So much for Zhukov’s walk-on. We’re finding out that it seems Allen has been very lucky for the three years he’s been stuck in this cavern. “There are fouler things than Crabbies in the deep places of the world.”

For a kid, Alicia keeps her wits about her. But then, she’s from a hard family on a hard world.

Enjoy my content? Buy me a beer!

She heard him stumble somewhere behind her, but once on the path, increased her speed.  What in the world is he shooting at?  And, why is he down here?  Dammit, I bet Kira ordered him.

Passing the hut off to her right, she went right through the waterfall, finally slowing with the mysterious Crabbie building just ahead of her.  Since the lake’s glow seemed to increase with salinity, she could just barely see to the far wall of the cavern, where she had crossed in the shallows.

Shallows now very disturbed.  Not just ripples but little waves lapped to her left.  Something big came out or went in.  I want to shout and turn my light on, but I don’t know what’s going on.

Her slower trot had her able to see the slumped form of a man in a skinsuit against the furthest part of the building’s wall.  Ten meters away, she saw he had his pistol in his right hand and that his helmet’s faceshield was cracked open.  Alicia froze.

“Zhukov!” she said in a loud whisper.  Nothing.  “Mikhail?”

About to move toward him, there was another splash from the shallows of the lake.  Turning her head, she saw nothing but more little waves up next to her.  What is that?

Hearing Allen come through the waterfall, Alicia had to make a decision.  She turned about and flashed her light once.  He stopped, which is what she had hoped.  The light now not quite onto herself, she motioned with her left hand and arm for him to stay put, followed by, after scrunching her eyes shut, raising the light to her face to show her index finger over her lips.  Light now off, she heard no motion from him.  Thank you, God.  She turned back and walked as quietly as she could, kneeling at Zhukov’s side.

He’s dead, her demi-human senses told her even before kneeling.  And not from oh-two loss.  There was enough light from the end of the lake to look at his face.  And eyes.  Concussion and contusion.  The back of the helmet is cracked, too.  Something pushed or tossed him, hard, against this wall.  But:  those shots.  He must have seen it coming but was overpowered, still.  And, unless he mortally wounded it, it’s still just out there.  For me and Allen.

Conflicted and scared, she heard Allen carefully pad up next to her, contrary to her order.

“Is he dead?” he whispered.

“Yes.  There’s something in the water.  Are there monsters, here?”

“Some odd splashes every now and again,” he admitted.  “I just thought it was fish jumping.”

“Allen?” With the glow from the shallows he saw the tears streaming down her face.  “We cannot leave him.  He came to rescue me!”

He looked over his shoulder at the ripples in the water then back to her.

“Can you shoot?”

“Yes.”

“Take his gun.  I’ll carry him.  What was his name?”

“Mikhail,” she said, carefully taking the pistol from his hand, his finger still on the trigger.  “A good mining tech.  Thankfully not married.”

Allen said nothing as he stood then bent down to put the dead man over his left shoulder in a fireman’s carry.  At that, he noted the additional rucksack.  He passed it to Alicia who slid it on. “Let’s go.  Nice and quiet.”

But not quiet enough.