Allie now knows that Kira and those on the surface are aware of her predicament. It is a comfort to her, to know that, sooner or later, she shall be rescued. When? That remains to be seen. In the meantime, she goes to take a look about.

I mentioned to some other writers I am dangerously close to writing myself into the kind of cavern Allie finds herself in. My stories are driven by interaction. Alone in a cave negates that. So, I’m working on a way out for myself as hard as Kira is for Allie.

Enjoy my content? Buy me a beer!

She waited for more.  Nothing.  It could be another rescue effort.  Dang, that means going back to the building and Squiddy.  Can’t be helped.  She first went right and rehooked her belt about her waist before walking south through the waterfall, pausing again once through.

The water looks disturbed, but I cannot see clearly that far.

ALICIA!

The punch of signal to her mind had her nearly lose her balance.

Here!

I am a family friend, Nichole 5 Clarke.  Data push coming; my drone is under attack.

Drone?  Did Kira and the rest manage to get…

“Urk!” she said aloud, throwing up some of her fish and plants into her mouth from the massive crash of information into her brain.  I’m not wasting what I just caught, she thought before re-swallowing it.

More splashing.  Taking a few unsteady steps, she saw at least six tentacles around a metal sphere about a third of a meter in diameter.  Cables lead from it through the water and down into the tunnel.

A scout!  To see what’s down here!  I have to tell them…

The sphere bounced off the stone path and into the water.  Alicia reached out with her lines, trying to reacquire signal, but heard nothing.  After a moment, she saw the cables rise out of the water, now stretched taught back down the tunnel.  There’s nothing I can do without endangering myself.

With a crack, the cables vanished, retracted.  Probably all the way to the surface.  Too bad there wasn’t a harness attached to it.  Kira is very smart and that will surely be a part of the next effort.  If I can get past the Watcher and wait in that first cave…

That stopped her.  If they take days, I will be dehydrated and famished.  That means I stay here, with Squiddy between me and my way out.  I’m learning to hate you, beast.

A single tentacle, flared to listen, came out of the water.  She backed away very slowly, only turning at the waterfall to trot back to her new home.  Drinking some water from the pipe, she sat on a rock.

“Nichole.  I know of her.  A thread of my family’s tapestry since the leading edge of the Change.  Must be here for a reason.  I better be older as to what she jammed into my head.”

A breath and she opened her mind.

Alicia Alvarez.  I am Nichole 5 Clarke.  I know you know of me; I am tied to your family.  In the seconds left, I wanted you to know what we are doing to effect your rescue…

Alicia took in the images and conversations from the surface, which were packed into the burst transmission which had made her sick.  They are trying very hard for me.

Ups.  Something is attacking this drone.  I must end.  Do not despair, Alicia.  If necessary, I shall defy the Midwife and come to you myself.  I have no faith but understand it; I suggest you pray.  We’ll see one another soon.

At the end of the message was confused images of what the drone’s cameras saw:  the Watcher.  There are more tentacles than I thought.  That takes a lot of energy.  I wonder what it is eating?

Machine memories were very different than human, even demi-human, memories.  Trying to not be sick again, she went into the hut to spoil herself with sixty seconds of oh-two from the noseline of her suit.

“There is another drone on the way,” she said to herself.  “I hope the next one is armed!  Call that a day to get it there and prepped.  I’d rather not Miss Clarke barreling down the tunnel, even if she brings a bunch of spare batteries with her.  I don’t know enough history to know if she’s a combat bot like Fausta.  But, I bet a pissed-off android could probably take on Squiddy.  Their strength and speed cannot be surpassed.”

She took the line from her nose but paused.

“I must be closer to the Crabbies’ building when it comes, both for signal and to help, if necessary.  Yet, that’s not for a day.” Alicia began to put her skinsuit back on.  “I shall explore north for a dozen hours, return, rest, and make my way back past the falls.  My name is Alvarez but my blood is Hartmann.”