Lt Alex Storm - The Broken Blade
Karen Morris
((OOC: I’m restarting at the same place as Matt to leave all of Brexis’s tags in))
(( Down By the Riverside, Callis 1 ))
Living so long on various starships, it was easy to forget the immediate physical reaction to something as simple as sunlight. But as the warmth of its rays hit Alex’s face, some sort of chemical and biological reaction took place inside her brain. Her expression lost its harsh angles and her shoulders relaxed. She allowed herself a brief pause, closing her eyes and tipping her face full into the warmth from the system’s star.
But muffled noises brought her attention back to the present. Being determined to enjoy her field trip of sorts, she took her time making her way down to the river. As an expertly cut diamond refracts and amplifies any light, the sun’s rays brilliantly sparkled off the water as it cascaded over the small pebbles in this shallow area of the stream. Alex closed her eyes again, this time letting the stream’s song further smooth out her rumpled emotions and the negative thoughts that had been piling up over the last week.
Her chest, feeling the lightest it had in days - and not just from weight loss either - Alex crouched down and refilled her canteen. But her revels in nature were cut short.
MacKenzie: We have company.
Lifting her eyes first toward the CO and then in the direction that MacKenzie was looking, she spotted a creature waddling out of the forest.
Storm: It’s almost cute and all, but where there’s a baby… Mama’s likely lurking nearby.
Syn: ::stage whisper:: So that's just a little one?
Cole: Eyes open, it’s likely not alone.
Brexis: Response
Storm: Maybe we should head back.
Syn: ::to Storm, still whispering:: We can't keep running forever, we have all the disadvantages and they have all the advantages. This may be our chance to tip the scales.
Cole: And what are you thinking?
Brexis: Response
Alex’s words were soft. It’s not so much that she expected the creature to hear her as she wanted it to pick up on the general ‘go away’ vibe she hoped to give off. But instead, the creature looked directly at her with its myriad of eyes.
Storm: Go away. Go find your mom and lead her home.
This time, the creature cocked its head in the other direction, as though it were desperately trying to interpret what they were saying.
Syn: ::Whisper becoming gentle as Syn kneels, offering out a hand to the creature:: What's wrong, little buddy? Are you hurt?
Cole: ::under her breath:: [Expletive Deleted]
oO I second that sentiment. Oo
MacKenzie: ::through her teeth:: Ensign Syn.
Brexis: Response
Storm: I promise I’m NOT using telepathy.
Syn: ::reluctant:: Lieutenant, usually when one isn't using telepathy, they don't have to specify it.
Alex’s eyes bored into the back of Syn’s head, and her mouth flattened into a line.
MacKenzie: What could possibly go wrong?
oO How could this go wrong? Let me count the ways. -- Okay, Alex, you’re not quite as lyrical as Browning. Oo
Brexis: Response
The little dark creature continued to scrutinize the group, turning its head one way and then the other, raising its snout into the air and sniffing about. But when the creature approached, Alex bit back words she'd never use in front of Cassie.
Syn: ::with a steadying breath:: That's right, little friend. We aren't going to hurt you. We just want to say hello.
Cole: ::softly to Syn:: Careful, I think it likes you.
MacKenzie: ::to the creature, from a distance:: We aren't going to hurt you, but your intentions remain to be seen...
Slowly releasing her canteen’s strap, which she twisted around her hand, Alex grimaced as she raised her arm to sling her canteen over her shoulder. Then she tenderly knelt back down, grabbing her knife out of her boot, and concealing it up her sleeve, so as not to scare the creature.
Storm: I don’t think we should be messing with any of them, let alone a baby. Ever heard of the term ‘mama bear’?
Alex fingered the hilt of her knife. Her heart rate escalated, and her eyes darted around. She was a tactical officer - normally a protector, but now? She was a broken protector at best. Every movement was deliberate, every thought dulled by the ever-present ache. Her jaw worked from side to side. Could she safeguard this group? She didn’t know. And that was almost as bad as knowing she couldn’t. But somewhere in the recesses of her mind, a little voice said, “a broken blade can still wound.”
Brexis: Response
Syn: ::leaning slightly to one side to address the crew, not taking eyes off the creature:: Move as little and as quietly as you can, we don't want to spook 'em. Does anyone see any injuries on the lifeform?
Cole: ::kneeling slowly and calmly:: none that are obvious
MacKenzie: I wouldn't even know where to start. There don't appear to be any signs of physical injury, and it doesn't move like it's hurt…
Storm: It seems more curious than anything, but that doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous.
Brexis: Response
Syn: ::gesturing to the spring with their free hand:: Water? Is that what you want?
Syn dipped her hand into the stream and pulled out a palmful of water, bringing it up to the creature’s mouth.
Cole: ::softly, like talking to a pet:: Like this.
Storm: Don’t get too attached, and for pity sake, don’t name the thing!
Brexis/Syn: Response
Cole: See how it’s keeping its body angled? That’s defensive curiosity. Not aggression.
Cole: Syn, you’re doing fine. But if it vocalizes, any sound at all, we back away. Together.
With a loud flutter, several birds took flight from the edge of the woods, drawing Alex’s attention. Her eyes flitted down for a split second as she spoke to Syn and Cole.
Storm: You do realize it’s not coming home with us, right?
Brexis/Syn: Response
Alex side-stepped her position behind the rest of the group, to get a better view of the edge of the forest floor. A large light grey creature nosed around the bottom of a tree gnawing at some grass. When it looked up from its foraging, it spotted them snorting loudly twice and shook its head. It reminded Alex of a bull deciding whether or not it was going to charge. She opened her mouth to speak, but Cole beat her to the punch.
Cole: ::sharp, but controlled:: Captain, movement, eleven o’clock. Something much larger than our friend here, whatever it is, it’s not charging … yet.
MacKenzie: I didn't think the creatures came out during the day. They must be thirsty…
One foot crossed in front of the other several times as Alex moved further toward the side. If the creature was going to charge, she wanted either to distract it away from the others or to get a better angle on it if it charged the group.
Storm: I’m surprised it hasn’t charged yet.
Brexis/Cole/Syn: Response
MacKenzie: Move away from the creature. Slowly. Let's make sure we're not standing between them and the water, if that's what it is they're after.
Storm: ::under her breath:: Thank you.
Brexis/Cole/Syn: Response
Alex’s eyes never left the large creature. She watched it jog out just a way from the trees, but it was interesting. While it was out of the cover of the forest, it stopped still within the shadow of the trees. And this time it was Alex who tipped her head as she watched the creature.
The little one had a dark hide, but the mama or papa, whoever it was, was light colored. Was it possible that direct sunlight deterred the creature? She didn’t want to put all her eggs in that precarious basket, but it did give her pause.
MacKenzie: I believe we've overstayed our welcome…
Storm: But slow movements. Let’s not antagonize Mama.
Brexis/Cole/Syn: Response
The same wind that shifted directions and blew Alex’s hair around her face also rained down some dried leaves down onto the parent. It pawed at the ground. This time, Alex didn’t think it was trying to loosen the grass to eat. It bellowed a long, low rumble at which the little one’s head shot up into the air.
Storm: I wonder if the sunlight bothers the mama. She’s not moving out of the shade.
Brexis/Cole/Syn/McKenzie: Response
The little one looked back at the mama and lowered its head to drink again. oO Typical kid. Oo Alex shook her head.
A memory surfaced, that of a single lighted candle dancing atop a cupcake as Alex and Kona sang happy birthday to their daughter. The flame flicked one way and then another, entrancing the toddler. Her chubby little hand reached out to grasp the light. Alex moved it to the coffee table and pulled Cassie’s hands back. As they finished singing, Cassie wriggled out of her mother’s arms and toddled the two steps to the coffee table. She had told her daughter no. The orb-like brown eyes looked back at her mother and turned around, trying to grasp the candle anyway. Kona had snatched it up before any harm was done, but Alex recognized the tone.
Storm: The further away from baby you are, the faster you can move as long as you’re moving away.
While the others continued to back away, Alex stood vigil over both mama and baby. This time, a stomp of its large front foot accompanied the mama’s insistent and lower bellow.
Brexis/Cole/Syn/McKenzie: Response
The little one raised its head again and gave a sound almost like a whinny. Mama reared up on its back feet. Baby knew what that meant, and glancing aside at the others trotted off waving its tail as if to say ‘goodbye.’
Storm: I think we’re almost in the clear.
She started to back away with the group, and noticed when baby arrived at Mama, Mama’s snout pushed the toddler into the woods, but before it turned to go after it, the parent watched, as if to make sure the group continued on its way.
~*~
Tags / TBC!
~*~
Lt Alex Storm
Tactical Officer
USS Artemis
O240103SK2