Altered

Chapter 15: The Day The World Changed

Gina woke to the sound of a pot being banged loudly with a spoon.

"Ugh." Ro covered her ears under her blankets. "Go away."

"Ro," Gina shook her, "Ro that's the breakfast call. Today is the day that we face the-" she was going to say the fate of the world but that sounded too frightening. "That we face the alien creature. If we lose today Ro, our world changes for everyone. We may no longer exist anymore." She shivered at the thought. Nonexistence. The word struck fear into her heart.

Ro groaned and pushed Gina away, interrupting her shaking. "Stop shoving me, I'm up I'm up..." her eyelids fluttered," ...already." She promptly started snoring again.

"Ro! Come on!" Gina said, as she tugged on her new breeches and vest over her other underthings and tried not to feel bare. She would need all the mobility she could get to fight the creature. She put on the boots last; enjoying the feeling of the material against her skin.

If Ro can do wear this, so can I.

She slid her knife into her boot. The nanogenes should protect her, but just in case she always carried one. She had tried not to be so reliant on the nanogenes since the accident with Amryn.

She stood up and pushed the flap to the front of the tent out of the way. The morning sun had risen over the treetops, and the grass was still wet with dew from the night before. It would have been a beautiful morning if the day wasn't so somber, and Gina's mind hadn't been so preoccupied.

Today, she thought with shock. This is actually happening. A battle. The last thing I may ever do is defend earth on this very ground.

Ro stepped out of the tent, pulling her boot on as she went, almost tumbling forward.

"Thinking again, my friend? That's a sure sign of trouble."

The teasing lightened Gina's somber mood.

"Me thinking is just fine. It's you that I worry about."

"I assure you my powers of cognition are just fine," Ro said.

"That's what I was afraid of," Gina tsked. "we don't want you to strain yourself before the fight."

Ro punched her in the arm.

"Healergizer."

"Stealk."

Ro punched her again.

"Ro!" Gina laughed. "I'm going to have a bruise!" 

Gina covered her arm with her hands, giving Ro a pointed look.

"Don't give me that face. You and I both know that you deserved that."

It seemed strange to be playing on a day such as this one, but Gina needed it. She didn't want to become so consumed by her worry at the wait for the battle that she couldn't do what needed to be done when it arrived.

They walked up to the tent where breakfast was being served, eating quickly and following one of the many frantic scientists hurrying around with tight looks to the most pinpointed area of immersion for the creature.

"This spot right here," he pointed to an area that was marked, "Is our best bet for where the Fu'nas will come to the ground. We have moved everything back, but we anticipate a battle, and out equipment will most likely be damaged to some extent." He looked tense and gruff. "The battle will be here if our calculations are right. Today is the day of awakening. Be ready."

They gathered as a team by the marking and gathered weapons and power as the other Lia'unnians moved supplies away. If they failed today...

"We are the world's last hope," Amryn whispered, seeming anxious. "I would normally try and lighten the mood with a joke... But I just can't find it in me to say anything."