Pilgrim Read Online Free PDF Page B

She sprinted back to the ship as fast as she could and dived
through the open door. Cal hovered in after her and Crusader’s door
slid shut behind them.
    The sound of whirring engines was blocked by
the closed door and the bright spotlights were replaced by the
soothing glow of Crusader’s internal storage bay.
    “Took your time,” Nova said.
    “We had some engine trouble,” Cal said.
    She panted on the floor with her back
against the metal wall. Her face and body ached with a hundred
injuries. Her left cheek stung and she still couldn’t open her eye.
She tentatively reached down and winced as her fingers grazed her
side. Her body flushed hot and cold in equal parts as her heart
rate returned to normal.
    Nova reached over to the left-hand wall and
lifted up a panel. In the compartment was a rudimentary first-aid
kit. Bandages, anti-poison and immune booster injections were
scattered about the box. She buried her hand through the equipment,
shuffling things left and right until she found what she was
looking for.
    She pulled the cool-pack out of the plethora
of other items and shook it. The bag turned cold as ice. She laid
the packet on her left cheek. The chill soothed the aching which
had spread out from her cheek and she let out a sigh.
    “Do we have any more of these?” she said.
“I’m pretty sure I need about a hundred.”
    “I’m afraid that’s our only one,” Cal
said.
    “She was going to eat me whole,” Nova said.
She squeezed her eyes shut as she rested against the wall. She let
her shoulders relax as she enjoyed the security of Crusader’s
hanger.
    “Some of your injuries are severe,” Cal
said.
    “Stop scanning me,” Nova said, waving her
hand. “It’s fine. You saw what they did, I’m bound to have a few
scratches.”
    “I’m afraid we couldn’t get here any faster.
The engine needs an overhaul,” Cal said.
    “You know I can’t afford that,” Nova
said.
    “Well, we need new parts, or at least used
parts, their age is irrelevant,” Cal said.
    “I know. I know. If we ever find the
colonisation ship, it might have spare parts we can use, but
finding this warp converter is more important right now than
parts.”
    “Might I suggest reconnaissance before
further fieldwork?” Cal said.
    “I think that would be best,” she said,
exhaling.
    She pushed herself to her feet and stumbled
from the storage bay to the pilot’s chair, ignoring the pain
shooting up through her body. She plonked herself down and stared
at the wide front screen.
    “Crusader, show me the camera feeds,” she
said.
    The view switched and she could see the
children, including the girl in the white dress, huddled under
Crusader’s spotlight. They were still being buffeted by the massive
engines.
    “Let’s get out of here. I want to be far
enough that they’re not right next to us, but close enough to keep
an eye on them.”
    Crusader lifted into the air and floated
away from the village. The cowering children shrunk until they were
specks in the distance.
    “I don’t suppose our cloaking engine is
working?” Nova said.
    “No, we’re still missing parts after our
run-in with those Andian pirates.”
    “Okay, well keep the shields up all night
and monitor the exterior for any kind of movement. I don’t think
they’ll find any way to get inside, but after what I just saw, I
don’t want to take any chances.”
    “Confirmed,” Crusader said.
    “Did you detect any adults?”
    “Negative,” Cal said. “Only children were
detected around the village.”
    “Do you know what they are?”
    “All observations suggest human.”
    “Humans can’t open their mouths to the size
of small planets.”
    “All observations suggest human.”
    “I get it,” she said, waving her hand and
wondering if it was time to adjust Cal’s personality traits.
    She rose from the command chair and limped
through the ship with the cool-pack held to her face. She entered
the bathroom and lowered the bag to examine her injuries