Tank Borne

Part 10: set destination

Liana checked the map, fuel, and energy on the ship. They had enough food to eat three times a day for a week but Liana was going to ration it to eating once a day at midday and all meat was for Syn-Syn. With that down she had found a planet in the next split system but it was mostly uncharted.

If we don't know much and if it's labeled a danger to humans that might be a hunting ground for the Youtja, she thought and set a jump for that universe.

As she was calibrating the jump the system read out to her:

Fuel at 85%
Destination at two jumps - fuel and energy will be at 45%
Landing will take 20% - 25% will remain
Insufficient fuel for second take off

Liana read the report and said to herself, "one way trip huh." She sighed and then heard breathing behind her and saw Syn crouched behind her chair. She didn't know he was there and she waved him over saying, "come here big guy."
He came over and sat in the seat next to her, she noticed the arms were pulled off the chair because he couldn't fit with them there and she smiled shaking her head. When he settled she pointed at the map and text in the holo screen and said, "I know you probably can't make out what that means but it says we have a chance at landing on a world where we can stay but it's a one way trip. It has a warning for my kind but together I think we'll be discovered by your kind."

Syn-syn tilted his head only getting a couple of words and mostly going off her heat signature about what she might be talking about. He asked, "you find?"
Liana looked at the split system on screen then at him and tried to translate, "possible. Found planets that bad for ooman but Youtja will find you."
He was happy about maybe being found by his kind but then asked her, "ooman female told Bash-tard my kind hunt and kill you." He was concerned for his friend and the he pronounced bastard and called Parker that made Liana smile again and chuckle.
She waved a hand dismissively and said, "don't worry about me," she paused then switched to Youtja, "Bastard said I am dying. Very sickness inside. My job to get you safe." She deflected the hunting her kind part and Syn told himself to bring it up later. Right now he was worried that his friend could drop dead at any moment. He sat up and inches closer to her, "soon? What can Syn do?" Liana shook her head, trying to find the right words for him then she explained as best as she could be saying, "sickness like this, kills oomans from inside. Very slow, will be tired."
He looked at her still and scanned his eyes around her body but remembered she said it was inside her body. He felt sad and even more protective now. He was found and saved by her. Did more than anyone he's met so far and he wondered if his people found him, maybe they could help her.

He was thinking about such things when she intercepted his thoughts and said, "so I'm going to make the jump then rest for bit as the shuttle finds a planet suitable for an emergency landing."

She pointed to the console then to Syn's chair saying for him to hang tight then said over comms to Parker they were making a jump. He shuttered and curled up in his blankets as best as he could. He wouldn't be in any harms way with being in space but when they went to land they'd have to let him take a seat and strap in.

In the cockpit Liana started the jump. First jump got them half way and then the shuttle turned to calibrate it's next jump then went for it. The white pinstripes of stars floating past stopped and a whole new world of planets circling one large sun reminded her of home but she knew better and her inside excitement went away in a flash. The shuttle went into the pull of the planets and started scanning and shut things down to conserve energy.

When everything was looking good on the screen Liana got up and looked at Syn who was still sitting and said, "well nothing to do but sleep. My side hurts so I'm going to bed."

He nodded getting what she said and watched her leave. When she was gone he looked out the window and watched the planets floating around knowing that one of them could be their new home.

                                          ~.~.~
An hour later Syn was looking through the scanners and listening to the shuttle's computer say if a planet was suitable for landing or not. When the computer would ask about what action to execute next he'd get frustrated at trying to speak to the computer. That's when he found a learning application for English and he was astonished to learn how to speak like Liana. He used the program and was learning the letters of the alphabet and how to say them. He decided to surprise her later by speaking better but for now he decided to keep it a secret.
Four hours later he went over to the airlock and saw Parker was awake and had his hands on the glass trying to get Syn's attention. Syn stopped and looked at him then snarled at Parker. Parker stepped back but said, "I'm thirsty. Can I have some water." He gestured like he was holding a cup and drinking. Syn-Syn pushed someone air out of his mouth in a huff and walked away. Parker just felt defeated and sat down but was surprised when Syn cane back with a bottle of water and opened the smaller airlock space that dead to the main airlock. The smaller one was meant for trash or ejecting smaller items and could be used to give Parker small things that fit. It was the size of a medium cooler, 12x12 inches. Syn put the water in and closed the lock then opened the side door without flushing the system. Parker saw the little panel open and took the water. He then looked at Syn before taking a drink and said, "thank you I guess. Where's the girl?" He took a sip then and saw Syn point to the sleeping quarters. Parker stopped drinking when he was finished and put the bottle back in the panel when Syn-Syn pointed for him to then he took the water back to the cooler leaving Parker alone again. It felt like a night cycle for everyone, even Syn, so he went to the sleeping quarters. Liana was on her right side moaning in her sleep. Syn never seen a human dream before and knew by her scent that she wasn't having a comfortable dream. He could smell salt water coming out of her eyes which made him uncomfortable and wonder what was wrong with her but decided she needed sleep. Although he knew also that her sleep wouldn't be as restful if she kept doing whatever she was doing. Twitching and leaking from her eye wasn't normal so he grabbed the mattress from the top bunk and set them on the floor next to her cot and placed a blanket and the spare pillow on his bed he made. The really unexpected thing he did, even to himself, was he gripped Liana's cot by both ends and slowly pulled the screws holding it to the wall out as quiet as he could and placed it with her on the floor next to his mat making one bed. Satisfied he laid down on his mat then slowly in between Liana's breaths he inches over to her. Right now he noticed he was doing what the learning program taught him was crying but she was sleeping. This told him she was having a nightmare so he laid next to her and pulled her along with her mat close and put his blanket over both of them. Syn-syn sniffed her hair taking in her scent and felt a strange feeling in his chest beginning to build and let it flow. The rumbling in his chest started and cane out. He didn't realize he started purring and heard it growing louder like a Harley on idle. The feeling and sound relaxed him and he noticed Liana stopped crying and her sleep seemed more peaceful. After a while he fell asleep also letting his purr continue as he relaxed and slept holding his human friend which he was starting to care for like himself.