Their discovery that they could at least breathe, among other startling discoveries, was followed by several long, silent moments spent going through the supply compartment at the back of the pod. Jared and Lili began taking an account of what had been brought along in order to sustain them for the seven days the mission had been intended to last after their initial arrival on the planet’s surface. They were sorting out one day’s worth of clothing and food as well as gathering the most useful of the medical and research equipment, while Kyle stayed at the front of the still cramped pod, going through every tech trick he had in that amazing brain of his to try and re-establish some kind of contact.

Ian had chosen a different supply crate to sort through, himself. Though, when he began choosing the supplies he deemed necessary, all three couldn’t help but move their eyes to him. He began removing and expertly assembling various sorts of guns, knives, and even what looked like a few explosive devices and loading them onto a belt and holster he had also claimed, and even going so far as to tuck a few of the smaller items into the sides of his high boots as well.

They all couldn’t help watching wordlessly, forgetting their own tasks for the moment as Ian continued his preparations without casting a glance back towards the three sets of eyes that now followed his every move unblinkingly.

Several moments later, Ian had still not turned back towards where they all watched him, and spoke flatly as he peered further into the crate, “So, anyone else here know how to use a gun at all, or do you wanna try for something less complicated?”

“There’s more in there?” Lili managed with a bit of disbelief in her own voice.

“Just a few lit--” Ian began, finally then turning back to see all their shocked expressions. “What?”

“You planning a war, or something?” Kyle stated with a shake of his head.

Ian scoffed, “You never know,” he shrugged his statement, and then added, “Why are you all looking at me, like that?”

“I wonder,” Jared managed quietly, with his own slight tinge of sarcasm.

“What? You’re all in awe of how big my gun is, huh?” he smirked as he patted the largest of the weapons.

“Oh good, he is still in there,” Kyle scoffed as he shook his head again, before turning back to the computer once more.

“I knew you loved me, Kyle,” he smirked again.

Jared and Lili just shook their heads again before she finally managed, “You seem to be coping better, now,” she couldn’t help pointing out quietly.

“Hey, Kyle has his favorite toys, and now I have mine,” he added as Jared just shook his head again, which obviously brought Ian’s attention back to him. “You bring any favorite toys along, Jar?” he asked with another pointed look at Lili, which simply caused them both to roll their eyes, though each with a blush as they did so, now.

“Instead of speculating about what may or may not have happened any time before this trip, we need to develop a plan of some sort. Things were completely different when we were up there. It was a completely different life than the one we’re facing now…especially if we actually can’t get a hold of the ship again,” she finished, her own upset not allowing her to just then notice as Jared looked down with his own ragged breath in response to the entirety of her statements.

“Ok, that glaring optimism aside,” Ian began under his breath before continuing at normal volume, “I guess we need to start scouting the area around the pod, and see what actually might be out there.”

“So, any plan for if we’re still here once it’s night-time?” Kyle attempted to help formulate the plan, since Jared didn’t seem to be too talkative right then, not that he often was, anyway.

“Still here like if we don’t get in contact with the ship, or still here like if we don’t get eaten out there?” Ian returned.

“Either or,” Kyle returned with another shake of his head, which just caused Lili to hang her head once more, attempting to wipe at her eyes without them noticing. Though, the resigned sighs that came from the three males in the same moment insinuated that they did easily notice her obvious upset.

Forcing himself back into a serious tone, instead of continuing with his usual defense mechanisms right then, Ian finally spoke up, “Until we have the surrounding area scouted, we should probably plan on sleeping in the pod, if we have to, I mean,” he added more quietly as he moved his eyes ever so briefly toward where Lili still kept her own eyes on the floor rather than looking up to note the concern that Ian did truly seem to have on his face.

“In which three feet of space?” Kyle had to ask.

Ian sighed again as he looked around where they now had a few industrial strength flashlights lighting the interior of the pod, “Well, the most secure part is probably back here, in the supply compartment, away from the outer doors.”

Kyle looked around the area in question with a shake of his head, “We’d have to throw out all the supply crates to even come close to all being able to sleep back there. And I’m thinking separating ourselves from everything we brought to keep us alive, probably not highly intelligent.”

“Well, neither would all of us being back here asleep, all at the same time,” Ian added, “But at least two would be able to sleep back here, and the other two could keep watch up front at night.”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Though, upon hearing that plan, Lili did finally look up again, “Two of us on watch, while two of us sleep, closed in back here?” she repeated softly.

“It does sound like the smartest plan,” Kyle replied.

“And it didn’t even come from one of the geniuses.” Ian chided.

“Just cause I didn’t say it first…” Kyle began.

“Oh, I forgot to ask,” Ian interrupted, “any opposition to that plan from the psychic wonder there?” he turned his attention back to where Jared had been startlingly silent since Lili’s previous comment.

Jared just shook his head, but forced a response, quiet though it was, “I can’t see anything bad about that particular plan, or at least not life-threatening,” he had to add even more quietly as he looked away once more.

“But otherwise bad?” Lili asked him worriedly.

Jared just shook his head again, but didn’t offer her any direct response to that question, “So, how do we decide which two get first watch, and which two get to try and…sleep…back here?”

Ian let out a short breath before offering his response, “Well, I guess it would make sense for Lili to stay back here while the three of us take rotating shifts sleeping or staying on guard, for as many nights as we might need to, anyway.”

“How does that make sense?” Lili finally spoke up more loudly than was usual for her.

“How does it…not?” Ian asked with a confused look back her way.

Lili just scoffed loudly, “Or, how’s this?” she began, “How about you three big, strong men, find a nice cave to drag me to by my hair. I’m sure I’d be much safer there while you go out and hit things with big sticks!” she finished, angrily turning away from him as she stood, arms, closed over her chest.

Ian looked a little more than dumbfounded by an outburst from the girl who never even talked back to most of his pointed, but still playful, sexually based taunts in nearly twenty years, “Um…” he began, looking to the other two men who both simply looked away without offering any words of their own, which just caused Ian to scoff at them before trying to find a response on his own, “Actually, Lilith,” he began, pointedly stressing her full name, “What I was insinuating, apparently not well enough, was that the three of us have more situation-dependent skills to keep watch; be it guns, or suped up brains, or psychic visions. And notice, contrary to some people’s interpretations, I did not include our penises as part of our pre-requisites for guard duty. Kay?”

Lili just let out another deep sigh, while still not turning back toward him before finally speaking up again, “So, that’s really why you think you guys should be guarding against whatever unseen danger might be out there, instead of me doing so?” she asked, though much more quietly than her previous outburst.

“Yeah, Lil, that’s what I meant,” he assured her with an attempted smile.

She took another deep breath then, as though trying to gain the strength for her next statement, “So, you really mean that I actually was right, before we even left. I am the one who brings absolutely nothing, no real skills, at all, to this entire mission, right?” she asked with shaking voice, still not looking back at any of them.

They all then looked up at her obvious hurt, all three trying to find any words to react with, though Ian felt the need to offer the first response, “Lili, that is so, not true. I mean, skills yeah, who cares, but you are the person me and Kyle both agreed was the most valuable person out of all four of us,” he stated softly, moving towards her slightly, as though wanting to reach out for her, though he forced back that urge right then.

“Yeah, cause of my mother, right?” she sniffed a bit.

“As long as you’re here, and we keep you as safe as we can, it could be the thing that gets all of us saved in the long run,” Ian assured.

She just sniffled again, “Saved by who, Ian?”

They all then narrowed their eyes as they looked her way, “Your mom, my dad, everyone up there on that ship,” he stated plainly.

“The ship that’s not there anymore?” she asked tearfully.

“We don’t know that, for sure,” Kyle attempted to add some reassurance.

“Well, that’s what LU seems to keep telling you over and over,” she sniffled again, “And she doesn’t make mistakes, right?”

“There’s gotta be some explanation. We just haven’t found it yet, that’s all,” Kyle continued, attempting to sound reassuring, despite the wavering of his voice.

“And if there’s not? If the ship really isn’t there anymore…then I really am the least important person here. And none of you should have to risk yourselves, for that. For me. For any reason,” she finished sadly, still unable to turn back to let any of them see the tears that were obvious in her voice.

Kyle finally let out a long sigh, before forcing his next statement, “If it is true though, if the ship, and all the people on it, all of our families, and all of our friends, and everyone…if they’re actually not up there anymore…if that is an absolute fact and an undeniable truth…” a deep breath, “Then Lili, you are easily, the most important person here, without any doubt, whatsoever.”