Astray Among The Stars

Chapter 21: Fire and Ice

Tevra shivered as snow crunched beneath her feet. Mummified in winter wear, she found it difficult to keep up with Roger. Somehow, the fierce weather did not hinder him as he climbed up the mountain.

She shuddered as wind whipped her face, the icy breath of nature biting her skin through the small thin balaclava beneath her goggles and hood. She grimaced, reminded of the harsh winters of her home world.

"There yet," she yelled over the relentless blizzard.

"Hurry," she faintly heard.

Fighting the wind, she followed his footsteps, leading to a cave. Tevra quickly entered, desperate for a shelter from the frigid winds.

Roger sat down towards the back of the cave and unmasked. "It's a shame this blizzard came in. I guess we'll have to stay here for a while."

Tevra removed her gloves and rubbed her frozen hands. She sat on a rock and took off her iced goggles. Her balaclava had frozen over, hard like a rock. Gently, she removed the mask.

"Call ship?"

Roger dusted the snow off his arm communicator and pressed the buttons. Only static came through. "We can't. I guess the blizzard's too much. It must have taken out the shuttle's signal booster. Either that or we're out of range."

Tevra felt uneasy, but not like anything before. She sensed an underlying dread. Roger glanced over, noticing her expression.

"What is it, Tevs?"

"Not know."

Roger stood up, sticking out both arms as if trying to balance.

"Do you feel that?"

Suddenly, the whole ground violently shook, knocking him off his feet He slipped deeper into the cave, falling into darkness, his deep scream echoing.

"Roger!"

A few icicles fell, sending ice shards everywhere. The Valmirian stood up, about to run towards him, but the snow at the entrance collapsed as an avalanche roared above. She shielded her face with her arms as a wave of rocks, ice, and powdered snow flew into the cave, knocking Tevra off her feet. The girl landed on her belly, rolling for a bit as she called out his name once more. Her head hit a rock. She looked up, reaching out into the abyss as her vision wavered.

"R— Roger. . . ."

Her head collapsed to the floor as she succumbed to the darkness. The earthquake ceased. All went still.

* * *

Harris bolted towards the shuttle, seeing the impending avalanche behind him. Prill held the sliding door, yelling at him to hurry.

He jumped, landing hard on the metal floor. Prill slammed the door shut as the snow raced towards them. "Go!"

The engines roared as Marlin maxed the throttle. Harris and Prill hit the back wall as the shuttle jerked with the force of several g's. They flew left as the shuttle veered to avoid the wall of destruction.

Ice and snow particles bombarded the hull as they soared through the baby powder wave. Darkness engulfed them as the shuttle climbed. For a moment they sat in silence, wondering if they would make it, wondering about the teens' fate, wondering if they could be trapped as well. Prill silently prayed to Popo, asking the water god to give them mercy.

A few moments later, the shuttle broke through the snow cloud. Polla sighed. Marlin clenched the shaking control wheel, fighting the fierce winds as they flew into the dark storm above.