The explosion came at 23,000 feet, jarring the occupants of the canvas module with boneshattering effectiveness. Something dangerous and destructive had definitely hit the ship.
The module spiraled to earth like a flaming comet as the commander used all the skill at his disposal to keep it parallel to the ground below. Direct impact could prove fatal to them all. Yet crashing into the thickest part of the Saagernon rainforest was not something he was looking forward to either. Especially not with Casina aboard.
"Brace for impact!" he shouted, just as the craft swept through the tallest of the trees, tearing off branches and leaves as it violated the unyielding foliage and thick, tangled jungle growth. Tree limbs scraped violently against the module's fusilage as it pierced through the heart of the forest, through anything that would yield to its entry.
Loud, ear-shattering cracking and groaning sounds as the ship took an unprecedented beating only added to the drama. And at the last minute, just before a major impact that would tear the small vessel apart, the commander unseated himself to barricade Casina protectively with his own massive body. Unaware of what he was doing, she flung her hands up to ward him off. But it was the last thing she remembered before the final jarring jolted them from the vessel as it exploded into the jungle, the screams of ripping, slashing metal filling their ears as it slammed heartlessly into the depths of the unknown. That and the blinding white light that enveloped them just before impact.
* * * *
A familiar male voice penetrated her subconscious, calling to her.
"Casina!"
The voice was desperate, pleading.
"Casina! Can you hear me? Please, wake up!"
After a moment, she came to, slowly opening her eyes to peer into the commander's worried face. He had a gash on his forehead, but he seemed more concerned for her than for the fact that he was bleeding.
"Casina?" he said. "How do you feel? Are you hurt?"
She moaned softly. "I dunno. Sore." She coughed. "My...My head hurts."
"Here, sit up a bit," he said, helping her. "Now don't move. You're probably in shock." He put something to her nostrils. "Breathe deeply. This flower will help you readjust. Fortunately, the Saagernon has plenty."
"The what?"
"The Saagernon. It's a rainforest that encompasses about 300 korons. I estimate that the explosion blew us several hours off course from TrCasinaar."
"Mm," she murmured, as she inhaled the unusual floral scent of the strange orange petals beneath her nose. "Wh-What about you?" she said, when she had had enough, pushing his hand away. "You're hurt." As she spoke, she reached out an unsteady hand to his face. That beautifully-sculpted face.
He smiled at the unusual attention, then took her hand in his. "It's just a scratch."
"Let me help you," she insisted, looking around for a first aid kit. "You certainly don't need an infection." He chuckled at that.
"It's you I'm worried about."
She shot him a confused look, then carefully pushed herself up, to lean on her elbows. She glanced about, anxious to help him. "Don't you have some sort of first aid supplies that we can use?
Other than flower petals? Surely there's something..."
He smiled again, amazed that she was concerned about something so seemingly trivial in his own mind.
"My men didn't survive the crash, Casina," he said. "I must contact my people to have a rescue team sent out. It's almost dark, and we have no shelter or food. All our supplies were destroyed in the fire. There's little left."
Casina gaped at this. "I hadn't considered...that is...oh my..." She glanced at the scattered pieces of the burning, smoking wreckage, as if seeing it for the first time. "I'm so sorry, Commander.
I should have noticed that right off."
"I think you're in a bit of shock yet. Lay back down so I can regulate your blood pressure. That should help." Obediently, she did as he asked, allowing him to perform the leg movements she needed. "I checked you after the crash. There doesn't seem to be any broken bones or anything, fortunately. You've suffered some trauma. And possibly a minor concussion." "Surely you're in need of aid, too," she observed.
"I'm all right," he assured her. "Just a few cuts and bruises. They'll go away. Now just lay here awhile longer while I see if any of our com devices are working."
"Don't leave me alone!" she beseeched him, snatching his wrist.
"Don't worry," he said, gently running his thumb along her jawline and squeezing her hand, surprised at her change in attitude. "I'll only be a minute."
She watched as he hurried away, then looked up at the canopy of trees overhead, noting the pinkish-blue of a sky leaning toward twilight peeking through. She trembled as she realized their status and that she would be alone with the commander, for the first time since meeting him, in a forest probably full of wild animals and other deadly creatures. She closed her eyes briefly, wondering if they would even survive the night. How she wished she had been allowed to stay behind at TrCasinaar. First Dandor and now...this.
When the commander returned, he had only some pulse guns and a handful of lighting units that would definitely come in handy.
"All I could find were these," he told her. "Sorry." He glanced down at her, still lying with her knees up. "Feel up to a trek through the forest before it gets completely dark?"
She sighed and straightened her legs before readjusting her clothes. Then, slowly easing herself to a sitting position, she extended a hand to him.
"I'm a bit...nauseous, but yeah, I...think I'm okay," she confirmed, allowing him to pull her to her feet. "My...head hurts though." She put a hand to her temple, overcome with dizziness, but pushed his hand away. "Let's not waste time. Spending the night out here isn't on my list of top ten places I'd like to stay."
He smirked. "I'm glad to know your sense of humor is still intact." He handed her a light.
"Just in case."
"Thanks." She bit her lip and glanced around. "Um, what about your men? Aren't you going to bury them or something?"
"Already done," he said. "While you were unconscious."
"I must have been out quite awhile."
But he didn't respond to that. Instead, he clipped the lights and guns to his belt and pointed into the uninviting understory of the rainforest. "I think it best if we go that way. Based on what I know, I'd say we'd be most likely to find a water source in that direction." He turned and offered his hand, waiting patiently as she considered taking it again.
"Will you just forget for a moment that I'm an alien," he said. "Consider me a friend instead." She hesitated, then slowly placed her hand in his.
"All right...friend," she said, putting her other hand to her forehead. "Lead the way."
He snorted by way of agreement as he led her deeper into the forest, using his body and feet to plow his way through the thick vines, shrubs, or other plants that hindered their progress.
"Did you contact your people?" she asked, apparently needing to keep a flow of chatter going between them as they pushed their way through the thick, woody vines hanging all around them.
"I can't pick up a signal this far out," he reminded her. "I have to wait until my d'lab'r works.
The instrument panel on the ship was destroyed as well as everything else aboard."
"By the way," she began. "How is it that you and I survived the crash when your men did not?"
"Providence, I imagine. And the fact that I shielded you with my body just before we crashed and the ship exploded. Somehow we were thrown clear."
Before Casina could respond, a sudden screeching noise brought a chill down her back, and she halted abruptly, siding closer against him.
"Wh-What was that?"
"Don't worry," he said, putting his arm about her. "There are many creatures in this forest. But not all of them are dangerous; just noisy."
"You still didn't answer my question," she said.
"I believe it was a shalekon," he told her. "Just a night bird is all. Harmless. But don't worry.
You're safe with me."
She snorted. "Yeah. You probably told yourself that when you brought me aboard your module, too."
"Let's not go there, shall we?" he said, a chill to his voice that gave evidence of his displeasure. "You and I survived, and I lost some good men."
"Sorry. Let's just keep going." But she remained closer to him this time, trusting him to know what he was about. When it got so dark they couldn't see, they used their lighting units to help them through the more open areas of the forest floor.
* * * *
"Are we going to have to walk all night?" she asked after awhile. "I'm so tired. I feel sick.
And my head still hurts."
He paused, checking his d'lab'r. "No signal yet, I'm afraid. But I'd say we should find a goodsized tree to bed down in for the night. You'd like that, wouldn't you?" He chuckled at his own joke.
"That's really funny," she said with thick sarcasm. "Pardon me if I don't laugh." She paused in mid-stride, almost losing her balance and putting a hand to her temple.
"I'm sorry," he said, grabbing her arm to steady her. "But you have to admit, you do have a knack for climbing trees, among other things."
"So you expect me to climb a tree with you and spend the night in a tree with you? Just after I've been in a crash? And because I've climbed trees before?"
"That's the plan," he bantered, mild humor in his voice. "I doubt there's a clearing or a cave anywhere near here where we can bed down. A tree is the safest place for us tonight. I'm sorry if you don't like the accommodations, but it's the best I can offer you, considering. It will keep us safe from predators."
He heard her sigh of resignation.
"I guess we don't have too many options, do we?"
"None, I'm afraid."
They moved on, walking perhaps another thirty minutes by Casina's estimation, before they found a suitable tree, one with a huge, thick trunk of buttresses spread out across the ground. Shining their lights overhead, they observed the majestic. About twenty feet off the ground was an extension of thick, sturdy-looking, trunk-like branches that extended out and upward in every direction. Both
agreed the tree would be suitable for an evening's rest, considering its positioning and appearance. It looked easy to climb and would help keep night creatures at bay, if they were lucky.
"I suggest seeing to your personal needs before climbing the tree," he told her. "It will be difficult having to climb back down in the middle of the night."
This embarrassed her, but seeing the wisdom in his words, she slunk away into the darkness for a few minutes, knowing he would do the same.
"Don't go too far," he said. "It may not be safe." She didn't answer, but he knew she was probably bristling over his words, knowing how she hated having to depend on him for anything.
Afterward, they made their way up along the wide trunk and onto a huge, sturdy branch, knowing it would easily accommodate their combined weights at a safe height from the ground. The commander climbed up first, making certain it was wide enough and suitable.
"I think this will do," he said, as he waited for her to follow, impressed at how quickly she scaled the trunk, like a trained H'San warrior, despite her physical limitations just then.
"That wasn't as bad a climb as I thought it would be, considering the odd root structure," she admitted, taking his hand so he could pull her along the slight incline of the branch. Still dizzy, she floundered for balance a moment, thankful he was there to steady her. "Now, how exactly are we supposed to sleep up here?"
Without answering, he settled his large frame in the crook of the thick branch they were on and leaned back against the massive trunk. He carefully positioned himself to get comfortable and make certain he was secure. Then, peering up at her standing on the tree limb, her hand gripping an overhead branch, he extended his hand to her.
At his intention, her eyes widened with dismay. "But...you're--"
"An alien, I know," he snorted with finality. "That's getting a bit old, don't you think? And besides, you're the only alien I can see around here."
At this, he saw her flinch. Furious, she immediately, clumsily tried making her way past him so she could climb back down. But he stopped her, clamping his hand to her arm.
"Forgive me," he whispered. "That was a cruel thing to say. Not to mention a bad joke."
Pausing, Casina considered this, glaring at his hand on her arm as the pain of her alien abduction washed over her. "Well, since we're on the subject," she began, her voice trembling with the urge to sob. "Just why did you aliens bring me here, to your galaxy?"
When he sighed and released her, she straightened and stepped away, her hand again frantically seeking the overhead branch for support.
He felt her eyes on him as he pondered what to say. When he did, there was sadness and regret in his voice.
"Kaanig Altair made a promise to your father before he died. That he would take care of you and your brother."
"What?" She was aghast at this news. "My...f-father? He knew my...father? H-How?"
His dark head came up so he could meet her gaze directly, visible only because of the fanned illumination of the lights they held. The upper canopy of the forest was so thick, even moonlight could not penetrate it. So it was good they had the lighting units, although the bugs seemed to appreciate them as much as they did.
"It was...because of him...that your parents were killed, Casina. They witnessed his aircraft, what they thought was a UFO in your world. And...they crashed."
"It was an accident?"
"Yes."
He stared at her, his heart aching for the pain caused her at the loss of her parents.
"I am so sorry," he said with great inflection. "The Altair tried to help them, but it was too late, their injuries too severe. But your father was alive long enough so...Kaanig Altair could apologize...and make that promise. He wanted to know you and Jimmy would have someone to take care of you."
"But Jimmy is dead!" Casina spouted, stomping her foot on the branch. "How is that caring for him?" She sobbed then, tears exploding forth to wash down her cheeks in rivulets.
"The Kaanig is a very busy man, Casina. He did the best he could, but he always seemed to arrive too late when it came to you and Jimmy."