Post 465: Look, Up in the Sky!

Stardate:70928.1500
Title: Look, Up in the Sky. . .
Author: "One Who Leads"
Scene: The caves beneath snow covered Yensul V
Time: Following "Damage" and "After Impact"
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"Andara! Andara Maffe!"

The small child approached me with speed and excitement. I set down the knife I was sharpening and looked up at her, as her face glowed in the warm light from the communal fire. "Yes, Linali, what is it?"

"A great bird has fallen from the sky! Above, above! Come, you must see!"

I dropped the sharpening stone and ran after her, calling out that my two closest advisors should come with me.

"Bring weapons," I ordered, and they picked up their swords and fell into step behind me. "We will return soon, Great Mother," I advised the eldest woman sitting by our fire. "Please watch over the small ones."

It took us some time to climb up through the tunnels built by my ancestral matrons- carved with the very flesh and bones of their fingers in desperation as they clawed at the snow. Trying to find a way to keep their children from freezing to death on the surface of this forsaken planet.

Few survived then- few survive now. So many have perished since they began sending us here.

Four hundred years of stories live within the walls of these caverns; the only home I have ever known. Mother and I were sent here when I was but three seasons old- that was twenty and five seasons ago.

These walls are stained with the tears, blood, and agony of all of our sisters in suffering. Four centuries of living in exile- all weighing upon my shoulders as I try, each day, to figure out a way to get the younger ones off of this world at last. So that they can have the future I have only been able to dream of since my own youth.

"What exactly did you see?" I asked the girl, as I tried to catch my breath, hurrying after her. "Explain again."

"A large shining bird. It descended into the snow and then there was a flash of light. Now the bird just stays still on the land. I think it must be injured."

"A large shining bird, still on the land." That could mean only one thing: a ship. Somehow, a ship had landed here- or crashed.

"Go back to the caves and gather the rest of the Order, and bring them to meet with me. Tell them to bring tools for climbing," I replied. "Where is this bird now?"

"It is just beyond the entryway- it is resting almost on top of us!"

"Thank you, Linali. Now go. Hurry."

When my party finally reached the exit from the tunnels, I pulled the hood and scarf of my cloak up and tightened them around my head. Hiding my face, protecting it both from the elements, and the prying eyes of any who may have come from Yensul IV- if that is where this 'bird' had flown from.

I heard another young voice behind me. It was that of the girl who always yaps at my heels like a small and clinging pet. She has only been living for ten and two seasons, and she is all youthful excitement and spirit. Something that I used to be, so long ago.

"I heard there is a ship," she declared with all seriousness. "If anyone tries to invade our camp, I will protect us!" She held up her sling-shot proudly. "I have many sleeping darts to use as ammunition."

"Hold on to your sleeping darts, young Cala. There is likely no one alive if the ship has crashed. But, we will be fortunate to take any items of value that they may have aboard their vessel to use in the caves."

We traveled on, and snow began to fall anew from the clouds above and obscured my vision as the wind whipped against our faces and stung our eyes.

"Andara!"

I paused as I heard someone calling me once more by my title: Andara; meaning in our native language "One Who Leads". I stopped.

"We found a breach in the hull of the ship. We were nearby when it came falling down. We went inside," Vran, a girl of ten and seven seasons, informed me.

"You should not have done that without consulting me first!" I yelled to be heard over the wind. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?"

"There can't be anyone left alive in there, all is in darkness." Vran's older sister, Sil, spoke up. "Well, no one besides the large blue being we found in the hall."

*Blue being?* I thought to myself, *It is unlikely then that this ship came from our former homeworld of Yensul IV.* "What did you do with it?"

"We dragged it out and then left it in the snow. We believe it was. . .male."

"He did not see you, did he?"

"No. He did not wake up, but he was breathing."

"He will meet his fate at the hands of the cold." I decided. "We must hurry and raid the ship of its cargo and whatever food and clothing may have belonged to the crew. We must finish before nightfall. We,"

"Look out!" I heard Cala shout, and she shoved me down to the ground. The others dove as well, and a moment later I heard a twang, a thud, and a clang.

I looked up to see Cala, slingshot still raised and aimed toward the ship. "Someone was up there," she declared, indicating a blur in the distance. "I'm sure I got it! Come ON!"

We followed her. Indeed there was a being, now slumped against the side of the ship. Its clothing seemingly caught on something protruding from the outer hull, the being now hung suspended several meters in the air.

"It had something in its hand, I thought it was a weapon. A firearm of some sort," Cala insisted.

"Who brought the climbing gear?" I demanded, and several women from the search party that had just arrived came forward. "We will have to climb up, secure the rope to the prisoner and lower it down. We will bring it with us and when it wakes, we will question it."

I was beginning to worry. If there were two survivors from this crash, there may be others.

I have so many lives in my care- generations of women and girls who all look to me for guidance and protection. From babies to elder matrons. If this is only the first ship of many intended to come here, perhaps with a dark purpose, how in the name of the Exalted Ruler will I protect them?

"Everyone keep your weapons at the ready. Until we know who these invaders are and why they have come here, we take no chances."

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"Andara" Tybelle Maffe
Leader of The Order
At Lansin il en Satila
On Yensul V