It took a while but he could finally see daylight in the distance. Gavin was relieved since the mech’s limp had gotten worse and a horrible metal on metal screeching noise was coming from the injured leg. Ivy didn’t comment on it as there was nothing they could do. She did mention that sunlight would somehow help speed up the auto repair function but he didn’t know how it worked. He hadn’t seen any solar panels on the mech. On the walk he tried to get her to talk more about her world but she was tight lipped. She probably didn’t trust him yet.
As the Talon left the passage, they were treated to a wondrous sight. Gone was the barren desert and in its place green grass and an enormous forest. The mech was on a ridge with a mountain cliff behind them. In front of them was a grassy plain that sloped down to a forest of huge trees that dwarfed the mech. He caught a glimpse of a large lake in the middle of the forest. They should be able to hide the mech in the forest and finally take a break.
As they entered the forest, he marveled at the size of the trees. They made redwoods look small. The girl hadn’t come back into the cockpit to guide them so he just started walking in the direction of the lake. As they walked, he saw an old, dead tree that was hollowed out. It looked like the Talon would fit so he carefully backed into it. It had a hole going all the way up so still let sunlight hit the mech. In other words, it was the perfect place to stop and rest. He was hungry, thirsty, and tired. It had been a long day to say the least.
”I don’t suppose you have any food or water?” He asked Ivy. “There is enough supplies for two people to last a month.” She replied, getting out of her seat and opening a small compartment. She tossed him a fairly normal looking bottle of water and a rectangular bar. He took a swig of water then unwrapped the bar and took a bite. It didn’t taste like much and Gavin figured it was some kind of military ration. He didn’t mind and quickly finished it then went to check on their passengers.
This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.
The injured girl hadn’t woken up yet but she was looking a little healthier. He wished they had somewhere better to put her than the hard metal floor of the airlock. He took another swig of water then offered it to the other girl who was sitting with her back to the wall. She tentatively took some then lifted the injured girl’s head and dribbled some in her mouth as well. She went to hand it back but he motioned for her to keep it. Gavin then went back to his seat to try and take a nap.
He didn’t know how long he slept but he was having some strange dreams. At least he thought so, he couldn’t quite remember what they were about. Since they were in a forest, maybe it was a good place to bury the dead pilot who was laid out on the other side of his seat. He had seen the girl glancing at it but she didn’t seem too bothered. Being a soldier, she was probably used to death. Gavin wasn’t though and didn’t particularly like sharing the cockpit with a dead body. Not to mention it would start smelling eventually.
He delicately brought up the suggestion and Ivy agreed. She even used the mech’s clawed hand to dig a grave. Gavin thought the body would be too heavy for him to lift but surprisingly it wasn’t a problem. Ivy mentioned the nanites gave a boost to his strength, vision, and even hearing. Gavin carefully carried the body to the lift and he and Ivy were lowered to the ground. Ivy watched as he placed the body in the grave. She didn’t say anything out loud but stood silently over the grave for a while. Gavin kept an eye out but he hadn’t seen any wildlife since entering the forest. After the impromptu funeral, they returned to the cockpit. Ivy covered the grave and it was time to move on.