Nimbus Part 8 Take 1

“Thank Christ you are here! and who the fuck is that?!” Anastasia said rushing towards Nuck Nuck and Stuckey.

“Oh hey guys! It’s been a while, huh? Time flies when you forget about people. I call this big fella ‘Nuck Nuck’ he doesn’t speak any language I recognize, but seems like a good dude. What did I miss?” Stuckey said as he was slung across Nuck Nuck’s shoulders.

“It’s Noah, she doesn’t have much time. She is dying, and we don’t know how we can help her.” Fableton said emerging from the hull of the crashed airship.

“What’s the password to the ship’s computer?!” Gelben.

“Nuck Nuck! Put me down!” Stuckey said squirming around.

Flop.

Stuckey hit the ground like a sack of meat. “Why doesn’t anyone just set me down gently!!”

Gelben and Fableton hurried towards Stuckey and helped him limp his way into the Nimbus. The nimbus was a mess of broken glass, torn up control panels, and a medical kit in disarray. Stuckey’s last memories of the ship, were of clean control. In his new reality chaos and turmoil had taken hold.

“Oh god!” Stuckey said as he looked upon Captain Noah. He knelt beside her and grasped her hand. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this! We were supposed to fly this one mission and you get promoted. Why the fuck did this happen!”

“She is in sepsis! We thought that it would be best to live her last in anesthesia bliss. The shit of it is we don’t know which or how much to give her. We need to access the ship’s computer but can’t get past the security. What’s the password?!” Anastasia.

“6502submin” Stuckey holding back tears.

“ARE YOU SERIOUS!” The three of them retorted.

“What?” Stuckey.

“The password is just Nimbus spelled backwards?!”

“Captain Noah, likes to keep things simple, and plus the biometric scanners are the real security. So if you wanted to fly the ship, you would need a crew member to be at the helm.” Stuckey.

Without hesitation Anastasia punched in the password and the computer began to energize. The wrecked hull flickered with illumination, Nuck Nuck stood outside and watched, his eyes wide with awe.

“Potassium Chloride? Potassium Chloride!” Anastasia yelled from the computer.

Fableton filled the syringe, tapped the needle twice and slid the sharp prick into Captain Noah.

Stuckey held her hand. “You did great Captain, now get some rest.”

“You guys are monsters!” Stuckey poked another tiny syringe in her, letting carfentanil rush through her veins.

The captain’s grimace broke into a small smile and then sighed her last.

“That’s finally over, but what about us?” Gelben asked.

“God I wish I knew. Nothing makes sense. Rescue was supposed to be here a week ago. None of our shit works, and I have no idea who or what he is supposed to be.” Stuckey pointing towards Nuck Nuck.

“Least we got the ship’s computer working, maybe there are some answers there.” Anastasia trying to offer some solace.

The comfort she was trying to extend quickly vanished as Nuck Nuck burst in and grabbed Noah.

“NO NO NO! What the fuck are you doing” Stuckey.

Nuck Nuck hit Stuckey so hard he crashed against the bulkhead.

“I thought you said this guy was cool!” Fableton.

Gelben, Fableton, and Anastasia followed Nuck Nuck. He hurried over a hill and ran from their view. Then they all stopped in their tracks. Somewhere close their was a battle of howls and shrieks erupting.

“UHH yooouuu guys goooo onnn aaaa heeead. Immma goooonnnna see if sssstuckkey iis ok.” Fableton.

“You coward!” Anastasia said continuing the pursuit.

Gelben went along too, but the years of boardrooms and lunch meetings left him out of breathe in the heat of the chase.

She was alone. Surrounded by the ferocious, hungry wolves. She was not frightened, her grip tightened around her spear, and lunged towards anything she could kill.

The rustling of the fight was a combination of yelps, growls, cracking tree branches, and whimpers, until it wasn’t. Nuck Nuck dropped Noah and ran faster.

Besides a large tree, the wolves were now huddled around a lifeless body. Blood dripped from their snouts, crimson was the flesh above their lips.

The wolves were content with their fresh kill and didn’t notice Nuck Nuck approaching. He grabbed one by the tail and flung it like it was a feather. His anger fueled his strength. A wolf lurched towards him with it’s jaws. Nuck Nuck grabbed it and ripped the jaw off. Another wolf bit his fist, and Nuck Nuck rammed his hand down the throat of the assailant, ripping the esophagus. The other wolves scattered.

Nuck Nuck collapsed by the now fresh corpse.

“NAIA!” Nuck Nuck cried.