Captain Scarlett vs. the Scrapper
Copyright© 2024 by Duleigh
Chapter 6
Alan floated helplessly among the corpses of Research Station Sigma Kai, and he saw their terror-filled eyes frozen solid ... accusing him ... why were you so slow? Why didn’t you save me? The child’s terror filled cries continued to fill his ears. “I got you little guy ... it’s ok, I got you little guy.”
He had been inside a station, so he didn’t have a propulsion pack or extended oxygen. The pilot’s environment suit in space has ten minutes of oxygen tops, and he heard the snake-like hiss of suit leaks. Berserker One floated helplessly among the corpses, clutching a terrified little boy whose screams of fright ripped his heart to pieces.
“Berserker Shield, this is Rescue Four, I got him, I got Berserker One,” said a Space Force Sergeant as he clutched Alan Scarlett. The rescue NCO checked Alan’s suit stats and his medical stats, then announced, “He’s down to zero oh 2, but I have him on a survival pack and he’s breathing ok, we’re pulling him aboard Rescue One.” Rescue One was a Convair Hawker U-546, a marvel of spacecraft construction. It was just as agile in space as it was in atmosphere and could operate in both environments easily. The Coast Guard used them on Earth and the Space Force used them everywhere else.
“How are his stats, Rescue Four?” asked Berserker Lead. Lieutenant Gerry Carr asked only because he knew that the prettiest redheaded bride he ever had the pleasure of dancing with was listening to every word of this operation.
“He’s fine, pulse elevated 135, blood oxygen level is 95 and rising, blood pressure elevated 140 over 90, his suit has a couple small leaks, but pressure is holding, we got here before his O2 gave out.” What the rescuer didn’t mention was that it was hard to read the information. Alan was clutching the frozen corpse of a small boy to his chest, covering the suit’s data panel, and he wouldn’t let go.
“Alan ... Alan ... Wally is ok. He just got excited and confused. He’s over tired and didn’t know he had an aunt. Let him go honey, he’s ok.” Pandora knelt next to her husband who was clutching little Wally to his chest and whispering “I got ya” over and over. She eased Wally out of his arms and kissed a shuddering Alan. “Come back to me, it’s all over,” she whispered as Wally ran off.
“I’m here,” muttered Alan. “I’m ok.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah,” he muttered. His head was spinning and throbbing, his guts were knotted up into a ball, and his hands shook violently. “Totally fine, couldn’t be better.” When she gave him that disbelieving look that he learned to recognize, he came clean. “The Sigma Kai rescue ... it’s been a while since that shit show haunted me.” He nodded his spinning head toward The Scrapper. “So that’s your sister Esmie?”
“Her name is Eris, and yes, that’s her.”
“Damn,” muttered Alan. He knew for years that Pandora had an identical twin sister. He never realized how identical she was. For his part, little Wally was still confused, but he now noticed that there were differences between the two mommies. HIS mommy had long red hair, the other mommy had cut her red hair short. He walked up to Eris and hit her on her thigh with his inflatable dolphin.
“Ow! Ya little shit, I’m your Aunt.”
Wally walked away, happy that he sorted out that problem.
The young Marines stopped their play when they noticed a red head full bird colonel kneeling next to the Captain. So, who was the woman they brought with them? “Marines!” said Pandora. “Gather round.” They waded to the shallow end of the pool and crouched around like she was the coach calling the play. She made eye contact with each of them, then Pandora said, “this is in your future. It could be you or your teammate. Your life is going to be brutal, physical wounds will leave a scar, and so will mental wounds which may never heal. But IF you act like marines and take care of your teammates this can be minimized. Buddy checks. Constant buddy checks. Not just during action and immediately after, but as long as you wear the title Marine. Am I clear?”
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