Aliens often forget the Power we can have, when we WANT to Hang on to something. -- Anon Guest
[AN: Holy shit, that's terrifying. Offensensitivity warning for fear of heights and physical injury]
"There's only enough capacity in the lifeboat for seven. How do you plan on coming with us?"
The Ships' Human, having fought to the last enemy, just grinned. "Outside," said Human Karth. "I can hang on for long enough. Don't worry about me."
They forgot, as many Havenworlders do, that Humans were the origin of the phrase, To hang on like grim death. There was an argument about how long Human Karth's livesuit could perform its primary task versus the length of time it would take to get to the nearest help.
Human Karth had a roll of ductape and a decent handle to grab onto. They were, as they described it, "Aces."
To be certain that they weren't dooming their human, the last crew to escape the Determination and Security maintained comms contact with Human Karth at all times. It was a three minute trip to safety on the other side of the wormhole, with many boosts and course corrections on the way. It was natural to be concerned about someone clinging to the outside of a lifepod with a livesuit, ductape, and unbounded enthusiasm between them and almost certain death.
There had been a spare lifepod, which should have given everyone plenty of safety and space, but the accident that caused the death of the Determination and Security had also killed that lifepod. The result was a combination of urgent innovation and inspired desperation that culminated in all other lifepods loaded to maximum possible capacity and, of course, Human Karth taping themselves to a convenient handle for launch.
Human Karth got into position and taped one hand to their handle, leaving the other free for any patching and then braced for launch.
It was the most harrowing three minutes of anyone's lives. The crew inside the lifepod couldn't see Human Karth, but they could hear the exclamations and grunts and soft swearing in between ragged breaths. Suit and securicams told the tale only after the fact.
Human Karth had done all they could to stick to the lifepod, but that was not quite what they needed to stick to the lifepod. Their grip was repeatedly wrenched and the ductape frequently strained by course corrections or boosts. Each time, Human Karth could hang on for just long enough to apply another patch.
They reached Bridge Station Theta just as the last thread of ductape and Human Karth's grip simultaneously failed. The flotsam gathering patrol scooped them up in one of their nets and hurried them inside as fast as protocols could allow.
Livesuits are designed to help the occupant survive numerous threats to their overall wellbeing. There was nothing about them surviving comfortably. Human Fel's panic-inspired grip had torn many of their muscles, ligaments, and had caused damage to some of their bones. The rest of the damage was caused by the journey. Thrust about on the thin tether caused by one hand and the panicked application of ductape, Human Karth had taken a lot of rough blows by being thrown against the surface of the lifepod.
They would heal, of course. Humans were good at healing, and their medical science was the best at replacing that which nature wouldn't heal so fantastically great.
Of course the crew came to visit them.
The smile remained. Weaker than before and a lot more pained. "Hey," said their Human. "Bet I look worse than death warmed over."
The description, like all Human descriptions, was scarily accurate and to the point.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / Denisapro]
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