Silk checked the ladder one more time, then climbed up. She paused for a moment and looked around. The sun was still low over the horizon. A few last wisps of fog hung between the hills and defied its rays. Beyond, to the west, the outskirts of the city were barely visible. Silk put the metal sheet that she had cut below onto the roof and then pulled herself up as well. The hole she wanted to mend was not big but it let moisture in and warmth out. Better to take care of of right away. With routine motions she affixed the sheet and sealed the gaps. Just a few minutes later she was done and regarded her handiwork with satisfaction. Then she let her gaze wander over the landscape one last time. She liked the spot she had withdrawn to, even if the reason was not a happy one. She had some peace and quiet here, not only from the occupational force but also from some of the more annoying aspects of city life. The landscape was sparse in vegetation - mosses and heather dominated - but beautiful. Finding enough food was not always easy, but until now she had managed.
Suddenly she noticed a point of light in the sky. A plane? It was a little too fast for that. The sky was not dark enough any more for a shooting star, except if it was a pretty big chunk. Curious, she followed the point with her eyes. It got ever brighter and bigger, and eventually Silk could make out a longish form. Was that a space ship? Suddenly the thing showed down and its trajectory became flatter. At the same time it continued to get bigger - or rather, come closer. It was definitely not a chunk of rock, but a man-made object. It glowed from the friction with the air but it seemed to be mostly intact. Something that could be a parachute was affixed at the rear end. In front of Silk’s eyes the vessel continued to fall toward the ground and finally vanished behind a hill. Muffled thunder marked its impact.
Her heart pounding, Silk descended the ladder. A thousand thought rushed through her head. Had she really just seen a space ship crash land? Had it had some technical defect? Or had there been a fight in orbit? Was there crew on board? Were there survivors? Would they need help? Was it a ship of the occupying forces or the resistance? She had moved out here to distance herself from the conflict. Should she go to the impact site now, risking to be drawn into it again? Even while asking herself the question she knew that this was exactly what she would do. Her curiosity alone would not leave her in peace. But what was more was the possibility that someone might be hurt and helpless. She looked into the direction one more where she had seen the object fall. It could only be a few miles away. She should be able to teach it withIn one or two hours. She packed a small backpack with a water bottle and a first aid kit, grabbed a light jacket and, without further ado, was on her way.
[tbd]
“Our patient is stable for now, but still unconscious.” Silk closed the door behind her and walked over to the kitchen sink. “I don’t have the equipment to do a full diagnosis. It would also help to know what species she - or he - actually is.” She turned the tap on and looked around for anything resembling soap.
The others sat at the small kitchen table. Fischer’s frown was even deeper than usual. “So what do we do with him?”
Silk opened and closed a few drawers without any success. “She needs some medical supplies, and a doctor if possible. Ideally we would get her to a hospital.” Of course that was going to be near impossible. But she did not like the thought of abandoning the poor thing.
Amy lounged in her chair, feet on the table, making a show of her indifference. “You have noticed that this colony is under enemy occupation? Good luck getting some grey dwarf anywhere unnoticed. We already pulled her out of that bloody wreck and got her here. That’s more than anyone could expect.”
“Watch your tongue!” Fischer snapped. “That ship is a holy artefact. We probably have an angel lying in the room next door. I’m going to do whatever I can to help him.”
Amy held up her hands. “Suit yourself. But if you guys are going to save the creature, you should at least settle on a pronoun, or it’s going to get even more complicated.”
Oat folded his huge arms and leaned back. The chair looked like it might collapse under his bulk. “I’m not the religious type, but I kind of agree with the stern fellow here. Angel or not, there’s no doubt that these ships are on our side. They just about wiped their asses with the enemy fleet over Brixton. You’ve all seen the videos. This pilot needs to survive and get back out there. And if it helps,” he added with a piercing look at Amy, “I’m sure the allied forces will pay a handsome reward to the people who rescue an asset like that.”
“Finally someone starts talking sense,” mumbled Amy.
Silk had given up and washed her hands without soap. She was eyeing a dirty tea towel on the kitchen counter when she saw movement outside the window. She ducked behind the tattered curtains and peered out around them. Two figures were approaching the house. “Shit.” There was no mistaking the unfamiliar proportions and pale carapace. “Save your breaths. We’ve got company.”