Nasferas: The Begotten

13

Multiple fires had broken out across the ship. The extinguishers didn't go off until he manually triggered them. Although nearly every move he made caused his body to scream with pain, he'd decided to find a way into the Engine Room. He believed once inside he'd find the cryostasis settle's auto release mechanism. There wasn't a way inside. However, through a small window, he saw the Zylo One remained intact. The hull wrapped around the entire room. He'd need help to breach the exterior but not from someone, from something.

Rauz swiped the mellow fluff from Davidar's hand and zipped back into his new home.

Several hours passed since he put out the last fire. In front of him, he'd gathered different tools and ship parts. With them, he built a machine. Many new words and ideas floated through his mind like dandelions in a river. Each petal held steadfast through the rapids. And thus, the parts came together quickly. When he finished, he marveled at his invention.

"Time to see if these jaws will open like a baby Cog after a meal ten times its size. Right, Rauz?"

Rauz sniffled and squirmed under the blanket Davidar laid in the drawer for him.

"I'll be back in a moment and hopefully these things ..." He kicked the side of his settle. "... will be open."

A muffled cry came from somewhere in the room. Unless he'd imagined it? He stopped to listen. Busted electrical wires clicked and whistled from other areas. Faint scratching and another moan had him on his feet. One at a time, he listened to the settles. When he reached Aleese's he heard the sounds again.

Davidar pounded on the metal with a pair of calipers and waited.

Aleese moaned and thumped the inside cover.

He knew it. There wasn't an obstacle or person, in any universe, that could keep his sister down.

Davidar switched on the power cell and hoisted the jaws up to his hip. He wedged the pointed ends into the settle cover. Each jowl caught their edge. As they pulsed and spread, pieces of the cover snapped. The shield below had remained intact with the alloy. When the last piece clanked to the ground, Aleese sat up.

Tubes dangled from her nostrils. The putrefaction Moroo had been dumping into their stomachs oozed from the sides of her mouth. Ashen hair fell in tufts to her shoulders. Her skin became course matted-leather. Cheeks sank to reveal a jagged sharp jawline. Both temples had deep indents from dehydration. Eye sockets, caves of black. The whites of her eyes bulged as if the muscles behind them no longer functioned.

"Blow out as hard as you can." Davidar took hold of the feeding tubes.

She'd started to tremble, her eyes ogled around as much as they could.

"Aleese. It's Davidar. Blow air from your nose. Trust me."

The frail figure in front of him gagged and blew.

Snot, vomit, and a bit of blood came out with the tubes. She coughed and for a moment couldn't catch her breath. Her course scream didn't reach much further than his ears, but put him in agony inside.

"Davidar?"

"Yes. It's me, little sister."

"Wh ... what happened?" She sobbed and wiped slime from her face. When her hand hit the dry, elderly skin, she pushed, stretched, and felt every crevice. "What happened to us?"

"I'm only sure of one thing ... we've crashed ... that's a certainty."

"Is everyone ..." She hesitated to say the last part. "... alive?"

"They're still in stasis. But they haven't woken up yet. I'm sorry to say, Uncle Moroo has perished."

Her lip quivered and tears fell. "And ... Treylor?"

"I don't know." It probably wasn't the answer she wanted to hear. "We'll help Ranloo out first. He'll probably be able to break into the Engine Room, figure out where we are, AND open the settles. You okay with that?"

"I think so. Now get me out of here," she demanded.

"I'll help you. Your energy will be drained."

"I can't be in here for one more second."

"Let me try and help you out. I've gotten a little strength back. You can lean on me for support."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. Davidar lifted under her shoulders until they dropped to the floor. There they lay next to one another, exhausted.

Davidar breathed heavily. "This must be ... what an ... elder feels like."

"You're most likely right." She too presented with shortness of breath but kept her composure. "Your appearance is atrocious."

"Thanks. Not so beautiful yourself these days either," he said.

"Quit poking fun."

"That's what brothers are for, aren't they?"

"Well. Your hair is gray and your skin looks like it's barely hanging off the bone." She paused. "You look like a corpse."

"We both do?" Decomposition had set in. And he wondered if there might be a way to reverse what had happened to them.

"Shall we carry on?" she asked, but really had demanded. "You built this?" Aleese tapped her straggled nails against the machine.

"I did."

"It's crude. Bulky."

"Worked to get your rear end out." He laughed.

"Why didn't you use the laser cutter from the Med Room?"

Davidar nodded toward where the item in question lay on the floor next to his other equipment.

"I see," she said.

"I went through four laser cutters. Uncle Moroo did quite a job blasting the plates together."

"It appears he did. You said, Ranloo first? Don't you think he'll be as frail as we are?" Aleese .

Davidar reset the jaws. "Whether he is or not doesn't matter. Ranloo knows this ship better than anyone. He'll be invaluable to our rescue efforts."

"Agreed. Ranloo and then Treylor." Aleese wobbled when she stood but held steady on two feet.

"Yes." Davidar didn't have the energy to argue. He took his jaws and started to work on the other settles.    

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