Chapter 26
After leaving the shuttle, they Cheryl and Connor made their way through the service tunnels into the primary mining cave. Their eyes scanning the scene before them. They could see Owen and Tyrell, both silhouette against the dim light.
"Captain, stop!" Connor called out, his voice echoing through the cavern.
The momentary distraction was all Tyrell needed. With a roar, he lunged at Owen, his hands reaching for the blaster. The two men grappled, their bodies twisting and turning as they fought for control of the weapon.
The marines, caught off guard, could only watch in horror as the struggle moved dangerously close to the edge of the bridge. Their shouts of warning echoed through the cavern, but it was too late.
With a final, desperate twist, Tyrell managed to wrench the blaster from Owen's grip, and it skittered several meters down the length of the bridge. But the sudden movement sent them both off balance. For a moment, they teetered on the edge of the bridge, their arms flailing. Then, with a cry, Tyrell grabbed Cantrell and they both fell from the bridge.
The taller marine tried to save the captain, reaching out desperately as both men lost their footing, but he was centimeters from reaching the man and was unable to prevent the fall.
Cheryl and Connor ran to the near side of the bridge, their hearts pounding as they reached the metal grating. Cantrell and Tyrell had disappeared into the darkness below, their cries echoing through the cavern before fading into silence.
Connor looked at Cheryl and their search and rescue skills immediately kicked in. Connor called to the marines where were looking for the captain over the side of the bridge.
"You two, with me!" Connor called out.
The two marines, glad that someone was taking charge, rushed to help. Connor started to make his way down the rocky cliffs under the bridge. The rocks were loose and slippery, and more than once he nearly lost his footing. But he kept going, driven by the need to save his captain. They could hear Tyrell screaming, but the sounds echoed from all the walls making pinpointing the direction of the sounds difficult to ascertain.
But Connor stayed on the trajectory he had seen both men fall, and quickly located the captain among the rocks, unmoving. Using the two marines as a human chain, they managed to hoist the captain back up to the bridge where they could address his wounds.
Cheryl stood at the edge of the chasm, her heart pounding in her chest. Below, she could hear Tyrell's panicked screams, his voice echoing off the cavern walls.
"Hold on, Tyrell!" she shouted, her voice echoing in the cavernous space. "I'm coming down!"
She glanced around until she saw the safety board, with ropes, signage, a winch, carbiners, and other safety gear. She ran to it and grabbed the coiled rope from the board.
Then, with a deep breath, she began her descent into the chasm.
The climb was slow and treacherous, with rocks dislodging under her weight. But she kept going, determined to reach the man. She moved with careful three-point precision, her focus solely on the figure clinging desperately to a rock outcropping below.
As she neared Tyrell, she could see the fear in his eyes. He was clinging to the rock with a white-knuckled grip, his body swaying precariously over the dark abyss below.
"Tyrell!" Cheryl called out, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins. "I need you to reach out and grab my hand. Tyrell!"
Tyrell looked up at her, his eyes wide with fear. "I can't trust you!" he shouted back, his voice echoing off the cavern walls. "I can't trust anyone in uniform."
Cheryl took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice calm. "Tyrell, listen to me. If we stay here, those mercenaries will find us. They're coming. We need to get out of here, now."
Something in her words seemed to get through to Tyrell. He looked at her for a long moment, then nodded, reaching out with a trembling hand to grab the end of the rope.
Tyrell managed to slip the bowline loop over his arms and Cheryl helped him pull it tight. Then Cheryl and Tyrell began the arduous task of climbing back up the chasm. The rock face was slick and treacherous, a vertical maze of jagged outcroppings and loose gravel. Every handhold and foothold had to be tested before they put their weight on it, and more than once, a shower of pebbles cascaded down into the abyss as a seemingly solid grip crumbled away.
Tyrell was silent now, his panic replaced by a grim determination. He followed Cheryl's lead, his hands white-knuckled on the rope as he painstakingly pulled himself up. Despite his fear, he was a strong climber, his movements sure and steady.
Cheryl led the way, her muscles straining with the effort of the climb. Sweat trickled down her face, stinging her eyes, but she didn't dare let go of the rope to wipe it away. She kept her gaze focused upward on the distant edge of the chasm that represented safety.
The ascent seemed to take forever. Their progress was slow, measured in centimeters rather than meters. But gradually, the edge of the chasm grew closer. Cheryl could see the rough texture of the ground, the glint of the abandoned machinery they had left behind.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Cheryl's hand closed over the edge of the chasm. With a final surge of effort, she pulled herself up and over, rolling onto solid ground. She lay there for a moment, panting, before turning back to help pull Tyrell over the lip of the chasm.