Patience and Chill (Otherwise Untitled)
#94 of Short Stories
A hyena relies heavily on hope while in orbit.
~ The crisp dunes of the sand moon shimmered softly as Mac's orbit brought her into another sunrise. Her muzzle curled into a bit of a smile, as dancing shades of yellow slid across the ice sheets of the planet below. The hyena sighed, pressing her thumb and finger together to invoke the radio.
~ "Mayday. Mayday. I am in orbit over the abandoned mining colony Tenpro, in a damaged walkabout suit. Mayday. Mayday. Requesting assistance. Colony Tenpro, suit damaged. Ship is de-orbiting in pieces. Mayday. Mayday. Colony Tenpro. Request assistance."
~ Releasing the tension in her hand, Mac let out a muffled groan. She was deliberate with her breathing, careful to not disturb the auto-patch that had formed in the tangle of her suit, the gut wound, and whatever debris the engine decided to share with her. A numbness had settled in where a dull ache had been keeping her company.
~ The hyena shifted her weight slowly, turning about to watch the aft section of her ship leave a trail of fire across the sky below. There was a pale blue burst, and she counted off the forty-eight seconds before the engine control matrix again tried to fire up the maneuvering drive to get out of the decaying orbit. On cue, the open section where the burst harness should be let out a glimmering blue flash.
~ With a sudden impatience, the hyena held her breath to listen to the inside of the suit. With trepidation, what she thought she'd heard earlier was now entirely apparent. The spiderweb of cracks in the upper right portion of her helmet's view panel were letting out the creaking whine of glass being torn. Mac closed her eyes, resuming her breathing.