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This is another scene that was difficult to put together, not so much because of the scene itself, but because I actually have much of Chapter 2 written (first scenes to be posted later this week), and I needed to make this scene a bridge between what came before in Chapter 1, and was begins in Chapter 2.
I think I did a decent job, though everything posted here is to be considered first draft. I am sure as I go over the story again, a lot of the language is going to change.
In this scene, a good friend of Kendra sets out to find her.
By the time Matthew got the orders to go rescue his teammate, Kendra had already been reported missing. An iniital search of the compound had been launched for her. The non-hybrids, of which Matthew was one, were considered a huge inconvenience. Kendra could be right around a corner, just out of sight, and no one would know where she was.
Matthew was running cables down under the floor of the new buildings under construction. It was a small complex known as DshKere Outpost, was a kilometer outside of the main colony. A forward base, the Outpost was to provide iniital defenses against attackers, to extend the range of the Song, and to provide equipment for farming. It was not yet operational, and probably wouldn't be for a few more weeks.
"Matthew Utrasti!"
Matthew heard Amy Kylis call his name as he was running wiring under the floor. He moved the the panel he had removed to get down there, reached up, and lifted himself out of the hole.
"Yes, Lieutenant!" he called as he stood on the floor. She saw him and walked over.
"Mr. Utrasti," the lieutenant said. "We've found Kendra Furnandiz. For whatever reason, she is in the valley, up against the Pardash Rim. She may be hurt. You are to go and retrieve her. Bring her to the main colony.
"Me, Ma'am?" Matthew asked. "Am I to take anyone with me?"
"No, just you. Work doesn't need to slow down any more than it already has for that troublemaker. Take a rover as far as you can. We've had trouble with our machinery at the rim. Get Kendra. Come back. Take her to medical. Those are your orders."
"Yes, Ma'am."
Matthew didn't ask any more questions. He was worried about his friend, and the idea that she might be hurt drove him into action.
*
An hour later Matthew stopped the rover, a small two-manned vehicle with oversized tired used for exploration. The young man looked at the ominous rim ahead of him, and worried that if he got any closer the rover would lose power, or strangely malfunction. He picked up the radio receiver.
"This is Matthew Utrasti. I am exiting the Rover 2. I may be out of communication for awhile."
"Understood, Mr. Utrasti. Continue on foot," said the comms officer back at the colony.
Matthew grapped a medkit and a small rations pack, and a water flask from the back of the vehicle, and exited. He held up a small electronic mapper that indicated the last known position of Kendra Furnandiz. But the sensors, both from orbit and the colony, were acting up again, and no one knew for sure where Kendra might be now. Also, he knew the mapper would cease to work soon, as he approached the edge of the valley.
"Alright, Kendra. I'm on my way," Matthew said to himself. "I'm bringing you back, you troublesome, inpetuous girl."
He set off deeper into the woods, now without the protection of the rover. If the mapper was right, he was now within three kilometers of Kendra. He memorized all of the details he could from the device, the forest and the landmarks, large rocks, a small stream.
The mapper indicated that she was fairly close to the stream, so Matthew veered to his left, the "north" of this world, to find it. He watched the device as it indicated he was getting closerr. After ten minutes of walking, her heard the trickling of water. He moved to the stream, fairly large, almost a river, and bent down to taste it. The water tasted fine, good. Most of the streams in the valley had been tested, and all had shown to have good drinking water. Matthew wasn't worried, and indeed hoped that Kendra herself had made it to the stream.
The man pulled back from the stream, about a quarter of a kilometer, which is about how far the mapper said she was from it. He began walking to the east at a quick pace. The young lady had already been out here for several hours. Matthew called out Kendra's name, but received no response. He didn't expect one, but decided he would call out fairly often so that if she was on the move, there would be less chance that he would miss her.
The underbrush was growing heavier, the trees closer. She pushed through tall ferms and over fallen logs. There was no real path to follow. He stopped often to check that he could still hear the stream. It was a weak sound, but the wind carried the sound of moving water to him.
About 20 minutes in, the mapper device sparked and shocked Matthew, and the screen went blank.
"Well, there goes that," Matthew muttered to himself, and stashed the mapper into his pack
"Kendra!" Matthew called again. It occurred to him that dangerous animals had been found in the valley, and on occasion had attacked the colonists. He hoped that he was not luring any of them to himself, or to Kendra.
The man continued. He began to notice more noise around him, animals moving just out of sight. It felt ominous to him, but he did his best to ignore it. It was late morning, and humid, and Matthew was sweating. He held the images from the mapper in his head, concentrated on them.
After what seemed like an eternity, though in reality it was probably about 45 minutes since he left the rover, a sound, a human sound, caught Matthew's attention. It was a moan. Matthew stopped. He had just been rounding a large boulder when he heard it.
"Kendra?" Matthew said quietly. "Is that you?"
He heard the moan again, off to his left. He moved around the boulder, and saw a couple of large, fallen trees. He walked slowly that way, keeping a close eye on his footing through the ferns.
He stopped suddenly, almost having tripped over the form of the young woman. She was lying on her side, breathing quickly. Matthew dropped down to her side, and lifted her up to a sitting position. Her long black hair was matted with leaves and dirt. Her dark tan skin was wet, covered with sweat. Matthew brought the water flask to her mouth, and lifted it up, wetting her lips.
Kendra licked her lips, tasting the water. Matthew lifted the flask further, and the young woman drank from the flask. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes, and looked up.
"Hey," Matthew said. "How are you feeling?"
"I feel strange," the woman answered. "The valley is speaking, but I cannot understand it."
"They valley is speaking?" Matthew asked, thinking he had not heard his friend correctly.
"It is speaking. Matthew, you came for me. Why did you come for me?" Kendra gave a weak smile.
Matthew felt Kendra's forehead. Her skin felt hot to the touch. He concluded she may not know she was saying. From the medkit he took out a bottle of pills used to treat fever, and helped her take it, washing it down with some more water.
"Come on," he said. "We have to get you back to base." He lifted her up, a light weight in his strong arms. Kendra murmured something about saying by the rim, but he paid no attention.
Matthew turned back toward the rover, fear gripping his heart for his friend.
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