CRASH LANDING
Chapter Two
INFIRMARY
"So, you say the homing device is in the cargo bay, Zera?" Graveheart asked.
"Yes. But the doors will not open..." the Ice princess answered.
"What about the air ducts?" Jade asked. "Do they lead to the cargo bay?"
"Well.. yes… but…" Zera started.
"But what?" Graveheart asked.
"I'm the only one small enough to crawl through the air ducts… and the homing device is rather large. I would not be able to bring it back through, and I do not know how to start it up…"
Tekla looked at Pyrus, "Would you be able to start it, Prince?"
Pyrus shrugged, "I could try,"
"Lady Zera, is the Prince small enough to crawl through the air ducts with you?" Graveheart asked.
Pyrus suddenly paled.
Zera looked at him, "Probably… if his head isn't too inflated…" she replied, then furrowed her brow, "Pyrus? You look ashen…" she started.
Pyrus frowned, "Who asked you for a comment, ice queen?!"
Zera smiled smugly, "Why, thank you for that compliment, Pyrus!"
Pyrus opened his mouth to reply, then shut it again, muttering to himself. Of COURSE she'd find that a compliment!
"Enough, guys!! You two have to work together!" Graveheart commanded. Pyrus and Zera stopped glaring at each other and nodded to Graveheart.
"Sorry, Graveheart…" Zera replied sweetly. Pyrus just rolled his eyes.
"Good.. now you two study the blueprints of the ship and figure out which air ducts lead to the cargo bay…" Graveheart started.
"I know already.." Zera replied. "I used to stowaway in the air ducts when I was younger. When my father would go off on diplomatic missions, I didn't want to be left behind…" she shrugged, "So I hid in the air ducts and snuck around the ship,"
Graveheart nodded, "Good…" he stopped for a moment and held his head. Jade saw this.
"Ok… meeting over. Graveheart needs his rest.. go on.." Jade said.
Graveheart lay back on the diagnostic bed, and everyone headed their separate ways, "Wait.. Zera…" he called out before the Ice girl disappeared.
Zera walked up to the bedside, "Yes, Graveheart?" she replied.
"You know… we're all here for you… if you need to talk.." he started.
Zera glanced over to her father, then turned back to Graveheart, "Thank you, Man of Rock… but… I shall be fine…" she replied.
Graveheart looked at her, "Are you sure??" he asked, not quite convinced.
Zera looked at the rock miner, "I…" she started. "I have to go prepare Pyrus for the air ducts… rest well, Graveheart…" she replied, and quickly left.
* * *
"Follow me.." Zera started as she climbed into the air ducts, "I know where I'm going…"
"You'd better!!" Pyrus replied. "I don't wanna end up stuck in there!"
Zera looked at him, and furrowed her brow, "Are you claustrophobic, Pyrus??" she asked.
"WHAT?" he sputtered, "ME? Of course not!! I'm not afraid of small spaces!! Why did you even think that I…"
"You're protesting too much, Pyrus…" Zera interrupted. "It's ok if you're scared…"
"I am NOT scared!" He snapped. "It's just that… well.. small spaces.. don't have much oxygen. OK? My flame will go out if I don't have enough oxygen. That's all!"
"Suuuuuure it is…."
"Shut up… let's just go already!" he snapped.
"Ok.. follow me…" she answered, and headed through the air duct with a reluctant fire prince following close behind.
* * *
ICE SHIP AURORA - AIR DUCTS
The walls were closing in. At least, that's what it felt like. His breathing became heavier. More strained. He felt a squeezing in his chest.
Pyrus quickly closed his eyes and swallowed, trying to get rid of the feeling, Stop it stop it stop it… he said to himself.
"Pyrus? Hurry up!" Zera called from a few feet ahead of him. Pyrus didn't notice he had stopped moving.
He opened his eyes. Everything was blurry. Zera's voice was almost deafening, and the loud echo it produced didn't help matters match.
"Pyrus! Come on! Move!!" She demanded.
It's ok. There's plenty of oxygen in here… Pyrus reminded himself. Your flame won't go out. It's fine. Everything is fine… He blinked his eyes and tried to clear his vision. Finally, he was able to speak aloud, "I'm coming, I'm coming! You're such a nag, you know! Yeeesh!"
"…and you're so slow! What's keeping you?"
"Nothing!! I'm FINE!" he snapped.
Zera craned her neck towards him, and was taken aback, "Uh… Pyrus..?" She started, noticing his orange skin had gone a shade lighter, "Are you… ok?"
"I told you, I'm fine!" he replied. "Now stop asking…!"
"You don't look so good… not that you ever did…" she replied. "But seriously.. your skin looks sort've pale..."
"It… it's because of the oxygen levels. They… they're lower in here...o.. ok..?" his voice was shaking – something that had not gone unnoticed by Zera.
"The oxygen levels are the same in here as they are out there…" she answered.
"Stop talking already!! Let's just get to the cargo bay… okay?!" he snapped.
Zera shrugged, and continued leading the way.
* * *
MEETING ROOM
"I can't believe you guys had a meeting without ME … the great Emperor Femur!" Femur muttered.
"You refused to come, Emperor. I DO recall informing you…" Tekla replied.
"I didn't refuse! I was… busy! You should have waited," Femur replied.
"Busy doing WHAT, toad?" Jade asked, "Plotting a way to double-cross us all?"
Femur looked up innocently at Jade, "Do you honestly think I'd do something like that, toots?!" he asked, then glared at Pelvus, "Did you tell them?!" he spoke under his breath.
"You mean it's TRUE?!" Tekla asked, hearing Femur's comment.
Femur looked up at Tekla, and smiled, "Of COURSE not!! I wouldn't DREAM of double crossing you!"
"Hmpf… right…" Jade replied.
"So… uh… where are the kiddies?!" Femur asked, changing the subject.
"Trying to get into the cargo bay. Zera says there is a homing device there…" Tekla replied.
"But the doors won't open.. how are they getting in?!" Femur asked.
"Through the air ducts…" Jade replied.
"Oh really?!" Femur replied, then smirked, "You think it's a good idea to send two teenagers into a cramped area by themselves?"
Jade narrowed her eyes, "What are you insinuating, toad?!"
"Well… a boy and girl alone in a cramped space. You know how it is…"
"No I do NOT! Nor do I wish to find out what OTHER perverted thoughts run through your small little mind.." Jade snapped.
"Why not?? You may like my perverted thoughts…" Femur grinned, showing teeth.
Jade shivered in disgust, "Excuse me… I'm going to check on Graveheart and King Cryos!" she replied, and quickly left the room.
Femur turned his grin towards Tekla, "Well.. looks like it's just you and me, babe…"
Tekla's eyes went wide, "Uh.. well.. I believe Jade needs me to help her… I must go…" and she quickly followed Jade's lead.
Femur smiled to himself, "Ah… they don't trust themselves alone with me…! Well, I can't blame them, after all! I AM quite a catch.." He sat in the room with Pelvus for a few more minutes, then frowned, "Well.. this is no fun…" he muttered, and headed back to his cabin.
* * *
ICE SHIP AURORA - AIR DUCTS
Pyrus got off his hands and knees and sat against the wall of the air duct, gasping for breath.
"Pyrus…?" Zera stopped when she noticed he was sitting. "Come on, Pyrus.."
Pyrus's eyes went wide as they darted around the cramped space. His breathing remained laboured. "Gotta get outta here…" he gasped. "Gotta get out…!!"
"Pyrus!" Zera called. "By the great Glacier!! You're hyperventilating!!"
Pyrus shook his head fanatically, "Gotta get out!! Can't breath!! No oxygen..!! Flame going out!!"
"There is plenty of oxygen in here, Pyrus!!" Zera replied. "Your flame is NOT going out!! Come now!! We have to get to the cargo bay!"
"NO!! CAN'T BREATHE!!" he gasped. "Can't breathe!!"
Zera headed back towards him, and kneeled beside him, "Pyrus!! Get a hold of yourself!!" she shouted.
"Gotta get out!" he repeated, shaking his head.
Zera grabbed his shoulders, ignoring the hiss as they touched. "Stop it, Pyrus!! STOP!" she shouted, shaking him.
"NO… can't breathe!! Can't breathe!! Flame going out!!"
"Forgive me, Pyrus… for what I am about to do…" Zera said. With that, she slapped him across the face. Hard.
He stopped muttering and focused on her, eyes wide. "Wha…?!"
"I… I am sorry… are you ok?" she asked.
Pyrus narrowed his eyes, "Whatd'ya slap me for?!!"
"You were freaking out!! I did not know what else to do?!"
"GEEEZ! Didja' have to slap me so hard?!" he snapped, rubbing his cheek.
Zera frowned, "Get up!! We have to get to the cargo bay!!"
"You still didn't have to slap me!"
"Oh stop complaining!! Let's just go!" Zera replied.
"Hmpf… fine!" Pyrus replied, getting back on his hands and knees, "Just move, ok?!"
Zera continued to lead the way. Pyrus followed quickly.
* * *
CARGO BAY
Zera glanced around, not believing what she was seeing. "What..?? How?? Where???!" she started.
"It's… GONE!!" Pyrus replied.
The cargo bay was almost empty... and a large hole had been burned through the outside wall. The ship had automatically set up a decompressure field around the hole.
"But… Where did it go?!" Zera asked.
"I don't know!! Are you SURE this is the right cargo bay?!" Pyrus asked.
"I am VERY sure!!" she replied. She ran up to a console, and typed something in, "This will tell us for certain! It is a list of all the inventory on the ship and where it's stored," she waited for a response from the ship's computer, "Well, it says it's supposed to be right HERE! Along with a bunch of OTHER supplies!"
Pyrus went up to the large hole in the wall, "Uh.. Zera.. does anything here look familiar?" He asked as he looked at the rubble outside on the ground.
Zera came up to him, and followed his gaze, "WHAT?! It's bits and pieces of our equipment!" She replied.
The rubble was a trail of metal and wires… and unidentified footprints.
"And it probably leads to your homing device…" Pyrus explained.
Zera looked at him, "And who is going to go out there and look for it?!" she asked as a streak of lightning illuminated their faces.
Pyrus shrugged, "Us??" he asked.
"We don't even know if it's safe!" she replied.
"Well.. scan it then!" Pyrus insisted.
"Fine… I will!" Zera replied, and brought the ship's scanners online – the only thing that had NOT been completely damaged. "Well.. the oxygen levels are normal.. but the gravity is increased by a degree.."
"If it's just one degree then we can handle it…"
"Listen Pyrus! SOMEONE took our supplies.. and I do NOT want to find out who it was!!" she snapped.
"What's the matter… you scared?!" he challenged.
"I am NOT scared!" Zera replied.
"Then let's go!" he answered.
"Well… we should get the others first!!" Zera started.
Pyrus sighed, "Zera! Jade and Tekla are busy taking care of Graveheart and your dad. Femur and Pelvus are useless. We're the only ones who can go out there and look. Of course, since we're kids…." He said the last word with disgust, "They'd never let us go!! And then we'd REALLY be stuck! If going out there and looking for your homing device is the only way to get off this stupid moon, then I'm willing to do it!!" he stopped.. then looked at her, "But of course.. if you're scared…" he teased.
"I TOLD you.. I am NOT scared!!" Zera replied. "Let me just send a quick message to the infirmary," She punched a few more things into the console, "Jade… Tekla… if you can hear me, Pyrus and I have found that the Homing device is missing. We believe it is somewhere on this moon. We're going to look for it…"
"WHAT?!" A voice replied from the open frequency, "You are NOT going out there on your own!"
"We have to, Jade!! You're busy with Graveheart and my father!" Zera replied. "They need you and Tekla right now and I will NOT let you leave them!"
"Then we will get Femur and Pelvus to…" Jade stopped, "Nevermind. We'll figure something out. Perhaps when Graveheart is healed…"
"We don't have TIME!!" Zera replied, "We don't have enough rations to sustain us for more then a few weeks, and it will take longer then that for Graveheart to heal! We'll starve to death if Pyrus and I don't get the homing device NOW!"
"Let them go, Jade…" It was Tekla's voice, "Right now, they are our only hope!"
Jade was reluctant, "Do you have supplies to survive out on this moon?!" she asked.
"Yes. Pyrus and I will take a small share of the rations and head out," she looked around the cargo bay, "At least they didn't take all our weapons and hiking equipment.." she muttered.
"THEY?!" Jade started, "Who are THEY?!"
"Uh… um.. never mind! We have to go, Jade!! I will bring a portable communication console with us so we can keep in touch. Goodbye!" Zera closed the comm link.