The escape pod came down hard. The small crew of havenworlders, and the one human, now on an unfamiliar planet. The planet, itself, was more or less safe enough except for one tiny thing. The same explosion that had crippled the ship, caused by odd electrical storms the planet periodically suffered sending lightning sprites into the air, also had caused flash-burns across the human's face, they couldn't see. The medic cleaned the injury and wrapped bandage around the human's face, but the human now made a request of his crewmates. For them to be his eyes, so everyone could get out of here alive. -- DaniAndShali
"Good news is, we survived." Human Kie liked to start with the good news. The great news, as far as the survivors were concerned, was that the Havenworlders among them had survived with minimal damages. Human Kie seemed to be well enough too... though something was wrong with the way they were interacting with the world.
Brii said, "What is the bad news?"
"The electrical storm and discharge messed my eyes up something chronic," said Human Kie. "I'm effectively blind until further notice." Humans used their eyes for most of their environment processing and subsequent interaction. "This is an unfamiliar, unsurveyed planet. Good news is that the scanners already said the most we have to worry about is the electrical storms and -uh- ball lightning."
"Bad news, Human Kie..." prompted Brii. They knew their Human well. "What's the bad news?"
"Uh. In order to make sure we all make it until rescue... I'll need someone to be my eyes. I can find my way around with a long stick, but... I can't see colour with a stick, and I can't detect another orb with it either. Worse news - first job is sinking discharge targets to protect the pod and the camp."
They looked like tent pegs attached to antennae, which was exactly what they were. A highly electroconductive metal that would direct the electrons into the ground and thus render the area safe. Or, as Human Kie put it, "A juicier target for the lightning to strike."
In order to make the camp safe, the perimeter had to be complete. In order for the perimeter to be complete, the Havenworlder survivors had to be Human Kie's lookouts for the process. This was something that had to happen as soon as possible, as fast as possible. The Havenworlder in full protection would have to ride Human Kie's shoulders and keep a watch out for any signs of danger and any signs of edible food.
Humans liked to multitask and carrying something out was apparently only worth it if they also carried something back. This meant that Human Kie's Havenworlder pilot and watchdog was constantly scanning the surrounding vegetation and animal life for edibility. They used their livesuit scanners to do that whilst they kept their eyes and ears open for impending doom via floating orb of light.
This involved a steep learning curve and more than one instance of Human Kie using their antenna apparatus like a spear against the ball lightning.
This was, of course, shocking to the Havenworlder in pilot position, so extra time had to be spent in taking the pilot to safety and swapping out with a fresher cogniscent until such time as all survivors were in mental health time-out or until the perimeter was completed, whichever happened first.
It took, in Human Kie's opinion, longer than it should have.
Once the perimeter was established, proto-farming began. Gathering, setting traps, propagating, and otherwise making certain of the food and water supply while their beacon sent out a comms signal for semi-urgent assistance.
They could live on this world for quite some time. They had food printers, molecular re-assemblers, and an assortment of convenience devices that could turn the survivors into a new colony if they so wished.
They did not so wish, what with the permanent threat of plasma balls floating about in the scenery.
Human Kie could, once a perimeter was established, navigate perfectly well with the assistance of a long stick. Outside of the perimeter was a different story. High octane, as Human Kie would put it. Human Kie had the task of navigating where their Havenworlder pilot directed, whilst the pilot kept watch for danger and also assisted in finding whatever they were looking for outside of the perimeter in the first place.
Stressful would be an understatement.
A month following their landing, and the same time following Kie's blinding, help arrived care of a Galactic Survey mission that picked up their distress call. Kie nevertheless insisted on leaving a parting message for anyone seeking to colonise.
We were here, Human Kie's message read. Carved into granite and left in a sheltered space by the crash site. We didn't want to be. Mind the lightning and don't take any stupid risks.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / bburgess]
If you like my stories, please Check out my blog and Follow me. Or share them with your friends!
Send me a prompt [90 remaining prompts!]
