Chapter 1.1 - Finding Ground "Sorry sir, it's just that I'd never expected to see my sister ever again." I said to the man.
"That's not an excuse to get us all killed. Now, we have a bunch of supplies around here that fell from the ship. Collect them, and stockpile them over there. He pointed to a clearing in the ground.
I nodded, and began to do so.
"I'll start planting some seeds then! If we're going to be here awhile, we'll need food!" Sage giggled and began to gather seed packages from around the site.
The man and I talked as we collected bits of steel and logs from around the crash site. His name was Nelson, but he'd preferred to be called Nelly. He was a Glitterworld Surgeon and was exiled for being caught performing human test trials without authorization on a herbal medicine. It was freezing outside, I didn't know what month it was, but it was probably one of the winter months.
After gathering all we could, I realized I was shivering violently.
"We need to build some sort of hut so we can make a campfire!" I stuttered, trying to stay warm.
"Alright, we'll use these logs to make the walls and door. Help me out kid, you can build can't you?" Nelly said.
"Yes, I can help." I replied, and began to gather wood to use for the hut.
After a few hours the hut was built, and we all ran inside and began to light a fire. It warmed up the room quickly, and we began to discuss many issues and plans we had to make.
"For starters, we'll sleep in here during the night. We'll build beds later when we have room." Nelly said, and we all nodded in agreement.
"When the soil warms up and unthaws, I'll work on the fields!" Sage happily spoke, and Nelly and I nodded in agreement.
She seemed so innocent.. How will this planet change her? I thought.
"Nelly and I will hunt for food today so we don't starve to death on our first night here." I offered, and no objections were made.
"Great idea kid, I actually found some weapons lying around earlier." Nelly said, which was relieving, because I wasn't ready to attack the animals with my bare hands.. If there were any on this planet.
We were ready, and we began to go through with our ideas. I went out and seen a lee-einfield on the floor, but Nelly grabbed it before I could and I resorted to using a pistol. Finding animals was easy, the trees were dead and most plant life was dormant exposing the terrain to us and allowing us to see that there were deer no more than 200 feet from us. Nelly stood behind a tree and I crouched behind a boulder. We couldn't afford to miss, or they'd most likely flee. Nelly took aim and I began to aim down my sights. Suddenly, a crack came from my right and a bullet flew by me and towards the deer. I fired the pistol and got the deer in one straight shot. However despite our efforts it began to flee. Another deer, unscathed by the conflict ensuing walked by my line of fire and I accidentally got it. Nelly kept trying to get the deer that was fleeing, but my pistol could only shoot so far and I decided to try and get the deer I'd just shot. I'd fatally shot one and Nelly incapacitated the other one when a third deer flew by me from my left and was hit by one of Nelly's bullets!
What a stroke of luck! These animals were total idiots! We downed the third deer and began to gather our rewards. We'd butcher them and have food for a few days. Night was falling, and I seen Sage idly sitting by the fields trying to dig a hole into the frozen soil, she had a sullen expression on her face.
"Good job kiddo! We have food and leather now that will surely help us in our struggle!" Nelly said to me
I felt good about myself. Sage congratulated Nelly and I, then she began to butcher the deceased deer. Nelly turned in for the night, and I had a moment to speak with Sage while she finished with the animals.
"Sage, are you okay?" I asked her.
"I'm fine.. I just want to soil to unthaw so I can do something helpful instead of picking at ice all day.." she replied.
"You are being helpful still, Sage. Here, take this plasteel knife. It's one of the ones I stole while we were all the way back at customs." I reached into my pocket and handed it to her, her eyes twinkled and she looked surprised and happy.
"Thanks brother! This will be good to have if I'm ever in a jam!" She giggled, and I grinned.
"I'm going to turn in for the night, don't stay out too late, okay?"
"Alright! Good night!" She said, and I went to go lie down. The roof was made of steel plates we'd collected, and it kept the heat in and the rain that should eventually come out.
This first day was peaceful, maybe we'd be okay here. I turned over, and went to sleep.