Space & Time

Chapter 9- A Lot Has Changed

All of us slowly rise the next morning from a short night at our makeshift camp on the shore, Sonya is whipping up some food for us and it smells good. The woods are cool this morning with a dampness hanging in the air and the leaves covered with dew. There are a few noises coming from around us, birds chirping to one another and little forest creatures rustling back and forth in the shadows of the undergrowth and brown leaves.

All of these animals are acting oblivious to me as I sit up and stretch, bumping awkwardly into Fredrik as he crouches beside me.

"Wow I thought you were never going to wake up" he says to me and continues, "I tried to wake you about three hours ago to grab the last watch and you wouldn't move an inch. Alexei woke up and heard me so he took it. By the way, you talk a lot in your sleep."

I tried not to let it show, but now I was super worried about what he could have heard me say as I dreamt. "Thanks Alexei for covering my shift" I said as I walked swiftly over to the others to eat and discuss our options.

We didn't look like a crew fit to complete any mission right now, a burned out crash site and torn uniforms, our biggest crew member shot and our smartest one in a cryogenic coma, we are going to need a real does of luck on our side today.

Not one for small talk, Vlad started right in "Team, Sonya and I have been discussing our few options, I am unable to walk out of here and will no doubt need to take it easy and slow when I do. Izabella will need the gentlest of care in her current state. In order to increase the odds of our survival and success at this point, we think it is best if we split into two groups

before heading out. Sonya and Veronika will look after Izabella, Tannin and me. Josef, Fredrik and Alexi will accompany Mika as you four move north toward Kiev, I know we have landed in the Black Sea and should be in the State of Ukraine based on our location on the northern shoreline. As you travel, try to stay hidden or blended into the crowds. We will provision your packs with supplies, and there is a small supply of rubles you can take to purchase clothing which is more appropriate than our mission gear."

I looked at my brothers and answered Vlad, "Tannin is strong enough to walk with us, we are going together if it is ok with you, and it seems you have your hands quite full here as it is." Vladimir looked at Sonya who shrugged her shoulders up and down showing she did not want to disagree with me. Vlad replied, "Ok, it is the five of you then, we have no time to waste, eat, pack and get going. Leave the Petorium with us. It will make your travel easier." This may be an understatement but I am a little nervous to leave the camp today. I know we need to get help, and I keep focus on Izabella‟s condition to get me moving. Keeping going with the plan was helping me keep my mind off my parents. Vlad got us started in the right direction. If we headed northward along the shore we should run into Odessa and then from there follow the roads further north to Kiev, hopefully to send aid to the others and get us all back to Moscow. After all, how difficult could 2027 really be?

*****

Our group headed out about an hour later, all packed and ready to go, of course I switched the Petorium crystals into my gray bag without sharing that bit of information, I just wanted to get them as far away from Ivan as I could. The sun was high on the horizon and we mostly walked through the cool shadows of the trees. Our mission suits kept us warm during the cool morning, but were heating up now. Most of us unzipped our jackets as we moved, I felt a bit shy around the boys in my undershirt, but I was on the verge of heat exhaustion. I know wherever we are the season is turning to fall.

I didn't really miss not having the seasons on Mars. We were so busy working in and around our colony no one really had time to think about the cycle of the seasons. Now though, I would really like to stop and relish this fresh air and nature, but again we are pressed for time. We walked through woods for a long time.