Hanging on to life

[Tovan 0]

Lt. ToVaN

SD 50405.12

"Hanging on to life and the cable"

 

 

What was it about the deep chasm in Mars that Tovan found so fascinating? Was it the mixture of red colors of the cliffs? He didn't know. His cable sliding parnter, Commander Roget, slid smoothly down, down towards the ridge where Sovak and Colonel Eason stood. Tovan looked at the wall, sliding fast past him, the colors were dancing brilliantly with the illumination of his helmet lighting.

 

Deeper, deeper the away team went. A flying rock flew by, not leathal at its current velosity, Tovan caught it nevertheless. He slid down some 20 meters, examing the rock while descending. No doubt it was a piece that was chipped off from the ridges below, Tovan kept it in his kit. Deeper they went.

 

He heard Sovak's command, to check all the equipment and the suits after every one was at the ridge. Tovan nodded to himself after he descended and his foot tapped the ridge surface. 20 minutes was all he had.

 

He felt his way into his kit, and took out a tricorder and a tool, he scanned Sovak's suit, all systems were functioning within normal parameters, Tovan understood and waved his tool over the environmental systems, and adjusted the system to adapt for the harsh environment that waited them below. It was only 2 miles. He thought. But the environment down there increases in temperature and pressure, and perhaps radiation.

 

14 minutes have passed, the rest of the team assembled on the ridge, all suits were adjusted and readjusted to fit the mission, Tovan stood there tapping his tricorder over and over, making sure there were no mistakes. The fate of the team was literally in his hands. He knew what he had to do, take good care of the equipment that was going to take of the team. The minute dragged on.

 

He took a minute to familiarize himself with his surroundings, an escape route must be plotted if an emergency arised. He found peace within the walls of the chasm. He didn't know what was it that made him at peace, it could have been the security and company of the rest of the team or it could have been the planet it self, for it seemed more friendly than the last encounter.

 

The memory flashed almost instantly as he recalled the encounter, the faces that were crying out pains of radiation poisoning and burns, the face of that ensign who lost her life right here. He stood, looked down at the trace debris of the science shuttle, floating. This was where Ensign Hayden died. This was where she took her last breath. The thought of death and error highlighted itself in Tovan's mind. He saw the words themselves, highlighted in blood red colors.

 

DEATH

 

ERROR

 

Tovan shook the thought and used its destructive force to his advantage.

 

No one else is going to die here, no more. He thought to himself. No one else let ensign Hayden be a lesson, lets learn it. The voice of thought echoed through his mind, No one else ... no one else ... no one else ... the lesson ... must be learned ... the lesson ...

 

Tick, Tock, the 20th minute clicked in his tricorder. Their mission had just begun.