When Sandra ran off to help Paul the rest of the Eagle One landing party-minus Alan- looked on in horror and amazement.
"Sandra!!!" everyone called after, but she was clearly beyond hearing them. No one could imagine what, if any, good the petite woman could have against such a large creature that had all but already engulfed Paul in its eight or more arms. Koenig, on the ground fired many shots into the woods to cover Sandra's charge into the tree line.
Meanwhile, Doctor Russell and Tanya quickly helped Kano into the eagle. They dumped him with care into one of the seats of the passenger module. Tanya wrapped the seat restraining belt around him. She looked into his eyes in order to see if he was okay. Kano gave a thumbs-up and a weak apologetic smile as if to say, 'sorry for being such a burden,' for he surely hadn't intended to wind up being the rescuee when he had initially tried to play the rescuer for Doctor Russell and Commander Koenig.
"Are you okay?" she asked with a reassuring smile. She tightened his waist belt. "I'm starting this bird up".
"What about Alan?" Kano protested.
"Achhh, that crazy Australian. He had better get back…and fast!" Tanya stood up, waved good-bye and then disappeared around the corner, headed toward the command module. She jumped into the left seat of the cockpit and yelled, "Main Motors!" to the flight computer as she wrapped the yellow seat harnesses around herself. The computer complied by initiating an engine start up sequence and displaying a checklist of items on the cockpit monitors. Tanya flicked several switches corresponding to tasks on the list.
Helena, for her part had exited the eagle hatchway again to go after Sandra and help Paul. She hadn't made it two steps out the door when she was felled by a shot from the creatures firing from the woods. She fell backwards from the impact and hit her head on the side of the ship. The rotational acceleration of her brain inside her skull caused her to pass-out briefly, but that was the typical cause of unconsciousness after strong head impacts. She was soon awake but dazed. She clutched at her abdomen.
"Ooooooooo," Helena winced at the pain. She threw off her half exploded medical kit bag. She rolled around for a second afraid of how bad it was. Like most doctors she was going to be her own worst patient.
"Ow Ow Ow," she cried, but finally stopped squirming on the ground to examine the wound to her hip. She looked at the blood on her hand and then at her side. It was only a small amount of blood. She lifted up her tunic and slid down her pants enough to expose the wound site. Yep, sure enough just a small puncture hole was oozing a little blood from the fleshy part just below her waist.
Helena picked and examined the medical bag. One side had a large hole and lots of charring. The enemy projectile had clearly impacted and destroyed the powerful electronics of the x-ray examining goggles. She turned around and examined the other side of the light gray bag, and there sticking just outside of the material was sharp dart like front end of another one of the alien projectiles.
'That was now thrice this medical kit had saved someone's life today', Helena marveled to herself. She held up the bag to show John who hadn't even seen her get hit. He was so busy covering Sandra and Paul and the whole Eagle by himself…but now he was seeing something else
"What the hell is he doing?" John asked. He and Helena watched as the yellow reconnaissance moon buggy driven by Paul zigged and zagged every which way across the field except in their direction.
"He must be hurt," Helena correctly diagnosed. She pointed her commlock at the rear hatchway of the Eagle and opened it up. A small ramp for the buggy slid down automatically.
"This way, Paul!" Helena and John yelled waving their arms simultaneously.
As if hearing or seeing them for the first time Paul directed the buggy toward the Eagle straight on. Helena barely had time to dive out of the way and John just enough time to roll under the Eagle before Paul flattened both of them. Helena watched as the small buggy carrying Paul and Sandra hit the ramp at top speed.
"Look out!!!"
