On the Rim, Ch 11: Missy in High Demand
Story by comidacomida on SoFurry
Welcome back to "On the Rim"; this is chapter 11. This is a short story series based on a game I am playing called "Rim World". Rim World is a really cool indie game that accommodates an amazing array of mods that allow me to create a setting very similar to my story world in which several of my stories take place including "Fathom's Phantoms", "The Farlight Initiative", an "Paid in Kind".
Missy, as usual, spends her day fluttering around and outside camp, handing whatever strikes her mood. Her activities, however, are interrupted not once, but twice. So, with this chapter complete, it's time for readers to determine who presents the next one. Here are the options:
a) The Overseer helps manage the construction of the geothermal power plant, and then conducts a meeting with a group of tribesmen who come to talk.
b) The Captain stands guard for much of the day, monitoring the goings on around camp and then handles initial contact with a new group of tribesmen who come to visit the survivors.
c) Grizz takes the morning off and spends it with Missy, only to join a group heading out on a possibly dangerous mission based on information they learn from visiting tribesmen.
d) Claw helps the work group get the geothermal power generator put together and then gets enlisted to help with an away mission.
e) Cole spends the day putting together the geothermal power generator, and then is 'forced' to socialize with several newcomers that evening as the security team gets ready to leave.
Voting won't be available long and no, the decision won't change the events of the story, just how they're presented along with who we get to learn more about via their point of view.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy "On the Rim"!
On the Rim, Ch 11: Missy in High Demand
2020 copyright comidacomida
Missy's morning walk-abouts had become something of a given after the first week on Planet A. It got to the point that she no longer had to check in with security and if anyone saw her heading out of the valley they didn't even bat an eye. She liked it that way, of course; although she didn't mind helping the tenderfoots out she wasn't comfortable with them requiring her to be around every second of every day.
That particular morning, however, her walk-about got interrupted when she saw a figure moving toward the settlement at an even pace. As the shape drew closer she was able to make out the distinct outline of a person pushing through the undergrowth and, unless she was mistaken, it seemed to be in distress. Rather than calling out, she purposefully made more noise to see how the newcomer would react.
It, or 'he', rather, called out immediately. "H-hello? Is someone out there?"
He went to say more but a long string of coughs followed by a wheeze and a hack followed his shout. By that point Missy had drawn close enough to see that he was wearing a torn and tattered Relegra Corp uniform. Determining the cat-and-mouse game was complete, the Lynx pushed through the bushes, surprising the lone Wolf with must have been (to him anyway) her sudden appearance. She kept the introduction simple. "My name's Missy. Follow me-- there's more folks from Relegra close by."
The Wolf stumbled once, and then a second time, eventually managing to find his balance before moving slowly after her. He continued to wheeze and cough as he did so, making so much racket that the Lynx was hardly surprised when several members of the camp were waiting for them when they broke free of the treeline. She thumbed over her shoulder toward the Wolf who was probably less than ten years her senior, but seemed to be acting like an old man. "Found this guy-- I think he was onboard the Venture with us."
The Overseer was among those who had come out to investigate and the Wolf obviously recognized her right away. "Overseer Simpson!"
She apparently recognized him as well. "Mr. Grotan!"
From off to the side the group's new Lion smirked. "Ugh, Grotan." and then laughed at something he apparently thought was funny.
Doc arrived in a timely manner and took the Wolf off to sickbay. The Overseer hung around long enough to explain the situation to the security team and Missy lingered to overhear the explanation. Ben Grotan was a research assistant from on board the Venture. Although he wasn't specifically assigned to Sandra Simpson they worked on the same deck and had apparently at least a passing familiarity with one another.
She further explained that Ben had several chronic health issues. Even as she was concerned about catching something the Captain brought up the same issue and the Overseer assured him that nothing the Wolf had was contagious, but also not exactly in prime health. Grizz remarked about letting the 'infirm' on an inter-solar space craft but he fell silent when he got 'the glance' from the Captain. A moment later, so did Missy. "Is there something we help you with, Ms. Drann?"
She shrugged, taking the opportunity to walk by them and toward the cave system. "Nope... just wanted to let everyone know I was back from my walk... got kinda interrupted so I'll probably go out again later."
The eyes remained on her until she went through the door and into the caves, but she'd stopped caring about their attention; she had a four legged wolf to check on that meant more to her than a wheezy two legged one. Her mood increased immediately when she entered the room she shared with Grizz and saw that Roscoe was up and about, sniffing, pacing, and restless. His focus went immediately to her when she peeked inside and she saw the small nub that remained of his tail rotated from side to side at her presence.
She spent the morning with the wolf, inside for a little while, but eventually out into the valley, but she kept close to the settlement, not quite sure that Roscoe was ready for one of their longer walks. She hung around long enough to catch the sound of what was quickly becoming a heated argument. Just as she was taking Roscoe even further from the camp Captain Archie stepped out of the cavern system; the Overseer followed right after.
Out of everything they could have been arguing about, the Lynx almost snickered when she realized that they were in a disagreement over a chess table. Apparently Ben had suggested having one around and Ms. Simpson asked Cole to make one; the Captain considered it a horrible use of resources and thought that the Horse could be better suited preparing some more stalwart combat placements for when the group was attacked again. He finished up his argument with "And, yes, I said 'when', because we know it will happen."
The argument started to bore Missy, and she resolved that it was indeed time to head out before she got roped into the drama. She'd almost made a clean break, right up until she realized that Duct-Tape was already further out than she was, and faced her way. Letting out a sigh, she stated "I'm not coming back while they're having their lover's quarrel."
The Fox smirked, and flicked an ear. "Good... didn't need you to."
The statement immediately improved her mood. "Well okay then. What can I do for you, Duct-Tape?"
He motioned back to the cave system. "Cole helped me get the first hydroponics pods set up but I want to add some more... I know you've found some wild cotton-- if you find more can you bring back some seeds?"
She raised an eyebrow, leaning down casually to scratch Roscoe behind his ear; he sat down and his leg started kicking. "Didn't Cole say that we're near the limit on power that the shuttle can produce for us?"
Duct-Tape's tail began to swish and he smirked. "Yes... yes he did... but I spent about an hour talking with our new resident researcher; according to Mr. Grotan it is perfectly feasible to construct some thermal plants if we have geological heat available... and you DID say you found some geysers around here, didn't you?"
Although the Fox said he didn't mind if she headed back out to do her scouting, the new information revealed that she really did need to go back to the caves. Letting out a deep sigh, the Lynx motioned back to the valley and without any argument Roscoe trotted back home. She glanced at Duct-Tape as she passed by him. "I guess we're all going to have to figure this out together, huh?"
It turned out to be a much more complicated project than that; the more advanced planning necessitated the use of a computer and the only usable computer had been on th shuttle. The next two hours were spent working alongside Cole in extracting the computer, placing it onto a newly fabricated computer terminal, and then manually reworking the processor to function in a way that facilitated research; Ben proved to be exceptionally talented at the last part.
By the time evening rolled around, not only was the research station completed but the group had a perfect diagram for what would be needed to construct the geothermal power generator. It had been a quiet day but, considering the progress, Missy really didn't mind. Duct-Tape ended up throwing a party that night; it was a great end note to the day and she went to bed with Grizz for a private celebration to follow up the public one.