In the center, she found two figures standing, male and female, their faces etched with worry. The absence of any dripping liquid from above brought a sense of relief, sparing them from the threat of sharp stalactites. Without hesitation, she addressed the individuals, her voice echoing through the cavern. “Zefra. Alec.” She nodded to each one. “It seems I had been ill-informed about the decisions regarding the new vein.”
Her arms crossed, she fixed each of them with a withering stare, her eyes lingering on Keenan and Nelson, who nervously shifted their weight, standing slightly apart. The flickering light revealed the tense expressions on their faces, their eyes darting to Keenan, revealing their shared uneasiness. Ignoring their opinions, she continued, “We need that vein. I want our team working on it before second sundown.”
But before she could continue, Zefra interrupted, “But the comb?”. Eyes darted once again to Keenan, “We still don’t know the effects of the nest of we disturbed anything.” Her hand clutched her braid nervously, the sound of her fingers brushing against her hair barely audible. The mention of the unknown effects of disturbing the nest sent a shiver down Kat’s spine. The darkness seemed to press closer, suffocating their surroundings.
Their eyes shifting to glare at Keenan told her enough about how they felt. She didn’t care about their opinion and continued on, “We need that vein. I want our team working on it before sundown.”
Realizing the gravity of the situation, she knew they had no choice but to take the risk. “We don’t have a choice this time. We need to take the risk. Dig around them as best you can.” The sound of her pounding heart drowned out the silence that followed.
She knew better than most the consequences of disturbing one of the Crek-infested sacs. The memory of that day haunted her in her nightmares, the image of the dark green blob clinging to the side of the cavern like a fungus. When they shone the light, they discovered the naked form curled up like an infant in the womb, sending waves of nausea through her as she recalled the slimy sensation on her fingers, reminiscent of the feeling of squeezing a squishy stress ball.
The repulsion was so intense that she couldn’t even bear to touch a squishy stress ball anymore. The energy it gave off, a facade of comfort and peace, left her with nightmares for a week.
But she couldn’t let her team see her weakness, the fear that still haunted her. No one could know the horrors she had experienced. With unwavering determination, she locked eyes with her team, their faces frozen in a mask of horror. The stale air in the cave hung heavy with the weight of her decision, thick and oppressive, whispering of certain doom.
Alec hesitated before speaking, his voice filled with uncertainty. “I think you should see the nest. I’m not sure it’s safe.” Frustration welled up inside her, causing her to close her eyes and pinch the bridge of her nose, feeling the sweat trickling down.
Taking a deep breath, she locked eyes with Alec. “Fine. Do you have the drill ready?”
“Yes, it’s further in the tunnel.”
“Keenan, I want you and Nelson to finish the routine transfers before we start the excavation.” Both of them saluted her and quickly left to carry out her orders. Alex led her and Zefra to the drill, which was located just three-hundred paces away from the entrance. Despite working here for a year, she still couldn’t get used to the feeling of exhaustion after just a few steps. The hatred she harbored for this planet knew no bounds.
The drill resembled a hybrid between a submarine and a tank, with a rotating muzzle at the front. From the side and top, she could see the circular hatch, and she knew there must be another hatch on the opposite side and behind for an emergency escape. The closest hatch was open, Zefra and Keenan taking the lead to climb in, but when Kat looked in, there was no space for her to squeeze into, except for Alex’s lap. His mischievous grin revealed his thoughts, a reminder of their past exploits.
Trying to suppress her eye roll, she awkwardly climbed into the hatch. Zefra, already seated, had a front-row view of her struggle as her bubble butt invaded Zefra’s personal space during her unsuccessful attempt to gracefully enter the back. Her sneer was undeniable when Alex, still drenched in sweat, opened his arms as if welcoming a long-lost lover and reclined further back than she thought possible.
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With an exasperated sigh, she took a deep breath and slid across him, feeling the sharp angles of his boney legs beneath her. As his hands encircled her waist, shifting her further into the pocket of his legs, her body tensing at the touch. She could sense his sly smile pressing against her cheek, his stubble grazing her skin. Despite her anger, she controlled herself because he was the closest thing to Keenan, who could provide the relief she craved when Keenan was preoccupied.
“Let’s get this fucking over with,” she commanded Zefra. Zefra, without a word, began adjusting knobs and levers. The lights dimmed and an eerie black glow replaced them, causing her white blouse to emit a faint purple hue. In that moment, she felt a surge of gratitude for Alex’s presence, knowing that without his strong arms around her, she might succumb to another panic attack.
The surroundings shook violently, accompanied by the harsh grinding of metal against metal. She jolted, hitting her head on an overhang lever meant for the second driver, and the machinery roared to life. Then a high-pitched grating noise pierced through, as the vehicle scraped against the tunnel walls. In response, she quickly covered her ears. Only then did she notice Zefra’s ear muffs resting on her head. Her hatred and fear of the contraption intensified as it began descending.
Alex’s firm arms prevented her from lashing out at Zefra and the control panels, but the feeling of falling made her instinctively reach for something stable to hold on to. “Barbie, I wouldn’t touch that lever if I were you,” Alex whispered in her ear. She despised that nickname, but he used it whenever she was too preoccupied to protest. Now, she wanted nothing more than to rip his tongue out for his innuendo. Nonetheless, his warning was clear, and she withdrew her hand from the lever above her head, gripping onto the seat rest near Zefra’s shoulders instead.
Kat wished the contraption had a time display as she sat in the cramped space with Alex. The way Alex kept shifting and rearranging himself made it clear to her that his legs, and potentially other areas of his body, were losing sensation.
Suddenly, Zefra pulled on a lever, creating a loud creaking sound that echoed through the small space. Alex let out a relieved exclamation, “Thank fuck!” They arrived at their destination. As the side hatch was pushed open, a flood of pink light spilled into the room, casting shifting shadows on every surface. Kat couldn’t help but gasp audibly at the sight.
Being accustomed to working above ground, this was her first time venturing into a vein. Slowly, she made her way out of the hatch, stepping onto the cold, black rock that seemed to absorb the light from the shards of strakes lining the walls. The shades of pink emitted from the shards created a mesmerizing kaleidoscope effect, but what truly fascinated her were the pulsing grey spider veins that spread from the strakes, reaching up into the ceiling. It was as if the strakes themselves were communicating.
“The nest is over this way.” Alec’s voice broke the silence, calling from up ahead. With each step, Kat’s senses became more attuned to her surroundings. She clenched her fists, feeling the tightness in her jaw as she marveled at the spectacle before her. The strakes were far more abundant and usable than she had expected. As she walked further, the nest gradually came into view, nestled amidst the strakes on both sides of the cavern.
The sight was both breathtaking and daunting. Fifteen sacs, empty and deflated, hung together in a cluster. A liquid substance still lingered at the bottom of each sac, giving them a weight that pulled them down like semi-filled water balloons. Their black aerial root-like attachments tethered them to the strakes, while a faint green glow pulsed in sync with the strakes, as if they were connected or communicating. The scientists aboard the Vahala would be thrilled to discover this. She could see them easily salivating at this find.
An eerie atmosphere hung in the surrounding air, a sense of comfort, a beckoning presence. Curiosity overwhelmed Kat. It had been almost nine years since she had last touched a Crek pod. In that moment, she found herself strangely intrigued by the thought of the warm, slimy mucous membrane that coated the pods when in use. She wondered if it still lingered, even in the vacant pods.
Suddenly, a hand shot out, stopping her from reaching out with her fingers. Alex’s voice broke the spell, a single word of caution - “Don’t.” Startled, Kat stepped back, and Alex released her hand. As her gaze shifted to the shifting strakes, Kat issued her orders, her eyes filled with determination.
“Alex, you will stay here with the extraction team.” She saw the horror reflected in Alex’s widened eyes. “I want it all. I don’t care if we have to burn everything to get it.” Moving past his frozen form, she turned to Zefra, who mirrored Alex’s expression. “Let’s go.” Zefra had to jog to keep pace with Kat’s long strides towards the drill.
Kat was unwilling to wait. A smile crept across her face, illuminating it with the unadulterated joy that radiated from her heart. In just a few moments, she would join her father in their quarterly update briefing, and she knew he would be quite pleased with this remarkable news.