A Teenager's Guide to Life in the Uncharted Territories
Chapter 3
The Dren has Hitith the Atmospheric Scrubbers
I don't know how long Chiana and I have been down here. All I know is that the fear I felt when Dad first told me about the Scarrans has multiplied by the microt. A while ago Chiana opened the comms so we could hear what was going on. All we could hear was static. Soon the events from the day hit me, the adrenaline wore off and I realize exactly how tired I am. I curl into a ball, something I learned from Dad, and put my back to the wall, a precautionary measure I learned from Mom. The next thing I know, Pilot is informing us that the Scarrans have left Moya and it's safe to come out. My haze-filled mind snaps to attention when reminded of everything that's been happening. "Pilot? Where are my parents?" The pause following my question unnerves me.
"Aeryn is in command, but Commander Crichton was taken by the Scarrans," he informs me. The blood in my veins turns to ice. "Moya and I will do everything within our power to get him back, Rayne."
I choke back a sob. I'm not the only one who feels deeply about this. "Thanks, Pilot." Wordlessly Chiana pulls me into her arms for a few microts before taking my hand and leading me out of our hiding spot.
~~~~
I don't know what I was expecting to see when I reached command, but what I saw was definitely not it. D'Argo was on one side of the room at the base of a wall with a nasty looking gash on the side of his head. Chiana runs to him. Further inspection reveals Mom. At first I didn't see her for the table that's between her and me and keeping her pinned to the wall. Something between a choking sob and strangling gasp escapes my lips as D'Argo goes over to move it. Between the three of us, we move it enough to get her out and lay her on the floor. Chiana had commed Jool and by the time Mom was free, she was there checking over her injuries. I backed up until I bumped into the wall, not wanting to believe that this was happening. Vaguely I hear myself asking if she'll be all right.
"She should be fine in a few solar days. She needs lots of rest right now," Jool tells me after ordering D'Argo to take her to the medical bay. I follow, unwilling to let her leave my sight, fearing that this is a dream and she too was captured. When she is lying on the bed and everyone else is long gone, I allow myself to move from the corner where I had taken residence and lay beside her, careful not to touch anywhere that might cause her pain. Before long I joined her in a relatively peaceful slumber.
~~~~
It was several solar days before Mom woke up. Those days were spent either working out or listening to really loud music. Basically, trying to forget that anything bad was happening, aka, denial. It was several arns into the sleep cycle when Mom wok up. "Rayne?"
I sat up quickly and grabbed my comms. "Mom?"
"Are you all right?"
She's been unconscious for four solar days and she asks if I'm all right. Go figure. "I'm fine, Mom."
"And your father?"
Oh, frell. "I'm going to come to the medical bay, Mom. I'll be there in a microt." Now how was I going to tell my mother that Dad was in Scarran custody? When I got to the door, I paused to collect my breath and my thoughts. I took a deep breath and stepped in. She wasn't lying on the bed as I had expected. She was pacing the length of the room. "Mom," I asked tentatively.
She stopped pacing and ran over to me, pulling me into her arms. "They took your father didn't they?" she asked into my shoulder.
I nodded, unable to form words. Together Mom and I sank to the floor and cried. Tomorrow we'd figure out how to get him back.
~~~~
Chapter 3
The Dren has Hitith the Atmospheric Scrubbers
I don't know how long Chiana and I have been down here. All I know is that the fear I felt when Dad first told me about the Scarrans has multiplied by the microt. A while ago Chiana opened the comms so we could hear what was going on. All we could hear was static. Soon the events from the day hit me, the adrenaline wore off and I realize exactly how tired I am. I curl into a ball, something I learned from Dad, and put my back to the wall, a precautionary measure I learned from Mom. The next thing I know, Pilot is informing us that the Scarrans have left Moya and it's safe to come out. My haze-filled mind snaps to attention when reminded of everything that's been happening. "Pilot? Where are my parents?" The pause following my question unnerves me.
"Aeryn is in command, but Commander Crichton was taken by the Scarrans," he informs me. The blood in my veins turns to ice. "Moya and I will do everything within our power to get him back, Rayne."
I choke back a sob. I'm not the only one who feels deeply about this. "Thanks, Pilot." Wordlessly Chiana pulls me into her arms for a few microts before taking my hand and leading me out of our hiding spot.
~~~~
I don't know what I was expecting to see when I reached command, but what I saw was definitely not it. D'Argo was on one side of the room at the base of a wall with a nasty looking gash on the side of his head. Chiana runs to him. Further inspection reveals Mom. At first I didn't see her for the table that's between her and me and keeping her pinned to the wall. Something between a choking sob and strangling gasp escapes my lips as D'Argo goes over to move it. Between the three of us, we move it enough to get her out and lay her on the floor. Chiana had commed Jool and by the time Mom was free, she was there checking over her injuries. I backed up until I bumped into the wall, not wanting to believe that this was happening. Vaguely I hear myself asking if she'll be all right.
"She should be fine in a few solar days. She needs lots of rest right now," Jool tells me after ordering D'Argo to take her to the medical bay. I follow, unwilling to let her leave my sight, fearing that this is a dream and she too was captured. When she is lying on the bed and everyone else is long gone, I allow myself to move from the corner where I had taken residence and lay beside her, careful not to touch anywhere that might cause her pain. Before long I joined her in a relatively peaceful slumber.
~~~~
It was several solar days before Mom woke up. Those days were spent either working out or listening to really loud music. Basically, trying to forget that anything bad was happening, aka, denial. It was several arns into the sleep cycle when Mom wok up. "Rayne?"
I sat up quickly and grabbed my comms. "Mom?"
"Are you all right?"
She's been unconscious for four solar days and she asks if I'm all right. Go figure. "I'm fine, Mom."
"And your father?"
Oh, frell. "I'm going to come to the medical bay, Mom. I'll be there in a microt." Now how was I going to tell my mother that Dad was in Scarran custody? When I got to the door, I paused to collect my breath and my thoughts. I took a deep breath and stepped in. She wasn't lying on the bed as I had expected. She was pacing the length of the room. "Mom," I asked tentatively.
She stopped pacing and ran over to me, pulling me into her arms. "They took your father didn't they?" she asked into my shoulder.
I nodded, unable to form words. Together Mom and I sank to the floor and cried. Tomorrow we'd figure out how to get him back.
~~~~