The Hooman Saga - X - Serial Fiction

So far: Sue has woken after her second day on a new Earth, rested on a flat, warm rock overnight. Now surrounded by wolves, ahead and behind, she struggles to keep pace - on a path to her "probe".

Dec 28, 2024

THE THIRD DAY OF TRAVELING would normally have them back in their home valley. Except that both Tig and Soo-she needed to visit that meteor again.

She wanted to pick up some things. Tig needed to show the other wolves its location and get their sense of it.

It landed in the territory of the ferals, within the original boundaries the ancient sentients established. So the hunting pack was on guard more than usual. They could not cover all their scent and traces, especially of a hooman. They traveled with even more alertness.

As they topped the last ridge, they came down onto the grooves this meteor had plowed into the mountainside. The old snag had quit burning. It still stood, charred black, much like a sentinel or a tombstone above the grave mound below it.

The wolves warily approached it, sniffing and looking. They ranged all around it. Sue, Tig, and Snarl came closer to inspect the emergency shuttle, which composed the bulk of that "meteor."

Soo-she climbed inside, clambered over the console and down into the seats, stumbling as she went. That added a few more tears to that spacesuit she still wore. Or what was left of it. At least her boots were holding up.

She paused for a minute by the cyborg console. There were no illuminating lights inside the shuttle.

There were minimal active lights on the console. Those were indicators from the batteries. Self-contained, they would last eons. There wasn't enough light to clearly see inside the cabin.

Soo-she was feeling by hand. She wanted to find a portable flashlight or anything to help her on her way.

As if on cue, the overcast sky thinned, allowing sunlight to come through the opening at an odd angle. It was yet morning. The Eastern sun gave feeble illumination to the dark interior.

She began opening panels and lockers for anything she could find to help her in this new world. Most openings were for repairing the ship. Or covering controls that turned on or off various services.

None of these controls would work now. Most of those services existed only to help the ship survive a landing. The ship was built for a one-way voyage. That job was done.

She hoped to find another suit and she did find a roll of patching tape with an emergency repair kit for suits. The kits supplies were mostly for plugging leaks. None restored the integrity of the fabric. Sue didn't need a helmet, which would be useless, or gloves. Her hands were still sore, but healing. These past few days had been tough already...

There it was, the first aid kit. That would be useful. Particularly the scratch healing cream, and gash sealers. The blister salve would form temporary calluses. She took a moment to put some antiseptic on her hands, then the salve. That would have to do for now.

She then saw her pouch, containing the few things she grabbed to carry with her to this new world.

Again she looked around in the limited light she had to find anything worth salvaging. Nothing else could help her here. There were no knives. Nothing to use as a sharp blade. And none of it consumable, except some emergency rations. She brought what she could fit into her pouch.

She heard a short grunt and a whistle.

Then Tig sent, "Are you done yet? We need to go. Ferals are near."

Soo-she scrambled up to the console, then laid her hand on the cyborg's shoulder. One last time, she blessed him for his service.

She pushed the emergency release bar to the door back in place. After she scrambled outside, she turned and pushed that door shut again. She felt the tumblers click into position. That was all she could do. This ship became the final resting place for that life form. He had become a friend during the long days of traveling from the moon to Earth.

She paused a moment looking at the closed hatch, with her hand resting on it..

Tig sent her an old prayer, "May You and the Other Spirits in the Sky Live and Hunt Forever."

She then turned and looked at Tig. As a single tear rolled down her face, one rolled down Tig's.

Snarl then sent, "Come, we must go. They are too close." He wheeled and scrambled up the mountain, back over the ridge they'd just come down.

Soo-she and Tig followed. The guards below the meteor came around and brought up the rear.

Now they had to travel. Fast.

The race back to the valley began.

We’re now well into a new serial.

Still being chased by the ferals, Sue is keeping up with the pack, under Tig’s protection, as she travels to undergo a mysterious “probe” in the secure wolf valley…

Of course there are some 25 more chapters after this. But you’ll have to stay tuned until next week to see how they get out of this…

For now, set your calendar to keep track of these new adventures. Every Saturday.