Chapter Text
Mariner was driving and trying to shake the cops while the kids held on as the van rattled.
“Man, these guys don't quit!” Pigero said as he looked at the rearview mirror.
“We need something to slow them down.” Mariner said, “Do the kids still have some rocks or something to throw at them?”
“Good idea!” The boy nodded before turning to the kids, “Everyone! Open the doors and throw every rock you have at them!”
“Right!!”
The kids grabbed all the rocks and once they opened the doors, they began to throw it at the police cars and the goon squad.
“Hey quit it! Stop that! Watch it!” The cops said as they shielded their faced.
“You leave us alone!! Get away!” The kids shouted.
The rocks broke the glass windows and it caused some of them to drive off.
“Ha! We got them!” Rom raised his fist proudly.
“Nice job kids!” Mariner gave them a thumbs up.
“Keep on driving! We are almost there!” Pigero said.
Suddenly one of the tires popped and the van began to swerve!
“Oh no! What are we gonna do!?” said a scared Hacchi.
“Hang on!”
Mariner pulled over to the side of the forest and after the van came to a stop, she and Pigero got the kids out.
“Quick! Into the woods!” He pointed to Rey area.
“Come on everybody!” Mariner quickly urged everyone, “Go! Go! Go!”
They all ran out and began to hide in the forest; they hid behind the tall trees and Mariner covered their tracks so they won’t be followed.
“Everyone, stay quiet.” She whispered to them.
Chico whimpered a little but Rom gave her a hug to calm her down.
“It's okay, sis.” He spoke softly, “Everything will be fine. Don’t worry.”
The social workers and police stopped where the van was but with no tracks, they can't follow anything.
“I think we lost them!” The woman said.
“They gotta be here somewhere! Keep looking!” One of her colleagues said.
They searched around the area but missed Mariner and the kids because they head so well. As soon as the adults were gone, everyone came out of hiding.
“Man, that was too close.” Mariner sighed in relied, “Let's get out of here.”
“Yeah, we need to find those parts.” Pigero said, “Now if I remember correctly, they gotta be North East. Everyone stay close.”
“I'm a bit scared.” Ena said.
“Me too.” Chico nodded.
The young woman felt bad for the kids, so she knelt down to their level and gave them an encouraging smile
“Don't worry guys, I promise nothing bad will happen.” She calmly said, “And I absolutely won't let those creeps take you away.”
“She’s right.” Pigero placed a hand on her shoulder, “If we stay together, we can do this.”
The kids all agreed and followed their friends into the forest
{}
Meanwhile, the captain was sitting in her office still feeling depressed when the door open and it was Bradford.
“Hey captain.” He spoke a little softly, “I uhh..just wanted to ask if we have any tasks for today.”
Carol was a little out of it before he came in and immediately snapped out of her thoughts.
“Oh! Umm…nothing at the moment, ensign.” She tried to keep her composure.
But Bradford wasn’t fooled and could tell what was bothering her.
“Are you feeling okay?” Bradford spoke up a bit, “Anything I can do to help? We can even talk if you want.”
“Don't worry about me, I’ve been through worse.” Carol shook her head lightly, “I just can't stop thinking about how things turned out lately.”
“Yeah…I'm really sorry about that.” He looked away as he rubbed the back of his head
“It's not your fault. It was my own misjudgment that costed this ships reputation. I let my ego get in the way and look what it cost me.” Carol placed her head in her hands, “And because of me, everyone thinks I'm a terrible captain and my daughter ran off without a trace. I don’t even know where she could’ve gone.”
Bradford sympathy towards a captain and knew that her guilt must be eating away at her; he could also relay because he felt bad that he couldn’t help his friend before she got transferred out.
That’s when he came up with an idea.
“Maybe I can help find her.”
“How?”
“She might've taken her communicator with her and she might not have gone far.” Bradford said, “I'll call her and convince her to come back.”
“You think that will work?” Carol asked in an unsure manner.
“It’s worth a try. I have a talent of convincing people and she does trust me more than most people.”
She that carefully and knew that this may be the only chance to try and locate her daughter.
“Alright Ensign. I trust you to find my daughter.” The caption approved, “I'm counting on you.”
“Yes ma’am. I promise.”
Bradford gave a salute before he walked out of the office.
The captain was unsure this plan will work, but it’s better than just sitting around and doing nothing.
{}
Back on earth, the orphans and Mariner were walking in the forest and it was a long way from there to the town where they needed to buy the parts
“How much longer? I'm tired.” Yoodon wiped the sweat from his brow.
“Yeah…This is taking forever!” Rom said as he was out of breath.
Mariner felt bad that she was dragging a bunch of kids with her to help her get back home and wasn’t sure how else to help them when she got the parts.
“I'm sorry guys.” Mariner sighed. “I didn't mean to drag you all into this.”
“Nah don't be, it’s cool.” Pigero reassured her.
“Yeah honestly, this is way better than being chase by those mean adults.”
But as they continued walking, Jinku didn’t notice there was something hiding in the tall grass.
Then suddenly, he stepped on a small trap and caught his leg!
“Ahhhhh!!!!” The boy screamed and fell to the ground.
They all turned and saw he was clutching his leg in pain!
“Oh no!! Jinku!” The kids all ran to his side.
Mariner looked at the trap and saw it was one of the kind that was sharp and would clamp onto the animals limbs when closed.
“We gotta get it off him now!” She said urgently, “Come on Pigero, help me!
Pigero nodded as he grabbed one end of the trap and Mariner grabbed the other end.
“On the count of three, we pull!” Pigero said.
“Right! One…two…three!”
They pulled the ends apart as the kids helped get Jinkus leg out. Thankfully, it wasn’t too deep to penetrate the bones but it was hard enough to dig deep into his fur and skin.
“Ow…My leg hurts…” Jinku felt tears in his eyes.
“Here, use this”.
Pigero gives Mariner a piece of his shirt and she tightly tied up the wound to stop the bleeding and Jinku winced as his leg is being bandaged up.
“Ow…it hurts…”
“Don’t worry, this should stop the bleeding.”
Mariner finished tying up the wound.
“Oh man! He needs a doctor!” Yoodpn started to panic.
“Come on, follow me!” Mariner picked up Jinku.
She carries the boy on her back and they headed to a small cave not too far off. Once they were in, Mariner sets him down and checks her bag for supplies.
“Come on, come on.” She said to herself, “I gotta have something in here.”
Mariner managed to find some disinfectant but there wasn’t much left and it was a small container.
“It'll have to do.” Mariner held the boy close, “Now, this might sting a little.”
“Mmm…I'm scared.” Jimku whimpered.
“It'll be okay. Just hold still.”
After undoing the bandage, Mariner applies the medicine and it stings greatly.
“Owww!” He winced.
“I know it hurts but we can't let it get infected.” She used one hand to pet his head, “You're gonna be alright, I promise.”
Then when she was done, Mariner used the bottom of her shirt to cover up the wound again.
“There that should do it.”
Ena tapped her back and asked, “Is he gonna be okay?”
“Yeah, he will be okay.” Mariner patted her shoulder, “We patched it up so, hopefully, it shouldn't get infected. We just need to keep an eye on it.”
“Right and I'll carry him while we get the parts.” Pigero nodded.
No, it's too dangerous for us all to go.” Mariner shook her head and stood up, “Plus, Jinku needs his rest.”
“But how will you get back?” Rom asked.
“Two words: bird calls.”
Mariner makes a bird whistles and it impressed the kids.
“Whoa! That was really good!” They all applauded.
“Thank you.” Mariner smiled, “Can one of you whistle good?
“I can!” Eva raised her hand.
“And I can as well.” Pigero added.
“Good good! I'll whistle on my way back, that way you'll know it's me.” Mariner did a quick whistle, “But if I make a caw like a crow, that means danger is nearby. Understand?”
“Got it!” Everyone said.
“Okay! Let's do this! I'll go alone so you guys stay here.”
Making sure no one is outside, Mariner ran out of the cave and towards the town where the parts are being sold.
She had to move fast because time was not on her side.
{}
Meanwhile, Bradford was in the mess hall trying to contact Mariner on the communicator, but no luck.
“Come on pick up.” he said to himself after her failing for the fifth time, “Man…no good.”
“Ensign!”
He looked up to see lieutenant Jack Ransom coming towards him.
“Oh! Yes sir?” Bradford stood at attention.
“Have you tried to contact Mariner?”
“Yes sir. So far, I’ve had no luck and I'm really worried.”
“I know and I'm worried about her, too.” Jack nodded and placed a hand on his shoulder, “When the captain transferred her, I honestly thought it was going too far. Even I wouldn't send anybody to that hellhole Starbase 80.”
“Yeah and I should've made her stay since I knew she wouldn’t betray us.” Bradford sighed, “But I'll keep trying to find her. I'm not gonna give up on her now.”
“Good and I want to help and so do the others.” Jack gave a proud smile, “We are gonna do a search party and me and Shax wanna recruit you for the search. Are you in?”
“Yes sir!”
“Alright, let's do this!”
{}
Meanwhile, Mariner was close to the town and wasn’t too far from the place where she needed the parts.
“Almost there!” Mariner panted and wiped the sweat from her face, I knew this was going to be easy.”
But as she approached the location, she saw people scrapping a lot of the parts and knew she was running out of time.
“Oh no! I better get there fast!
Mariner ran to it just as the workers were about to finish scrapping everything.
“Hey wait! I need those parts!” She called to them.
“Sorry but you should’ve came early.” A lady said
“Can I at least buy some of it?”
“Do you have money? If you do, we’ll let you buy them.”
Mariner nodded and pays them even though it wasn’t a lot of money. And she was only able to get the parts for her busted up communicator.
She salvaged it from her wrecked ship before leaving the orphans home, but it was damaged after the crash.
“Guess this will have to do.” She sighed as she ran back to the forest.
As Mariner headed towards the location of the cave, she began to hear a whistle and it sounded distressed.
“Oh man, I gotta get going! I hope they're okay!”
She ran until she made it to the cave and saw a couple of the orphans looking worried at the entrances
“What's wrong? What's happened?” She asked them.
“It's Jinku!” Hacchi said worriedly, “He doesn't look so good!
“What?!”
Heading in, she ran to see Jinku laying down but he looked terrible. He looked pale, hew as sweating, and his face looked flushed.
“I think he's burning up with a fever.” Pigero gave a concerned look.
Mariner went over to the boy and felt his forehead, but immediately pulled it back feeling how hot it was.
“Oh, this is not good.” Mariner said quietly
“Is Jinku okay?” asked a sad Chico.
“I think he got a minor infection and it's making him sick.” She explained without taking her eyes off the boy.
“Oh man…he's need a doctor.” Yoodon said.
The former ensign knew it was true but there were a couple reason why they won’t be able to make it.
For one, the only hospital in the area was a few miles away and the second reason is they might be caught by the police and social workers if they headed that way.
That’s when Mariner decided to
“We might be far from a hospital but I have an idea.” Mariner said as she gathered the parts
She took the parts and puts them together the best she can. She was determined to repair the communicator and help her like friend.
“What are you doing?” asked Pigero
“I'm repairing this to get help.” She explained, “Once it’s fixed, I'm gonna send out a signal.”
“Wait, you know people that can help.”
“Yes but I have to see if this things works.”
“Let’s hope so because Jinku is really not looking so good.” Ena sat next to her sick friend.
“It will work.” Mariner said in determination. “It has to!”
She silently prays to herself as she puts the communicator together and turns it on, hoping it’ll work.
“Come on come on, please pick up!” She said to herself.
As if by a miracle, it beeps and Mariner didn’t waste any time to relay a message.
“Mayday! Mayday!” She spoke through the device, “This is Beckett Mariner! A child is in distress! I need medical assistance now!”
The signal travels to the galaxy and it reaches the Cerritos.
Will they hear out Mariner and get Jinku medical attention?
(To be continued…)