Waiting Shapeless

Chapter 12. Gnumus

But there was no line of dots on the screen now. Instead, dots were randomly scattered across the device's face. Tyler saw Bai lean in closer to get a better look.

"What do you think?" Tyler asked Bai as she flipped the device around again.

"I think Jirabi smacked it one too many times, that's what I think." Muttered Bai in reply.

Tyler examined the box closely again. She would break into it and tinker around with its electronics, but she couldn't see a way to take it apart. And she didn't want to accidentally destroy it.

Suddenly their small ship lurched.

The crew yelped as they were tossed to the side. Tyler quickly dropped the Circuit box reflexively to steady herself against the ship's walls.

The Scouter violently lurched again.

Then the loud hum of the ship unexpectedly stopped. The engines were no longer running.

"Captain!" Yelled out Jirabi.

Tyler's heart dropped into her stomach as the dead ship tipped in mid flight and began to fall towards the dusty ground below.

"Hold on team!" Yelled Byralnus, his voice relatively calm.

Tyler shut her eyes tight as a scream escaped her lips. Her seat's safety mechanisms activated and embraced her sturdily for the impact, wrapping around her torso, shoulders, and head.

Then the ship hit the ground hard.

Tyler could feel the Scouter shutter as it dug into the dust, the ground fighting to stop the momentum of the ship.

I dug on for what seemed an eternity. Then it finally scraped to a stop.

Tyler opened her eyes. Everyone was still there, nobody looked hurt.

From the inside, the ship looked functional, albeit powerless. All the electronics were off and the ship was silent.

"Is everyone okay?" Asked Byralnus, his thin crystal body crawling out of his seat and looking back at the crew. "Malba? Heva? Jacobs? EquirBai?"

"I'm okay, Byralnus." Answered Tyler.

"What the Ruolt happened??" Cursed Bai.

"Heva and I are fine, Captain." Said Jirabi as he helped Heva release the safety mechanism on her chair.

"Good, I'm happy we made it out of that safely. And there is no need to use vile language EquirBai," scolded Byralnus, "the Scouter malfunctioned. Jacobs an I will examine it to see if we can get it working again. Everything will be fine."

Tyler released herself from the safety mechanism holding her to her seat. She was anxious and a little excited to see what had went wrong with the Scouter. "It malfunctioned Captain?" Question Tyler. "Did it just... die?"

Byralnus looked back at Tyler and nodded solemnly. "Suit up everyone, the Halos wont protect you from everything out there." Byralnus opened a small closet like compartment containing a row of protection suits that were tailored for each of the team members.

After each of them had pulled the suit over their existing uniform and set up their Halos, Jirabi made his way to the side of the craft and manually opened the emergency escape door.

Tyler could feel the heat radiate from the outside like the door to a huge oven had just been opened.

Jirabi jumped out, then stood to the side and assisted Heva and Bai out to the ground.

Tyler was next, she allowed Jirabi's steady arm to support her as she dropped to the dusty ground below. Byralnus followed suit.

The heat from the planet's large red sun blared down on them mercilessly, and Tyler could feel the itch of sweat already pushing its way to the surface of her skin.