EXTINCTION WARRIOR

Chapter 9

The wind picked up, the fog blew way, and Tootega announced a tropical storm developing. What we don't need. It made it easy to see the leaves, but almost impossible for Tuk who couldn't hold his arm steady. The robotic arm was like an elephant trunk, thrashing up,down, and sideways, It was afternoon by the time he'd ripped enough leaves, and I took us to five thousand feet.

We're in the galley. Tuk just secured the vivarium with suction cups to the window. I went down to storage for some sterilized soil for the bottom. So the snails can dig. We use it for the greenwall.

"Super suction works quite well." Tuk nods satisfied.

"Plus, the vivarium walls are electrochromic," I touch the bottom corner.Instantly the glass darkens. It's darker outside too and starting to rain. Hard.

"Excellent. We do not want the sun to cook our little escargots."

The mollusks slime slowly up, down and around the leaves. In my mind's ear there's a...chorus of high-pitched singing, "Our slime is prime!"

What does that even mean?A nano later, there's a chorus of, "Slimendiggers."

"Have you heard of a Slimendigger before?" I ask Tuk. "It's what they say they are."

"Gastropods?Slimendiggers? Most definitely!"

"Topical cyclone Uma is gaining strength. Expect extreme turbulence."Tootega announces.

"Hold onto the table!" I command Tuk, instinctively grabbing the table's edge with both hands.

The ship bumps hard. Up and down, left, then right.

We jerk and drop for one...two...three...four...five seconds. Losing altitude! The ship rocks and shudders harder. I don't need telepathy to feel Mig's terrified too.

"We've got to get out of here!" I exclaim, and bolt to my room.

Mig crouches next to my bed, eager for the safety of confinement underneath, in his own little cubby hole. Dad modified one of the drawers for him. It's definitely the safest spot during take offs,landings and whenever there's turbulence.

"Goodboy." I say, stroke between his ears, and open the screen door.

He slinks in fast. I shut it, and race down the hall to the cockpit, jammy butt in the pilot's seat, and buckle in. Tuk's already buckled in.

"What's going on with this storm, Tootega?" I sound like Mom when she interrogates me. "Audio only!"

"Coordinates indicate we are in the direct path of Uma, a category 5 cyclone."

"Tootega, help get us out of here!" I yell above the thundering rain.

There's a blinding flash of lightening in the same instant a thunderous boom that cracks the air and rings in my ears. "Hello...hello...hello," I mumble and can't hear my voice. The instrument panel flickers. The ship rocks uncontrollably. We drop again and my stomach lurches into my mouth.

Tuk grabs my shoulder. "The only way to avoid this cyclone is an extreme, rapid ascent."

I nod. It's all I can do.

"An extreme, rapid ascent to sixty thousand feet will put us above Uma." Tootega says. "I will need your assist on the control wheel."

I grab the wheel, palms sweaty. Wrap fingers tightly, heart pounding. Breathe. "Just tell me when!" I yell.

"Rapid ascent confirmed," she says. "Expect a force of 5 G's for seven seconds."

The clouds go from gray, to yellow, to a sickening green. Rain and wind pound the ship, roaring like a million booming drums.