Lightning Seeker

Attempt 25

Sky was sleeping, his face growing to match a light shade of grey with each passing hour. He had just enough energy to give Vale a basic understanding of the controls and then passed out. After playing around with several of his gadgets, she found one that had a glitchy map. The screen would dim and then flicker to life every so often, but it was enough to point her in the right direction.

The skymaran was now heading south, six days away from the closest landmass. Will he make it? She wasn't sure. Will the AI's be looking for us? There was no doubt. 

The skymaran seemed capable of moving without much guidance once a destination was set. So she set about doing the one thing she had been avoiding, setting her leg. Ripping the material that made up her pant leg, she tore the material into strips. Then she slowly hopped around the skymaran, looking for something to work as a brace.

After finding four long metal plates, two to be used for her shin, and two for her thigh, she placed several pieces of fabric into her mouth to keep her screaming to a minimum. After wrapping a long wire around her waist to keep herself upright, she grabbed her leg and jolted, moving it back in place. The pain causing her to pass out. Once conscious, Vale removed the wire and after twenty minutes of painful work, got a makeshift brace made.

Vale found dried food tucked away in a crate in the corner of the skymaran and quickly ripped into a pack of dried meat, enjoying the small pleasure of something familiar as she sat isolated in the middle of the sea.

Then after finding a jug of water, she allowed herself several swallows of the precious item. Transforming her metal arm into a long cane, Vale stood and wobbled over to Sky's bag, curious to see if there was anything else in there that would be useful.

Gears, wires, and small gadgets made up most of the bag. Her fingers grazed a soft gentle fabric, spiking her curiosity. It wasn't tech and had been carefully placed at the bottom of the bag. The fabric was raveled around a small item. Pulling it out, she unwrapped it and found a worn, leather notebook. She opened it to a random page and began to read...

I tried again today. I think that makes this attempt... 25? Honestly, I've started to lose count. I made it as far as starting up the skymaran before hyperventilating. The AI's don't even bother guarding the deck anymore. They know I'm too terrified to leave. They've turned me into an agoraphobe, teaching me to be my own guard, my own prison warden. Why guard a man who has no drive to run? They might as well have handed me the keys to my own jail cell.

But I can't let them define who I am. I will find a way to break this. To get out of here. To warn the people on the list of the dangers...

Vale slammed the journal shut, embarrassed that she had intruded on such a private moment of Sky's life. She looked down at the sleeping boy, suddenly understanding his panic. He had been afraid to leave. He built the skymaran and by the time he was done, he was too afraid to leave.

Sky's eyes remained closed and after several hours of waiting for a change, Vale's curiosity won out. She needed a distraction. Watching him only made things worse. She opened the journal again, reading another entry...

A girl with night hair saw me. It was strange being seen by human eyes. I mistook her for a bird at first. Her raven-colored hair blew wildly in the wind. Looking like it was on the verge of taking flight. But after another look, it was a girl. Beautiful, and free. How can she stand so high and not look the least bit afraid?

Vale traced her finger over the word beautiful, feeling her face bloom red. He thinks I'm beautiful? She turned the page...

The girl with night hair fell onto the ship. Her metal arm mangled. Like a bird shot down mid-flight. The AI's found Mortem and destroyed an entire crew to kill him. But the girl is alive. I took off her arm before it could set her on fire. It hurt but I think she'll understand it was to save her life. I had to, or else the AI's would have found her. And she would have fallen, crashing into the water below. And I don't believe this night raven bird is meant to end that way.