Forgive Me; part 2

Chapter 2 ┼ Forgive Me (part 2)

Once their direction was secure, he partially turned his head to the notches and said, “Luri! Lotois! Are there any other creatures within and outside the hull?”

There was no answer except for the voice of Pemmi, they are reporting all the views the monitor is showing, at least in a shifted view of the crystals mapping of the land. They reported at least growing altitudes of trees that could potentially damage the exterior of Sunflora, which to Uran was already expected with the attempt he was making.

Not waiting for Lotois or Luri, and trusting they would handle the creatures, fighting them off as best so that their partial escape can happen. He touched one of the smaller orbs on the panel and started shifting the water inside that contained the crystals, this time it spewed more Slitark shards. This was a signifier that the energy they were using to levitate themselves are growing exponentially lower since they needed to hide their presence in a location that is risky by chances to pull through.

Sweat broke out from Pemmi’s neck when they saw the number of shards within the compass and started praying, while the other person within the room which was an engineer, Jaaron, that is assigned and assist with the bearing just silently did their best to adjust according to how Uran steered their ship.

“Luri!!” shouted Uran.

“Bullcrap! Almost all the Sprouts are off the god-forsaken keel! But—” Luri was going to interject something when a blast from her notch completely deafened the room.

No other sound could be heard from Luri’s side letting Uran dismiss that and look at Jaaron, saying. “The machine rooms state?”

“Gauges are stabilized sir, except for ten minutes ago before we took the east. The silencer was shot out at exactly five minutes since the distance, but there seems to be something wrong with a part of the exterior.” They said, their calm demeanor was a glaring contrast to the shaking navigator at the opposite chair from them. “Sir, there is a section of the ship that has received a breach.” They finished, but now facing Uran with a concerned face.

Heaving a breath, he looked at Pemmi, and on cue, she said, “the—the route is established with the speed, uhm…we’re going to enter neutral velocity in approximately…uhm…sir?”

Before they could finish, Uran had already left the room, knowing by the distance of where he saw the monitor of the navigator’s map that the steering of the ship has succeeded and all they need is to automatically wait and see their docking timing. Jaaron and Pemmi are left to their devices, knowing full well Uran’s intent by leaving them. Jaaron can be seen from behind Uran’s back hurriedly going to the steering platform to double-check with Pemmi so that their course won’t be disturbed as Uran went out to check on the rest of the ship.

He knew that his current crew is not up to par with the numbers that needs to manage the entire ship when danger arise, and it shows in this current situation. Included in this number are the civilians that live with them, that are families of the crew involved. Their safety has always been a priority despite the circumstance of Sunflora, but there can never be a guarantee. One way or another, a family member riding in Sunflora will be subjected to danger despite precautions.

There were a few seconds before he turned to leave the hall from the captain’s room when Jaaron’s voice called out. “Sir!!!!”

Uran had no time to listen to him, but he heard their minuscule fading voice say, “There’s a lapse of electrical current in quart—”

The rest of their word’s vanished even though Uran acknowledged what they said and found his footsteps hurrying to the living quarters. He’s always handled any sense of emergency by fast-walking to the destination. Reaching where he needed to be with his legs speeding in almost a jog is something he never did until his son was born.

Heavy steps, almost sliding through the floor, stopped as he reached the hall of the living quarters and saw some of the doors open with a few of the people within treating some of their members or holding on to the doors and rails. The ship continued to shudder now and then from hitting the top of trees as they continued to speed until they reached the coordinates. One of the mechanics’ partners spoke to him and tell the possible casualty but none of them acquired any kind of injury or any damage in their rooms. Except for some of them being shaken from the sudden rockiness.

Nodding with a sense of relief, the next part he looked through is the mess hall where most of the other residents, that didn’t get to reach their rooms and see if they are safe. Most of the crew are still away from the halls and he sensed that the communication wire has been cut off because of what Jaaron said about the electrical flow cutting off from this area.

Despite his nerves rising from the direction he was heading, he could only delay the fear that sent his toes and fingers feeling cold from the dread he did not want to think. But, knowing the Sunflora crew, he had to check everyone first the best he could, cause without the people of this ship it would not move into the skies.

Before he could enter the mess hall a hand yanked him to stop, making him look at the person behind him. A heavily sweating Lotois who was carrying a kid that hid its face under his neck looked at him with tense eyes, there was redness surrounding the tips of his nose and eyes. Lotois only expressed this kind of face in certain points of distress or extreme joy.

The last he saw his eyes bawling was when his wife bore him his first twins, as his wife was one of pair. She’s alone now in this world after her sister’s death, but she’s happily staying at home right now with the boy partner of their twins. Right now, if Uran remembered, the girl was with them.

Uran saw the child and Lotois’ nervous wreck and knew any good news will not grace his ears. His whole body broke in sweat as he felt the cold chill run down his spine. There are a few things in Uran’s life that he hated to experience, without any way to describe but he handled them so poorly that he’s barely confident that if it happened again would spell so much on his mentality. A weight that would bring him closer to the ground than his dream of flying in the skies.

Dread was not the only word to describe what he felt right now, only it encapsulates what is true to this world at present. There, on his feet, splayed like a leisurely cat looking at him with eager eyes, mocking his fear. That no matter what one does to deny the inevitable, what scenario you imagine will happen no matter. Such is the life of a prophecy fulfilled without any intention of being.

“Leave the children back to the mess hall. Their parents would want to check them for all of you,” he said as he schooled his expression while sweat broke out of his scalp and down the side of his face. He thanked them in a whisper, nodding stiffly as he returned his gaze to Lotois, noticing the caretakers sweating and shivering.

Lotois pursed his lips and then started to transfer the child he carried to a passing person, they received the boy gingerly as they hurried inside the mess hall. “Take a deep breath, Rife,” he told Uran as he pulled him beside him.

Lotois listened as Uran looked to the side and saw if the other children and their caretakers were assigned that day about how they are. Several of the children have either sunk into a deep coma or crying in silence with eyes wide, shocked. The adults on the other hand are as white as sheet, each one helping a child, but all of them looked at Lotois and Uran.

Lotois, with his eyes still wide, said in the lowest voice he could to Uran. “Rife,” he held Uran’s arm in a tight grip. “a chunk of your living quarter’s wall is torn out, the is size enough to fit bodies. The—tch, a few of the caretakers managed to secure most of the children but there seems to be some who are missing. According to the children… I…”

Uran’s eyes widened, and one of the adults on the side asked something between Uran and Lotois but Uran curtly ordered them that they were nearing a section where they would be safe. Pointing to one of the crews, who was also following Lotois and knew of the situation, assisted most of them so that they could organize everyone while the captain and his first mate looked into the captain’s quarter’s damage.

As they walked, at a speed Lotois could only keep up by jogging beside Uran, Lotois made sure to speak to him in as calm a manner. The same way he could muster even if he, himself, is feeling the loss of strength from the dread he had to push down, only to provide the veil of strength for himself.

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