No. 18 Let's break the ice ("Take my coat.")
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Delta Vega. A cold icy desert with nothing but snow and freezing winds.
It wasn't the best planet to spend time on but someone had to do it. Someone had to keep the outpost running.
Keenser had done it for years. People had come and gone, but he was the only one who had stayed the whole time.
The last person to join him had been a crazy Scotsman, sent to the planet as punishment for something that was clearly an accident - or so he said himself.
Keenser liked the human. Even though he was noisy and drank away his last alcohol… Montgomery "Scotty" Scott was good company.
They were on their way to a broken pylon when it happened.
Keenser didn't know how he could have missed it, but suddenly he was standing on a snow-covered frozen lake. And only a moment later, when Scott tried to follow him, the ice broke.
The Roylan reacted instantly. He pushed the Scotsman away, so that he would fall back onto solid ground, before his own little body got underwater.
He couldn't see. It was way too dark. Keenser feared that his body would turn into a block of ice. The water was so cold.
He heard Scotty's muffled voice screaming out for him, but he couldn't answer.
Keenser knew that he had to get to the top. He couldn't allow for the hole to close.
So he gathered all his strength and swam. It was so hard. His whole body and the thick clothing were pulling him downwards.
He would drown. Or freeze. Whatever came first. Or maybe one of the sea monsters would swallow him.
It was horrible. He didn't want to die like that.
Keenser was just about to give up struggling when suddenly a hand grabbed his arm.
He felt himself getting pulled up and outside the water.
Coughing heavily he gasped for air while arms were wrapped around him, holding him tightly.
"Keenser! Laddie, are ye okay?"
Scotty. He had saved him.
Keenser opened his eyes to look into Scotty's fearful ones.
"Talk to me!"
The Roylan grunted and the Scotsman instantly hugged him tighter.
"Oh, thank goodness! Ye're alive!"
Yes… yes he was. Thanks to Scotty.
"Come on, take my coat."
Only now did Keenser realize that his body was shivering heavily. But… Scotty couldn't take off his coat. It was way too cold.
So Keenser shook his head.
"Home," he insisted.
That was it. They only had to get back to the outpost. Where it was nice. And warm. And comfortable.
Scotty looked even more worried for a moment but eventually gave in.
"Okay, okay. I'll get ye back home."
With that the human scooped Keenser up in his arms and carried him back all the way.
Yeah… the outpost was and would be their home for who knew how long. But as long as they had each other it wasn't too bad of a place to live.