Lost

Cold Water

The next day there was still some... tension between the group. Ilk and Red hadn't yet gotten a chance to have their 'talk', and their interactions were curt and didn't last more than a few seconds, mostly on Ilk's part. Red couldn't help but feel hurt by the indifference, but he did not show it. He had to be firm.

He noticed Ilk was spending more time with the Sobrekt, particularly with Blue and his 'pet'. Most of the time they chatted and she'd pet Fury more often. He didn't like it. In more than one occasion he felt like pulling her away, but he was already treading on a thin line with Ilk; she'd want to learn why. So, for now, he just watched warily.

Captain had not spoken to him yet, nor had he spared a glance. Yup, he was still mad at him. Come on, it's not like he wouldn't have withheld such information had the roles been reversed, right?

The party left the campsite at dawn... At least he thought it was dawn, it wasn't too dark and there was a gentle yellow in between the thick clouds. Ilk had to ask GIR if he could lend them 'his' flashy screen to see where they were going. He didn't make a fuss out of it, thankfully, he gladly lent her the vortpad.

Okay, Masouri had said it would take him about two days, more or less, to fix the Ibris and adapt it to the Hothian metal, so they had no time to waste. The Hothian base was not very far from their current position, if everything went smoothly they should arrive by the next day.

After days of walking through sickly trees within dying forests, the group was glad to emerge into a wide, extended open field a few hours later. Fury stopped in his tracks, however.

"What's up?" Ilk glanced up to him. Fury was staring intently into the ground with his spines bristled.

"He's an animal, Ilk, he can't answer. Come on, let's go." Red was about to step forward, but a large scaly hand grabbed him by the arm. His Irken pride flared up and glared daggers at Captain. "Get your filthy alien hands off me!" He snarled, tearing his arm off the Sobrekt's grip.

"You're going to step on thin ice, Irken." Captain said simply, pointing at the ground.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed. This is not a field, it's a frozen lake," Blue said. "We should go around it."

"No way, it will take too long, let's just cross it."

Captain frowned. "Are you deaf? It's a bloody lake! If you step on the wrong place you'll break the ice and turn into a popsicle! Not to mention you don't know what's lurking under the ice."

"Do you have any idea of how long it will take us to go around the whole lake?! In case you forgot we only have two days. Besides, whatever used to live here has probably died of starvation or something else."

"You can't know that. We don't know how these creatures have evolved."

"Of course you would worry about that."

"The thing you should worry about, Irken, is to actually make it to the ship in one piece!"

Red hissed and flattened his antenna at Captain. "I've had enough with you-!"

"DAD!" Ilk stepped in between the two before another argument could break out. "Now's now the time for that!"

To her shock, he merely pushed her aside. "Let me handle this, Ilk!"

"What?! But-!"

"Quiet."

He had never spoken to her like this. Ilk just stared up at her father in utter disbelief, but the stern look he was giving her sent a shiver down her spine. Reluctantly she stepped aside, glaring at her father with contempt.