katrina sf
KATRINA
Sci Fi tale written by Alfredo Juillet Frascara
18 September 2005.
Epoch : 2085
CHAPTER ONE
KATRINA
The spaceship KATRINA crossed the sky with a roar.
On board, and clinching his teeth, was Captain Autlia Veerme, together with a valiant crew, scattered alongside
the inner hulk of the big ship.
The automatic pilot made a fine landing, so the Captain was proud of the system. His men begun joking among
them, happy to be safe once more.
"Captain, who are the ones who will descend now? " - The first officer asked from his seat.
"Me and Bascom. "- Said the Captain, signaling to the Cyborg to get on the move. The creature obeyed instantly,
walking to the locking section. When the Captain arrives there, officer Vadart approaches, saying to him : " Sir,
I recommend you to use the thermal suit this time. There are 50 Celsius Degrees out there."
"All right; I«ll use your advice."- Replied the surprised Captain, who has no previous knowledge of it.
The suit was very lightweight, and it has also a helmet made of the same fabric, together with a transparent
plastic on front, to let the user see through.
Once in the outside of the ship, Veerme saw Bascom already seated on an airmotorcycle. The machine was able
to fly at 300 km. per hour, using the anti gravitatory device invented eighty years ago.
"Where to, Captain ?" - Bascom asked.
"Just follow me"- The Captain said, smiling - he already has a sketch on his mind, about the path to follow-
straight due west, where a big scar on the ground was seeing by him during the short time the KATRINA was
descending some minutes before. He remembered a long line of hills, at the west side of it, and a plain with
what seems to be trees, to this side of that ravine.
Once flying at 400 meters high, he could see the plain littered with stones and boulders under the fiery rays of
that sun, star ...
Before the big ravine, or canyon, Vermeer saw how the vegetation begun to appear, if somewhat dried by the
sun. There was no water in sight there.
The canyon was huge, with steep walls 100 meters high; at the bottom of it a streak of water was moving to the
south. The waters reflected the light like a saver, silvery white.
Vermeer and Bascom went down at 150 kilometers per hour, like two gliders under a strong wind. Their
machines whined over the big boulders who perched alongside the descent.
Vermeer and his crew member saw several animals brazing (grazing) near the river, who had muddy (banks) ,
who was no problem for the big creatures in sight. AT last, Vermeer landed on a stretch of dry land, near the
waters.
Cyborg Bascom landed at his left side, and jumped to the ground easily, saying "You can lift off your helmet,
Captain! Temperature here is 38 Centigrade."
So Vermeer lifted the helmet, and felt instantly the difference between 20 and 38, but also, the difference in
smell and consistency, from a decontaminated, aseptic air, to a strong burst of odors , from the atmosphere of
the planet.
Near them, a forest grows , showing small trees with leaves of different colors. The radio of Bascom«s airbike
chirped, and she answered it fast; after some phrases, she turns to the Captain, saying " It«s first officer calling.
He asks about our whereabouts."
"Tell him not to worry, and that we are at the bottom of the big canyon ,west to the ship. No civilization
whatsoever... yet."- Vermeer said.
The Cyborg repeated it, and hung the phone. The captain touches some fruits from a small tree, and Bascom eats
one, saying "Delicious, some kind of orange. Not poisonous."
"Let«s see."- Vermeer said , and eats a fruit, finding it refreshing. Two big butterflies fly over some sticky
plants not ten meters away. Bascom approaches the river, and sips a couple of drops ,using a stem.
"Very contaminated. Don«t drink." - She said, spitting unto the ground. The Captain heard a sound, and saw a
couple of big birds rushing unto them, from above.
"Fire, captain!"- Bascom said, pointing her gun to the nearest of the flying creatures, who had hide instead of
feathers. The whole head of the first of them volatized with the heat ray, but his body bumped on Vermeer,
throwing him five meters away. With the concussion, he was dizzy and didn«t use his gun, so the second flying
creature used those scant seconds to dip unto him and open a big wound on his head, using the big beak he has in
front of his skull.
Bascom fired repeatedly against the big brute, but didn«t prevent the fiery animal to really opened Vermeer
head in two, with fast bites.There lied those two flying creatures, one almost upon the Captain«s body, much to
the annoyance of Bascom, who was meant to protect the human at all times.
The Cyborg went to the motor flier, and said "Bascom here. The Captain«s dead. I«ll carry his body in some
moments more."
"What happened!"- The startled voice of the first officer come by the phones.
"A big brute smashed his skull- they were two of them, I killed both but not as fast as it was needed."- Bascom
said.
After some seconds of silence, the first officer said "All right, take him back. And be careful. There could be
others flying around."
"Okie dokie."- Bascom said, ending the transmission. She takes the limping body to the first motor flier, and
tied it there, and using a replicant driving system, from her motorbike she could drive both machines unto the
air and set course back to the KATRINA spaceship.
SECOND CHAPTER.
Bascom was taking a bath, after the delivery and the explanations. She was upset, so she used the bath to
straighten her feelings once more. Not that she could really needed the bath, but she also likes to feel and see
those streaks of water running down her beautiful body. She was the epitome of what humans felt beauty was at
the late twenty one Century : fat but without hanging bags of grease under buttocks or the belly, dark green eyes,
really black hair and eyelids with a golden glow, 1.70 Mt. in height. The rest of her attributes were mental, and
it represents all what was known at the moment of her inception: 2055, plus, of course, what Bascom could learn
in her studies- who in her case, were really scant.
Bysycat, her cloned special cat, come running to take a bath, too. She laughed and stroke his hear with delight.
The cat was really an amusement for her, and she had it since his twentieth birthday, a present from her
stepmother, when she went out of the Space Academy, with her space pilot«s license.
After the bath, she takes a half minute dry bath, who leaves her skin and hair perfectly dry, and takes the cat in
her arms, saying "You little brute, you love a warm bath, eh?" And the cat purred in consent.
She clothes with fresh garments, and puts on a pair of sandals. Bascom looked at the monitor, and punching the
keyboard, obtained the last news on board. The captain«s body was to be iced , but three clones were to be
produced by doctor .... now. They didn«t said for what use those new crew members were going to put at, but of
one thing Bascom was sure, they weren«t going to be Captains of the ship ...
The chimney of her wrist watch alerted her, and she talked unto the built in microphone. "Bascom here."
"This is the first officer. Please come to the hatch."
"Coming, Sir."- She replied, hastening so.
At the hatch, she saw a raider team ready to depart.
First officer saw her too, and said "You are going with them, Bascom. Same place you were with the Captain. I
want them to take a look at the bird."
"Aye aye, Sir."- She replied, and went out with the five other scouts. Two more were already with motorbikes
standing in waiting. They climb on them, and the six explorers climb fast to the sky.
"You guide, Bascom. Same place as you were with the deceased Vermeer."- The chief of the expedition ordered.
"Yes sir."- She replied, and located her vehicle in the center of the group, that takes the figure of a V.
Soon they were gliding over the cliff, and she was searching for clues ,in order to find the exact spot . When she
was beginning to recognize it, several big birds come flying to their site.
"Birds incoming! Aim and fire them!" - The chief of the expedition yelled by the microphone, amplifying his
order through the earphones every one was using, together with the helmet.
The band (?) of birds approaches very swiftly, and begun trying to hit them with their beaks and paws, that were
armed with real hooks, the size averaging half a meter.
Two scouts were injured, but escape going down at top speed.
The rest used their armor, killing three of the birds , who escaped in flames. The rest begun to gain altitude.
"Don«t shoot them! Let them live."'- The chief of the expedition ordered, and went after the three who were
now almost landing in a stretch of dry land, near the river.
Once they were standing on the ground, Bascom went to see the injured, helping them to bandage their wounds,
none of them too dangerous for their lives.
"Do you see them birds? Those big beaks surely could kill a man in one bite, if they get us in a soft spot!"' - One
of the astronauts said.
"It really hurts! And I am feeling week every minute it passes."- Other space soldier said, seating on a boulder.
Soon the three of them were panting on the ground, with fever.
_ Must be venom on those beaks. Call the captain." - The Chief of the expedition told his aid de camp, a
sergeant.
Soon the new captain, Gorosito, realize he has several injured men in danger, and he sent them a scout ship, who
appeared just in time, as the big birds were turning over their heads each second in less altitude, as going ready
to attack again...and in greater numbers.
- Don«t use the airbikes anymore, says the captain! Every one on board, and carry those airbikes inside!«' The
commander of the scout ship ordered when he was at ear shot. Other paramedics went swiftly to the injured
men, injecting them with medicines and antitoxins; they carried them inside the scout ship and in ten minutes
they were again in the air, turning as they climb and soon heading hurriedly to the Katrina spaceship
The chief of the expedition went to give his briefing schedule to the captain, and Bascom went to the Library,
where she asks the computer to show her every known bird or creature capable of flying, in any era available.
Soon she was staring at the replica of the bird they were attacked by. His name was Quetcacoatlus ,a
pterodactiloid of 15 metes wing span, from the Cretacic, 66 millions years ago.. in the Earth, but obviously, the
same era wasn«t happening here in this planet.
"We are back in the Cretaceous!"' - She mumbled to herself, in awe. So, the rest of the animals could be similar
to those of the same era in Earth... no human beings, then , but dangerous creatures.
She went to the Scientific officer with that information, finding him looking through a microscope at the
Second Laboratory.
"Oh, hi, Bascom. What wind brings you down here?"' The man asked, looking briefly in her direction.
"I find out in which era this planet is."- She announced, looking at some tissues floating on a bottle.
"In which era this planet is ? "' Bomdar asked, amused, but not so much as to retire his eyes from the apparatus.
"Cretaceous. 66 millions years in the past."- She announced. Bomdar, the Scientific officer on board, inhaled
deeply, and looked at her in disbelief.
"Some queer joke of yours, Bascom?"- He asked, straight seating at his revolving chair.
"I don«t get amused with bad jokes, Officer BOmdar. I saw that bird out there, the one who killed Captain
Vermeer, and now some others of the same kind, attacked three more crew members. Now they are in sick bay,
dizzy as a drunk duck."- She informed the scientific man.
"My me! How pity this is it ! Well, it «s the normal in dangerous trips like this one! And where did you learn
they are Quetca... birds ?"- Bomdar asked.
"Quetzacoatlus . Fifteen meters long. Their beaks measured more than a meter long! And they have long paws.
"- She said, seating on the verge of a table.
"Well, I must admit I am very astounded! And interested ! Guess I could study dinosaurs instead of mammals in
this trip- a good opportunity to make my name reverenced, if we return to the civilization in one piece!«- The
officer said.
"You«ll surely return in one piece, Bomdar! As long as you have your ass down here all the time , that«s for
sure!"' - Bascom said.
Bomdar looked at her with a long stare, and said " I don«t believe you are here just to frighten me or plainly
insulting me ! Tell me what you want, Bascom, and we could end this conversation in educated terms."
"Pardon me, If I was rude. Well, I want to know if you are interested in those venomous the Quetzalcoatlus has
in their beaks. "' - Bascom said.
"And you want me to go down there and take a sample from those dinosaurs? "' - Bomdar asked, incredulous.
"Of course not, man! I want you to take a sample from the wounds of those who are being treated at sick bay!
Because if we are going to stay in this planet for some more time, we could be having more fights with those
brutes."'- Bascom said.
Bomdar approved her idea, and takes some items from his laboratory, and went to sick bay, just in time to see
the last one of the injured went out of the sterilize chamber.He was out in the open with that, as samples of the
venom were wiped out from both clothes and flesh of the injured men.
The captain Gorosito saw him lurking around, and said "What are you searching for here, officer Bomdar?"
"I was told there were some venom in this men, Sir, and I was trying to obtain a sample of it. Pity, they went
through the sterilizes now, and the samples disappears with it."- Bomdar said.
The captain looks unto those injured, who were sedated at the time, and said "You could take blood samples
now, I presume. The venom should be there, in their blood."
Bomdar takes some samples of their blood, thinking it was not the same thing, but it worth a try. In the solitude
of his laboratory, he finds nothing strange on the blood, and it was not astonishing it, as the sterilize chamber not
only cleans by the outside, but also by the inside of bodies....
Later, Cyborg Bascom went to see him, and asked "Well, did you find something there, officer?"
"Nothing at all. The sterilize did its job , and not a trace of alien substances were found." - Bomdar said.
So we should be waiting for the next attack to study it ! "- Bascom said, seating on a chair.
"Right. Perhaps somebody could go there and take a sample of those dinosaurs«s beaks! Could be you."-Bomdar
said, smiling.
"Not in a hundred years! I prefer time takes care of it. "- She said, with a twist of her lips.
They heard the alarm bell going on on the corridor, and they went out - several crew members shouts in panic,
and the ship moves to the right, sending them in a heap to the other extreme of the corridor.
"What is happening!"- Bomdar asked, but everyone were busy trying to regain the equilibrium. Bascom
managed to arrive to the main cabin, just in time to see the Captain Gorosito yelled to the pilot "Rise the ship
now, take off immediately!"
But his order could not be obeyed by the pilot, as he was jerked out of the seat by another big movement of the
ship, that this time turns itself on its axis. Bascom was already firmly attached to a security cord, so when the
ship ends the turn, she jumped to the pilot«s position, and her clever fingers made the final adjustment, sending
the order to the graviton.
Soon the ship was hovering 300 meters from the ground, and people could walk by the corridors, wandering
what had happened.
At the control cabin, Bascom was looking at the monitors, finding out what had happened by looking at the
instruments...
What happened ? "- Captain Gorosito asked , from his chair.
"We were attacked. Those are the enemies."- Bascom said, centering the visor on the field just abandoned
seconds ago. The figures were huge- seven big dinosaurs, the size of the ship, were lurking down there, finding
their prey has escaped flying...
"Dangerous spot. Tell me about the situation ."- The captain Gorosito asked to Bascom, who was the only
available officer there, as the poor pilot had his neck turned in a strange way.
Bascom read the signals on the screens, and said "The hull has a crack in middle ship, Sir. One deflector is bend.
Engines are OK."
"Well, at least we could mend it up. See to it."- The captain said, pale on the face.
Bascom used the intercom to say "To all personnel: we were attacked by a pack of dinosaurs, but now we are
safe. We are to repair the outer hull, but first I«m going to move the vessel to a safer ground. Stay at your posts
."And with dexterity, she moves the ship from that place, searching a higher ground- she finds it in a terrace,
over a hill.
The ship hit the ground with its soporters,and Bascom stop the engines. She turns round, to see the Captain
Gorosito, who said "Well done. Now, take care of the repairing crew yourself."
Bascom went out, seeing some of the injured people were being carried to the Infirmary, where doctor ... begun
to attend them.
At the engine room, Bascom talks with the Chief Engineer, asking for some personnel in order to begun looking
for damages in the outer hull.
"That«s fine, officer Bascom. But I would use my men first in here, where some minor problems arise. This
mechanisms are very delicate." - The Chief said.
"That«s OK by me, but I need at least a couple of men. "- She was not meant to be cooed as easily.
The Chief puts on a grievous face, but complied, and so Bascom went to the outer hull by a lock .
The air outside was colder than at the plains, and the two men shivered with it.
"Nothing as hard labor to heat the body, men! Let«s see what is the damage, now."- She said, smiling.
The technicians were, as almost everyone on board, young people, and soon then were staring at the bent shields.
"Wow! They sure used some strength here !- One of the men said. His name was Rodolfo Menguad.
Bascom realized they were going to retire at least one sheet of metal ,to repair the rest. She called the Captain
Gorosito, by her wrist-watch , and said "Sir, we are going to need extra help here in the outside. The use of a
couple robots could do the trick. Give me permission to awake them."
Gorosito mumbled something first, and then he said "All right, but make it quick! I don«t want to be seating
here for too long."
"Aye aye, Sir."- Bascom said, and from an inner connection, she activated a pair of robots, who come to the
outside in five minutes.
"Names."- She said.
"KB 390 y OSC 283 "- Dijo uno de los robots. Estos eran modelos nuevos, usados solo en pruebas de conducta, y
no necesitaban nada durante 209 a-os, ya que tenian pilas atomicas que duraban esa cantidad de a-os sin
problemas. De seguro, para cuando las pilas se les acabaran, otros mejores modelos estarian disponibles.
"KB 390 and OSC 283 "- One of the robots said.
This were new models, used only in test mode, and they didn«t need maintenance at all during 209 yeas, as they
had uranium batteries, that lasted for that span of time without problems.
For sure, by the time those batteries need recharge, other newer models would be available.
"All right, Kabe and Oscar ! We need to replace some outer hull«s sheets . Let«s see to it."- Bascom said, and
soon she was working with her team of two humans and two robots, under Cyborg guidance...
Two days it lasted the reparations, 48 hours were enough for it, as the robots didn«t need repose, neither
Bascom. The humans were there to give a helping hand in the final steps, in the coating and polishing of the
surface.Bascom sent the robots again to their sleeping pods, and for the humans she has words of appraisal, in
front of the Captain Gorosito, who was called to see the end-finish of that work.
"We all worked in an organized team, Sir. Let me tell you the crew members worked hard and that they deserve
some rest after this."- Bascom said, knowing there was no other way to repay their efforts.Gorosito mumbled
something, and said "All right, the work seems to be OK, and about the rest, you know , Bascom, the ship
receives a severe blow, and there are too many injured people at the Sick Bay, to leave good hands at rest. Sorry,
but you«ll had to work as the rest."
And went away, whistling some tune for himself.
"Well, buddies, I try to give you something in return!"' - Bascom said, rising her shoulders.
"Don«t worry, officer ! We understand ! And we worked at ease with you."- Rodolfo Menguad replied.
Bascom went to a higher point in the terrain, looking at the landscape it was there to see, being in the side of a
big mountain. The river was not distinguished, but the canyon stretched by both sides , golden at that time of the
day.
Some big birds were lurking over them,but they didn«t come down, afraid of the laser rays an automatic
machine fired every time some of them dare to descend more than a hundred meters below. Several charred
remains rested scattered around the KATRINA vessel.
When almost dark , Bascom returned to the ship, and went to the mess hall, more to hear the conversations than
to eat, as her needs of food were amazingly little.She asks for a cup of milk with a little coffee, and was about to
drink it, when two young women seats at her same table, saying " Could we seats here, comrade? "
Bascom looked at them, and smiled, as they were Cyborg as herself.
"Of course. It«s good to have good company now and then." - She said.
The women asked cakes and beverages, saying "Good work you did out there ! We went to see it ourselves.
"Oh, you are from the Revision team ? "- Bascom asked, acidly."Don«t need to be nasty, officer! You know we
support ourselves a lot."- One of them said, laughing. Her hair was black, and she has green eyes and thin lips.
"I am Gladia, and my friend here is Ashtaria. Glad to meet you."«- The woman said.
"Nice to meet you. I didn«t see you around, earlier. Seems the Captain awoke more personnel."- Bascom said, as
she was well aware that since that moment, she was the only Cyborg working at the ship.
"Yes, you know, Captain Gorosito was in real need of capable personnel, now something happened to the ship
down there."- Ashtaria said, with a mild voice, signaling with her right hand to the Canyon.
"A bunch of dinosaurs get the fists against this ship- a moment more, and they could had broken the thing in
two!" - Bascom said, sipping her coffee.
"I don«t know what the humans likes in that brew you are sipping!- Gladia said, looking at the cup of coffee.
I guess they drink it to have some more energy, I suppose! Coffee has something that fastened your heart."-
Bascom said, lecturing her.
Gladia sniffed, saying "Oh, that I was well aware already! But there are some other better things to get your
heart pounding like a drum in the fourth of July!"
-"Name me one of those things."- Bascom said, looking at her intently.
" A fine male." - Gladia said, blushing.
Bascom finished her cup of coffee, saying: "You know we are not supposed to have lovers on duty! "
"Yes, the regulations are a dull thing for us."- Gladia said, and Bascom laughed of her show of dark humor.
"Nobody rules nobody here in outer space. We are in the rim of the unknown, nobody will make a row for a
simple romance."- Ashtaria said.
She has dark hair, white skin, and dark big eyes, with eyelashes really large. Her body was superb, well, all the
Cyborg were made following the epitome of female beauty- that was a challenge to any rule-abiding male, and
somebody said it was a joke played on the rules by the makers of Cyborg
To night there will be a dancing party at one of the halls. You coming?«' - Ashataria said to Bascom.
"I«m not too much prone to dance. "- She said, thinking how many time she wonders how that could be , but
without invitations, how she could be dancing? And now they were inviting her!
"Don«t by shy, officer ! I will take care of you! Please, come with us."- Gladia said, touching her sleeve.
"All right, but I cannot swear I «ll be a fine company."- Bascom said, rising her shoulders a bit.
"We«ll get along fine! We«ll meet you here at 22 hours."' - Gladia said, rising from the table.
Bascom stands up too, and went to comply with her duties for the rest of that day.
At 21 hours, she was free of toll, and went to her cabin, where she takes a warm bath. Inside the bath tube, with
that warm liquid surrounding her body, she flexed her legs, thinking how she was going to exert her femininity
some day ! She was still a virgin - and the cause of it was to had seen how many rigmarole and dramas love
affairs produce in people««s lives
At 22 hours, Bascom arrives to the mess hall, where a dozen other crew members were playing cards. She seats
at a table and waits- for ten minutes, and then one of the card players, a blond young man, come to her side,
saying Don't wait any longer, officer! Here I am , to accompany you !
Bascom made a gesture towards one of the seats around the table, saying "You«re welcome. Guess it was only a
joke."
"What was a joke, officer? And by the way, the name is Barton."
"Mine is Bascom. The joke was that two other girls invited me to some dancing party, but they are not
showing."- Bascom said, doing a circle with a finger in the air.
"Don«t worry! Perhaps they are late, or they forgot."- Barton said, looking at the other table, where somebody
was making the thumb up signal...
"Guess they are a pair of jokers. But not a nice thing to do to me."- Bascom said, blushing deeply.
"I know who you are. Bascom, the officer our Captain Gorosito had in great esteem."- The man said.
"Oh, yeah? And I not knowing it ! "- Bascom said, smiling.
"It«s true! I work at Hydroponics, where he was seldom working before achieving his present post - and he
keeps on going there, out of habits, and talk with us - me and the comrades you see at that table."- Barton said,
looking at the other table.
From there, a man said "Take her along with you here, Barton! Perhaps the officer wants to play cards with us!"
"And do you want, Bascom?" - Barton asked her, politely.Bascom was changing her plans all together, looking
at them, seeing they were honest looking chaps, and also, to erase the failure - those chicks will be sensing her
fury afterwards !
"All right,I don«t see no harm in a play of cards."- Bascom said, assenting with a little bow.
"Fine! "- Barton said, and they both went to the other table, where they exchange names and the one who invited
her, crewman Laskar Oliveira, said " The play is very simple, just plain poker, Bascom! Now, we play for
deserts. At every meal, the looser must pay with his - or in your case - her desert. Understood?
"Understood. A desert is what you are stacking here."- Bascom smiled.As she already know to play poker, she
didn«t loose games too easily, but in the end of an hour and a half, she lost two deserts...
The conversation was light spirited, and she understood very quick the matter was, primarily, to establish a
bound between the players, a way to get friends. She was delighted, as nobody made a pass unto her, or
lascivious stares. Just some friends playing cards...
She almost thanked those two Cyborg, for to late her down in the appointment!
After the game, several of the group went to their duties, as a new shift was begun. Bascom retired herself to
the radio set, where Sumerdio Farthomex was hearing a tune.
"Hi, officer Bascom! "- He said, smiling.
"Hi, Farthomex! Nice jazz you have there."- She said, seating at another chair. She takes a couple of headphones,
and with the other receiver, searches the waves , listening .
There was only static going on. She expected - half expected, really, to listen some day an alien broadcast...
For two hours she was there, and then the soft chime of the half shift sounds down the corridors- she yawned and
went to her cabin, to sleep.
In the morning, Bascom went to work at 8.00 hours. She was doing some repairs at the fins, when she was called
by the Captain Gorosito, at the main cabin.
When arriving there, he said "Good morning, officer Bascom. In order to comply with orders, we must explore
some more of this planet. "
And he shows a map on the main screen, saying "You and a team already waiting, will go to the second
continent, that is the major of the three, as you could see. I am interested in flora and fauna, of course, but also
in those three spots indicated on the map. Here, here and here, our long range scanners had encountered
important quantities of minerals, in need at hour home system. You are going with a couple of mineralogist,
who must take samples to study if there are valuable minerals there, and the law of fine , things they understand
and I don«t need to explain too much here. Well, you have your orders. "
"How many auxiliary ships are going to use? And how long in time is my mission, Captain?" - Bascom asked.
"You are going in one auxiliary ship. The time you need is what you must use, of course. Not a day longer."-
Gorosito said, turning the main monitor into normal view - that is to say, the surroundings of the KATRINA
spaceship.
"Very well, Sir. I«ll be in touch , if needed be." - Bascom said, marching out of there.
She takes a bag from her cabin, with her personal belongings and some gadgets, and went to the departure
corridor, where the hatch of the auxiliary ships were located.
In one of them, several crew members were waiting.
Hello, officer. We are ready to depart."' - One of them said. She recognized Barton, and said " What happened
with Hydroponics ?"
My other fellow workers remained there, officer. I was the expendable, I guess."- Barton said.
Bascom already has counted them - 5 in all, with two women in the team - one of them a Cyborg ... Gladia.
"Hi, Gladia. Good to have you around."- She said, in ominous tones.
"Glad to serves you." - She said, looking startled.
"Well, I don«t know if they told you what kind of research we are going to do."- Bascom said, going inside the
auxiliary ship.
"They told you we were to be briefed by you."- Barton said.
I was told something related with my profession - geologist."- Another crew member said.
_And of course, I need your names and jobs now, please.- Bascom said, starting the engines.
_Bartom, Luigi. Hydroponics, Chemical engineer.' Bartom said, seating at a chair.
"_ Gladia Howtorn. Pipelines, Radar maintenance, food supplies. Technical officer.- The officer said.
"Garotto Mainly, Engines, Engineer. "- Other said.
The auxiliary went out of the main body of the KATRINA spaceship, and with both magnetic engines working,
swings to the north of the planet.
Another woman said : " Shaira Toloza, Weaponry section, Engineer. "
And the last one , a man, said "Coracious Lafonterius, Radar section, Technical engineer."
"Very well. Fine crew I have here. Nice to be with you, except one of you... I expect you to be open wide with
the surroundings. We have a captain already in the ice, just because the animals of this planets don«t suppose to
be lovingly pets. I want you armed at all times. "- Bascom said, turning the ship downwards, when arriving to
the Third Continent.
From where they were flying, the monitor shows a sketch of the land ahead, plus some vistas from the front
cameras, who shows, mainly , CLOUDS OF YELLOW COLOR.
Chapter 2.
The exploration of Continent 3.
Explorers .Commander Lara Bascom (Cyborg)Luigi Bartom. Hydroponics, chemical engineer
Gladia Howtorn, pipelines, radar, food supplies. Technical officer. (Cyborg)
Garotto Mainly, Engines, Engineer
Shaira Toloza, weaponry section, Engineer.
Coracious Lafonterius, radar section, technical engineer.
The whole place seems to be under a fiery fog, when not whitstanding a terrific rainfall. Bascom, who was
piloting the auxiliary ship, decided to go for a landing relying mainly on the computer scanning system, not
always commendable.
"Brace for hard landing ! " - She announced, and pushed the necessary buttons. Soon the ship swooped
downwards, and after some very rude shifts in direction, landed fast and easy - much to the astonishment of
everyone on board !
Bascom revised the instruments before opening the hatch... winds of 90 km per hour, heavy rain... 9¼ C , means
problems, so she said " We are going to use the helmets, and our thermal suits. No way to go outside in
explorer«s shirt and pants now."
They take the aforementioned clothes from the closet at the back of the ship, and once fully clothed, Bascom
said "As there is a strong gale outside, two of us will remain here, and I will send for them after some while.
Gladia and Garotto, you stay here."
So there was only four persons crossing the hatch- the vision was hampered by the rain, who washed their
helmets every second. Using the built in light torch, they could see with a seventy per cent of visibility. The
terrain was full of mud and rocks, the later being washed by the light brown rain , and using the magnetic
compass, they walked away from the auxiliary ship, who was using its landing lights, in order to be utterly
visibly in the mid of that storm.
After half an hour of walk, they arrive to the board of a big river, who went to the south with fury. The rumor
of the rocks being towed underwater was also a trembling behind their feet.There was no sign of life
whatsoever, nor trees nor animals. The place was very primitive looking, and gives them a sense of barrenness.
Bascom, using the compass, begun circling around the not visible ship, going sometimes between big boulders,
that prevents the gale to throw them away. She takes some samples, and said by the radio : "No way to take
samples with care ! This is just a lot of mud !"
"Let«s return to the ship, Sir ! "- Luigi Bartom said.
"There is nothing clear here!"Bascom didn«t reply, but went directly to the ship, and once all inside, they take
off the thermal suits, with sighs of relief.
"What a weather! Is it all like this?" '- Shaira Toloza asked.
"I guess not, but in hundred of kilometers, this bad weather has its reign!" - Bascom replied, once at the
controls. With the weather scan, she could use the long range radar from the Katrina, connected via radio waves.
The only place free of the storm was located to the north side. She feed the computer with the information,
punched a series of buttons, and said " Pity, we must leave this enchanting place ! Brace for take off!"
And they all fastened to their seats. The last button was punched,and the small airship went up and away very
quick. Twenty minutes later, they descended unto a sunny stretch of land, near the extreme north of the Third
Continent.
"We«ll go with the thermal suits, and no helmets. Temperature, 19 ¼ Centigrade."- Bascom said, opening the
hatch. The soft smell of grass come into their lungs, and they all smiled- compared with the precedent site, this
was Heaven !In front of them, a chain of mountains extends itself from the north to the south, possibly shunning
down the hurricanes. The landscape was in green, with green grass, green mountains and a forest of green to the
west.
"Well, here we have mountains to climb and a forest to search for bugs. Nothing to worry about !" - Luigi
Bartom said.
Bascom said " Well, the geologist are going up that hill and try to find some minerals in it. We are in one of the
hot spots for that. The rest, we«ll going to that forest, and try to take enough samples on animals and vegetal that
could differ from what we know before. "
So, officers "Garotto Mainly,Shaira Toloza, geologists, begun their trek up the hills, with order to open the
radio receivers at all times, in order to be in contact with them. The rest, with Bascom guiding them, gets into
the woods.The terrain was full of weeds and grass a meter high, and there were several insects flying over the
leaves- a meter long, and with big stings protruding at their backs. All was going well, until Coracious
Lafonterius steps on a log that wasn«t a log...
A big dinosaur stands up from the long grass, showing his mean eyes ablaze with fury- Bascom saw some big
eggs near her, and expect the worst.
"She«s protecting her babies ! Eggs are lying there ! Run to the woods!"- She commanded, as she was sure
bullets would sting the dinosaur 30 meters long,but never could kill the beast !
Coracious begun turning his body to run, but the dinosaur was lightning speed in their movements, and chops his
body in two, with is big fauces.The rest of the group doesn't stop, but that was no problem with the dinosaur,
who jumps more than five meters in the air, landing on the shoulders of Gladia Howthorn, who smashed the
floor with her chest- her head was cut clean by the fiery teeth of the dinosaur, making a chopping sound . The
beast did a big roar, who melted the blood in the runners, who leaped and run as rabbits... Soon they were among
trees, and Bascom climbed a big tree, followed by Luigi Bartom, who panted near her shoulders...When at 12
meters high, the monster appeared down below, and with his evil eyes of dinosaur, looked unto them - made a
tentative jump,that carry him at seven meters from them- but as the dinosaur has no wings, his body returned to
the ground with a thud, and went away immediately, to finish his meal on the broken corpses already get...
"What a devil!"- Luigi Bartom said.
"We lost two party members. What a pity - and a waste of personnel. CAptain Gorosito will be nasty when
knowing it."- Bascom said, looking down eagerly.
"It«s not your fault, officer Bascom! Destiny was written before we arrives here."- Luigi Bartom said.
"Don«t give me that crap! I don«t buy "destiny" stories myself! Things happens because there are errors in the
path! I should never come here into the woods ! I should content myself with what we could had obtained at the
prairie."- Bascom said, realizing, as she speaks, that she was wrong... the only way to obtain interesting
specimens were to get into the woods... But things were already donned, and she could not return to the world of
the living those bodies half eaten by a dinosaur mother...
Ten minutes later, Gino said " We should depart from here, Bascom! The dinosaur must be eating now, but
when finished, he will return. He knows where we stand."
"Or perched. Well, guess you«re right. Let«s descend and take a share of destiny on our lives."- Bascom said,
rising her shoulders...
Once at the floor of the forest, Bascom try to return , giving a detour, to the ship- there was no need of more
exploration here, as the only specimen was 30 meters long- too long to get him inside the scout ship!
"Look" - Luigi Bartom said, retaining her by an arm. She looked in the direction he was signaling.
"I see nothing."' She whispered.
"Let«s get a little closer."' - Luigi said, and then she saw the eggs- they were more than a dozen, neatly posed in
a circle of sand. Big and shiny...
"That seems to me of a different species."- Luigi said, kneeling besides the nest. She was panting in terror,
Cyborg or not, and said " We should leave this place immediately! Mama dino should come back any minute
now!"
"Not without stealing a pair of it! Take one!"- Luigi said, handling one to her- it weighed more than half a
kilogram, and it was dry and smooth.They run by the forest with the eggs careful handled with both their hands.
The ship was shining 400 meters away, once they leave the forest. Nobody puts in their wake, so they arrives to
the ship, opened the hatch, and leave the cargo in a special box...
"All our efforts are paid with this babies! And the killing of our comrades will be lest notorious."' Luigi said.
"The other team - I«ll all them to tell them the truth."- Bascom said, producing the radio transmitter.
"Wait! Perhaps you should consider it before! Are you telling we have two dead in half an hour? They would
get nervous,and perhaps they will not found a golden nugget the size of a boot no matter a half meter distance!
Say nothing about the dead people now! "- Luigi Bartom said.
"All right, I am receiving recommendations to-day ! "- Bascom said, and when talking with the mineralogists,
said nothing about the dead crew members...
When hanging, Luigi takes her and kissed her mouth, saying "That is a good girl."
Bascom stared at him in disbelief. Luigi smiled, and said "Take that like a therapeutic measure, commander !
We are under shock already! At least, if you take me into court martial, that is what I will say!"
She laughed, and embrace him, saying "Finish what you was beginning. I need the whole treatment!"
"By all means !"- Luigi said with eagerness.
Before dusk, the mineralogist«s team arrives back, with two bags full of samples. They were tired, and Garotto
Mainly said " Gold, my commander! This hill is full of gold!"
Shaira Toloza takes a rock the size of a fist, and said "You know here are more than half kilo of gold ? "
"Yes, but gold is not our goal - not primarily, I mean."- Bascom said.
"Well, commander, we haven«t find any other mineral around here." - Shaira said, defensively.
"And where are the rest of ours?"- Garotto Mainly asked.
"Dead. We were surprised by a dinosaur- a mother dinosaur taking care of her eggs, in a matter of fact. It went
right after us- killing Gladia and Coracious Lafonterius."- Bascom said.They stared at both of them, and so
Luigi Bartom moves his head from up to down, saying "Yeah, we had bad luck. fortunately, as a revenge, I take
some eggs."
Shaira looks pale, and said "And that is not dangerous ? I mean, we are in a little ship, no matter if metallic,
those animals sure are big, or not ?"
"Thirty meters long, but the ones I get the eggs, seems to be shorter. Of course, we didn«t see them, or we would
be not here ".- Luigi Bartom explained.
"And why don«t we move from here ? I mean, if you leave tracks... they could trace us here!"- Garotto Mainly
said.
"No way! Why, did you think those monsters has supernatural senses ?"' Luigi asked.
Bascom was thinking - she wasn«t so sure about leaving the place out of afraid! But also, common sense was
telling her a dinosaur , in all probability, could make a know with the aerial ship and chew it like a chewing gum
,afterwards !She opened the hatch- it was pitch black outside. She shut the door, and said "It«s too dark to try a
take off! Sure we have a wonderful automatic pilot, but I just cannot risk our lives ,putting them in a computer
system«s whim! "
As she was the commander, nobody argued her - not now, after the internal mourning of those killed by the
dinosaur that very afternoon!
Bascom went to the bath room, at the end of the ship, and when she went out, Luigi was waiting there in the
small corridor.
"What are we going to do? Wait here for the dawn?"- He asked, nervously.
"Yeah, why? Have you some premonition, or something?"' - She asked, looking at him with a smile.
"No premonition, but I«m plainly scare."' - The man said.
"I have a remedy to that. It«s name is "therapeutic measure"- it works in this afternoon, why it will not works
now?"- She asked, grabbing his hand.
"All right, but we cannot moan here with those two inside! Perhaps in the outside... "' Luigi said.
"It«s pitch dark outside."'- She said, remembering the scary vista...
"Afraid? I can light the surrounding area with the landing lights."- He said.
"Do it. I«ll tell the others we are going to scan the perimeter."- Bascom said.
As they said, they did, and soon they were between some boulders, a hundred meters from the ship, inside a
thermal bag. After a while, they heard a shatter near them, and some objects come stumbling against the rock.
"What is going on?"- Luigi said, coming out of the bag as fast as he could. He was spellbound when seeing what
was the matter.... Two big dinosaurs were trying to make a flat dish out of the aerial vehicle!
"Oh, no ! Garotto and Sharia were inside!"- She moaned, gripping Luigi by an arm.
"Stay quiet! Or we«ll be next !"- He recommended, seeing how the lights went off suddenly.
"I cannot see a thing!!"- She moaned.
"Well, guess we must hid ourselves! Those animals seems to have a good olfactory sense!"- Luigi whispered in
her hear . They retrace their steps to the thermal bag, and carried it to the end of a little tunnel between three
rocks.
"I guess they cannot dig in here."- Bascom said, getting inside of the bag. Luigi said nothing, as he wasn«t sure
of a thing now! They were hearing the banging outside for quite a while, and then some sniffing in the vicinity -
Bascom was so frightened that was trembling in Luigi«s arms. Then, the silence come back.
"They are gone."- He said.
"Do you believe it ? perhaps they are in the dark, figuring a way out to catch us !"- She said.
"Guess not. Well, we cannot move from here! There are some 7 hours until the light return- I guess we must
wait here."«- And he embrace the Cyborg, all that night...
At dawn, Luigi went out to see what was in sight... the ship was almost gone, a thin sheet of metal ,bend and
twisted. There was no sign of human bodies- else they were eaten, or soldered together with the rest of the ship...
"I can call the mother ship with my wrist-watch radio emitter ! It«ll transmit the SOS code- one and again."-
Bascom said.
"Guess it is a good idea. No need to explain things, that way ! - Luigi said.
In the early afternoon, a dark silhouette appears in the sky, and guided by the radio transmission, it landed near
the wrecked spaceship. Luigi and Bascom run for the rescue vehicle, and when at the inside, begged the pilot to
depart immediately....
Once in the air, Bascom explains the facts to the crew members, and was repeating it again, but better worded,
to the blushed captain Gorosito. When she ends the explanation, he said "Well, officer Bascom, I see I
misjudged you, unfortunately ! Everyone dead, except you and another member, it«s not good news ! Also, you
have not a sample to show me! Do you consider your mission as a successful one ?"
"I cannot say that, Captain; in fact, it«s at the contrary. I am as sorrow for the lives of those people as the best
one, and all I can say in my behalf is that the dinosaurs in this planet are deadly beasts.... sir."
Gorosito was thinking hard in what to do with the Cyborg, now she came back with so bad news! To degrade or
imprison her for inoperative, could be a mistake, now they were so far off from the known universe... So he
decided to put the blind eye on all of the mission...
"Well, officer Bascom, since your mission failed, there is nothing more to talk. Return to your previous tasks.
Same to you, Bartom."- Gorosito said, looking older...
Both Bascom and Luigi Bartom went to their private cabins, but communicate between them by interphone, the
second they were alone.
"And, what do you think the captain would do to us?"- Luigi asked her.
"Nothing. I read his mind, so to speak- you know women like me could sense the temperature and pulse of a
person three meters away... He will do nothing unto us- specially me, as I was the responsible."- Bascom said.
"Oh,how good it«s that to know!"- Luigi said, relieved.
"Yes, Luigi. But we must pretend to be very sad, repented by what could had been our fault- soon this will be
forgotten, you«ll see."' - Bascom said.
"Pity we have just one auxiliary ship now."- He remarked.
"No matter that! With the remaining one, and well taking care of, we could end the necessary explorations
here."- She said.
"Yes, we cannot leave the vehicle all on its own , again! But of course, I doubt you could get another
commanding post again!"- Luigi Bartom said.
"Don«t be so damn sure, pal! I have a nice record, who is impaired with any of the rest of the crew ! So it«s
possibly the Captain Gorosito could be giving me another mission in the future... not too soon, in order to let
people forgot about this tragedy ."- Bascom said, who had all crystal clear in her mind...
Gorosito change ubications in the sky, doing the next orbits around the ecuator. From there, the continents could
be viewed and scanned by the radar and other instruments, so Captain Gorosito said "I cannot risk more men, but
also, we couldn«t go out from here without a proper exploration. We haven«t samples, and we haven«t places to
recommend. You know there are lots of star systems,but not everyone of them has terraformed planets such as
this... So we must stay and made some other try at it. I will send the future explorers there, and the spaceship
will comeback. After the necessary time, explorers will be brought here with another flight from the Auxiliary
ship. Is that understood, or do you want me to repeat it ?"
The officers present at the main cabin nodded in acquiescense or aproval.Gorosito calls the first officer to his
cabin, and said "Well, you hear what I want. This mission is looking grimer and grimer each day it passes ! Too
many deaths."
Bomdar, the new first officer, said "Well, Captain, our mission speaks not of dead people in the way of success!
Guess it«s implied in the whole mission, that somebody must to end his life in an accident. We choose a
profession it«s dangerous for any man! "
Gorosito paced the room several times , and said "I must send another team there! Third continent seems to be
the seat of Satan!"
"Well choosed name, Sir, if I may say so."- Bomdar said.
"Do you believe? So it«s not third continent any more! Satan continent will be called."- gorosito said, not
knowing that the name will produce more effects than he has never dreamed before!
"I guess you are not electing officer Bascom again, as the commander!"'- Bomdar recommended implicitly.
"Of course not! She is a failure! I cannot denie she is brave, boulder, and make things done, but this time she
fails me! Of course, i can elect her as a member of the team! In fact, she knows something about the surface of
this comfounded planet!"- Gorosito said, chocking with words, as it was his habit...
."And who will went there? I mean, apart of our officer Bascom."- Bomdar said, smiling proudly.
"First of all, I need people who really attain things! I think you could command the expedition, Bomdar ! I leave
to you the election of the rest of the raiders- mind you, must be five plus the commander. Well, good luck, and
be back in three weeks!"- Gorosito said, leaving the Bridge. Bascom was pale as a sheet of paper ! He never
believes he was the one to send to Satan as a commander! He wants to refuse, but seeing the faces of the other
officers there, staring at him as if they were going to laugh on his face, he restrain himself, and went to his
cabin, to seat and with both hands over his head, rocked to and fro, moaning in pain.After half an hour of that
and similar mourning expressions, he wash his face and with his computer and the list from the crew members,
he beguine to choose. He want the best men, the strongest ones, and not seeing them in the awoken crew, he
search in the deep sleep ones, the ones at the cryionic chambers ....
From there, four names come whistling : men with great strenght, height and weight enough to be Atlas. He sent
message to the pods, and called Bascom to the Bridge.
There was Bascom, when he arrives...
Bomdar told her : "Bascom, you are going to the surface with me, and some other people who are going to
awake , at the Cryionic chambers. See you brief them there, and meet me with them, at the Locks."
"Aye aye, Sir."- Bascom said, as if they were asking her to go and fetch a glass of water. Bomdar was
astonished, but said nothing...
Instead, he went to the Mess hall, where he asked for an healthy meal, in view there were going not to be
banquets in the Expedition... or so he thinks. Soon he saw Captain Gorosito, who was seating at a table, and went
there.
"Pardon me if I intrude, Captain, but I want to ask you a few questions."
Gorosito asked the machine for a steak and smashed potatoes, a Coke, and a piece of bread. Then, he said "You
may speak."
"Three weeks seems to little if I find interesting things, and too much if I move fast and there aren«t interesting
things. What I am saying, is that if the lapse of time could just be flexible, meaning I could return earlier or not
than the aforementioned three weeks elapse."- Bascom said.Gorosito was going to eat a piece of meat, but he
stops in mid air the fork, and said "I never believe one of my men was going to ask me such a silly question, first
officer ! Please get out of my presence, and leave me eat my meal in peace!"
Bomdar retired from there scalded, and he believe he heard some rumor of laughter, from some of the
tables...He was furious. He wish the mission could last a week, if possible, and if possible, to be in command at
the KATRINA, looking everything from afar ! There were too many deaths on that planet, to go and be at ease
in its surface! Bomdar went to his cabin, and rest in bed the time the men in the cryiogenic pods must need to
awake and be operational...Three hours later, and in the middle of a dream, Bomdar was awake, by the chimmey
at the door. He went there, and opened.
"The team is ready, Sir."- Bascom told him, from the corridor.
"Oh, yes ! Be ready to depart!"- Bomdar almost yelled in disgust. The whole operation was eating his nerves
!He take a bag with his belongings, and passed it to Bascom, saying: "You go along. I«ll be there in a minute."
Bascom takes the bag and departed; meanwhile, Bomdar washes his face, and went to the mess hall, where he
drinks a cup of coffee. The last one in the ship. Then, he went to the Locks, and saw the specimens... good
reliable guys, fully equiped, and with red in the eyes, consecuence of the recently awoken process.
"We are going to explore a pacific planet, without any aliens there. So don«t be worried, and we will depart
now, for a three week mission. "- Bomdar said.
They climb on the auxiliary ship, and Bascom drive the vehicle until they were flying over the Satan Continent
at a velocity of 400 kilometers per hourBomdar was looking down, through the patches free of mist or clouds.
The land seems to be with a lot of mountains, and the rivers were dark big serpents dwindling among forests
unknown to man. His scared heart has a motive to be scared, and he wished he could resign from his present
post, but that could very well mean afterwards he would be demoted and the First Officer post would be given
to somebody else...He must succeed! He said, with not too a firm voice
Sci Fi tale written by Alfredo Juillet Frascara
18 September 2005.
Epoch : 2085
CHAPTER ONE
KATRINA
The spaceship KATRINA crossed the sky with a roar.
On board, and clinching his teeth, was Captain Autlia Veerme, together with a valiant crew, scattered alongside
the inner hulk of the big ship.
The automatic pilot made a fine landing, so the Captain was proud of the system. His men begun joking among
them, happy to be safe once more.
"Captain, who are the ones who will descend now? " - The first officer asked from his seat.
"Me and Bascom. "- Said the Captain, signaling to the Cyborg to get on the move. The creature obeyed instantly,
walking to the locking section. When the Captain arrives there, officer Vadart approaches, saying to him : " Sir,
I recommend you to use the thermal suit this time. There are 50 Celsius Degrees out there."
"All right; I«ll use your advice."- Replied the surprised Captain, who has no previous knowledge of it.
The suit was very lightweight, and it has also a helmet made of the same fabric, together with a transparent
plastic on front, to let the user see through.
Once in the outside of the ship, Veerme saw Bascom already seated on an airmotorcycle. The machine was able
to fly at 300 km. per hour, using the anti gravitatory device invented eighty years ago.
"Where to, Captain ?" - Bascom asked.
"Just follow me"- The Captain said, smiling - he already has a sketch on his mind, about the path to follow-
straight due west, where a big scar on the ground was seeing by him during the short time the KATRINA was
descending some minutes before. He remembered a long line of hills, at the west side of it, and a plain with
what seems to be trees, to this side of that ravine.
Once flying at 400 meters high, he could see the plain littered with stones and boulders under the fiery rays of
that sun, star ...
Before the big ravine, or canyon, Vermeer saw how the vegetation begun to appear, if somewhat dried by the
sun. There was no water in sight there.
The canyon was huge, with steep walls 100 meters high; at the bottom of it a streak of water was moving to the
south. The waters reflected the light like a saver, silvery white.
Vermeer and Bascom went down at 150 kilometers per hour, like two gliders under a strong wind. Their
machines whined over the big boulders who perched alongside the descent.
Vermeer and his crew member saw several animals brazing (grazing) near the river, who had muddy (banks) ,
who was no problem for the big creatures in sight. AT last, Vermeer landed on a stretch of dry land, near the
waters.
Cyborg Bascom landed at his left side, and jumped to the ground easily, saying "You can lift off your helmet,
Captain! Temperature here is 38 Centigrade."
So Vermeer lifted the helmet, and felt instantly the difference between 20 and 38, but also, the difference in
smell and consistency, from a decontaminated, aseptic air, to a strong burst of odors , from the atmosphere of
the planet.
Near them, a forest grows , showing small trees with leaves of different colors. The radio of Bascom«s airbike
chirped, and she answered it fast; after some phrases, she turns to the Captain, saying " It«s first officer calling.
He asks about our whereabouts."
"Tell him not to worry, and that we are at the bottom of the big canyon ,west to the ship. No civilization
whatsoever... yet."- Vermeer said.
The Cyborg repeated it, and hung the phone. The captain touches some fruits from a small tree, and Bascom eats
one, saying "Delicious, some kind of orange. Not poisonous."
"Let«s see."- Vermeer said , and eats a fruit, finding it refreshing. Two big butterflies fly over some sticky
plants not ten meters away. Bascom approaches the river, and sips a couple of drops ,using a stem.
"Very contaminated. Don«t drink." - She said, spitting unto the ground. The Captain heard a sound, and saw a
couple of big birds rushing unto them, from above.
"Fire, captain!"- Bascom said, pointing her gun to the nearest of the flying creatures, who had hide instead of
feathers. The whole head of the first of them volatized with the heat ray, but his body bumped on Vermeer,
throwing him five meters away. With the concussion, he was dizzy and didn«t use his gun, so the second flying
creature used those scant seconds to dip unto him and open a big wound on his head, using the big beak he has in
front of his skull.
Bascom fired repeatedly against the big brute, but didn«t prevent the fiery animal to really opened Vermeer
head in two, with fast bites.There lied those two flying creatures, one almost upon the Captain«s body, much to
the annoyance of Bascom, who was meant to protect the human at all times.
The Cyborg went to the motor flier, and said "Bascom here. The Captain«s dead. I«ll carry his body in some
moments more."
"What happened!"- The startled voice of the first officer come by the phones.
"A big brute smashed his skull- they were two of them, I killed both but not as fast as it was needed."- Bascom
said.
After some seconds of silence, the first officer said "All right, take him back. And be careful. There could be
others flying around."
"Okie dokie."- Bascom said, ending the transmission. She takes the limping body to the first motor flier, and
tied it there, and using a replicant driving system, from her motorbike she could drive both machines unto the
air and set course back to the KATRINA spaceship.
SECOND CHAPTER.
Bascom was taking a bath, after the delivery and the explanations. She was upset, so she used the bath to
straighten her feelings once more. Not that she could really needed the bath, but she also likes to feel and see
those streaks of water running down her beautiful body. She was the epitome of what humans felt beauty was at
the late twenty one Century : fat but without hanging bags of grease under buttocks or the belly, dark green eyes,
really black hair and eyelids with a golden glow, 1.70 Mt. in height. The rest of her attributes were mental, and
it represents all what was known at the moment of her inception: 2055, plus, of course, what Bascom could learn
in her studies- who in her case, were really scant.
Bysycat, her cloned special cat, come running to take a bath, too. She laughed and stroke his hear with delight.
The cat was really an amusement for her, and she had it since his twentieth birthday, a present from her
stepmother, when she went out of the Space Academy, with her space pilot«s license.
After the bath, she takes a half minute dry bath, who leaves her skin and hair perfectly dry, and takes the cat in
her arms, saying "You little brute, you love a warm bath, eh?" And the cat purred in consent.
She clothes with fresh garments, and puts on a pair of sandals. Bascom looked at the monitor, and punching the
keyboard, obtained the last news on board. The captain«s body was to be iced , but three clones were to be
produced by doctor .... now. They didn«t said for what use those new crew members were going to put at, but of
one thing Bascom was sure, they weren«t going to be Captains of the ship ...
The chimney of her wrist watch alerted her, and she talked unto the built in microphone. "Bascom here."
"This is the first officer. Please come to the hatch."
"Coming, Sir."- She replied, hastening so.
At the hatch, she saw a raider team ready to depart.
First officer saw her too, and said "You are going with them, Bascom. Same place you were with the Captain. I
want them to take a look at the bird."
"Aye aye, Sir."- She replied, and went out with the five other scouts. Two more were already with motorbikes
standing in waiting. They climb on them, and the six explorers climb fast to the sky.
"You guide, Bascom. Same place as you were with the deceased Vermeer."- The chief of the expedition ordered.
"Yes sir."- She replied, and located her vehicle in the center of the group, that takes the figure of a V.
Soon they were gliding over the cliff, and she was searching for clues ,in order to find the exact spot . When she
was beginning to recognize it, several big birds come flying to their site.
"Birds incoming! Aim and fire them!" - The chief of the expedition yelled by the microphone, amplifying his
order through the earphones every one was using, together with the helmet.
The band (?) of birds approaches very swiftly, and begun trying to hit them with their beaks and paws, that were
armed with real hooks, the size averaging half a meter.
Two scouts were injured, but escape going down at top speed.
The rest used their armor, killing three of the birds , who escaped in flames. The rest begun to gain altitude.
"Don«t shoot them! Let them live."'- The chief of the expedition ordered, and went after the three who were
now almost landing in a stretch of dry land, near the river.
Once they were standing on the ground, Bascom went to see the injured, helping them to bandage their wounds,
none of them too dangerous for their lives.
"Do you see them birds? Those big beaks surely could kill a man in one bite, if they get us in a soft spot!"' - One
of the astronauts said.
"It really hurts! And I am feeling week every minute it passes."- Other space soldier said, seating on a boulder.
Soon the three of them were panting on the ground, with fever.
_ Must be venom on those beaks. Call the captain." - The Chief of the expedition told his aid de camp, a
sergeant.
Soon the new captain, Gorosito, realize he has several injured men in danger, and he sent them a scout ship, who
appeared just in time, as the big birds were turning over their heads each second in less altitude, as going ready
to attack again...and in greater numbers.
- Don«t use the airbikes anymore, says the captain! Every one on board, and carry those airbikes inside!«' The
commander of the scout ship ordered when he was at ear shot. Other paramedics went swiftly to the injured
men, injecting them with medicines and antitoxins; they carried them inside the scout ship and in ten minutes
they were again in the air, turning as they climb and soon heading hurriedly to the Katrina spaceship
The chief of the expedition went to give his briefing schedule to the captain, and Bascom went to the Library,
where she asks the computer to show her every known bird or creature capable of flying, in any era available.
Soon she was staring at the replica of the bird they were attacked by. His name was Quetcacoatlus ,a
pterodactiloid of 15 metes wing span, from the Cretacic, 66 millions years ago.. in the Earth, but obviously, the
same era wasn«t happening here in this planet.
"We are back in the Cretaceous!"' - She mumbled to herself, in awe. So, the rest of the animals could be similar
to those of the same era in Earth... no human beings, then , but dangerous creatures.
She went to the Scientific officer with that information, finding him looking through a microscope at the
Second Laboratory.
"Oh, hi, Bascom. What wind brings you down here?"' The man asked, looking briefly in her direction.
"I find out in which era this planet is."- She announced, looking at some tissues floating on a bottle.
"In which era this planet is ? "' Bomdar asked, amused, but not so much as to retire his eyes from the apparatus.
"Cretaceous. 66 millions years in the past."- She announced. Bomdar, the Scientific officer on board, inhaled
deeply, and looked at her in disbelief.
"Some queer joke of yours, Bascom?"- He asked, straight seating at his revolving chair.
"I don«t get amused with bad jokes, Officer BOmdar. I saw that bird out there, the one who killed Captain
Vermeer, and now some others of the same kind, attacked three more crew members. Now they are in sick bay,
dizzy as a drunk duck."- She informed the scientific man.
"My me! How pity this is it ! Well, it «s the normal in dangerous trips like this one! And where did you learn
they are Quetca... birds ?"- Bomdar asked.
"Quetzacoatlus . Fifteen meters long. Their beaks measured more than a meter long! And they have long paws.
"- She said, seating on the verge of a table.
"Well, I must admit I am very astounded! And interested ! Guess I could study dinosaurs instead of mammals in
this trip- a good opportunity to make my name reverenced, if we return to the civilization in one piece!«- The
officer said.
"You«ll surely return in one piece, Bomdar! As long as you have your ass down here all the time , that«s for
sure!"' - Bascom said.
Bomdar looked at her with a long stare, and said " I don«t believe you are here just to frighten me or plainly
insulting me ! Tell me what you want, Bascom, and we could end this conversation in educated terms."
"Pardon me, If I was rude. Well, I want to know if you are interested in those venomous the Quetzalcoatlus has
in their beaks. "' - Bascom said.
"And you want me to go down there and take a sample from those dinosaurs? "' - Bomdar asked, incredulous.
"Of course not, man! I want you to take a sample from the wounds of those who are being treated at sick bay!
Because if we are going to stay in this planet for some more time, we could be having more fights with those
brutes."'- Bascom said.
Bomdar approved her idea, and takes some items from his laboratory, and went to sick bay, just in time to see
the last one of the injured went out of the sterilize chamber.He was out in the open with that, as samples of the
venom were wiped out from both clothes and flesh of the injured men.
The captain Gorosito saw him lurking around, and said "What are you searching for here, officer Bomdar?"
"I was told there were some venom in this men, Sir, and I was trying to obtain a sample of it. Pity, they went
through the sterilizes now, and the samples disappears with it."- Bomdar said.
The captain looks unto those injured, who were sedated at the time, and said "You could take blood samples
now, I presume. The venom should be there, in their blood."
Bomdar takes some samples of their blood, thinking it was not the same thing, but it worth a try. In the solitude
of his laboratory, he finds nothing strange on the blood, and it was not astonishing it, as the sterilize chamber not
only cleans by the outside, but also by the inside of bodies....
Later, Cyborg Bascom went to see him, and asked "Well, did you find something there, officer?"
"Nothing at all. The sterilize did its job , and not a trace of alien substances were found." - Bomdar said.
So we should be waiting for the next attack to study it ! "- Bascom said, seating on a chair.
"Right. Perhaps somebody could go there and take a sample of those dinosaurs«s beaks! Could be you."-Bomdar
said, smiling.
"Not in a hundred years! I prefer time takes care of it. "- She said, with a twist of her lips.
They heard the alarm bell going on on the corridor, and they went out - several crew members shouts in panic,
and the ship moves to the right, sending them in a heap to the other extreme of the corridor.
"What is happening!"- Bomdar asked, but everyone were busy trying to regain the equilibrium. Bascom
managed to arrive to the main cabin, just in time to see the Captain Gorosito yelled to the pilot "Rise the ship
now, take off immediately!"
But his order could not be obeyed by the pilot, as he was jerked out of the seat by another big movement of the
ship, that this time turns itself on its axis. Bascom was already firmly attached to a security cord, so when the
ship ends the turn, she jumped to the pilot«s position, and her clever fingers made the final adjustment, sending
the order to the graviton.
Soon the ship was hovering 300 meters from the ground, and people could walk by the corridors, wandering
what had happened.
At the control cabin, Bascom was looking at the monitors, finding out what had happened by looking at the
instruments...
What happened ? "- Captain Gorosito asked , from his chair.
"We were attacked. Those are the enemies."- Bascom said, centering the visor on the field just abandoned
seconds ago. The figures were huge- seven big dinosaurs, the size of the ship, were lurking down there, finding
their prey has escaped flying...
"Dangerous spot. Tell me about the situation ."- The captain Gorosito asked to Bascom, who was the only
available officer there, as the poor pilot had his neck turned in a strange way.
Bascom read the signals on the screens, and said "The hull has a crack in middle ship, Sir. One deflector is bend.
Engines are OK."
"Well, at least we could mend it up. See to it."- The captain said, pale on the face.
Bascom used the intercom to say "To all personnel: we were attacked by a pack of dinosaurs, but now we are
safe. We are to repair the outer hull, but first I«m going to move the vessel to a safer ground. Stay at your posts
."And with dexterity, she moves the ship from that place, searching a higher ground- she finds it in a terrace,
over a hill.
The ship hit the ground with its soporters,and Bascom stop the engines. She turns round, to see the Captain
Gorosito, who said "Well done. Now, take care of the repairing crew yourself."
Bascom went out, seeing some of the injured people were being carried to the Infirmary, where doctor ... begun
to attend them.
At the engine room, Bascom talks with the Chief Engineer, asking for some personnel in order to begun looking
for damages in the outer hull.
"That«s fine, officer Bascom. But I would use my men first in here, where some minor problems arise. This
mechanisms are very delicate." - The Chief said.
"That«s OK by me, but I need at least a couple of men. "- She was not meant to be cooed as easily.
The Chief puts on a grievous face, but complied, and so Bascom went to the outer hull by a lock .
The air outside was colder than at the plains, and the two men shivered with it.
"Nothing as hard labor to heat the body, men! Let«s see what is the damage, now."- She said, smiling.
The technicians were, as almost everyone on board, young people, and soon then were staring at the bent shields.
"Wow! They sure used some strength here !- One of the men said. His name was Rodolfo Menguad.
Bascom realized they were going to retire at least one sheet of metal ,to repair the rest. She called the Captain
Gorosito, by her wrist-watch , and said "Sir, we are going to need extra help here in the outside. The use of a
couple robots could do the trick. Give me permission to awake them."
Gorosito mumbled something first, and then he said "All right, but make it quick! I don«t want to be seating
here for too long."
"Aye aye, Sir."- Bascom said, and from an inner connection, she activated a pair of robots, who come to the
outside in five minutes.
"Names."- She said.
"KB 390 y OSC 283 "- Dijo uno de los robots. Estos eran modelos nuevos, usados solo en pruebas de conducta, y
no necesitaban nada durante 209 a-os, ya que tenian pilas atomicas que duraban esa cantidad de a-os sin
problemas. De seguro, para cuando las pilas se les acabaran, otros mejores modelos estarian disponibles.
"KB 390 and OSC 283 "- One of the robots said.
This were new models, used only in test mode, and they didn«t need maintenance at all during 209 yeas, as they
had uranium batteries, that lasted for that span of time without problems.
For sure, by the time those batteries need recharge, other newer models would be available.
"All right, Kabe and Oscar ! We need to replace some outer hull«s sheets . Let«s see to it."- Bascom said, and
soon she was working with her team of two humans and two robots, under Cyborg guidance...
Two days it lasted the reparations, 48 hours were enough for it, as the robots didn«t need repose, neither
Bascom. The humans were there to give a helping hand in the final steps, in the coating and polishing of the
surface.Bascom sent the robots again to their sleeping pods, and for the humans she has words of appraisal, in
front of the Captain Gorosito, who was called to see the end-finish of that work.
"We all worked in an organized team, Sir. Let me tell you the crew members worked hard and that they deserve
some rest after this."- Bascom said, knowing there was no other way to repay their efforts.Gorosito mumbled
something, and said "All right, the work seems to be OK, and about the rest, you know , Bascom, the ship
receives a severe blow, and there are too many injured people at the Sick Bay, to leave good hands at rest. Sorry,
but you«ll had to work as the rest."
And went away, whistling some tune for himself.
"Well, buddies, I try to give you something in return!"' - Bascom said, rising her shoulders.
"Don«t worry, officer ! We understand ! And we worked at ease with you."- Rodolfo Menguad replied.
Bascom went to a higher point in the terrain, looking at the landscape it was there to see, being in the side of a
big mountain. The river was not distinguished, but the canyon stretched by both sides , golden at that time of the
day.
Some big birds were lurking over them,but they didn«t come down, afraid of the laser rays an automatic
machine fired every time some of them dare to descend more than a hundred meters below. Several charred
remains rested scattered around the KATRINA vessel.
When almost dark , Bascom returned to the ship, and went to the mess hall, more to hear the conversations than
to eat, as her needs of food were amazingly little.She asks for a cup of milk with a little coffee, and was about to
drink it, when two young women seats at her same table, saying " Could we seats here, comrade? "
Bascom looked at them, and smiled, as they were Cyborg as herself.
"Of course. It«s good to have good company now and then." - She said.
The women asked cakes and beverages, saying "Good work you did out there ! We went to see it ourselves.
"Oh, you are from the Revision team ? "- Bascom asked, acidly."Don«t need to be nasty, officer! You know we
support ourselves a lot."- One of them said, laughing. Her hair was black, and she has green eyes and thin lips.
"I am Gladia, and my friend here is Ashtaria. Glad to meet you."«- The woman said.
"Nice to meet you. I didn«t see you around, earlier. Seems the Captain awoke more personnel."- Bascom said, as
she was well aware that since that moment, she was the only Cyborg working at the ship.
"Yes, you know, Captain Gorosito was in real need of capable personnel, now something happened to the ship
down there."- Ashtaria said, with a mild voice, signaling with her right hand to the Canyon.
"A bunch of dinosaurs get the fists against this ship- a moment more, and they could had broken the thing in
two!" - Bascom said, sipping her coffee.
"I don«t know what the humans likes in that brew you are sipping!- Gladia said, looking at the cup of coffee.
I guess they drink it to have some more energy, I suppose! Coffee has something that fastened your heart."-
Bascom said, lecturing her.
Gladia sniffed, saying "Oh, that I was well aware already! But there are some other better things to get your
heart pounding like a drum in the fourth of July!"
-"Name me one of those things."- Bascom said, looking at her intently.
" A fine male." - Gladia said, blushing.
Bascom finished her cup of coffee, saying: "You know we are not supposed to have lovers on duty! "
"Yes, the regulations are a dull thing for us."- Gladia said, and Bascom laughed of her show of dark humor.
"Nobody rules nobody here in outer space. We are in the rim of the unknown, nobody will make a row for a
simple romance."- Ashtaria said.
She has dark hair, white skin, and dark big eyes, with eyelashes really large. Her body was superb, well, all the
Cyborg were made following the epitome of female beauty- that was a challenge to any rule-abiding male, and
somebody said it was a joke played on the rules by the makers of Cyborg
To night there will be a dancing party at one of the halls. You coming?«' - Ashataria said to Bascom.
"I«m not too much prone to dance. "- She said, thinking how many time she wonders how that could be , but
without invitations, how she could be dancing? And now they were inviting her!
"Don«t by shy, officer ! I will take care of you! Please, come with us."- Gladia said, touching her sleeve.
"All right, but I cannot swear I «ll be a fine company."- Bascom said, rising her shoulders a bit.
"We«ll get along fine! We«ll meet you here at 22 hours."' - Gladia said, rising from the table.
Bascom stands up too, and went to comply with her duties for the rest of that day.
At 21 hours, she was free of toll, and went to her cabin, where she takes a warm bath. Inside the bath tube, with
that warm liquid surrounding her body, she flexed her legs, thinking how she was going to exert her femininity
some day ! She was still a virgin - and the cause of it was to had seen how many rigmarole and dramas love
affairs produce in people««s lives
At 22 hours, Bascom arrives to the mess hall, where a dozen other crew members were playing cards. She seats
at a table and waits- for ten minutes, and then one of the card players, a blond young man, come to her side,
saying Don't wait any longer, officer! Here I am , to accompany you !
Bascom made a gesture towards one of the seats around the table, saying "You«re welcome. Guess it was only a
joke."
"What was a joke, officer? And by the way, the name is Barton."
"Mine is Bascom. The joke was that two other girls invited me to some dancing party, but they are not
showing."- Bascom said, doing a circle with a finger in the air.
"Don«t worry! Perhaps they are late, or they forgot."- Barton said, looking at the other table, where somebody
was making the thumb up signal...
"Guess they are a pair of jokers. But not a nice thing to do to me."- Bascom said, blushing deeply.
"I know who you are. Bascom, the officer our Captain Gorosito had in great esteem."- The man said.
"Oh, yeah? And I not knowing it ! "- Bascom said, smiling.
"It«s true! I work at Hydroponics, where he was seldom working before achieving his present post - and he
keeps on going there, out of habits, and talk with us - me and the comrades you see at that table."- Barton said,
looking at the other table.
From there, a man said "Take her along with you here, Barton! Perhaps the officer wants to play cards with us!"
"And do you want, Bascom?" - Barton asked her, politely.Bascom was changing her plans all together, looking
at them, seeing they were honest looking chaps, and also, to erase the failure - those chicks will be sensing her
fury afterwards !
"All right,I don«t see no harm in a play of cards."- Bascom said, assenting with a little bow.
"Fine! "- Barton said, and they both went to the other table, where they exchange names and the one who invited
her, crewman Laskar Oliveira, said " The play is very simple, just plain poker, Bascom! Now, we play for
deserts. At every meal, the looser must pay with his - or in your case - her desert. Understood?
"Understood. A desert is what you are stacking here."- Bascom smiled.As she already know to play poker, she
didn«t loose games too easily, but in the end of an hour and a half, she lost two deserts...
The conversation was light spirited, and she understood very quick the matter was, primarily, to establish a
bound between the players, a way to get friends. She was delighted, as nobody made a pass unto her, or
lascivious stares. Just some friends playing cards...
She almost thanked those two Cyborg, for to late her down in the appointment!
After the game, several of the group went to their duties, as a new shift was begun. Bascom retired herself to
the radio set, where Sumerdio Farthomex was hearing a tune.
"Hi, officer Bascom! "- He said, smiling.
"Hi, Farthomex! Nice jazz you have there."- She said, seating at another chair. She takes a couple of headphones,
and with the other receiver, searches the waves , listening .
There was only static going on. She expected - half expected, really, to listen some day an alien broadcast...
For two hours she was there, and then the soft chime of the half shift sounds down the corridors- she yawned and
went to her cabin, to sleep.
In the morning, Bascom went to work at 8.00 hours. She was doing some repairs at the fins, when she was called
by the Captain Gorosito, at the main cabin.
When arriving there, he said "Good morning, officer Bascom. In order to comply with orders, we must explore
some more of this planet. "
And he shows a map on the main screen, saying "You and a team already waiting, will go to the second
continent, that is the major of the three, as you could see. I am interested in flora and fauna, of course, but also
in those three spots indicated on the map. Here, here and here, our long range scanners had encountered
important quantities of minerals, in need at hour home system. You are going with a couple of mineralogist,
who must take samples to study if there are valuable minerals there, and the law of fine , things they understand
and I don«t need to explain too much here. Well, you have your orders. "
"How many auxiliary ships are going to use? And how long in time is my mission, Captain?" - Bascom asked.
"You are going in one auxiliary ship. The time you need is what you must use, of course. Not a day longer."-
Gorosito said, turning the main monitor into normal view - that is to say, the surroundings of the KATRINA
spaceship.
"Very well, Sir. I«ll be in touch , if needed be." - Bascom said, marching out of there.
She takes a bag from her cabin, with her personal belongings and some gadgets, and went to the departure
corridor, where the hatch of the auxiliary ships were located.
In one of them, several crew members were waiting.
Hello, officer. We are ready to depart."' - One of them said. She recognized Barton, and said " What happened
with Hydroponics ?"
My other fellow workers remained there, officer. I was the expendable, I guess."- Barton said.
Bascom already has counted them - 5 in all, with two women in the team - one of them a Cyborg ... Gladia.
"Hi, Gladia. Good to have you around."- She said, in ominous tones.
"Glad to serves you." - She said, looking startled.
"Well, I don«t know if they told you what kind of research we are going to do."- Bascom said, going inside the
auxiliary ship.
"They told you we were to be briefed by you."- Barton said.
I was told something related with my profession - geologist."- Another crew member said.
_And of course, I need your names and jobs now, please.- Bascom said, starting the engines.
_Bartom, Luigi. Hydroponics, Chemical engineer.' Bartom said, seating at a chair.
"_ Gladia Howtorn. Pipelines, Radar maintenance, food supplies. Technical officer.- The officer said.
"Garotto Mainly, Engines, Engineer. "- Other said.
The auxiliary went out of the main body of the KATRINA spaceship, and with both magnetic engines working,
swings to the north of the planet.
Another woman said : " Shaira Toloza, Weaponry section, Engineer. "
And the last one , a man, said "Coracious Lafonterius, Radar section, Technical engineer."
"Very well. Fine crew I have here. Nice to be with you, except one of you... I expect you to be open wide with
the surroundings. We have a captain already in the ice, just because the animals of this planets don«t suppose to
be lovingly pets. I want you armed at all times. "- Bascom said, turning the ship downwards, when arriving to
the Third Continent.
From where they were flying, the monitor shows a sketch of the land ahead, plus some vistas from the front
cameras, who shows, mainly , CLOUDS OF YELLOW COLOR.
Chapter 2.
The exploration of Continent 3.
Explorers .Commander Lara Bascom (Cyborg)Luigi Bartom. Hydroponics, chemical engineer
Gladia Howtorn, pipelines, radar, food supplies. Technical officer. (Cyborg)
Garotto Mainly, Engines, Engineer
Shaira Toloza, weaponry section, Engineer.
Coracious Lafonterius, radar section, technical engineer.
The whole place seems to be under a fiery fog, when not whitstanding a terrific rainfall. Bascom, who was
piloting the auxiliary ship, decided to go for a landing relying mainly on the computer scanning system, not
always commendable.
"Brace for hard landing ! " - She announced, and pushed the necessary buttons. Soon the ship swooped
downwards, and after some very rude shifts in direction, landed fast and easy - much to the astonishment of
everyone on board !
Bascom revised the instruments before opening the hatch... winds of 90 km per hour, heavy rain... 9¼ C , means
problems, so she said " We are going to use the helmets, and our thermal suits. No way to go outside in
explorer«s shirt and pants now."
They take the aforementioned clothes from the closet at the back of the ship, and once fully clothed, Bascom
said "As there is a strong gale outside, two of us will remain here, and I will send for them after some while.
Gladia and Garotto, you stay here."
So there was only four persons crossing the hatch- the vision was hampered by the rain, who washed their
helmets every second. Using the built in light torch, they could see with a seventy per cent of visibility. The
terrain was full of mud and rocks, the later being washed by the light brown rain , and using the magnetic
compass, they walked away from the auxiliary ship, who was using its landing lights, in order to be utterly
visibly in the mid of that storm.
After half an hour of walk, they arrive to the board of a big river, who went to the south with fury. The rumor
of the rocks being towed underwater was also a trembling behind their feet.There was no sign of life
whatsoever, nor trees nor animals. The place was very primitive looking, and gives them a sense of barrenness.
Bascom, using the compass, begun circling around the not visible ship, going sometimes between big boulders,
that prevents the gale to throw them away. She takes some samples, and said by the radio : "No way to take
samples with care ! This is just a lot of mud !"
"Let«s return to the ship, Sir ! "- Luigi Bartom said.
"There is nothing clear here!"Bascom didn«t reply, but went directly to the ship, and once all inside, they take
off the thermal suits, with sighs of relief.
"What a weather! Is it all like this?" '- Shaira Toloza asked.
"I guess not, but in hundred of kilometers, this bad weather has its reign!" - Bascom replied, once at the
controls. With the weather scan, she could use the long range radar from the Katrina, connected via radio waves.
The only place free of the storm was located to the north side. She feed the computer with the information,
punched a series of buttons, and said " Pity, we must leave this enchanting place ! Brace for take off!"
And they all fastened to their seats. The last button was punched,and the small airship went up and away very
quick. Twenty minutes later, they descended unto a sunny stretch of land, near the extreme north of the Third
Continent.
"We«ll go with the thermal suits, and no helmets. Temperature, 19 ¼ Centigrade."- Bascom said, opening the
hatch. The soft smell of grass come into their lungs, and they all smiled- compared with the precedent site, this
was Heaven !In front of them, a chain of mountains extends itself from the north to the south, possibly shunning
down the hurricanes. The landscape was in green, with green grass, green mountains and a forest of green to the
west.
"Well, here we have mountains to climb and a forest to search for bugs. Nothing to worry about !" - Luigi
Bartom said.
Bascom said " Well, the geologist are going up that hill and try to find some minerals in it. We are in one of the
hot spots for that. The rest, we«ll going to that forest, and try to take enough samples on animals and vegetal that
could differ from what we know before. "
So, officers "Garotto Mainly,Shaira Toloza, geologists, begun their trek up the hills, with order to open the
radio receivers at all times, in order to be in contact with them. The rest, with Bascom guiding them, gets into
the woods.The terrain was full of weeds and grass a meter high, and there were several insects flying over the
leaves- a meter long, and with big stings protruding at their backs. All was going well, until Coracious
Lafonterius steps on a log that wasn«t a log...
A big dinosaur stands up from the long grass, showing his mean eyes ablaze with fury- Bascom saw some big
eggs near her, and expect the worst.
"She«s protecting her babies ! Eggs are lying there ! Run to the woods!"- She commanded, as she was sure
bullets would sting the dinosaur 30 meters long,but never could kill the beast !
Coracious begun turning his body to run, but the dinosaur was lightning speed in their movements, and chops his
body in two, with is big fauces.The rest of the group doesn't stop, but that was no problem with the dinosaur,
who jumps more than five meters in the air, landing on the shoulders of Gladia Howthorn, who smashed the
floor with her chest- her head was cut clean by the fiery teeth of the dinosaur, making a chopping sound . The
beast did a big roar, who melted the blood in the runners, who leaped and run as rabbits... Soon they were among
trees, and Bascom climbed a big tree, followed by Luigi Bartom, who panted near her shoulders...When at 12
meters high, the monster appeared down below, and with his evil eyes of dinosaur, looked unto them - made a
tentative jump,that carry him at seven meters from them- but as the dinosaur has no wings, his body returned to
the ground with a thud, and went away immediately, to finish his meal on the broken corpses already get...
"What a devil!"- Luigi Bartom said.
"We lost two party members. What a pity - and a waste of personnel. CAptain Gorosito will be nasty when
knowing it."- Bascom said, looking down eagerly.
"It«s not your fault, officer Bascom! Destiny was written before we arrives here."- Luigi Bartom said.
"Don«t give me that crap! I don«t buy "destiny" stories myself! Things happens because there are errors in the
path! I should never come here into the woods ! I should content myself with what we could had obtained at the
prairie."- Bascom said, realizing, as she speaks, that she was wrong... the only way to obtain interesting
specimens were to get into the woods... But things were already donned, and she could not return to the world of
the living those bodies half eaten by a dinosaur mother...
Ten minutes later, Gino said " We should depart from here, Bascom! The dinosaur must be eating now, but
when finished, he will return. He knows where we stand."
"Or perched. Well, guess you«re right. Let«s descend and take a share of destiny on our lives."- Bascom said,
rising her shoulders...
Once at the floor of the forest, Bascom try to return , giving a detour, to the ship- there was no need of more
exploration here, as the only specimen was 30 meters long- too long to get him inside the scout ship!
"Look" - Luigi Bartom said, retaining her by an arm. She looked in the direction he was signaling.
"I see nothing."' She whispered.
"Let«s get a little closer."' - Luigi said, and then she saw the eggs- they were more than a dozen, neatly posed in
a circle of sand. Big and shiny...
"That seems to me of a different species."- Luigi said, kneeling besides the nest. She was panting in terror,
Cyborg or not, and said " We should leave this place immediately! Mama dino should come back any minute
now!"
"Not without stealing a pair of it! Take one!"- Luigi said, handling one to her- it weighed more than half a
kilogram, and it was dry and smooth.They run by the forest with the eggs careful handled with both their hands.
The ship was shining 400 meters away, once they leave the forest. Nobody puts in their wake, so they arrives to
the ship, opened the hatch, and leave the cargo in a special box...
"All our efforts are paid with this babies! And the killing of our comrades will be lest notorious."' Luigi said.
"The other team - I«ll all them to tell them the truth."- Bascom said, producing the radio transmitter.
"Wait! Perhaps you should consider it before! Are you telling we have two dead in half an hour? They would
get nervous,and perhaps they will not found a golden nugget the size of a boot no matter a half meter distance!
Say nothing about the dead people now! "- Luigi Bartom said.
"All right, I am receiving recommendations to-day ! "- Bascom said, and when talking with the mineralogists,
said nothing about the dead crew members...
When hanging, Luigi takes her and kissed her mouth, saying "That is a good girl."
Bascom stared at him in disbelief. Luigi smiled, and said "Take that like a therapeutic measure, commander !
We are under shock already! At least, if you take me into court martial, that is what I will say!"
She laughed, and embrace him, saying "Finish what you was beginning. I need the whole treatment!"
"By all means !"- Luigi said with eagerness.
Before dusk, the mineralogist«s team arrives back, with two bags full of samples. They were tired, and Garotto
Mainly said " Gold, my commander! This hill is full of gold!"
Shaira Toloza takes a rock the size of a fist, and said "You know here are more than half kilo of gold ? "
"Yes, but gold is not our goal - not primarily, I mean."- Bascom said.
"Well, commander, we haven«t find any other mineral around here." - Shaira said, defensively.
"And where are the rest of ours?"- Garotto Mainly asked.
"Dead. We were surprised by a dinosaur- a mother dinosaur taking care of her eggs, in a matter of fact. It went
right after us- killing Gladia and Coracious Lafonterius."- Bascom said.They stared at both of them, and so
Luigi Bartom moves his head from up to down, saying "Yeah, we had bad luck. fortunately, as a revenge, I take
some eggs."
Shaira looks pale, and said "And that is not dangerous ? I mean, we are in a little ship, no matter if metallic,
those animals sure are big, or not ?"
"Thirty meters long, but the ones I get the eggs, seems to be shorter. Of course, we didn«t see them, or we would
be not here ".- Luigi Bartom explained.
"And why don«t we move from here ? I mean, if you leave tracks... they could trace us here!"- Garotto Mainly
said.
"No way! Why, did you think those monsters has supernatural senses ?"' Luigi asked.
Bascom was thinking - she wasn«t so sure about leaving the place out of afraid! But also, common sense was
telling her a dinosaur , in all probability, could make a know with the aerial ship and chew it like a chewing gum
,afterwards !She opened the hatch- it was pitch black outside. She shut the door, and said "It«s too dark to try a
take off! Sure we have a wonderful automatic pilot, but I just cannot risk our lives ,putting them in a computer
system«s whim! "
As she was the commander, nobody argued her - not now, after the internal mourning of those killed by the
dinosaur that very afternoon!
Bascom went to the bath room, at the end of the ship, and when she went out, Luigi was waiting there in the
small corridor.
"What are we going to do? Wait here for the dawn?"- He asked, nervously.
"Yeah, why? Have you some premonition, or something?"' - She asked, looking at him with a smile.
"No premonition, but I«m plainly scare."' - The man said.
"I have a remedy to that. It«s name is "therapeutic measure"- it works in this afternoon, why it will not works
now?"- She asked, grabbing his hand.
"All right, but we cannot moan here with those two inside! Perhaps in the outside... "' Luigi said.
"It«s pitch dark outside."'- She said, remembering the scary vista...
"Afraid? I can light the surrounding area with the landing lights."- He said.
"Do it. I«ll tell the others we are going to scan the perimeter."- Bascom said.
As they said, they did, and soon they were between some boulders, a hundred meters from the ship, inside a
thermal bag. After a while, they heard a shatter near them, and some objects come stumbling against the rock.
"What is going on?"- Luigi said, coming out of the bag as fast as he could. He was spellbound when seeing what
was the matter.... Two big dinosaurs were trying to make a flat dish out of the aerial vehicle!
"Oh, no ! Garotto and Sharia were inside!"- She moaned, gripping Luigi by an arm.
"Stay quiet! Or we«ll be next !"- He recommended, seeing how the lights went off suddenly.
"I cannot see a thing!!"- She moaned.
"Well, guess we must hid ourselves! Those animals seems to have a good olfactory sense!"- Luigi whispered in
her hear . They retrace their steps to the thermal bag, and carried it to the end of a little tunnel between three
rocks.
"I guess they cannot dig in here."- Bascom said, getting inside of the bag. Luigi said nothing, as he wasn«t sure
of a thing now! They were hearing the banging outside for quite a while, and then some sniffing in the vicinity -
Bascom was so frightened that was trembling in Luigi«s arms. Then, the silence come back.
"They are gone."- He said.
"Do you believe it ? perhaps they are in the dark, figuring a way out to catch us !"- She said.
"Guess not. Well, we cannot move from here! There are some 7 hours until the light return- I guess we must
wait here."«- And he embrace the Cyborg, all that night...
At dawn, Luigi went out to see what was in sight... the ship was almost gone, a thin sheet of metal ,bend and
twisted. There was no sign of human bodies- else they were eaten, or soldered together with the rest of the ship...
"I can call the mother ship with my wrist-watch radio emitter ! It«ll transmit the SOS code- one and again."-
Bascom said.
"Guess it is a good idea. No need to explain things, that way ! - Luigi said.
In the early afternoon, a dark silhouette appears in the sky, and guided by the radio transmission, it landed near
the wrecked spaceship. Luigi and Bascom run for the rescue vehicle, and when at the inside, begged the pilot to
depart immediately....
Once in the air, Bascom explains the facts to the crew members, and was repeating it again, but better worded,
to the blushed captain Gorosito. When she ends the explanation, he said "Well, officer Bascom, I see I
misjudged you, unfortunately ! Everyone dead, except you and another member, it«s not good news ! Also, you
have not a sample to show me! Do you consider your mission as a successful one ?"
"I cannot say that, Captain; in fact, it«s at the contrary. I am as sorrow for the lives of those people as the best
one, and all I can say in my behalf is that the dinosaurs in this planet are deadly beasts.... sir."
Gorosito was thinking hard in what to do with the Cyborg, now she came back with so bad news! To degrade or
imprison her for inoperative, could be a mistake, now they were so far off from the known universe... So he
decided to put the blind eye on all of the mission...
"Well, officer Bascom, since your mission failed, there is nothing more to talk. Return to your previous tasks.
Same to you, Bartom."- Gorosito said, looking older...
Both Bascom and Luigi Bartom went to their private cabins, but communicate between them by interphone, the
second they were alone.
"And, what do you think the captain would do to us?"- Luigi asked her.
"Nothing. I read his mind, so to speak- you know women like me could sense the temperature and pulse of a
person three meters away... He will do nothing unto us- specially me, as I was the responsible."- Bascom said.
"Oh,how good it«s that to know!"- Luigi said, relieved.
"Yes, Luigi. But we must pretend to be very sad, repented by what could had been our fault- soon this will be
forgotten, you«ll see."' - Bascom said.
"Pity we have just one auxiliary ship now."- He remarked.
"No matter that! With the remaining one, and well taking care of, we could end the necessary explorations
here."- She said.
"Yes, we cannot leave the vehicle all on its own , again! But of course, I doubt you could get another
commanding post again!"- Luigi Bartom said.
"Don«t be so damn sure, pal! I have a nice record, who is impaired with any of the rest of the crew ! So it«s
possibly the Captain Gorosito could be giving me another mission in the future... not too soon, in order to let
people forgot about this tragedy ."- Bascom said, who had all crystal clear in her mind...
Gorosito change ubications in the sky, doing the next orbits around the ecuator. From there, the continents could
be viewed and scanned by the radar and other instruments, so Captain Gorosito said "I cannot risk more men, but
also, we couldn«t go out from here without a proper exploration. We haven«t samples, and we haven«t places to
recommend. You know there are lots of star systems,but not everyone of them has terraformed planets such as
this... So we must stay and made some other try at it. I will send the future explorers there, and the spaceship
will comeback. After the necessary time, explorers will be brought here with another flight from the Auxiliary
ship. Is that understood, or do you want me to repeat it ?"
The officers present at the main cabin nodded in acquiescense or aproval.Gorosito calls the first officer to his
cabin, and said "Well, you hear what I want. This mission is looking grimer and grimer each day it passes ! Too
many deaths."
Bomdar, the new first officer, said "Well, Captain, our mission speaks not of dead people in the way of success!
Guess it«s implied in the whole mission, that somebody must to end his life in an accident. We choose a
profession it«s dangerous for any man! "
Gorosito paced the room several times , and said "I must send another team there! Third continent seems to be
the seat of Satan!"
"Well choosed name, Sir, if I may say so."- Bomdar said.
"Do you believe? So it«s not third continent any more! Satan continent will be called."- gorosito said, not
knowing that the name will produce more effects than he has never dreamed before!
"I guess you are not electing officer Bascom again, as the commander!"'- Bomdar recommended implicitly.
"Of course not! She is a failure! I cannot denie she is brave, boulder, and make things done, but this time she
fails me! Of course, i can elect her as a member of the team! In fact, she knows something about the surface of
this comfounded planet!"- Gorosito said, chocking with words, as it was his habit...
."And who will went there? I mean, apart of our officer Bascom."- Bomdar said, smiling proudly.
"First of all, I need people who really attain things! I think you could command the expedition, Bomdar ! I leave
to you the election of the rest of the raiders- mind you, must be five plus the commander. Well, good luck, and
be back in three weeks!"- Gorosito said, leaving the Bridge. Bascom was pale as a sheet of paper ! He never
believes he was the one to send to Satan as a commander! He wants to refuse, but seeing the faces of the other
officers there, staring at him as if they were going to laugh on his face, he restrain himself, and went to his
cabin, to seat and with both hands over his head, rocked to and fro, moaning in pain.After half an hour of that
and similar mourning expressions, he wash his face and with his computer and the list from the crew members,
he beguine to choose. He want the best men, the strongest ones, and not seeing them in the awoken crew, he
search in the deep sleep ones, the ones at the cryionic chambers ....
From there, four names come whistling : men with great strenght, height and weight enough to be Atlas. He sent
message to the pods, and called Bascom to the Bridge.
There was Bascom, when he arrives...
Bomdar told her : "Bascom, you are going to the surface with me, and some other people who are going to
awake , at the Cryionic chambers. See you brief them there, and meet me with them, at the Locks."
"Aye aye, Sir."- Bascom said, as if they were asking her to go and fetch a glass of water. Bomdar was
astonished, but said nothing...
Instead, he went to the Mess hall, where he asked for an healthy meal, in view there were going not to be
banquets in the Expedition... or so he thinks. Soon he saw Captain Gorosito, who was seating at a table, and went
there.
"Pardon me if I intrude, Captain, but I want to ask you a few questions."
Gorosito asked the machine for a steak and smashed potatoes, a Coke, and a piece of bread. Then, he said "You
may speak."
"Three weeks seems to little if I find interesting things, and too much if I move fast and there aren«t interesting
things. What I am saying, is that if the lapse of time could just be flexible, meaning I could return earlier or not
than the aforementioned three weeks elapse."- Bascom said.Gorosito was going to eat a piece of meat, but he
stops in mid air the fork, and said "I never believe one of my men was going to ask me such a silly question, first
officer ! Please get out of my presence, and leave me eat my meal in peace!"
Bomdar retired from there scalded, and he believe he heard some rumor of laughter, from some of the
tables...He was furious. He wish the mission could last a week, if possible, and if possible, to be in command at
the KATRINA, looking everything from afar ! There were too many deaths on that planet, to go and be at ease
in its surface! Bomdar went to his cabin, and rest in bed the time the men in the cryiogenic pods must need to
awake and be operational...Three hours later, and in the middle of a dream, Bomdar was awake, by the chimmey
at the door. He went there, and opened.
"The team is ready, Sir."- Bascom told him, from the corridor.
"Oh, yes ! Be ready to depart!"- Bomdar almost yelled in disgust. The whole operation was eating his nerves
!He take a bag with his belongings, and passed it to Bascom, saying: "You go along. I«ll be there in a minute."
Bascom takes the bag and departed; meanwhile, Bomdar washes his face, and went to the mess hall, where he
drinks a cup of coffee. The last one in the ship. Then, he went to the Locks, and saw the specimens... good
reliable guys, fully equiped, and with red in the eyes, consecuence of the recently awoken process.
"We are going to explore a pacific planet, without any aliens there. So don«t be worried, and we will depart
now, for a three week mission. "- Bomdar said.
They climb on the auxiliary ship, and Bascom drive the vehicle until they were flying over the Satan Continent
at a velocity of 400 kilometers per hourBomdar was looking down, through the patches free of mist or clouds.
The land seems to be with a lot of mountains, and the rivers were dark big serpents dwindling among forests
unknown to man. His scared heart has a motive to be scared, and he wished he could resign from his present
post, but that could very well mean afterwards he would be demoted and the First Officer post would be given
to somebody else...He must succeed! He said, with not too a firm voice
posted by Casa Juillet at 10:39 PM
1 Comments:
Thanks to all of you kind people who had the amability of to read my humble tale !
Post a Comment
<< Home