The night grew eerie.
Even within the alien aircraft the survivors were on edge. Not just from the crash or their physical condition, but from the unknown. Convinced they were safe from the outside world was balanced by the uncertainty of their residence. They were taking the word of a fifteen year old genius. Not only that he knew too much about the aliens that once inhabited the ship but how to use their scientific equipment. As likeable as he was the kid certainly made them uneasy.
Colonel Ruby Goddard had shed her uniform shirt in favor of her wife beater. Comfort made her think more clearly. The obvious drawback was the fact her breasts were an enormous 34DD. No male could resist their approach. Only her rank and commanding attitude kept them from glaring.
"How's Jack?" She nudges next to James Ian and Sargent Eleanor "Elle" Franklin. It took Elle to snap her fingers in front of the boys eyes to contain his focus away from Ruby's chest.
"He's resting." Elle offers.
"I contained his blood flow by placing him within this gravitational crib. It was designed to hold the functions of it's inhabitant safely during long trips. I've been reading up on the ships medical journals. Luckily these collars help me read their language." He points at his worn collar around his neck that was a dialect manipulator.
Ruby nods, "Just keep him alive James. Please."
"His vitals are steady. He's tough." Elle adds.
"I'll make him better than he was before." James salutes Ruby.
Smirking Ruby steps away from the medical bay and heads to the ships command center which had a huge crystal window on looking the distance. Here sat Pilot Cameron Scott and Sargent Malcolm Brand.
"Pitch black out there." Cameron looks up at Ruby as he holds a bottle of opened Vodka..
She nods faintly peering out, "No signs of light anywhere?"
"Not yet at least. Only been dark a short time." Malcolm puckers.
"Wonder what the area around us is like? We can only see what 20% of our landscape?"
"Good question Ruby. I don't think any of us want to venture outside to check." Cameron offers up his bottle. Shockingly she claims it and takes a swig. As she tilts the bottle back both men risk a glance at her chest. Ever growing nipples had ill fated attention.
She lowers the bottle and swallows before wiping her mouth with her wrist.
"Keep staring at the guns and I'll show my rank and force one of you mugs to check the perimeter."
Both men shrink into their seating as Ruby passes the bottle to Malcolm.
"Where's Sophia? I haven't seen her in awhile." Ruby squints.
"Probably cringing in a corner. I had to spank her earlier. Kid's hormones needed checked. Grabbed my Johnson out there." Cameron shook his head.
Ruby rolls her eyes, "Kid's grieving the only way she knows how. I'll have a talk with her."
Turning away Ruby decides to dare the halls of the ship. Dimly lit due to James Ian's tinkering of the remaining power grid she could view enough to keep from stumbling. Her journey went from what appeared to be one laboratory to another. Finally she comes across what appeared to be museum of sorts.
"Biology class all over again. Frogs in jars." She grunts.
As she peers more closely she found a critter that blinked. It made her ease away slowly.
"That's a Tantalorian bullfrog. Don't ask. Not from our solar system. Highly poisonous. They can live thousands of years if I read correctly."
Ruby jumps at the voice behind her.
"James! Don't sneak up on me like that. I could have shot you on instinct."
"Sorry. Like you I felt like exploring. I want to catalogue what could be useful in my noggin."
"More labs than leisure in this boat." She calms her nerves.
"Scientific race of aliens. To them everything had benefits. Medicinal or weaponized. I think their studies was their leisure."
"So what's helpful here?"
"Well! I know in the morning I can attach Jack's arm as if it had never been severed. No scar even. Every nerve perfect."
Her eyes flare, "That's good news. Isn't it?"
"Of course. I'm not the universe's best neuro surgeon although I did perform brain surgery on Xander when I was 12. In my reading I did locate a simulation surgery this Race performed. They used an insect called a "Weaver" in our language. Placed within the wound it connects everything as it was."
"Insect? What?"
"I know. Sound's crazy but it works." He shrugs
"What happens to the bug?"
"Dies within I think. Honestly I don't know. But, if it saves Jack."
Ruby sighs heavily then reaches over to pull the boy into an awkward hug. She hadn't even considered her chest was in his face. She was merely hopeful.
