The Explorers (part 1)

Posted on Thu Oct 3rd, 2013 @ 2:54pm by Commodore Samantha York & 1st Lieutenant Kara Melo & Lieutenant Commander Leanne Bowen & Lieutenant JG Anastasia Morrow & Captain Cameron Bourne & Warrant Officer Sterling Kamala IV & Gaia

1,054 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Tabula Rasa
Timeline: Planetside

ON

Samantha found a stick that worked as a staff and waited at the rendezvous point for anyone who wished to join her in exploring outside the camp.

Sterling made a circle around the camp checking for things that should not be there. He found some materials and made a bow and a dozen arrows and went and found Samantha.

Chumani carried a walking stick that was almost her height. She meandered along at a steady pace and stepped up quietly next to Sam. Her long straight black hair hung down her back in a loose braid. Her dark eyes intelligent and soft. She did not say a word, she simply nodded a greeting and waited.

Sam smiled at her. "Hello."

"I'm not quite sure how I knew how to make this. but I think it will work. We don't really have any ranged weapons and this might come in handy. Who else are we waiting for?" Sterling said holding out his bow.

Chumani shrugged at whomever had just spoken. "I'm not sure yet who should be coming."

"It might just be the three of us," Sam said. "We'll wait a few more minutes, then head out."

Chumani nodded "Who else would or should we expect?" She asked quietly

Walking over to join the group, Cameron had fashioned an axe out of a sharp-ish rock and a solid piece of wood. The two were tied together with pieces of material, crude but effective, "Good morning all" he said, struggling to remember names, "um....Sam, right?"

"Correct," she said, pleased that Cam and Kara were going to join them.

"Okay, let's see what we can find," Sam said. She picked up a small woven bag and slung it over her shoulder. Glancing at the others, she turned and headed back out towards the corn fields.

Chumani stepped along side Sam and kept pace with her. "Ma'am, what are we expected to find?"

"Clues about where we are and why we can't remember," she said. "Or anything of interest, really."

Cameron walked along behind the group, keeping at least three paces behind them.

Kara followed close behind. She wasn't much of an explorer, but she wanted to stay close to Cam. She really didn't feel like she fit in with any of the groups, except maybe those who stayed behind and kept an eye out. But she could keep an eye out and help keep this group safe.

Sterling brought up the rear. He would have preferred to go first, he felt compelled to protect the others from harm, though he did not fully comprehend the reason. Nevertheless he was not gong to let his place in the back prevent him from fulfilling his duty. He kept an arrow nocked and ready to fire if he needed it.

Sam continued past the field of corn and into the woods, hoping to find something of interest. As the trees grew thick she carefully marked the path so they could find their way back.

They walked for several hours, then came to a box canyon with several caves on either side. "This looks interesting," Sam said.

"Ow. Son of a... ow. Mother-... ow... DAMN YOU FRED THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT." A voice said, as it began to near them. "Ow. Son of a-"

Anastasia stumbled out of the trees not far from the rest of the party, and immediately felt self-conscious. She clutched a small tulip close to her chest.

"Uhm... Hello." She said, once she regained something akin to composure.

Sam looked at the woman. "Hello. Who are you and who is Fred?"

Anastasia turned her head to the side. "Fred is a particularly mean-omened Tulip, miss. I was in charge of something... then I got transferred somewhere... by a guy named Captain... I think... uhm...You know... I..." She stopped, and held her head, slightly to the side. "Uhm... I'm not really sure who I am... I remember something... about something... and then it goes away..." She looked at the clothes the other people were wearing. "I think I am jealous, however." She said, with a quick glance down.

"I'm curious to know how you came to be dressed differently than the rest of us," Sam said. "I'm Sam, by the way. We don't know who we are, either. Or how we got here. You're welcome to join us."

"As long as you don't mind Fred." Anastasia said, turning her head, and looking at him slightly sideways. "I suspect there's something important about him but I don't know what it is."

Chumani looked at the tulip and gently turned a leaf over and studied it. "Fred, needs a bit of water, and a bit of ultraviolet rays and a good dose of fertilizer." She smiled as she let Fred's leaf go ever so gently. "I am Chumani." It was almost the most the woman had said the whole time they had been located where ever it was that they were. How she knew about the plant was unsure to her but that seemed almost second nature, so maybe she had dealt with some plants before either on a regular basis or as a pastime.

"Choo-man-ee." Anastasia sounded out the odd name. "Got it."

The woman smiled and shook her dark head "Close, slightly different emphasis Choo-ma-nee" and said little to nothing else as one of the men stepped forward. Chumani then slipped away into the forest as if the trees were her home. She disappeared from sight.

Stepping forward a little, Cameron sized up the newcomer, "hmm, you wouldn't happen to have one of these now would you?" He asked, holding up his arm and pointing to the band around his wrist

"Uhm... No. I don't think so." She said, drawing her robe closed a bit more. "I didn't find any, anyways."

"Do you know why you're not dressed like the rest of us?" Kara asked.

Sterling observed the others wondering why Anastasia was addressing a flower as thought it were a sentient being. He was far more concerened about her mental state than why she was dressed differently.

(To be continued...)

Commodore Samantha York
Commanding Officer

Warrant Officer Sterling Kamala IV
Security Investigations

2nd Lieutenant Cameron Bourne
Marine CO

Staff Sergeant Kara Melo
Alpha Platoon Leader

Chumani

Lieutenant JG Anastasia Morrow
Chief Security Officer

 

RSS Feed