling us how healthy she is. In this case, not very healthy. She wont be going anywhere soon, that's for certain. But, the good news is that there are places that are functioning, liveable and will have supplies that I can use. When I am not impersonating a statue.

"We have power, though not much I'd say. But Gortha doesn't need that much power, so we can get by on what she has. We should be able to get some internal lighting going, which will reduce the chances of run ins with those paralysis critters."

Evan tried to take a deep breath, but found he couldn't. He found himself getting an itch, but he couldn't reach it. He thought for a moment of having Maya deal with it for him, but then asking her to essentially grope around his crotch, regardless of how appealing it might be when not paralyzed, was not something he felt he could ask of her. His complete inability to move was frustrating the hell out of him, and also starting to feed into the small panic state that hid deep within him.

"Maya, I'm going to catch some sleep. Since I can't really do much right now, it will also let me heal and let the venom run it's course. So, when I wake up, I should be nice, fit, healthy and able to move. If you feel like joining me, close the hatch to the room. You'll need to crank the handle until the door's shut."

Evan smiled, and got a slight laugh out. "I'd move to make things more comfortable for you, but I am a little bit stiff right now." 'Just not in the right ways either.' His voice became more sombre. "Again, Maya, thank you for all of your help. I'm not sure how I would have coped without you."

Evan closed his eyes, easily finding the quiet place where his mind could rest and he could sleep. Lurking in the shadows of his quiet place was a dark haired amazon, waiting for her chosen prey.

 

[DemureDryad]

"I am happy to help."

So this ship isn't going anywhere. That was no mystery. Evan could no doubt glean more useful information that she had. Maya got the feeling he was a very competent man. She watched him close his eyes, and sighed inwardly. The hope that they would be huddled together, naked and exhausted by now still colored her state of mind. It was her fault, really, for not being at his side.

Deciding to check on Raash, she left the room. As she entered, she caught him eating some rodents that had been so foolish as to cross his path. The low rumble of his purr reached her ears as soon as she entered. Her hands sifted through his fur, and a lazy smile appeared on her face.

"Are you comfortable, Raash?"

His eyes were bored yet full of recognition, as he craned his neck around.

"Good."

Satisfied, Maya returned to find him sleeping. Curling up beside him, she digested the events of the day. Hopefully Vin'skah was up to the task of keeping that villagers under control. If he wasn't things could turn very bad, very quickly. She hoped that this wouldn't result in a permanent divide. The village was settled, its specialists comfortable. Everyone had a role, a purpose. If those roles were upset, there was a good chance that each group would be left without a skill set that they needed.

Absently, she traced Evan's fingers with her own, watching him sleep.

OOC: Sorry about the length, but I figured it was appropriate for content.

 

[marauder13]

Minutes, hours, maybe even days passed in his sleep as his body flushed the venom out of his system. He knew his breathing started to deepen with the returning flexibility of his chest muscles. He eased himself back into the wall, relaxing against it. He was even aware of the loss of rigidity in his arm, allowing it to rest against Maya in a more desirable manner. The pain that went along with the wounds also seemed to dissipate along with the paralysis.

Feeling rested, and back to normal mobility, Evan woke up slowly. He looked over at Maya. She appeared to have fallen asleep as well. He eased himself up, mainly so he didn't disturb her and went to the monitor. With practiced ease, he brought up the status report, and checked the ship layout to view how he could get to were he needed to go.

"Excellent. The armoury is accessible, as is the primary cargo bay. The loading door is working. Galley is lightly damaged, but easily accessible. That at least means there will be long term rations available. Right, before anything else, time to kit up, Marine."

Evan cranked the hatch open, thankful that it didn't make much noise. With it open enough to allow him passage, he entered the dark passageway. He reached back through, finding one of the torches. The beam of light not only showed him where to go, but also caused the wildlife that got in to get away from him. He got to the armoury, switching on the lights within.

Evan quickly moved to his locker. When he opened it, he found his armour completely intact. But he also saw his faigues. He quickly removed the remains of his navy jumpsuit, and changed into his default Marine uniform. Once dressed in the dark gray, mottled clothing and boots, he grabbed his utility webbing. Included in the Comm Tech's kit were repair tools and diagnostic equipment for a myriad of computer and electronic devices, a service pistol with a loaded magazine and emergency supplies for a week's survival. He gazed at the armour, but left it in the locker until he actually needed it, or needed to move it.

He quickly retraced his steps, returning to his workstation. He had to remove the webbing to allow him to get through the hatch, but once inside he was over to the monitor.

"OK, let's see if I remember everything properly." Evan tapped the screen, moving through a progressive array of icons until he reached a screen that required verification. "Here we go." He entered the requested code - ESM 87-2816-993-MTC<Greek letter gamma>. The screen vanished, instantly replaced with a request for the command override verification code. Evan let out a deep breath, entering the next code - QM-777-AJ. He was rewarded with the verification of Command Level access.

"Thank God for that. Now, Gortha, talk to me and listen." He pressed several more 'buttons' before a rich female voice filled the room.

"Greetings Marine Communications Technician Gamma Class Evan Steven Michaelson. Gortha awaits further instructions."

"Nice voice." Evan nodded appreciatively. "Gortha, further references to myself will be by Evan only. Confirm."

"Your addressable name is now Evan. Confirmed."

"Gortha, you will accept only my commands for any Command level instructions. Note. You will accept only my commands for any Department level instructions. Note. You will accept only my commands for any Crew level instructions that modify any systems. Confirm."

"Gortha will only respond to Evan when issued any Command level instructions, when issued any Department level instructions. Gortha will respond to any Crew level instruction which modify Gortha's systems. Other crew can request status updates. Confirmed."

By that time, Evan was sure that Maya was awake. He turned his head enough to talk over his shoulder. "No offence, Maya, but one wrong sentence form you could have catastrophic results."

"Gortha, activate all internal light to damage status green and yellow areas. Set illumination at fifty percent. Confirm."

"Activate all internal lighting to damage status green and yellow area. Set illumination to fifty percent. Confirmed. Processing. Command complete."

He turned his seat around to look at Maya. "Since this place is a little more safe and secure, what would you like to do now, Maya?