Project - Prometheus Ch. 19

Author's note: As promised, I have delivered this chapter, finished and ready for my readers and fans! Sure, it might be a little late in coming, but such is the life of a working writer. With this one, some resolutions happen, along with greater mysteries to come! What will they be? Read on to find out! Now shall we begin?

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"That... that's Khraldar! Thank the mother goddess!" Zaelina cried out, joyous tears streaming down her face. The cry for help rang out again and again, and several chiefs voiced their agreement that it was Zaelina's son.

"Sentries! Deploy scout drones and locate the source of that sound, double time!" Alex barked. The Sentries obeyed immediately, the drones detaching themselves from their armored bodies and flying down into the canyon. Alex turned and witnessed Vahltiem trying to shuffle away from the group while everyone was occupied with locating the boy.

"Detain Vahltiem, immediately!" Alex called out. The chief tried to pick up his pace to run, but was stopped by several Sentries, who stood in his way. The Artucian man tried to resist, but the Sentries were far too quick, and much more resilient than he was. Their coltan-titanium hands clamped down on the struggling man, dragging him to the Commodore.

"Now, Commodore, listen to me, this is all a big misunderstanding! If you'll permit me a few moments of your time..." Vahltiem said, but was cut off by a solid punch to the face which sent him to his knees. He cried out, as the force of the blow was enough to make his teeth rattle. He looked up at the human man with a measure of hatred, fearful of what he'd do next.

"Count yourself lucky that I hit you with my bare hand and not while I was in my suit," Alex told the man through clenched teeth. "Sentries, if he tries to talk, break his jaw. If he tries to run, break his legs at the knee," he ordered.

The Sentries chimed their acceptance of his orders, while Vahltiem looked at him in disbelief. He looked ready to protest when he saw the Sentries watching him, ready to carry out the Commodore's orders. The Artucian man promptly closed his mouth and didn't wish to test the obedience of the mechanical soldiers.

"Smart," Alex told him as he turned around and went back to the canyon. The chiefs were standing close to the edge, looking down, while Zaelina was distraught, trying to call out to her son.

"Zaelina, here," Alex called out as he booted up a holo screen on a tablet. It showcased a real-time three-dimensional rendering of the drones' search efforts. Zaelina stood and watched, praying and hoping that Khraldar was still all right.

They had just passed four-hundred feet in depth when they found him and Shazza! Both of them appeared to be caught on an icy outcropping. Khraldar seemed to have stable footing, as he was standing on an elongated spike that was flat and wide. Shazza wasn't as lucky, with several spikes protruding through weak points in her armor. Her head moved about and lolled like she was drifting in and out of consciousness.

"Khraldar! Are you all right?!?" Zaelina cried out, hope and panic laced in her voice.

"I'm all right mom. Just a little cut up. I'm more worried about Shazza though. She's bleeding everywhere!" he replied.

"He can hear me?!? How?" the woman asked.

"The drones have both microphones and speakers built into them. So, anything you say here, your son will hear down there," Korsa said to her. She then tasked one drone to get a closer look and saw that Shazza was bleeding steadily.

"It's a damn miracle that Shazza wasn't turned into mincemeat on the way down!" Natalya commented, seeing the dizzying array of ice spikes surrounding the stranded pair.

"Drone thirteen twenty-five, scan the skid path above them immediately!" Korsa called out. The drone chimed in acceptance and flew to obey the doctor's orders, scanning the area. The findings of which were enough to spur the doctor's next actions.

"I'm going down there to get both Shazza and Khraldar out! Nats, Kas, get me three lengths of rope and whatever climbing gear we have from the carts! Double time ladies!" Korsa commanded. Hopping immediately, both women rushed off to the carts to collect the needed items.

"Doctor, what are you doing?" Alex demanded of her.

"I'm going to climb down there to get both Shazza and Khraldar to bring them up. Khontarans are natural climbers, due to our second set of arms, but also such activities are encouraged by my people. I could easily out-climb anyone here, Sentries included. Besides, Shazza is my ward, as you said sir, so she is my responsibility to rescue," Korsa finished.

Alex thought about arguing, but thought better of it. Korsa had backed him into a neat little corner and had even cited his own orders in her favor! He smirked and nodded at her, knowing that to countermand what she had in mind was pointless. It was the best solution that they had to rescue both Shazza and the boy. Besides, trying to argue that he had a better plan was both stupid and a lie.

He turned and watched Kas and Nats return with the items Korsa had requested. They quickly went to work, adjusting the gear to Korsa's size and braiding the ropes. Not for Korsa's weight, but to accommodate Korsa's grip, as the ropes were crafted at a thickness for human hands. Alex was glad when Natalya insisted that the ropes they had on hand be five-hundred feet over the standard two-fifty.

She had told him it often helped to double up on certain things, especially survival supplies. You never knew what would happen while out and around, outside of civilization. Her instincts on such things turned out to be on the money in this case. Alex would have to learn to defer to her judgement for such things. He kept himself appraised of the situation below via the drones and so far, everything was holding.

"Doctor, are you ready? I'm not sure Shazza can hold for much longer!" Alex said.

"How do you know this sir?" Korsa asked as she made the final adjustments to her gear.

"Take a closer look here. It appears that she's only holding on because of several spikes that have punctured the weak points of her armor. Especially those of her left arm and it looks like it's dislocated," Alex said, showing her the closer inspection the drones had done on his command.

"And her hand looks like it's clutched onto a spike! Ladies, that rope finished yet?" Korsa called out.

"Just finished mama! Ready to go on your order!" Natalya told her.

"Sentries one-one-five-zero to one-one-six-zero, lock in by the edge in a line formation and take hold of the rope!" Alex commanded.

The Sentries obeyed and picked up the rope before they locked their legs and feet into the ice. Once they were anchored in, Korsa walked up and gave the rope a few experimental tugs. Satisfied that it wouldn't give with her weight, she latched the braided cord into her harness before proceeding to the edge. After activating her harness lights, she bent down and like a spider, and started moving down.

"Shit, Nats, you were right! It's a damn miracle that both Shazza and Khraldar weren't cut up into pate!" Korsa said over the comms.

"You going to be all right mama?" Natalya asked.

"I'm following the path through the crystals now, so I should be OK. Have those Sentries slack up some rope will ya? Need them to let down the rope about twenty percent faster!" Korsa called.

"You heard the lady. Speed up rope dispensation by twenty percent, but keep it steady," Alex commanded. The Sentries obeyed and lowered the rope faster. There were drones guiding and monitoring Korsa's descent, and everyone watched with bated breath.

"How far down is it right now?" Korsa called out a few minutes later.

"About two-hundred and fifty feet. Still have a bit to go before you get to them," Kasumi told her while watching the big woman scale the ice cliffs. Zaelina was watching, but she was beside herself, wanting to do something, but finding herself unable.

"Hey, Khraldar will be all right. Mama is a skilled climber and she'll bring him back," Natalya told the older woman soothingly while clasping her shoulder. Zaelina's hand shot up and clutched onto Nats' hand, finding comfort in the gesture.

"I think I see them! Or the surrounding drones, at least! I figure maybe another thirty feet, then have the Sentries hold the rope!" Korsa called out.

"Copy that Doctor," Alex said before relaying the order to the Sentry-Bots. Everyone watched with trepidation as Korsa moved closer to the marooned pair. Then she moved to where she was right next to them.

"Hello? Doctor Korsa?" Khraldar called out cautiously as he saw the woman nearby.

"Yup, I'm here Khraldar. Hang tight a second, I just need to get closer," she told him.

She approached the both of them, coming upon Shazza first. The poor woman was barely clinging to consciousness, and Korsa could see that she was badly wounded. She checked the wounds quickly, as she anchored the woman to the wall with a couple of spare ropes and pitons, to prevent her from slipping. After a quick look over, Korsa found nothing life threatening, and she kept going to the boy.

"Khraldar? I'm Doctor Korsa and I'm going to get you out of here," she told the young man gently. Korsa already had her helmet to transparent mode, and the boy could see her face. He reached up cautiously and took hold of Korsa's outstretched hand. Korsa pulled him up and took him in two of her arms.

"I've got him!" she called out.

"We see, Doctor! Well done! The Sentries are holding the rope and awaiting your signal to come up," Alex replied, his voice coming through the recon drones.

"Wait one! I need to double check Shazza first!" Korsa replied.

"Understood."

Korsa, after instructing Khraldar to thread his legs through the loops on the back of her harness, wrapped his arms around her middle and held on. Korsa climbed back up to where Shazza lay and did a more in-depth analysis of her condition. Her arm, which had been the woman's lifeline, was wedged between two large chunks of ice. The resulting trauma had broken her forearm, then separated her arm at the shoulder.

She took a glance over the woman as she removed the restraining ropes and wasn't happy with what she found. Several spikes of ice had punctured Shazza's bodysuit, finding the weak points and gaps in the armor plating she wore. A few of these spikes had embedded themselves into Shazza's flesh and were the source of the blood that stained the wall above.

After a few additional checks, Korsa determined that Shazza was one very lucky woman! That she not only survived the fall into the crevasse, but had no life-threatening wounds at all? It was a damn miracle! Carefully, she scooped Shazza into her lower arms, holding onto her tightly.

"Commodore, I have both Shazza and Khraldar! Pull me up!" she hollered.

"Sentries, pull!" Alex shouted. The Sentry-Bots did as they were commanded, and pulled on the rope, hauling the trio up. Several of the honor guard and even Zaelina, Khaltani and Hahrdok stepped up to help with the rope. Alex and a few other crew members stepped in, everyone wanting to help.

Not even a few minutes later, everyone heard the clomping of heavy boots against the ice. Mere seconds later, Korsa crested the edge of the crevasse, with both Khraldar and Shazza in hand. Zaelina cried out in joy and rushed to her son, eager to hold him. Korsa helped the boy out of the harness after she lay Shazza down easily. Once he was clear, the Khontaran woman scooped her up once again and moved her to one of the carts.

"Khraldar... Khraldar..." Zaelina sniffled as she held her son close.

"Mom, I'm all right! I'm all right," he assured her. "If it hadn't been for Shazza, I would not be alive right now."

"Khraldar, we need to know what happened. Not only was your life threatened, but so was one of my crew, who I hope will be all right. I know you might still be a little rattled, but we have to know the truth," Alex said as gently as he could.

Zaelina looked at her son, who nodded and gave his account of what happened. How he had been curious about the Sentries and wished to see one up close. Then how four Artucian men had attacked him, trying to kill him, until Shazza intervened. He spoke of how she made such quick work of them, that it was difficult to follow her movements. He then told everyone of what he had seen before they had fallen down the crevasse.

"I saw Vahltiem standing behind Shazza and how he kicked the one who was still alive, into the chasm. After that, he kicked Shazza from behind, sending her over with me," Khraldar finished.

"You lying little bastard! I'll skin you alive for spreading falsehoods about me!" Vahltiem screamed as he stood to move towards the group. It was then that a Sentry grabbed Vahltiem and decked him hard, the metallic knuckles smashing his face but good. Everyone was curious why the Sentry had done that until it spoke.

"There should be minimal damage done to this 'chief', as a punishment for attempted murder should be carried out by the living," Jaesa's voice told them.

"Korsa, is Shazza capable of speaking or no?" Alex called into the comms.

"Sending you the recording of what she was saying just now. Standby," the woman responded. Seconds later, there was a holographic recording of Korsa and Shazza, as Korsa was tending her wounds.

"The boy... safe?" Shazza asked.

"Yeah Shazza. He's safe, all thanks to you," Korsa responded.

"Valh-teen? He... did this. Kick... me... over," she breathed.

"Rest Shazza, you've done enough," Korsa chastised her. The recording looped from that point, playing the conversation again. The chiefs looked it over and after hearing Khraldar's story, they were all of the mind that they'd found the guilty party.

"Vahltiem, chief of the Darhourt clan, by the unanimous decision of the Assembly of Chiefs, you have been found guilty of attempted murder! Your title of chief to the Darhourt is no longer yours to hold! That mantle is stripped from you, as you are no longer worthy to bear it! The sentence for this is the Long Walk, which is to be carried out immediately!" Valessa told him with venom in her voice.

"Now hold on just one second. It wasn't just Khraldar who was threatened, but a member of my crew. As a Commodore of the Alliance and Shazza's commanding officer, I demand a say in Vahltiem's fate," Alex growled. The chiefs spoke hurriedly amongst themselves before coming to a consensus.

"You may have a say in the man's fate, but lay no hand upon him," Valessa replied.

"Thank you. Because of everything that has just happened, I request that death by the Long Walk be rescinded and that this man suffer an even worse fate. He is cunning and resourceful, two things which make him dangerous. Men with intentions such as his cannot be allowed to live, as the danger they pose is too great to ignore. I still advocate for death, but by different means," Alex finished.

"When such a crime has been committed, death must come by Talemkha. By the snows, by the beasts or of whatever circumstance, Talemkha must be the one to judge him. It is the law of our ancestors, which is to be followed," Valessa stated, which earned a round of nods from the chiefs. Alex thought on this for a moment, before he came up with an idea.

"I have a punishment which I believe is fitting and follows the tradition of your ancestors," Alex said, walking over to Valessa. He whispered into her ear and whatever Alex said, had Valessa nodding before she stepped away and spoke to the chiefs. A couple of them argued for a few moments, before reluctantly agreeing. Valessa turned back and addressed everyone present.

"The Commodore has come up with a solution that, while unusual, fits with our traditions as Artucian. As he was the one impugned most by Vahltiem's actions, he will be the one to carry out the sentence. Commodore, you may proceed," Valessa announced.

Bowing to Valessa, Alex then walked over to Vahltiem, taking the man by the arm. He tried fighting, but Alex was already back in his suit, so fighting back was an exercise in futility. The stubborn and pudgy chief tried calling out to other Artucian, pleading for leniency, but his pleas fell upon deaf ears.

"You cannot do this to me! I am the chief..." he spat at Alex until the armored man shoved him back to the ground.

"Chief no longer, by the unanimous decree of the Assembly! Were you not listening, you miserable old fool?" Alex shot back at him.

"I am still the chief, above the laws of our ancestors!" he screamed.

"You are not above the laws I follow. The laws of the Alliance state that when a person is grievously injured by another, then they are punished by the injured's next of kin. I am Shazza's commanding officer, therefore, that makes me her kin. On your knees!" Alex commanded.

Vahltiem refused, and Alex pulled his sidearm, ready to make use of it. The former chief quickly fell to his knees, resorting to begging for his life in the hope it would save him. Alex had half a mind to squeeze the trigger and end the man's existence. But he remembered what he proposed to Valessa and holstered the weapon. He took a moment to calm down and center himself, before speaking.

"You're not worth the bullet and you are not worth staining my hands with your death. I'll let Talemkha kill you."

Vahltiem nearly asked how that would happen when Alex kicked him in the chest, hard. Vahltiem hadn't noticed, but when Alex threw him, he had tossed him close to the edge of the crevasse. Suspended in open air for all of one second, Vahltiem then fell and he screamed as he plunged into the inky blackness of the chasm.

"Thus die all traitors," Alex stated, as he watched the darkness swallow the man. His screams continued until nearly twenty seconds later, the screaming ended.

"Three thousand feet down. Hell of a long fall," Taal'ani commented. "No way he survived that."

"With spikes like that along the wall and the likelihood of more waiting at the bottom? Highly unlikely," Alex agreed.

"Though Vahltiem was a chief and should have faced punishment by the Long Walk, I agree with your assessment of him Commodore. He was too dangerous to allow to live and had to be punished," Valessa stated, finding satisfaction in the man's death.

"As did I. Now, if you will excuse me High Chieftaness, I must see to the disposition of my crew," he told her.

"Of course, sir. We will continue to explore these ships and find the Ark," Valessa informed him.

"Not without backup. Bravo squadron, assist the Artucian in their search and keep watch over them, especially Zaelina and Khraldar. Any aggression towards them is to be handled with deadly force. Delta protocol active. Confirm," Alex called out. The sentries then chimed an accept sound, their eyes lighting up green, before turning yellow.

"They will all keep you safe now. Any aggressive moves towards anyone and the Sentries will activate Delta protocol. The order of which, is to eliminate anyone who is being hostile towards you," Alex told them all.

"Thank you, Commodore! It is heartening to see that you value our safety as much as you do your own," Khaltani replied with a smile.

"Of course. We wouldn't be good allies if I didn't," he said, before turning over to where Korsa was tending Shazza and Khraldar. Zaelina was following Natalya's instructions, fussing over the boy. Khraldar was enjoying the attention, but not from his mother. He grumped as she went over his wounds, most of which were superficial. Korsa was looking after Shazza, who was semi-conscious, but drugged up.

"Doctor, how is our crew member?" Alex asked with concern in his voice.

"She took a bad spill when she went into the chasm. Multiple cuts and gashes along her torso, arms and legs, as well a complete separation of her right shoulder. I've stanched the bleeding and the worst of her wounds, but I will have to take her up to the Perseus to patch her up right," Korsa reported as she finished dressing a puncture wound on Shazza's arm.