The events of the night before left everyone weary and troubled. A lot had happened in a mere 24 hours. Too much as far as they were concerned. Yet, the group all pulled together and dealt with it. Slumber for some was easy. For others less mentally relaxing.
As the sun rose to a brand new day only Jack and Ruby were up with the proverbial chickens. Cows to be more precise.
In Ruby's case she chose to get in a morning run around the spacecraft. She had missed her regular runs. Before all of this craziness she maintained a daily regiment of a long run, weight workouts, and a fifteen minute bout with a punching bag. All before a grueling day at work. The sun was less relenting at this hour.
Jack Ramse decided to wake up young James and plan their day. After all that had happened lately Jack felt the need to be more organized. If they would be forced to survive in this new world they needed to get it together. Utilize what they were given in a big way. The alien starship was a gift he thought. Even though curse still nagged at him by all that had occurred so far. Still, he owed the tech for his survival.
Beating on the door to the room James called his own forced the boy to rally and complain about having to get up. His dog assisted his early awakening by needing to go to the bathroom. As James opened his door to face Jack, Xander raced past the soldier and immediately down the ramp not so far away. Luckily Ruby had left it open.
"Rise and shine Kid. Let's focus on getting our daily lives better than it is. We need lights and running water."
"You just cut off our water supply. For us and the cows outside." James rubs his eyes.
Jack frowned with an agreeing nod, "I wasn't thinking. I'll get that door back open and we can rerun the hoses. Run a filtering system to clean the water of contaminants. I'll get that set up you work on the power. If we can run all these smaller devices we can generate lighting."
"Most of what we've used so far is solar powered." The boy fidgets.
"Then let's figure out how to solar power our interior."
"That should be simple. This place has a sun roof."
"What?" Jack looks up at the ceiling.
James grits his teeth, "Trouble is I need more power to get the huge panels to open. Power to obtain power. Go figure."
"Can we weld them open?" Jack suggests.
"Power."
Jack smirks, "Not if we have a living arc welder."
James brightens up, "Elle?"
"Elle!" He smugly gazes at the boy.
"Possibly. If she can loosen the mountings, maybe between your strength and Sophia's we can at least get a few panels open." "Let's start there. I'll get Cam and Malcolm working on food sources for the cows."
James holds a finger up then goes to get his Ganthorian research keypad. He locates the storage facility for alien seeds. Adjusting his communication collar he reads up on certain types held in the labs.
Jack leans against the threshold of the room, "Those collars. I think everyone needs access to one. Easier for us to get around this place."
"I saved the collars from the dead crew." James stepped back to retrieve them from a canister by his bed. "I'm sure there are more hiding around here. I've noticed there are a good variety of plants that can produce vegetables and fruit. Some don't even require water to grow. Crazy enough moonlight nurtures some plant life. Others just the sun. We can set up a garden outside near the cows. Some within the pen. My worry is whether they and we can digest the alien crops."
"Only one way to find out. I'll get the guys on seeding. Ruby and Greta can do some planting."
"Greta seemed nice." James puckered.
"Still saw you eyeballing her chest. Don't think I didn't catch you."
James blushes, "I can't help it. I'm a teenager."
With a wink Jack leaves him to wake up the others.
On her run outside Ruby drifted off into thought. While she knew Jack did the right thing bringing Greta Winston and her herd of cows here with them, it was going to be a burden. How could they possibly keep the cows alive? What happens when food runs low and they have to slaughter the cows for their own survival? Greta would be devastated. The cows were her only reminder of home. Even Ruby could have sympathy when it counted.
Her run led her around the Ganthorian vessel. It was time she too gathered their bearings like Jack had. At the top of the ridge the ship had buried its side into she survey's the damage as next to none. The ship was sturdy for certain. If anything minor ripples in the hull.
Breathing heavy as she stood on the ridge she chose to peer off into the distance. This was her first adventure to this side of the ship. Only Jack had taken the time to come up here.
Desert as far as the eye could see except for one feature. In the distance she spotted a rainbow. To have a rainbow that must mean rain. Or at the very least a large waterfall. With a pucker she was impressed. Maybe she should take a walk that way and see. Only a hundred miles or more she sighed. Food for thought.
Turning away from the discovery she again eyes the ship. She decided to step out on to the hull and take a walk around, to examine it more closely. There were a few outer hull things that stood out to her. One was like an antenna array that appeared as if a mini Eiffel Tower. Carefully stepping toward it she felt a vibration that escalated the closer she got. She took the risk hoping it wasn't anything that could prove harmful to her.
Reaching it she placed her hand on it. In her head she heard a faint continual beeping sound. Wincing at the vibrations in her touch she held on without removing her grasp. Suddenly, she could almost hear voices. It wasn't any language she recalled from Earth. Perhaps Ganthorian. She would need to go grab a decipher collar and return later and see if she could figure out what was being said.
Stepping away her second target was over a block away from her current point. The hull seemed denser the further out she got. Reaching the chosen location she found three circles of embedded smoked glass. It reminded her of Elle's glasses made of polished obsidian. To the touch they were cool, yet the morning sun beating down created a heat released illusion. Surmising them to be solar panels she wondered what part of the ship they were heating. The size of the craft made it difficult to narrow down.
As the sun grew warmer she decided to head back, before she got sunburnt.
Within the ship Jack found Malcolm up in the cockpit. He was sipping water from a bottle slowly. Conserving. He had gone without food pretty much since the Dino steaks a few days back. Opting to leave it for the rest to survive on.
"Here!" Jack hands Malcolm a collar.
Looking it over in his hand Malcolm then noticed Jack was wearing one as well.
"Everyone gets one. We need to be able to know our surroundings better. Relying on James too much keeps him from tasks I give him. We need to fend for ourselves as much as possible."
"Good idea." Mal nods putting it on his throat.
"I need you and Cam to search for seeding lockers. Let's see if we can get some crops started. Be careful what you choose. James says some alien forms of grain might be toxic and harmful if we eat them. If it has a skull on it, don't touch it."
"You really think those aliens marked things with a poison skull?" Mal chuckles.
Jack merely glares at Mal handing him another collar, "Cam's! Get moving Soldier."
The glare made Malcolm swallow dryly. Jack left a chilly impression. The man was definitely cold.
Greta Winston woke up and stretched. The fetal position her gravity bed forced her to sleep in made her stiff. Crawling out took effort but once on her feet she located her boots. She had slept in her clothes save for them. Once on her feet realization set in.
"Wonder where the outhouse is?"
Opening her door with a creak she stepped out into the corridor. It was dark but not as dark as it was the night before. She remembered at least the direction she and Elle had walked from and chose to go where she knew. The opposite direction gave her the willy's. Unknown territory.
Hearing voices she followed them to the source. Eighty feet distant she saw Jack at Elle's bedroom door.
"Mornin'!" Greta caught them off guard.
Jack and Elle turn their heads to see the woman rubbing her left eye.
"Morning Greta. Sleep well?" Elle smiled warmly.
"Like a baby in my Momma's belly. Glad to be out of that belly." She wryly giggled.
"Busy day Greta. We need to go shopping in our new home here. See what we can find to grow as far as crops. Those cows won't last long without food. I've got a mission for you."
