survival tactic. I adopted your looks in the hope you would not kill me. I am glad it worked.”
Just as Lars began to relax, accepting the answers to his questions, there was an even louder noise from the bushes. It was the crashing of a large group. Dahl looked terrified and ran behind Cassie and Lars.
“It's the Grimmots!” Dahl shouted. “They found me!”
“I'm guessing the Grimmots are the ones chasing you,” Lars said. Seeing Dahl nod, he turned to Cassie and added, “Well, we should probably get back to the shuttle.”
“Are you going to protect me?” Dahl asked hopefully.
Lars started to say “no”, but Cassie interrupted him and said “yes”. Before Lars could argue, Cassie and Dahl began to run back to The Raven . Lars followed quickly behind them. While he ran, Lars announced on the communicators they were in danger and for everyone to return to the shuttle.
Once everyone was on board, Jason fired up the engines and slammed the throttles full forward. Faster than the speed of sound, The Raven was off the ground and heading straight up, back to Solaris .
“Mom, we ran into some hostile natives. We are on our way home. All crew members are accounted for, plus one extra,” Jason radioed to Jennifer as they took off.
“What do you mean by 'extra'?”
“You'll see when we get back,” Jason said.
Cassie could see everyone was staring at Dahl. She could almost hear the thousands of questions in their heads. She looked over at Dahl and could see he was also uncomfortable with all the stares.
“I know what everyone is thinking,” Lars said addressing the crew. “I'll explain everything when we get back to HQ. In the meantime, just keep your mouths shut.”
“Lars, you know this is against Regulations,” Eric spoke up.
“I know. We were in danger. Decisions were made. I'll deal with the fall out,” Lars explained.
Cassie knew if Lars got in trouble for this it would be her fault. Lars wanted to leave Dahl behind, but Cassie made the choice to bring him along. She wasn't concerned with rules and regulations. She just saw someone who needed help and saved him without thinking.
Chapter 7
The rest of the flight to Solaris was tensely quiet. Cassie could see everyone was still staring at Dahl. Dahl hung his head low as he tried to hide from everyone's eyes. Cassie worried about what would happen once they landed, but she didn't have to wait long to find out.
Everyone quickly stepped out and into the hangar. Cassie and Dahl were the last two to exit. Cassie saw Captain Jackson and a handful of Security Officers aiming rifles at the shuttle and the rest of the crew. Dahl immediately threw his hands in the air in surrender and tried to hide behind Cassie.
“What's going on?” Cassie asked.
“Security protocol,” Captain Jackson answered. “We got word from your Overwatch you were bringing something back. It is standard operating procedure to secure the hangar and all returning crew in order to prevent hostile lifeforms from entering Solaris .”
“This life form calls himself ‘Dahl’,” Lars spoke up. “He's not hostile. He's a rescue.”
“You know it's not that easy, Lars. There are rules that must be followed,” Captain Jackson said.
“He's a shape-shifter,” Cassie said, thinking quickly.
“What?” Captain Jackson asked.
“Dahl's species has evolved active camouflage as a survival mechanism. If I can study him in my lab, I think I can isolate the gene that allows him to change his form. If I can isolate that gene, then I can develop a bacteria to be seeded on a planet’s ecosystem. The bacteria would be programmed to alter the existing lifeforms, flora and fauna, to morph into those on Earth. It will allow us to terraform any planet we choose so we can live there. Dahl might be the key to finding a new home. No more searching, we just move in wherever we want,” Cassie explained.
“Are you serious?
Just as Lars began to relax, accepting the answers to his questions, there was an even louder noise from the bushes. It was the crashing of a large group. Dahl looked terrified and ran behind Cassie and Lars.
“It's the Grimmots!” Dahl shouted. “They found me!”
“I'm guessing the Grimmots are the ones chasing you,” Lars said. Seeing Dahl nod, he turned to Cassie and added, “Well, we should probably get back to the shuttle.”
“Are you going to protect me?” Dahl asked hopefully.
Lars started to say “no”, but Cassie interrupted him and said “yes”. Before Lars could argue, Cassie and Dahl began to run back to The Raven . Lars followed quickly behind them. While he ran, Lars announced on the communicators they were in danger and for everyone to return to the shuttle.
Once everyone was on board, Jason fired up the engines and slammed the throttles full forward. Faster than the speed of sound, The Raven was off the ground and heading straight up, back to Solaris .
“Mom, we ran into some hostile natives. We are on our way home. All crew members are accounted for, plus one extra,” Jason radioed to Jennifer as they took off.
“What do you mean by 'extra'?”
“You'll see when we get back,” Jason said.
Cassie could see everyone was staring at Dahl. She could almost hear the thousands of questions in their heads. She looked over at Dahl and could see he was also uncomfortable with all the stares.
“I know what everyone is thinking,” Lars said addressing the crew. “I'll explain everything when we get back to HQ. In the meantime, just keep your mouths shut.”
“Lars, you know this is against Regulations,” Eric spoke up.
“I know. We were in danger. Decisions were made. I'll deal with the fall out,” Lars explained.
Cassie knew if Lars got in trouble for this it would be her fault. Lars wanted to leave Dahl behind, but Cassie made the choice to bring him along. She wasn't concerned with rules and regulations. She just saw someone who needed help and saved him without thinking.
Chapter 7
The rest of the flight to Solaris was tensely quiet. Cassie could see everyone was still staring at Dahl. Dahl hung his head low as he tried to hide from everyone's eyes. Cassie worried about what would happen once they landed, but she didn't have to wait long to find out.
Everyone quickly stepped out and into the hangar. Cassie and Dahl were the last two to exit. Cassie saw Captain Jackson and a handful of Security Officers aiming rifles at the shuttle and the rest of the crew. Dahl immediately threw his hands in the air in surrender and tried to hide behind Cassie.
“What's going on?” Cassie asked.
“Security protocol,” Captain Jackson answered. “We got word from your Overwatch you were bringing something back. It is standard operating procedure to secure the hangar and all returning crew in order to prevent hostile lifeforms from entering Solaris .”
“This life form calls himself ‘Dahl’,” Lars spoke up. “He's not hostile. He's a rescue.”
“You know it's not that easy, Lars. There are rules that must be followed,” Captain Jackson said.
“He's a shape-shifter,” Cassie said, thinking quickly.
“What?” Captain Jackson asked.
“Dahl's species has evolved active camouflage as a survival mechanism. If I can study him in my lab, I think I can isolate the gene that allows him to change his form. If I can isolate that gene, then I can develop a bacteria to be seeded on a planet’s ecosystem. The bacteria would be programmed to alter the existing lifeforms, flora and fauna, to morph into those on Earth. It will allow us to terraform any planet we choose so we can live there. Dahl might be the key to finding a new home. No more searching, we just move in wherever we want,” Cassie explained.
“Are you serious?
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