xxx
Somewhere in the A'Ea Straights (literally)
The descent has been endless, but finally he could see the shuttle. Perhaps he would see his mission done and then he would yield to the velvet immensity beckoning him and slowly sink into the silent abyss. Beyond sheer panic he'd reached an ocean of calm. The fear had gone. He could even think the word 'ocean' and not panic. He must be drowning in serotonin. Drowning. Another word he could think of calmly. He'd reached a point where he couldn't be scared any further...
Either that, or Dr. Phlox pills were very good. God knew he'd taken enough of them. He'd have to check with the doctor about overdoses and side effects. When he came back aboard. If he came back on board. He shook himself. Not if. When. When he came back on board.
A tug on his arm caught his attention. They'd reached the shuttle. A silver whale, weirdly oriented upside down and angling towards the depths, no markings, no way to know it was the shuttle - except that he knew. It was beautiful, it was magnificent.
Reed started the smaller jet pads and went after it. He reached out to grab it but couldn't find a hold on the smooth steel. His grip slipped and he started sinking away. Time to panic.
He flailed around, desperate for a hold. The maghead was in his hand and it hit the shuttle. And clung instantly. Like a leech. As was supposed to happen. Reed hung on to it for a few seconds, trying to calm his breathing. What the hell did he say about being beyond panic? Forget that. It was a crock of shit, that's what.
His heart rate slowed down. He swallowed the lump in his throat and uncoiled the heavy line from his waist. Painstakingly, awkwardly, he started maneuvering the cable around the shuttle, his hands shaking, his movements encumbered as he tried to keep within a couple of feet of the metallic skin. So he could grab it if anything happened. Or at least delude himself into thinking that.
Finally, the line was secured. He looked up to see the shuttle was already crisscrossed with holding cables, craddled as if in a net. The Eylordene were better at this than he would ever be. He shook his head inside his helmet. Why had he asked to join them? How could he ever think they'd need his help, he, a Human from Terra, and aquaphobic to boot.
He looked down at the shuttle windows, gleaming darker in the dark water. There were no signs of life there. No. Light. No signs of light. They had to be alive inside. He wanted to slide down to the window, peer inside. He checked the distance, gauging his options. Perhaps his flashlight would be powerful enough... but the team leader was looking at him through his helmet. He signaled Reed with a tentacle that the next phase had begun. The shuttle started vibrating, as if the coils of wire around it were coming alive.
And then, slowly, so slowly, it started to rise.
xxx