Lightship Chronicles Chapter 2 : Rescue Hoppers Read online



  Lightship Chronicles

  Book 1 : Sacred Warriors

  copyright©2015

  Florin Nicoara

  From the Author

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  Chapter 2: Rescue Hoppers

  Lightship Chronicles

  Book 1 : Sacred Warriors

  copyright©2015 Florin Nicoara

  After launching like a rocket from the brutal impact, the pilot's bubble is now falling fast. It drops out of sight behind the north edge of the outcrop. The last of the crash debris, mixed with dust and rocks, are still raining down on the heads of the spectators. They are scrambling back and forth on that outcrop, confused and frightened, struggling to get out of the way, but there is no out of the way, and many get hit. Plenty of cuts and bruises but none are seriously injured, even as some large chunks crash loudly in between the spectators.

  The rain of debris comes to an end. Most of the crowd rushes to the north edge of the outcrop. Andee leaps from the stone lounge while Mykee leans over the edge and watches. He rushes down and into the crowd forcefully elbowing through the people heading for the north edge.

  "There! There! I can see it. I can see him!" Random people in the crowd shout. Andee breaks through and reaches the edge. He immediately sees the bubble. It's stuck in a crevice between a sheer stone face and a small stone ledge. The large outcrop is about 900 meters above flat ground, jutting out of the near vertical wall of the mountain. The bubble is half way down where the angle of the slope is no longer vertical, but still extremely steep. No lightship or wheeled vehicle can get up there. Medical lightships approach from below but have no way of reaching the bubble. The Bitani rescue corps would have to climb the 500 or so meters on foot, but the slope is still too steep for them and their medical equipment. Only professional climbers would have a chance up this rock. A few rescue corps head on foot anyway, and slowly start making their way up the mountain.

  Andee studies the bubble. There is a huge crack nearly splitting it in two like a broken egg. A bloody hand suddenly comes out through the crack and grabs one of the split sides.

  "Help!" The pilot's faint shout echoes from below.

  "That's the pilot! He's hurt!" People in the crowd respond frantic, not knowing what to do.

  Gono is a few meters away. He sees Andee and starts pushing through the crowd towards him.

  "Andee! Hey!" Gono shouts and Andee turns to him. Mykee above, watches leaning out of his perch.

  "I don't think they can help him, and he's hurt." Gono speaks pointing to the three rescue corps struggling on foot up the jagged and steep rocky cliff. At the rate they're moving it could take them hours to get to the pilot.

  "It's been a while since I climbed these rocks." Andee responds after looking down at the struggling rescue corps.

  "Dude, you're not thinking what I think your thinking?"

  "I've climbed this side of the mountain before."

  "Yeah, for fun. You weren't rushing to save someone's life."

  "I've got to do it man. I have to. I'm the only one here that can."

  "I don't know man. Are you sure about this?

  Andee just Gono a look of; 'Do I have a choice?'

  "Alright man. I know I can't talk you out of it, but be careful." Gono counters with a look of concern. "I know you can do this. I've seen what you can do." Gono continues this time strengthening his eyes to exude an air of confidence in support of his friend.

  Andee nods, and then without warning... he just leaps... right off the edge. Groans and moans echo from the crowd at the unexpected move. Gono follows the jump with his eyes and leans forward just catching a glimpse of Andee landing on a shallow rim of stone barely wide enough for his tip-toes. It's an act of true skill. Andee is about to show off his talent.

  "Don't worry guys, don't worry. This guy is a master at Ghimpour. Watch and be amazed." Gono shouts at the crowd to calm their growing concern.

  "I hope for his sake. Or he'll die before the pilot." Some guy in the crowd responds.

  "Trust me. If you've been to the Ghimpour games than you've seen him. His name is Andee, he won last year."

  The crowd quiets down. They can now finally see Andee. Truly like a Leaping Ghimur, Andee is not just climbing down the cliff, he is literally hopping, jumping, and swinging from edges and corners of rock just barely big enough to grasp. His agility and hand strength is astounding. The pilot is momentarily forgotten as a new act is on showcase, Andee leaping, running, skipping, from hands to feet and back, twisting, twirling, and even flipping, from one to the next of the smallest cracks, crevices, and ledges that the mountain side has too offer. Everyone watches in awe as Andee makes fast progress down the near vertical section of this mountain.

  In less than five minutes he reaches the bubble. It's mostly intact except for the big crack. Two of the four shock absorbers between the bubble and chair are broken and seem to have caused the crack, or vice versa. The pilot's left hand is out, gripping tight at the split edge of the bubble. His hand is covered in blood, but there isn't much blood anywhere else. The pilot still has his helmet on. Andee tries to split open the bubble a bit more by pulling it apart with his arms, but it is pointless. The material it is made from is flexible but harder than iron. It gives gently, but will not break.

  "Hey! Can you hear me? How do I get you out of this thing?"

  The pilot moves but seems to be disoriented.

  "Hey man I know you're hurt, but I don't know how to get you out of this thing."

  "My, helmet. Can you..." A strange disembodied voice comes out of the bubble.

  "You want your helmet off?"

  "Yes."

  "How?"

  "Twist. Help me twist..."

  Andee reaches in with his left arm and helps the pilot twist off his helmet. It comes off. Andee looks at the man. He remembers the face from the videodrome but the guy no longer looks the same. His face is puffy and he looks scared and disoriented.

  "They're dead. I... I can't get out." The pilot mumbles.

  "Who's dead?"

  "The controls, I can't... I can't... open... I can't get out."

  "This stuff is too strong, I can't break it." Andee responds knocking on the transparent polymer bubble. He looks around flustered after again trying to split the capsule along it's crack. He squats and looks into the bubble below at the seat. He notices one of the broken shock absorbers. One piece is a meter long metal tube.

  "Here, I'll try this." Reaching in he pulls the tube out and then uses it like a levering wedge to widen the split in the bubble. Andee struggles with all his force. There is a lout SNAP! and the bubble gives a little.

  "There! It's working!" Andee shouts. Invigorated, he starts yanking with all his power. More snaps and cracks can be heard, and then a loud POP! and the bubble opens up about half a meter.

  "Come on, I can get you out of here." Andee reaches in and grabs the pilot's left arm.

  "Ahhh!" The pilot screams. "Let go! Let go!"

  "OK-OK." Andee lets go and backs off.

  "Something's not right. My... my chest, the... the pain... is unbearable."

  "I'm sorry man, I was just trying to help."

  "I know, I know. Is... a hopper coming?"

  "A what?"

  "A hopper.
"

  "What's that?"

  "God... damned!" The pilot responds annoyed, followed by a painful cough. "Ignorant Carpati." He groans out loud.

  Andee stares at him perplexed, then takes a small step back.

  "I'm sorry man, I'm... I'm in a lot of pain. There's... something's wrong with my chest. Are there any rescue corps... climbing up... on foot?"

  Leaning over his little outcrop, "Yeah, they are."

  "God damned!" Struggling as he voices his words through gritting teeth. "It's not... your fault man, I'm not mad... at you. You need to yell... yell at them. I can't."

  "What? Why? I don't understand." Andee is shaking his head at the pilot baffled.

  "You need to tell'em..." The pilot is struggling. Talking looks painful but he pushes through it grinning and cursing. "Tell'em to get a goddamn hopper... to me. You need... to yell... loud, make sure they hear you. Tell'em... I'm Ricio Bret, son of Brandberd Bret... if they don't send a hopper... this second, I'll have them all banished... by tonight. You hear me. Tell them... now!"

  Andee's face is a vision of confusion. He clearly does not understand what this